Subscribe to Newsletter
Related Posts
October 21, 2024
The College held its second annual FinServe Network Summit on September 18 and 19, 2024 at its King of Prussia, PA campus – a gathering of rising stars and established figures from across the financial services industry dedicated to propelling The College and its mission forward.
The 2024 FinServe Summit opened with a presentation from Jared Trexler, chief marketing and strategy officer, to the 13 ambassadors present – including several new members. Trexler covered the latest developments and initiatives from The College, from upcoming events like the Horizons 2025 conference to new programming like the Tax Planning Certified Professional™ (TPCP™) Program, and more.
Following Trexler’s presentation, Senior Vice President of Advancement and Alumni Relations Carol Parlin Prushan discussed philanthropic giving and some of the advancement and alumni relations team’s ongoing work to engage The College’s students and alumni.
“We’re like the filter for our clients,” said Ande Frazier, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®, BFA™, ChSNC®, CDFA®, CEPA, CExP, one of 2024’s new recruits to the FinServe Network. “We need to get them information that is true, real, and important to them – and which reflects their values.”
Ambassadors present at the 2024 Summit came from across the country, including such locations as Alaska and Puerto Rico.
Practice Management and Personal Growth
The first day of the Summit ended with special guest Marc Butler, an author, entrepreneur, and financial advisor, speaking to the ambassadors about how to organically grow an advisory practice, as well as the obstacles independent wealth management firms face in technology, talent acquisition, business development, leadership, and operations.
“Many businesses and professionals have ideas, but many don’t have a strategic plan,” Butler said. “Having that plan is critical because that’s what really brings a team together.”
“Many businesses and professionals have ideas, but many don’t have a strategic plan. Having that plan is critical because that’s what really brings a team together.”
—Marc Butler
Butler also discussed potential uses of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to reduce demands on advisors’ time, as well as the importance of a practice’s vision, mission, and core values as a value proposition to clients – especially in the critical focus area of retirement planning.
Strengthening the Foundations of Financial Services
In keeping with tradition, the second day of the FinServe Summit began with an early morning conversation over coffee and breakfast with George Nichols III, CAP®, College president and CEO.
In his talk with the ambassadors, Nichols highlighted the differences between the financial services “industry” and “profession,” including the duty of financial professionals to benefit society as well as influence the direction of the industry for the better. He especially called attention to the subject of recruitment and retention in the field, saying The College is dedicated to addressing both areas, but that in some cases, retention has become the more pressing concern.
“The fact is 72% of people who start in this business leave after only a few years,” Nichols said, citing research from Cerulli. “A lot of the time we focus on the diversity of the industry and bringing more people of color, women, and others on board – but if we don’t fix this retention problem, we’re still failing them, and we’re failing white men, too.”
After the conversation with The College president, members of The College’s marketing and communications team led a workshop on social media usage and content creation for the ambassadors. They were welcomed into brainstorming sessions for future College content and various video clips and segments to use in their own personal branding and for The College’s marketing efforts.
“72% of people who start in this business leave after only a few years…if we don’t fix this retention problem, we’re still failing [diverse professionals], and we’re failing white men, too.”
—George Nichols III, CAP®
Further activities included individual interviews with new ambassadors, as well as group panel discussions on some of The College’s most important areas of focus: financial products and planning strategies for retirement; philanthropy and donor-advised funds (DAFs) for giving; tax and small business planning; and the future of specialized knowledge in the financial services industry. Associate Professor of Business Planning Sophia Duffy, JD, CPA, AEP® and ThinkAdvisor senior reporter John Manganaro joined President Nichols in hosting those panel discussions.
After the individual and group sessions were concluded, Trexler reconvened the ambassadors for a final thank-you and farewell.
“We’re incredibly lucky to have you all on our team,” he said. “You are the people who will help carry our mission forward.”
More From The College
- Learn more about the FinServe Network
- Meet the New FinServe Network Ambassadors
Related Posts