Joe Nowak

Former Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) President, industry stalwart and active AFA member, Joe Nowak, has been awarded the prestigious Michael Murphy Award at the 2014 AFA National Adviser Conference in Cairns.

The Award is a ‘Best and Fairest’ accolade named in honour of the late Michael Murphy who in 2009 became the inaugural winner of the Award. A long-­standing and valued member of the AFA, Mr Murphy lost his battle with cancer in 2012.

AFA CEO Brad Fox said, “Joe is an exemplary member of the AFA community and sets an outstanding example to the many members who look up to him for support, advice and direction.  Joe’s commitment to his clients, his business, his community and the AFA has made an immense impact on the lives of many and continues to do so.”

Mr Fox said Mr Nowak has been a keen participant on legislative and regulatory issues affecting financial advice for more than 40 years after joining the AFA in 1972. “He has a unique ability to pick up the phone or knock on the door of a politician and give them a grassroots understanding of how proposed changes are likely to succeed or fail,” he said. “On a personal level Joe has been a great mentor to me firstly as an adviser, then as the AFA President and now as the CEO. Like many others, including his son Michael who has just completed a two-year term as the AFA President, I have benefitted from his perspective, his passion and his complete honesty.”

Mr Nowak is an adviser of over 42 years standing and a life member of the AFA. He is the only person to have been AFA National President twice (1989 and 2001-2002), and was also Queensland State Chair in 1984, 1989 and 1999. Joe was named in Money Management’s Top 10 Most Influential people in 2002 for his work on Financial Services Regulation as the AFA President, and was also influential in creating freedom of choice of superannuation fund for Australians in 1996.

“I wish to congratulate Joe on winning the AFA’s most prestigious award for a lifetime of contribution,” Mr Fox said.

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The Award is a ‘Best and Fairest’ accolade named in honour of the late Michael Murphy who in 2009 became the inaugural winner of the Award. A long-standing and valued member of the AFA, Mr Murphy lost his battle with cancer last year.

AFA CEO Brad Fox said, “Hugh has been an enthusiastic supporter of the AFA with over 42 years of membership and his contribution to the financial advice profession provides an outstanding example to the industry.”

Mr Fox said Mr Crawford’s commitment to his clients, his business and his profession are a shining light on the industry. “He has lived and breathed the AFA’s ethos which is to lead, support and inspire members of the advice profession in order to build, manage and protect the wealth of everyday Australians. Now that Hugh is entering retirement the AFA is immensely proud to acknowledge his four decades of commitment and service.”

Mr Crawford is an industry stalwart, an adviser of over 40 years standing and life member of the AFA. A past AFA Treasurer, Mr Crawford also served and has sat on numerous AFA committees most recently as Chairman and NSW/ACT representative on the AFA Investment Fund Trustee Board (the “Fund”).

“Hugh’s contribution via the AFA Investment Fund should be fully acknowledged. Under his leadership, the Fund has successfully built a financial foundation that will support the AFA for a very long time into the future. The AFA Investment Fund owns outright the head office premises of the AFA, as well as other investments, and Hugh has been instrumental in leading an agreement between the AFA and the Investment Fund to continue to grow this financial reserve for the security and benefit of the AFA’s members in the years ahead. Our great mate Michael Murphy would be proud to have bestowed this recognition on Hugh Crawford,” Mr Fox said.

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The Award is a ‘Best and Fairest’ accolade named in honour of the late Michael Murphy who in 2009 became the inaugural winner of the Award named in his honour. A long-standing and valued member of the AFA, Mr Murphy lost his battle with cancer earlier this year.

Mr Toohey is a life member of the AFA and a financial adviser of 30 years standing. A past AFA President for Victoria and Tasmania, Mr Toohey also served two terms as National Vice-President and has sat on numerous AFA committees, including the Education, Ethics and Compliance committee.

AFA CEO Richard Klipin said Mr Toohey has always been an enthusiastic supporter of the AFA and his contribution to the financial advice profession provides an outstanding example to the industry.

“Bernie’s commitment to his clients, his business and his profession are second to none,” Mr Klipin said. “He lives and breathes the AFA’s ethos which is to lead, support and inspire members of the advice profession in order to build, manage and protect the wealth of everyday Australians.”

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