Bendigo-based financial planner George Flack has risen above a range of other high profile candidates to win the Money Management Financial Planner of the Year award for the second time.
The professional runner, author of three books and RetireInvest adviser is the first to win the award twice since Neil McKissok in 1993.
This year, in what turned out to be a very closely contested competition, Flack just out scored the other three finalists: Jo Tuck, Lawrie O’Neill and finalist from last year David Haintz, to take home the prize.
Flack, who won the award – now into its 18th year – for the first time in 1996, stirred the judges with his outstanding contributions to his local community, to his fellow RetireInvest advisers, to the financial planning industry and to his clients.
Some of Flack’s notable achievements in the past year included working with school students in his local town and in the US to help them better understand budgeting and money, penning the social security section of the ‘Australian Financial Planning Handbook 2004’, successfully lobbying the Government to change Centrelink rules regarding the asset test exemption and helping RetireInvest advisers come to grips with Financial Services Reform.
He also represented RetireInvest franchise proprietors and advisers in drawn out negotiations with ING management over a new dealer agreement, which planners and franchisees will consider this month.
“George made a very valuable contribution to his own community and that is a stand out,” said RMIT Adjunct Professor Wes McMaster, who sat on the judging panel for this year’s award.
“Then I looked at his contribution to the profession and he has done an enormous amount on the education side in developing and promoting courses in financial planning. He’s also written a number of books not just educating financial planners but educating the community. On the professional side he’s clearly successful as a financial planner and as businessman.”
Flack will receive a trip to the US Financial Planning Association (FPA) conference next year as a prize for the award.
