The Financial Planning Association announced the winners of its 2017 Heart of Financial Planning Award, which recognizes financial planning professionals, firms and organizations that demonstrate remarkable commitment and passion to contribute or give back to the financial planning community or public.
This year's awardees are Michael Branham, a member of FPA of Minnesota; Scott M. Kahan, a member of FPA of New York; Marty Kurtz, a member of FPA of Illinois; and Tanya Steinhofer, a member of FPA of San Francisco.
"It is a privilege to recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of these FPA members who have made a difference in both the profession and in their communities," Shannon Pike, 2017 FPA president, said in a statement. "Financial planning is critical to achieving financial security and prosperity. These individuals have demonstrated a strong commitment to building the financial planning profession while helping others achieve their goals, exemplifying the true meaning of the Heart of Financial Planning."
Branham, a senior financial planner at The Planning Center serving both the Twin Cities and Alaska, was nominated for his ongoing commitment to the future of financial planning and helping to advance aspiring CFP professionals into the profession.
"As the youngest president of FPA in 2013, Branham was a thoughtful and articulate voice for the financial planning community and the profession," according to FPA. He was 39 at the time.
His leadership in FPA has been extensive – having served as chair of the FPA Advocacy Committee, president of the FPA NexGen community and within the FPA of Minnesota.
Branham has also been a passionate voice in Washington, D.C. in support of the fiduciary standard of care.
Kahan, who is the president and senior financial planner at Financial Asset Management Corp. in New York, was nominated for his devotion to helping underserved populations harness the power of financial planning.
