The winners of the prestigious 2014 Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) Awards have now been chosen and will be revealed next week at the FPA Professionals Congress on the 19th – 21st of November in Adelaide.
According to Mark Rantall, FPA CEO, the awards are more relevant than ever given recent events in the industry. In particular, he pointed to the debate around professional and education standards, which has picked up serious momentum over the course of the year, saying the FPA Awards acknowledge those planners who show true professional leadership.
“We’ve been on a journey as a profession and we’ve recently achieved some major milestones, including a commitment by the major players in our industry to raise standards in order to secure the trust of Australians. Against this backdrop, we are thrilled to be able to reward those planners who have consistently gone above and beyond to deliver great results for their clients; have contributed to the profession through community involvement; and have mentored and supported their local FPA member base,” Mr Rantall said.
FPA CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional of the Year Award
One of the key FPA Awards is the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) Professional of the Year Award, which recognises CFP® professionals who have demonstrated the highest professional standards embodied by an FPA member. Lisa Weissel, CFP® and Senior Financial Adviser at Evergreen Wealth Professionals, is one of the judges of the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional of the Year Award. Ms Weissel said she was impressed by the high calibre of the award entries this year and said this is a reflection of the increased focus of the profession on lifting the standards of advice.
“The candidates for the CFP® award demonstrated the great work they are doing to provide clear advice that their clients can easily understand and apply in order to reach their goals. Many of these planners have strong frameworks for engaging and communicating with clients, which in turn help deliver the best outcomes. This is a mark of excellence in our profession.”
FPA Financial Planner AFP® of the Year Award
The Financial Planner AFP® of the Year Award recognises AFP® members of the FPA who have demonstrated the highest professional standards.
Rob Pyne, CFP® and Director at HPH Solutions, is one of the judges of the Financial Planner AFP® of the Year Award and a previous winner of an FPA Award. Mr Pyne commented on the number of high quality award entries this year and spoke of the benefits of winning the award in 2012.
“The quality of work as evidenced by the applications was excellent. From my experience, the benefits of winning an FPA Award were visible both personally and professionally. Having an award from the leading professional organisation gives you credibility by virtue of that award and this is more important now than ever.”
Future2 Community Service Award
The Future2 Community Service Award recognises FPA members who have made an outstanding contribution to the wider community.
Steve Helmich, Director of Advice and Client Solutions at AMP, is one of the judges of the Future2 Community Service Award. Mr Helmich said: “There were some outstanding candidates this year that are committed to improving the circumstances of the most socially excluded and financially disadvantaged members of the community. All Australians deserve access to trusted advice, and this award is testament to how financial planners can make a real difference to the wider community.”
Lisa Weissel, Rob Pyne and Steve Helmich are three of the nine highly credentialed members of the financial planning community who judged the FPA Awards this year.
The FPA Awards will be presented during the FPA Professionals Congress in Adelaide on 19th – 21st of November. For more information on the awards, please visit http://fpa.asn.au/awards/