Niall McConville

The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) and TAL have announced the finalists in the 2018 Female Excellence in Advice (FEIA) Award, with the winner to be announced at the AFA National Conference on 10 October.

A joint initiative by the AFA and TAL, the FEIA Award celebrates women in financial advice who are making a significant contribution to their profession, their community and their clients.

The Winner of the FEIA Award will receive a $15,000 tailored education package, courtesy of TAL.

The FEIA Award 2018 finalists are:

• Dominique Bergel-Grant, Leapfrog LIFE
• Joanna Ryan, Lumix Wealth
• Tonina Ciarrocchi, Alta Financial Planning
• Nicole Heales, Nicole Heales Financial
• Donna Lee Powell, DLP Life Design
• Heidi Schwegler, AHS Financial

TAL General Manager, Retail Distribution, Niall McConville, said, “We congratulate all of this year’s finalists. We received a record number of over 370 nominations and 44 applications this year so the finalists should be very proud of their achievements. The finalists were clear standouts in terms of the successes they’ve had in running their businesses as well as the contributions they’ve made to the community.

“The application process takes time and effort but all participants let us know how rewarding the experience is and a good opportunity for them to reflect on the great work they do for Australians every day,” he said.

AFA CEO, Phil Kewin said, “We are delighted by the calibre of entries for our Female Excellence Award. The passion and commitment to professionalism and improving the lives of their clients is second to none. The dedication these women are demonstrating towards improving our industry and encouraging more women to enter the advice profession is outstanding.”

“The fact we have had a record number of nominations this year is really testament to the positive change the best advisers in our industry are making to the lives of their clients.”

Finalists will present to a judging panel in September about their business achievements, community involvement and views on mentoring, education, gender diversity and future vision.

For more information on the Award, visit: AFA Female Advice

The post AFA and TAL Female Excellence in Advice Award finalists announced appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Kate McCallum

The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) and TAL have announced Kate McCallum of Multiforte Financial Services as the winner of the 2014 AFA Female Excellence in Advice Award (the Award).

AFA CEO, Brad Fox, said Ms McCallum is passionate about the advice profession and the value of quality financial advice and is an outstanding role model for fellow female advisers.

“Kate was an exemplary candidate for the Award, and we are proud to have her as the winner for 2014,” he said. “The Award seeks to focus attention on financial advice as an excellent career pathway for women as well as to close the advice gap that exists between the willingness of Australian women to seek financial advice compared to that of men. Developing financial literacy with female clients and the confidence to make informed decisions that comes from that knowledge, is an important criteria for the Award.”

Mr Fox said the finalists, semi-finalists and nominees for the Award are all to be congratulated for their continued commitment to bringing great advice to more Australians. “These women will continue to help raise the profile of financial advisers and the great difference they make to the lives of their clients and their communities. The AFA, together with TAL, is delighted to be able to recognise them for this.”

Brett Clark, TAL Deputy Group CEO, said Ms McCallum was an outstanding candidate and deserving Award winner.

“We are proud to encourage and inspire women in the industry to be the best they can be,” he said. “All of the Award candidates are making meaningful contributions to their profession and their passion and dedication is profoundly impacting their communities and their clients. Kate typifies the best qualities of the advice community and her support and leadership for both her clients and her peers demonstrate how much she puts back into the profession.”

Commenting on her involvement in the Award process, Ms McCallum said, “The Award for me celebrates remarkable advice – the type of advice that is absolutely about the client and ultimately changes their life. It also offers the chance to tell the story of the ‘good guys and gals’ in advice.

“I’ve found the experience energising and also challenging. Challenging because you have to put yourself out there. It’s led me to reflect on what I have achieved and the areas where I am still striving. I’m very aware that excellence is a journey.”
The other finalists were:

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

Ms McCallum will receive a full scholarship from Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) (valued at $12,000) to complete either a Postgraduate Certificate in Management or an Executive Education Leadership Development Program.

The post Kate McCallum wins AFA Female Excellence in Advice Award appeared first on AdviserVoice.

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.

The post Finalists announced for AFA Female Excellence in Advice Award appeared first on AdviserVoice.

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 a positive change catalyst for financial advice, with more women being encouraged to join the advice profession; Australians having greater choice when selecting an adviser and more women experiencing positive outcomes from receiving quality financial advice.

“We are delighted to have received an amazing number of entries for the Award again this year,” he said. “Boosting the number of female advisers in the profession is essential. It is a well-established fact that Australian women face significant challenges when trying to grow and protect their wealth and many feel more comfortable seeking advice from another woman.”

Brett Clark, TAL Life CEO, spoke of the high calibre of entrants.

“At TAL we understand the benefits that diversity brings to our industry and the wider community, so we are delighted to be partnering with the Award for the third year,” he said. “The quality of the nominations this year was again very impressive and a great indication of the calibre of women seeking to make a difference in financial services.  Congratulations to the finalists and thank you to everyone else who entered or nominated an adviser.”

Now in its third year, the Female Excellence in Advice Award is a joint initiative of the AFA and TAL. The winner of the 2013 Award will be announced at the AFA National Conference on the Gold Coast, Tuesday 15 October 2013.

The Award finalists are:

• Adrienne Rush, Bendigo Financial Planning Ltd
• Dominique Bergel-Grant, Leapfrog Financial Pty Ltd
• Catherine Robson, Affinity Private Pty Ltd
• Eleanor Dartnall, Dartnall Advisers Pty Ltd
• Justine Back, Back to Back Financial Planners
• Dianne Charman, Jade Financial Group Pty Ltd

The post AFA/TAL Female Excellence in Advice Award Finalists Announced appeared first on AdviserVoice.