Kevin R. Keller, CAE

Kevin is Chief Executive Officer of CFP Board, the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. Under his leadership, CFP Board is pursuing ambitious goals to:

1. Set, administer and uphold certification standards that warrant public trust.
2. Expand access to competent and ethical financial planners by increasing the number and diversity of CFP® professionals.
3. Increase awareness of CFP® certification as the must-have financial planner credential for consumers and advisors.
4. Engage the financial advice ecosystem to advance the financial planner profession and influence policy for the benefit of the public.
5. Develop a sustainable and diverse financial planner workforce.

Under Keller’s leadership, CFP Board has achieved numerous milestone accomplishments, including:

Nearly doubling the number of CFP® professionals to more than 104,000, with a record 10,400 candidates sitting for the CFP® exam in 2024.

• More than doubling the public recognition of CFP® certification through a Public Awareness Campaign that has reached millions of consumers through digital, television and print media.
• Creating the Center for Financial Planning, which has significantly accelerated the growth of women and racially and ethnically diverse CFP® professionals.
• Elevating the financial planning profession’s commitment to serving public interest through strengthened fiduciary standards.
• Building a robust talent pipeline by raising awareness of financial planning as an attractive career choice and supporting those pursuing the profession.
• Introducing scholarship programs that have awarded over $2 million to people pursuing CFP® certification, with a particular focus on building a more diverse financial planning workforce.
• Establishing a 501(c)(6) professional organization to promote the benefits of financial planning careers and advance the profession for the benefit of the public.

Prior Experience

Kevin joined CFP Board in 2007 after serving 16 years with the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP). At AFP, he held the position of senior vice president and chief operating officer for the prior 7 years, managing programs and services for the 16,000-member organization.

Before CFP Board, Kevin held senior staff positions at several associations, earning the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential in 2000. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture and a Master of Science degree both from The Ohio State University.