FPA Best Practice Awards announced.

The Financial Planning Association (FPA) has recognised some of the profession’s top financial planners in Australia through their Best Practice Awards.

The annual Awards recognise Australia’s best financial planners who deliver exceptional qualified and trusted financial advice using the highest standard of ethics, practice standards and professional conduct in the country.

CEO of the FPA, Mark Rantall, said that the Best Practice Awards also serve as an important symbol of excellence for consumers seeking qualified financial advice.

“These awards recognise the best of the best. FPA members comply with some of the highest financial planning standards on a global stage. These Award winners have not only complied with the FPA Code, but in so doing have offered a considerable contribution to the profession through community involvement, mentoring and support to their local FPA Chapter.

“Our profession has been through a period of tremendous change in recent years and has made significant strides in advancing the global standing of the profession. These planners have, in spite of any interruption to business, persisted for their clients’ best interests. The three winners, selected from a short list, truly embody the values of our professional community in their everyday work with clients and are exemplars of the financial planning profession,” said Rantall.

The 2013 winners of the FPA’s Best Practice Awards are:

• James Kenny, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® has been awarded both the Queensland as well as the National FPA CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® Professional Best Practice Award. James is a mentor to undergraduate students and young financial planners, helping to ensure the future of financial advice in Australia and fostering professionalism in the next generation of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professionals.
• Mark Milner, Financial Planner AFP^®, has been awarded both the Queensland and the National FPA Financial Planner AFP^® Best Practice Award.  Mark’s dedication to providing the highest calibre of advice to his clients is manifest in his ongoing studies toward becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^®, which he is set to achieve in 2014.
• Jeremy Gillman-Wells, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^®, has been awarded both the Australian Capital Territory and National Future2 Community Service Best Practice Award.  Jeremy volunteers his time as a pro bono CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® and his work with the NSW Cancer Council speaks to the transformational power of quality financial advice.

Mr. Rantall said, “I offer my personal congratulations to James, Mark and Jeremy on their significant achievements in financial planning and commend their work. I would also like to thank them for the extraordinary service they give not only their clients but our professional community as well. Through the quality advice they provide, James, Mark and Jeremy are making a difference in the lives of many, many Australians and in the future of the financial planning profession.”

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Do you know a planner who goes the extra mile?

The Financial Planning Association (FPA) will close entries for its Best Practice Awards and the FPA Honorary Awards on 21 August.

The Best Practice Awards recognise some of Australia’s top financial planners who deliver qualified and trusted financial advice using the highest standard of ethics, practice standards and professional conduct.

Mark Rantall, CEO of the FPA, is calling on members to put forward financial planners who have lived by the high standards of the FPA Code of Practice while providing quality advice to clients:

“The Best Practice Awards recognize the positive impact that planners make in their client lives and also in advancing the profession of financial planning. It is through the good work of these planners and the success stories they share with us that the profession can advance.

“We have received and acknowledged many inspiring entries throughout the years and we encourage planners who haven’t yet done so to send submissions before next week. Whether it is your own submission or that of a peer or colleague, we encourage all members to acknowledge the outstanding work being done by many financial planners out there. It has been a tough year for the profession, the FPA community would like to take this opportunity to highlight those who continue to raise standards for financial planning in Australia,” said Rantall.

Practitioner members of theFPA are eligible to enter the awards, and can submit an application to three categories:

1.  FPA Certified Financial Planner® Professional Best Practice Award

2.  FPA Financial Planner AFP® Best Practice Award

3.  Future2 Community Service Best Practice Award

State winners and runners-up will be chosen in each award category. A national winner will then be selected in each category from the pool of state winners.

Nominations are also still open for the 2013 FPA Honorary Awards for Distinguished Service and Fellows. These awards honour the work of FPA members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty through:

• working with their local community and charitable organisations
• mentoring young planners and those new to the profession
• working with their local FPA Chapter and FPA committees
• selfless contribution to the profession

The deadline for submissions for all awards is 21st August and winners will be announced and profiled in September in the lead up to the inaugural 2013 FPA Professionals Congress on 16-17 October where they will be presented with their awards.

