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Business Wire
25-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
CFP Board Promotes Public Trust With 11 Actions
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board), a nonprofit organization with more than 100,000 CFP® professionals, today announced actions taken to uphold its ethical standards, imposing sanctions on 11 individuals. CFP Board is a professional body that has adopted a Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards) that benefits and protects the public and advances financial planning as a distinct and valuable profession. The Code and Standards requires that a CFP® professional meet certain duties when providing professional services to a client, and to refrain from engaging in other misconduct that reflects adversely on their integrity or fitness as a certificant, on the CFP® marks or on the profession. CFP® professionals make a commitment to CFP Board to abide by the Code and Standards, and their compliance reinforces the integrity of the CFP Board certification marks. CFP Board does not guarantee a CFP® professional's services, but it may sanction a CFP® professional who fails to uphold their commitment. Information about how CFP Board addresses ethical issues involving CFP® professionals and those pursuing initial CFP® certification is available at At the public can verify an individual's CFP® certification status. CFP Board also provides links to other sources of information about CFP® professionals that may be more recent or that may contain information that has not led to CFP Board discipline and does not appear on CFP Board's website, such as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (FINRA's) BrokerCheck and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC's) Investment Adviser Public Disclosure databases for individuals who are subject to FINRA or SEC oversight. CFP Board is not a federal, state or self-regulatory organization, and it does not sanction financial services firms. The Public Sanctions on 11 Individuals STATE NAME LOCATION SANCTION Maryland Gordon S. Wallace, CFP® Annapolis Public Censure Florida Mark Monkarsh Tampa Suspension Illinois Robert D. Lyman Barrington Suspension Kentucky Michael H. Gross Louisville Suspension New Jersey Danny Z. Spiegel Ocean Suspension Oregon Timothy D. Clairmont Portland Suspension Texas Todd L. Luft The Woodlands Suspension California Brian P. Colla Corona Temporary Bar Florida Christopher A. Hynes Punta Gorda Temporary Bar North Carolina Basil Marchi Raleigh Temporary Bar Pennsylvania John A. Dougherty Blue Bell Revocation Expand PUBLIC CENSURE MARYLAND Gordon S. Wallace, CFP® (Annapolis, Maryland): In December 2024, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order imposing a public censure on Mr. Wallace for violating CFP Board's Code and Standards. The order cites a March 2023 Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) that Mr. Wallace entered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) in which he consented to a 10-day suspension and a $5,000 fine for violating FINRA Rule 2010, which requires registered persons, in the conduct of their business, to observe high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade. In the AWC, Mr. Wallace consented to findings that in late May 2021, he and others, at his direction, photographed electronic account information for approximately 135 customers in anticipation of joining another firm. The AWC states that Mr. Wallace retained the information — including customer names, birth dates, account numbers and Social Security numbers—until his new firm secured and returned the information unused. The former firm named Mr. Wallace and others in an arbitration that he resolved in a confidential settlement. The Commission found that Mr. Wallace violated Standards A.8.a, A.9.c and D.2.a of the Code and Standards, which state that a CFP® professional must comply with the laws, rules and regulations governing professional services; must take reasonable steps to protect the security of non-public personal information about any client; and will be subject to discipline by CFP Board for violating policies and procedures of the CFP® professional's firm. The Commission's order was effective January 20, 2025. Read the order: Case History 44120. SUSPENSION FLORIDA Mark Monkarsh (Tampa, Florida): In May 2023, CFP Board's Appeals Commission issued an order suspending Mr. Monkarsh's right to use the CFP Board certification marks for one year and one day based on his violation of Rule 6.5 of CFP Board's Rules of Conduct. The order affirmed a November 2022 decision by CFP Board's Disciplinary and Ethics Commission finding that Mr. Monkarsh had engaged in conduct reflecting adversely on their integrity or fitness as a certificant, on the CFP® marks or on the profession when he failed to pay or file timely returns for federal taxes he owed from 2011 to 2017. The November 2022 decision cites four federal tax liens totaling more than $577,000 issued against Mr. Monkarsh, who owed more than $1.13 million