Three financial planners at the top of their game have been recognised at this year’s Financial Planning Association Professionals Congress.
Throughout the Congress, which was held in Adelaide from 19-21 November, the national winners in each of the three award categories were announced.
Taking out the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) of the Year Award was Randall Stout, a planner from HPH Solutions in Western Australia.
Mr Stout said he was very proud to be recognised by the FPA. “I look at the people who have won this award before me and they are the financial planners I look up to. They are people who consistently give great advice and I am privileged to be placed on the same level as them.
We are all driven to give the best advice that we can to really help people improve their financial situation
“We all care about people, we’ve all got empathy. And we are all driven to give the best advice that we can to really help people improve their financial situation,” Mr Stout said.
In selecting the CFP of the Year, the FPA said it looked for the planner who best embodies the highest professional standards.
“We look for a planner who demonstrates true professional leadership and excellence, someone who routinely goes above and beyond best practice to achieve the best outcomes for clients,” explained FPA CEO, Mark Rantall.
The Award for AFP of the Year was presented to Stephen Godfrey, from Visis Private Wealth.
The Financial Planner AFP of the Year Award is designed to encourage and recognise the achievements of AFP professional planners who have a commitment to both excellence and professional development. AFP planners are FPA members who have an approved degree, are RG 146 compliant and have at least one year’s supervised experience, and are on their way to becoming a CFP.
With everything that is going on in the industry at the moment, you wonder if you’re doing your best compared to everyone else
Mr Godfrey said: “I’m extremely happy to have won this award – it makes me realise that I am on the right path. With everything that is going on in the industry at the moment, you wonder if you’re doing your best compared to everyone else – this award reaffirms that I am doing the best by my clients and it’s great to be recognised for that by the industry.”
Financial planners with a commitment to the community are also recognised by the FPA in its Future2 Community Service of the Year Award category.
Kathy Havers, from Catalyst Financial Group in Victoria, took out the 2014 Award. Ms Havers is Director of the Kindred Spirits Foundation and is activity involved in the Palgun Wurnagat Women’s Association in a remote area of the Northern Territory. She assisted with the purchase of a processing plant for native Northern Territory food which has created jobs for 200 indigenous people – jobs that were not otherwise available in their community.
She also conducts talks about finance for Autism Victoria – a support group for parents with autistic children and provides free one on one sessions with families to help them navigate the system which is made all that more difficult and complex with a child with a disability.
The overall winner in each category was chosen from the pool of 2014 FPA State Award winners, listed below:
CFP Award State Winners
- NSW State Winner – Jim Fenwicke, Lumix Wealth
- Vic State Winner – Catherine Robson, Affinity Private
- TAS State Winner – Nicolas d’Emden, Shadforth Financial Group
- SA State Winner – Martin Hunter, Hunter Financial Services
- Qld State Winner – Christopher Smith, Visis Private Wealth
- ACT State Winner – Jeremy Gillman-Wells, Bravien Financial
AFP Award State Winners
- WA State Winner – Simon Podesta, Infinity Wealth Solutions
- Vic State Winner – Simon McGuirk, McPhail HLG Financial Planning
- TAS State Winner – Cameron Pereira, Genesys Wealth Advisors
Future2 Community Service Award State Winners
- WA State Winner – Joseph Hoe, Wealthwise
- NSW State Winner – William Johns, Health and Finance Integrated
