Julie Lea Goodwin performs at the Stella Network’s “A night behind the scenes” at Opera Australia.

The Stella Network’s A night behind the scenes at Opera Australia’s Joan Sutherland studios in Surry Hills, truly did hit the high notes last Wednesday night.

Welcomed by BT Financial Services’ Julia Newbould, Leader of the now 1400-member strong Stella Network, into a room which made us feel like we were on set, the 64 Media team joined over 100 women and a few men in financial planning, to celebrate Stella’s first birthday and to introduce Stella’s new Ambassadors.

64 Media’s Julie Bennett was honoured and excited to be named, along with Fiona Harris, BT Financial Group Media Relations Manager, as Stella Media Ambassador. Stella Ambassadors promise to support women in financial planning with their time, experience and respect and help change the face of financial planning by supporting high educational standards, ethical behaviour and care of clients.

The evening opened dramatically, with Opera Australia’s Julie Lea Goodwin bursting through the doors with a beautiful rendition of Musetta’s Waltz from La Boheme, accompanied by the hugely talented Tahu Matheson on piano. Julie Lea and Tahu later treated us to a performance of I Could Have Danced All Night from The King and I.

Julia, whom we have now affectionately dubbed The Queen of Stella, interviewed Julie Lea about her experience as an Opera Australia young artist. Julie Lea said the most important advice she was ever given was to strive for excellence. “It encouraged me to really try hard in everything I did. It also helped me to deal with setbacks; to dig deep and try even harder.”

Julie Lea said she also had a strong sense of direction. “Having a five year plan, a 10 year plan – it helps in day-to-day life,” she said.

This is Julie Lea’s first year as a full time member of Opera Australia and her big role is Susanna in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

Mike Chesworth, BT General Manager of Bank Financial Planning and sponsor of the Stella Network said, “If we can have more females in financial planning and rectify the balance that’s not there at the moment, I think the industry will be better off and we will be able to provide sound advice to more Australians. I think the Stella Network is giving us the framework to do that. It’s a cohort that is coming together to talk about education, learning and where we need to be in this industry. This network is going to be a big voice in the future and it’s a voice that is going to be listened to. One year on, happy birthday, Stella.”

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Gwen’s profits from the sale of the book are being donated to Future2, the foundation of the Australian Financial Planning profession.  FPA Conference delegates are getting a preview of the book at a pre-launch in Brisbane today. The book will be officially launched at the FPA Sydney Chapter Christmas lunch on December 8.

In acknowledging Gwen’s extraordinary services to the Australian financial planning profession last night, Future2 Chair, Steve Helmich said, “Long before the establishment of Future2 in 2007, Gwen had the vision for a charitable foundation – a vehicle for the profession to give back to the community, so we were honoured last year when she accepted the invitation of Future2 trustees to be our inaugural Patron. We are also very pleased that Gwen has made Future2 the recipient of her profits from the book.”

Gwen who has been described as Australia’s First Lady of Financial Planning, played a vital role in extending the financial planning profession far beyond America’s shores to Australia. It was Gwen who took the first step towards globalisation of the profession and thanks to her, Australia became the first country in the world to adopt America’s Certified Financial Planner designation.

Gwen’s services to the Australian financial planning profession were recognised by her country in 2007 when she was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Her contribution to global financial planning was recognised by the American financial planning community when she was awarded the prestigious Heart of Financial Planning Distinguished Service Award in 2007.

Copies of Running between the Raindrops can be ordered by visiting the following link: http://www.64media.com.au/raindrops/

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