Entries are now open for this year’s Money Management Financial Planner of the Year. Now in its 21st year, the award recognises excellence in the field of financial planning and its Hall of Fame includes Robert Keavney and Ray Griffin.
Last year’s winner was Orange-based planner Peter Roan, who will be heading off to the US next month for the US Financial Planning Association (FPA) conference – his prize for being named Financial Planner of the Year (in a package to the value of $10,000).
Past winner Julian Battistella, who was fortuitously named Financial Planner of the Year days before he opened up his own financial planning business, Battistella Financial Services, commended his experience at the FPA conference in Boston last year.
“It certainly was an interesting time to be in America. I had the chance to experience first-hand how the global financial meltdown was being viewed by financial planners in the world’s biggest economy,” Battistella said.
“The presidential debate was also on at that time, which made for a very interesting and relevant trip.”
For Battistella, who had been named runner up in 2005 and 2006, winning the award was extremely satisfying. “Whilst I have always maintained a very strong professional relationship with my clients, it certainly did no harm to my reputation when my clients found out about my success,” he said.
“Winning such an award is an easy way of showing your clients you have credibility beyond their perspective of you, which is generally only based on your client adviser relationship with them.
“Winning the Money Management award is an endorsement from other highly regarded industry professionals that your approach to financial planning is considered to be of a sufficiently high standard to demonstrate you are a modern and progressive financial adviser, whose primary motivation is to assist others to improve their financial position and meet their objectives.”
This year’s winner will be awarded a trip to the 2010 US FPA conference, a package valued at $10,000. Entries must be submitted by close of business on Monday, September 28, 2009. For details, see page three of this week’s edition of Money Management.