National winners receive free entry to the Professionals Congress and $5,000 towards a client event or professional development opportunity. National and state winners of the FPA CFP® Professional Best Practice Award will also win a package of PortfolioConstruction Forum CPD Programs

For more information and details on how to enter the awards, please visit www.fpa.asn.au/awards.

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FPA Best Practice Award submissions are now open

The Financial Planning Association (FPA) has opened submissions to the prestigious Best Practice Awards and the FPA Honorary Awards.

The FPA Code of Professional Practice holds members to a high standard of ethics, practice standards and professional conduct. The Best Practice Awards recognise financial planners who adhere to this Code and provide superior results for their clients.

Mark Rantall, CEO of the FPA, says that the awards are an opportunity for financial planners to be recognised for the difference they make not only in their clients’ lives, but within the industry and in the community as a whole.

“Financial planners often go above and beyond for their clients, and we regularly hear inspiring stories of planners who have really made a difference in the lives of their clients.

“These awards recognise that role by acknowledging planners who have not only complied with the Code of Professional Practice, but in so doing have offered a considerable contribution to the profession through community involvement, mentoring and support to their local FPA Chapter.”

The FPA Best Practice Awards have become a recognised and coveted symbol of trust and reassurance to Australian consumers looking for advice from a financial planner. Past winners of these awards, who will also serve as judges this year, have experienced benefits from both a personal and business perspective.

Mark O’Leary, winner of the 2012 Future2 Community Service Award: “When there’s a lot of focus on dealing with the consequences of the GFC, reform, costs and increased competition, it can be easy for outsiders to forget that our work is first and foremost about assisting clients. The Cancer Council Pro Bono initiative we worked on gave us the opportunity to help clients in very difficult circumstances and provided our team of advisers plenty of examples of the importance of comprehensive planning. Being recognised by the FPA with this award was also helpful in highlighting the value we provide to our existing clients – it gave our firm greater credibility.”

Shane Lenehan, winner of the 2012 Financial Planner AFP® Best Practice Award: “Being involved in the Financial Planner AFP® Best Practice Award 2012 was a fantastic experience. It has helped me articulate our advice process and how we add value to clients. Winning the award is recognition from our professional body that our business is on the right track, and the publicity generated for Silvan Ridge has been very well received.”

Michelle Tate-Lovery, winner of the 2012 Certified Financial Planner® Professional Best Practice Award: “Not only was it personally gratifying to receive a Best Practice Award but it has also been a mark of excellence for our business, signalling to clients old and new that we provide a quality financial advice experience. Financial planning can be life changing for people, so it’s fantastic that the FPA recognizes the work planners to do help our clients through the Best Practice Awards. I would encourage planners to share their good work and success stories by submitting for the Awards.”

All members of the FPA are eligible to enter the awards, and can submit an application to three categories:

1.         FPA Certified Financial Planner® Professional Best Practice Award

2.         FPA Financial Planner AFP® Best Practice Award

3.         Future2 Community Service Best Practice Award

State winners and runners-up will be chosen in each award category. A national winner will then be selected in each category from the pool of state winners.

Nominations are also now open for the 2013 FPA Honorary Awards for Distinguished Service and Fellows. These awards honour the work of FPA members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty through:

• working with their local community and charitable organisations
• mentoring young planners and those new to the profession
• working with their local FPA Chapter and FPA committees
• selfless contribution to the profession

The deadline for submissions for all awards is 21st August and winners will be announced and profiled in September in the lead up to the inaugural 2013 FPA Professionals Congress on 16-17 October where they will be presented with their awards.

For more information and details on how to enter the awards, please visit the FPA website.

The FPA will continue to provide further updates and confirmation of speakers and events taking place in the lead up to the inaugural Professionals Congress. For more information or to register for the Professionals Congress, please visit the FPA website.

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