Read CFP Board News from Other Months

 

CFP Board News - December 2007


CFP BOARD'S NEW ADDRESS

CFP Board’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. is now open for business, and our Denver office will close by the end of this month. Please make note of CFP Board’s new address:
 
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
1425 K Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005

< back to top

CFP BOARD TESTIMONY SUPPORTS REPEAL OF MICHIGAN SERVICE TAX ON FINANCIAL PLANNING

The Michigan legislature and governor agreed on December 1 to repeal a recently-enacted services tax that imposed a 6 percent levy on many services within the state, including investment advice and financial planning. The services tax was replaced with a surcharge on the Michigan Business Tax.

CFP Board played an active role in preparing testimony supporting a repeal of this tax in the interest of the public. The testimony was delivered before the Michigan Senate's Finance Committee by Evelyn MacIntyre, CFP® of Michigan-based Capelli Financial Services. "At a time when Michigan is promoting the virtues of balancing its budget, implementing a tax that penalizes individuals and families who are trying to manage their personal finances with the guidance of a competent and objective financial planner sends the wrong message," said Marilyn Capelli Dimitroff, CFP®, 2008 Chair Elect of CFP Board's Board of Directors and President of Capelli Financial Services in a follow-up news release. CFP Board appreciates the many CFP® professionals in Michigan who assisted CFP Board and other financial planning organizations in opposing the services tax.

< back to top

CFP BOARD THANKS ITS VOLUNTEERS

Many of CFP Board's activities would not be possible without the generous contributions of CFP® certificants and other CFP Board stakeholders willing share their time and expertise. CFP Board thanks the many talented individuals who have assisted CFP Board in various capacities throughout 2007.

From the Board of Directors members who set policy and direction for CFP Board's activities, to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission members who keep CFP Board's disciplinary review process functioning, to the Council on Examinations members who work to sustain the integrity of the CFP® Certification Examination and the other volunteers who support exam development activities, to the educators who shared their experience and research at CFP Board's Program Directors Conference, to the many CFP® certificants who provided consumers with free consultations at CFP Board’s Financial Planning Clinic in Boston, the leadership of CFP Board would like to extend appreciation to all who contributed to CFP Board during 2007.

< back to top

NEW MEMBERS JOIN 2008 COUNCIL ON EXAMINATIONS

CFP Board’s Council on Examinations welcomes two new members in January 2008: Mark J. McGaunne, CFP®, CPA of Westborough, Mass. and Helen Simon, CFP® of Oakland Park, Fla., who will take the place of outgoing members Dr. Jay Schein, CFP®, CIMA, CIS, LUTCF and Pamela G. Shortal, CPA, CFP®. Gary L. Englund, JD, CLU, CHFC, AEP, MSFS, REBC, FHU, CFP® will serve as 2008 Chair, and I. Richard Ploss, CFP®, JD, CPA, MBA will serve as 2008 Chair Elect.

< back to top

REPORT ON NOVEMBER 2007 DISCIPLINARY AND ETHICS COMMISSION MEETING

The Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) held its last meeting of the year on November 16, 2007. As part of the meeting, the Commission considered 17 disciplinary cases. Two cases were dismissed with a letter of caution, and three individuals were issued private censure letters. Public letters of admonition were issued to two individuals. Three applicants for CFP® certification petitioned the Commission for reconsideration of conduct presumed to bar certification, pursuant to CFP Board’s Candidate Fitness Standards; one of those petitions was denied, but two petitions were granted, thereby allowing the applicants to continue with applications for CFP® certification. Three individuals petitioned the Commission for reinstatement of CFP® certification after the expiration of disciplines previously issued by CFP Board; one petition was denied, and two petitions were granted. The cases included six settlement offers: two were accepted, two were rejected, and two resulted in the Board proposing a counter settlement offer. Because the appeal periods in these cases have not expired, the disciplinary actions are not yet final.

At its business meeting, the Commission elected Barry L. Kohler, CFP® as 2008 Chair Elect. The Commission will be joined in 2008 by Edward Mora, CFP®, ChFC of Irvine, Calif. and Glenn Parker, CFP®, CIMA of Bend, Ore., who will take the places of outgoing members Joseph E. Little, CFP® and Laura L. Addington, CFP®. The position of 2008 Chair will be shared by Harv M. J. Ames, CFP® and Diana Simpson, CFP®.

