Steve Salvia, from Southern Financial Strategies in Western Australia, has taken out the 2010 AFA Adviser of the Year Award (the Award), proudly sponsored for the eighth consecutive year by Zurich Financial Services Australia (Zurich). The announcement was made at the AFA’s Gala Awards Dinner on 26 October, which marked the close of the AFA’s National Conference on the Gold Coast.
AFA CEO, Richard Klipin, said the number and quality of candidates made 2010 the toughest year yet for judges.
“The finalists are outstanding,” he said, “and they demonstrate that the future of the profession is here.”
Mr Klipin said today’s financial advice practices are now corporatised businesses with:
- Specialised staff
- Strong propositions
- Systems that work
- Clients that are delighted
This year, the judges introduced new methods of determining the ultimate winner including surveying clients and interviewing the finalists.
Mr Klipin said it was Steve Salvia’s absolute commitment to excellence, superior client service, strong community involvement and streamlined systems and processes that marked him as the winner of the AFA’s premier award.
“It’s fair to say that all of this year’s finalists excelled in the four key areas – giving advice, business acumen, community service and industry service,” Mr Klipin said. “But Steve’s strong all-round practice and absolute commitment to excellence ultimately set him apart from his peers.”
Speaking on behalf of Zurich, Colin Morgan – General Manager Life Australia, said since Zurich first sponsored the award in 2003, the standard of adviser nominations has increased at a phenomenal rate. “This year’s finalists are of exceptional quality,” he said. “As a long standing partner of independent financial advisers, Zurich believes this indicates the strength and growth of our industry.”
Zurich is one of the largest global players in life risk, offering innovative customer-driven products.
The calibre of this year’s advisers was so high that, for the first time, the judges introduced a Highly Commended category of awards.
The six finalists and three highly commended advisers for the Award included:
Finalists:
- Chris Browne, Financial Design for Life, Victoria
- Jason Churchill, CCS Insurance Solutions, Queensland
- Jonathan Hoyle, Stanford Brown, New South Wales
- Peter Nonnenmacher, Macarthur Financial Planning, New South Wales
- Steve Salvia, Southern Financial Strategies, Western Australia (Winner)
- Nicholas Sinclair, Wealthfarm Financial Planners, Queensland
Highly Commended:
- Marc Bineham, Noall & Co, New South Wales
- Gerard Lowe, Lowe Financial Group, Victoria
- Paul Rawson, Finance Control, New South Wales
The Judges
- Philip Kewin, Head of Life Risk Sales, Zurich
- Graham Peatey, Managing Director, The Encore Group
- Marc Fabris, National Manager, Sales Strategies and Research, Life Risk, Zurich
- Richard Klipin, CEO, AFA
- Peter Sobels, Publisher, riskinfo
- Dr. Jim Taggart OAM, Managing Director, The Taggart Group; National President, AFA
