Cristina Waingart Gerrald Women in Business Award 2026

Cristina Waingart Gerrald

Waingart Wealth Advisors of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC

Financial Adviser

Greenville

Cristina Waingart Gerrald is a native of Greenville, South Carolina, and is deeply involved in the local community. She works in financial services in a family business, Waingart Wealth Advisors, creating tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of each client. She holds several professional credentials, including the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) designation. She is a member of Greenville Women Giving, Greenville Professional Women’s Forum, Leadership Greenville Class 52, and the Clemson Women’s Alumni Council. She is the founder of The Greenville Ladies Club.

How do you define leadership?

Leadership is defined by helping those around you succeed. Succeeding in life takes a team, and you need to support those around you so everyone can accomplish the overall mission and goal together.

What makes you an effective leader? (Your greatest strength). What are you still working on?

My greatest leadership strength is being a connector. It bring me joy to help connect individuals in Greenville. Being born and raised here, I’ve met lots of people along the way and if I can help them meet someone new, that is a fun task for me! We all need people in our circle in order to succeed, so I want to help people form and add to their circles.

Is there a mentor who has meant a lot to you in your career?

My greatest mentor in my career is my father, who I know of the blessing of working with. Prior to working with him, he met with me for lunch every month for five years to work on my business plan. He has always helped me best think through difficult situations, and without him and my mom, I wouldn’t be who I am today!

What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our readers?

The best advice I’ve received in business is to get outside of your comfort zone. From a young age, I’ve been working on this and it has helped me in more ways than I can imagine. Meeting new people, going to new events, and other opportunities will open if you get out of your comfort zone.

What would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment to date?

My greatest accomplishment to this date is getting the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) designation. For the last year and a half since getting the designation, I’ve been able to help men and women through the gray divorce and ultimately, we help individuals through our Bridge to Financial Independence. This is so important for so many individuals in the Upstate.

What one thing have you learned that has served you well over the years?

Always write thank you notes, for everything!!

If there is one thing you could go back and do differently what would it be?

If I could go back, I wish I would’ve played at least one year of collegiate volleyball. I played volleyball my whole life and then wanted the college experience so I quit playing. I wish I had played at least one year in college, and I share that story with high schoolers so they don’t make the same mistake!