Brett Clark

The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) and TAL have yesterday announced the finalists in the 2014 AFA Female Excellence in Advice Award (the Award).

The Award, which is offered annually, recognises female financial advisers who are making a significant contribution to their profession, their community and particularly to female clients.

AFA CEO, Brad Fox, said the Award is an important step in the continuous recognition of the achievements of women in financial advice.

“Showcasing the talents of female financial advisers is particularly important in the mission to increase the number of individuals, particularly women, who seek advice to gain appropriate superannuation savings, insurance and overall financial well-being,” he said.

“But it’s more than that. The Award is a catalyst to attract more women to become financial advisers and to bring their talents, including empathy and understanding, to the advice market place. We are incredibly proud of our finalists and all that they have achieved to this stage of their careers.”

TAL Life CEO Brett Clark said the job of shortlisting the final group proved to be difficult for the judges because of the very high standards of all of the semi-finalists.

“The finalists are all exceptional candidates and congratulations to each of them for making the final cut in what has been a highly competitive year for the Award. This year all of the semi-finalists attended a special two-day master class on leadership and development which they highly valued as part of the award program. All of the finalists are outstanding advisers and leaders in their own right who are delivering tremendous value for their clients and for the advice profession as a whole.”

The finalists for the 2014 Award are:

• Adrienne Rush, Bendigo Financial Planning
• Dominique Bergel-Grant, Leapfrog Financial
• Kate McCallum, Multiforte Financial Services
• Sarah Riegelhuth, Wealth Enhancers

The AFA Female Excellence in Advice Award is a joint initiative of the AFA and TAL with support from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM). The winner of the 2014 Award will be announced at the AFA National Adviser Conference in Cairns on Tuesday 14 October 2014 and receive a full MGSM scholarship (valued at $12,000) to complete either a Postgraduate Certificate in Management or an Executive Education Leadership Development Program.

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Brett Clark

The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) and TAL have announced the semi-finalists in the 2014 AFA Female Excellence in Advice Award (the Award).

The Award, developed in 2011 as a joint initiative by the AFA and TAL and supported by the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM), recognises and showcases the talents and contributions of women in financial advice to their clients, community and their profession.

AFA CEO, Brad Fox, said the Award is a reflection of the AFA’s quest to continue to create and encourage positive change in financial advice, with more women being encouraged to enter the advice profession thus giving Australians more choice in who they seek advice from.

“The achievements of the women nominated, and the semi-finalists especially, really show that our profession can earn the recognition and respect of the public,” he said. “By taking part in the Award process, these women are showing how they are changing their clients’ lives. The more we can continue to showcase the value of their advice, the sooner more Australians will understand what financial advice is, what the process involves and how valuable it is to their own position. This is particularly relevant to Australian women where the levels of superannuation, insurance and financial stability are well below those of men.”

TAL Life CEO, Brett Clark said the calibre of applicants was exceptionally high, and the job of shortlisting the semi-finalists was a challenging one for the judges.

“TAL is proud to have jointly initiated this award with the AFA because it provides an opportunity for female advisers to not only be recognised but to showcase their skills and talent in the advice profession and with their own communities. At TAL we understand the benefits that diversity brings to all businesses and professions. The quality of the nominations this year again is really impressive and a great indication of the calibre of women seeking to make a difference in financial services.”

The semi-finalists will be invited to participate in a custom-designed, two-day Leadership Master Class facilitated by MGSM as part of the 2014 Award Program. Then on 15 September, six finalists for the Award will be declared, followed by the announcement of the overall 2014 winner at the AFA National Adviser Conference in Cairns from 12-14 October. The winner will receive a full MGSM scholarship (valued at $12,000) to complete either a Postgraduate Certificate in Management or an Executive Education Leadership Development Program.

The Award semi-finalists are:

• Adrienne Rush, Bendigo Financial Planning
• Dominique Bergel-Grant, Leapfrog Financial
• Kate McCallum, Multiforte Financial Services
• Julia Schortinghuis, Lighthouse Capital
• Katherine Hann, Alan Donald Financial Services
• Nadia Cassidy, Mercer Financial Advice
• Naomi Rosenthal, Tudor Investassure Pty Ltd
• Sarah Riegelhuth, Wealth Enhancers
• Shu-Yi Schulstad, InsureWealth Financial Services

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