The Commission's meetings would not be possible without the help of the many CFP® certificants willing to volunteer their time and expertise. In addition to the ongoing support of the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission members, the November 2007 meeting included the assistance of Carolyn Armitage, CFP®, CIMA, CIMC, CLU, ChFC, CFS of Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.; Mark H. Kordes, CFP®, ChFC, CLU, AEP, CAP of Weehawken, N.J.; Terrence M. McMahon, CFP®, CFA, CPA of Andover, Mass.; and Mark T. Rogers, CFP®, CFA of Atlanta, Ga. CFP Board is grateful to these volunteers who serve to protect the public by helping to enforce CFP Board's standards of ethics and competency.

< back to top

FRANK BERGMEISTER, CFP® JOINS CFP BOARD AS DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Francis (“Frank”) X. Bergmeister, CFP® has joined CFP Board as its Director of Education. Mr. Bergmeister brings to CFP Board a professional background that blends experience in financial planning and education with a military career. He served as Director - Institutional Effectiveness and Director - Total Force Education at the Marine Corps University, where he assessed the effectiveness of professional education programs. Mr. Bergmeister has also worked in the private sector as a financial planner for Legg Mason and Alex. Brown & Sons. He is a graduate of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and the American College. Mr. Bergmeister is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional as well as a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU).

In his new role with CFP Board, Mr. Bergmeister will have oversight for the education components of CFP® certification, including the development and support of the financial planning education programs in the U.S. that have registered with CFP Board to prepare financial planners for CFP® certification, as well as of the continuing education programs that offer CFP® professionals courses designed to maintain ongoing competency.

“I look forward to working with the educational programs that assist financial planners in attaining and maintaining CFP® certification,” said Mr. Bergmeister. “As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and educator, I understand the interrelationships between financial planning education and practice. CFP Board’s support of the educational community within the financial planning profession is an important component of helping CFP® certificants provide competent and ethical financial planning services to their clients.”

Mr. Bergmeister most recently served as the U.S. Marine Corps Representative to the Enterprise Directorate of the Defense Logistics Agency for Base Realignment and Closure at Fort Belvoir, where he planned, managed and executed closure and realignment recommendations. He holds a Master of Science in Financial Services from The American College, a Master of Science in Logistics Systems Management from the University of Southern California, a Master of Arts in American Diplomatic History from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School, and he is a doctoral candidate in Higher Education at George Mason University. Mr. Bergmeister has held CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification since 1992.

< back to top

CFP BOARD NAMES COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTORS

Christopher T. Wloszczyna has joined CFP Board as its Director of Public Relations, and Timothy Stifel has been named Director of Stakeholder Communications.

Mr. Wloszczyna comes to CFP Board from the Investment Company Institute (ICI), the national association of the mutual fund industry, where he spent nearly 14 years as a spokesperson in the media relations department. He holds a Journalism degree from St. Bonaventure University and, prior to his work with ICI, was a personal finance reporter at USA Today. In his new role, Mr. Wloszczyna will be responsible for enhancing public awareness of the benefits of financial planning and CFP® certification.

Mr. Stifel joined CFP Board in 1999 and has been a valued member of several departments within CFP Board. Since 2005, he has been CFP Board’s Manager of External Relations and been involved with all aspects of CFP Board’s external communications. He holds degrees in English from the University of Denver and Ohio University. In his new role, Mr. Stifel will have oversight for CFP Board’s communications with its varied stakeholder groups.

“I look forward to working closely with Tim and Chris and the other talented communications staff at CFP Board,” said Asha P. Williams, Ph.D., Managing Director of Communications and Marketing for CFP Board. “The American public has a great need for the competent and ethical financial planning services represented by CFP® certification. As we promote the value of financial planning and CFP® certification for the public, we will continue to work toward open and timely communication with CFP® professionals and CFP Board’s other valued stakeholders.”

< back to top

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT CFP BOARD’S WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS

Opportunities still remain for talented individuals to handle important functions in CFP Board’s new Washington, D.C. office. If you know someone who may be interested in assisting CFP Board’s work to promote CFP® certification as the recognized standard of excellence for personal financial planning, for the benefit of the American public, please direct them to the employment opportunities listed on CFP Board’s Web site at: www.CFP.net/aboutus/jobs.asp

< back to top
  Copyright © 2008, Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc.
All rights reserved. Copyright, Collection and Dissemination of Information Policy and Legal Information.