The Financial Planning Association (FPA) has recognised the top tier of financial planners in Australia by announcing the national winners of the 2012 Best Practice Awards in Melbourne.
Mark Rantall, chief executive of the FPA, said that the Best Practice Awards showcased the high calibre of the nation’s financial planners, including AFP practitioners and CFP professionals.
“They are a symbol of trust and excellence for all Australians seeking financial advice from a qualified and professional financial planner acting in their best interest,” he said.
National victory for Victorian troika
National winners were chosen from all State winners and were announced at the 2012 Victorian State Awards ceremony in Melbourne on Friday, as all three national winners came from Victoria this year.
Michelle Tate-Lovery of Unified Financial Services in Cartlon was awarded both the Victorian as well as the National FPA CFP Professional Best Practice Award.
She started her practice in 1994 to deliver financial advice to clients, primarily in the health professions.
AMP planners picked up two of the three Best Practice Awards at the reception.
Shane Lenehan of Silvan Ridge Financial Services, Warrnambool, licensed through Charter Financial Planning, received the FPA’s AFP Best Practice Award and Mark O’Leary from AMP Financial Planning in Melbourne’s Eluvia was awarded the FPA Future 2 Community Service Best Practice Award.
Lenehan (here on left receiving his award from Professional Planner Online editor Andrew Starke) was awarded the national honour due to his willingness to embrace the FPA’s Code of Ethics.
“For me, it’s never about a one-off transaction, it’s all about encouraging an ongoing relationship that helps ensure my clients’ short and long-term goals are met,” he said.
“Identifying and implementing strategies to help my clients achieve their life goals is the best part of my job.”
O’Leary has worked with the Cancer Council since 2011 in order to provide pro bono financial advice to cancer sufferers who often have serious financial challenges as a consequence of their illness.
AMP financial planner Hari Maragos of Victoria Wealth Management was awarded the Future 2 Community Service Award Runner up for Victoria, and also picked up the Distinguished Service Award for Victoria.
Rantall said that he had been impressed by the high quality of the financial planners nominated for both the state and national awards this year.
“The FPA has always strived to improve standards in financial advice, and it is wonderful to be able to acknowledge these outstanding financial planners as the symbol of excellence in financial planning that they are,” he said.
This year, in addition to the prizes awarded by the FPA, PortfolioConstruction Forum presented all three national winners with the choice of complimentary attendance to their Market Summit or Conference in 2013.
Click on the video below for the impressions of a couple of planners who attended the event
List of Victorian Best Practice Award state winners and runners-up
FPA Certified Financial Planner, Professional Best Practice Award
VIC State Winner: Michelle Tate-Lovery, Unified Financial Services, Cartlon
VIC State Runner-up and National Highly Commended: Joseph Stephan, Stephan Strategic, Kew
FPA Financial Planner AFP Best Practice Award
VIC State Winner: Shane Lenehan, Silvan Ridge Financial Services, Warrnambool
Future2 Community Service Best Practice Award
VIC State Winner: Mark O’Leary, Eluvia, Melbourne
VIC State Runner-up: Hari Maragos, Victoria Wealth Management, Bundoora
For a comprehensive list of winners and awards, click here.
For Tasmanian winners, click here.
