Financial Planner of the Year

Thursday, July 10th 2008, 3:52PM

The Financial Planner of the Year Awards recognise and acknowledge the many financial planners who take a professional approach to their business.

Here's what past winners say....


Philip Holland, Young Financial Planner of the Year 2004
	"Winning the 2004 Young Financial Planner of the Year awards was a real highlight of my career to date. For me personally it has been recognition that the extra study and commitment that I have put in to be the planner I am today has been extremely worthwhile. Overall it has added value to our business and in particular we have some very proud clients! I would definitely recommend the experience as it makes you stop and evaluate yourself and the way you do things.....I look forward to celebrating with the next winner."

Alison Renfrew, CFP of the Year 2004
	The process of focusing on writing an excellent financial plan, talking with the clients involved, reflecting on my activities, both within the industry and the community, was a good exercise. The publicity has been good, but it is also a great confidence booster to prospective clients and existing ones. Winning this award is a way of assuring people that I am highly confident, and competent. Clients have peace of mind and prospects do not need to be 'sold' on our expertise. A new client from the Philippines found me because I won the Financial Planner of the Year award. She is now back in NZ and investing significant funds. Someone else in the South Island did a Google search for an excellent financial planner and found me. I encourage anyone who is serious about demonstrating they are an excellent financial planner to enter the competition.

Phillip King, CFP of the Year 2004
	Financial Planner of the Year: 'The keys to the bank'

Ricky Bennett of Bennett and Associates, Invercargill won the CFP of the Year Award in 2003.
	“Entering the Awards forced me to examine the role we have in our clients' lives and how important the guidance and advice we provide is to them. The Awards also serve as a "yardstick" to compare overall planning, marketing and strategic direction with industry peers. I would thoroughly recommend the opportunity to any CFP. The experience will be totally worthwhile.”

Lisa Dudson of Acumen Financial Planning, Auckland won the Young Planner of the Year Award in 2003.
	“Winning the inaugural Young Financial Planner of the Year provided a strong validation of my personal passion as an investor and the effort I put into business development which helps to deliver results for my clients. It was wonderful to receive such a high accolade from my colleagues in the industry.”

Fiona Judd of Strategic Asset Management Waikato, winner of the 2002 Financial Planner of the Year Award.
	"Entering the Awards gave me the incentive to examine my business strategy and personal ethos in a way that has provided me with a strong framework to take my business forward. Winning has validated my approach to financial planning after being measured against my peers, giving me the confidence to challenge myself in new ways."

Jordi Garcia of NZFP Auckland, winner of the 2001 Financial Planner of the Year Award.
	"Apart from the very many congratulatory cards, letters and notes that I received, the award provided a mantle of credibility and respectability for both me and for my company, that not only helped to attract and write new business. It was valuable for the existing clients of the company to know that the organisation that they had entrusted their financial affairs to has quality advisers that have won awards and are publicly recognized. The award most certainly raised my public profile and is directly attributable to a number of seminars and speaking engagements. In addition feedback from other professionals, lawyers, accountants, medical practitioners and academics suggests that the financial planning industry deserves credit (and credibility) for subjecting practitioners to peer review. I can only support the continued existence of these awards and to encourage increased participation from advisers as this will inevitably raise the standards of aspiring entrants. This in turn can only help to raise the profile as well as the credibility of the financial planning industry in the eyes of the public."

Rodger Spiller, 2000 Winner.
	"Winning the inaugural Financial Planner of the Year Award has enhanced the profile of professional financial planning and my practice."