to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), including accrued interest and penalties. In its decision, the Appeals Commission found that the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission did not abuse its discretion when it deviated upward from the applicable sanction in the Sanction Guidelines (public censure) but did abuse its discretion by imposing a three-year suspension on Mr. Monkarsh. Mr. Monkarsh's suspension was effective from April 17, 2024, through April 17, 2025. Read the order: Case History 33150. ILLINOIS Robert D. Lyman (Barrington, Illinois): In May 2025, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order suspending Mr. Lyman's CFP® certification after he failed to meet the terms of a consent order approved by the Commission in April 2022. The consent order settled a CFP Board complaint filed against Mr. Lyman involving $644,000 in tax liens the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) imposed on him for failing to pay federal income taxes over several years. CFP Board alleged that the liens demonstrated Mr. Lyman's inability to manage his personal finances and violated Rule 6.5 of CFP Board's Rules of Conduct, which prohibits a CFP® professional from engaging in conduct that reflects adversely on their integrity or fitness as a certificant, on the CFP® marks or on the profession. Mr. Lyman agreed in the consent order that he would certify annually to CFP Board that he was not the subject of any new tax liens but was unable to do so after the IRS and state tax authorities imposed approximately $280,000 in new tax liens against him starting later in 2022. His failure to comply with the terms of the consent order is considered a default under Article 4.1 of CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on a determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. Lyman's conduct, enforcement counsel filed a motion for an administrative order of suspension, which counsel to the Commission granted on May 1, 2025. The suspension is effective from June 2, 2025, until Mr. Lyman is deemed eligible for reinstatement under Article 4.6 of the Procedural Rules. Read the order: Case History 44766. KENTUCKY Michael H. Gross (Louisville, Kentucky): In May 2025, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order suspending Mr. Gross's CFP® certification and right to use the CFP® marks for three months. The Commission's order cites a February 2023 agreement Mr. Gross entered with Kentucky state regulators requiring him and his advisory firm to pay a $7,400 fine and to remediate deficiencies observed during a routine compliance examination. The Kentucky order describes several books and records violations and a breach of fiduciary duty under the Kentucky securities laws based on findings that Mr. Gross's firm made impermissible guarantees to existing and potential clients on its YouTube channel, charged a client an unreasonable advisory fee on assets held solely in cash, failed to maintain executed advisory contracts, and did not file timely and accurate Forms U4 and ADV. In its order, the Commission found that Mr. Gross violated Standard A.1 of CFP Board's Code and Standards, requiring a CFP® professional to act as a fiduciary and in the best interests of the client at all times when providing financial advice; Standard A.2.b, prohibiting a CFP® professional from making any untrue or misleading statement of a material fact when providing professional services; and Standard A.8.a, requiring a CFP® professional's compliance with all laws, rules and regulations governing professional services. Mr. Gross's suspension is effective from June 9, 2025, through September 8, 2025. Read the order: Case History 45294. NEW JERSEY Danny Z. Spiegel (Ocean, New Jersey): In May 2025, a hearing panel of the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) found it in the public interest to impose on Mr. Spiegel an interim suspension of his CFP® certification and right to use the CFP® marks during the pendency of related enforcement proceedings. In its petition for the interim suspension, CFP Board's enforcement counsel cited a January 2025 cease-and-desist order entered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against Mr. Spiegel for violating Section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by selling membership interests in limited liability companies without associating with a registered broker-dealer. The SEC's order, entered with Mr. Spiegel's consent, imposed on him a six-month suspension from associating with any broker, dealer, investment adviser, municipal securities dealer, municipal advisor, transfer agent or nationally recognized statistical rating organization; a six-month suspension from participating in any offering of a penny stock; disgorgement of $142,083; and a civil penalty of $40,000. The CFP Board suspension was effective on May 12, 2025. Read the order: Case History 47584. OREGON Timothy D. Clairmont (Portland, Oregon): In June 2024, CFP Board's Appeals Commission affirmed a December 2023 decision by the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) suspending Mr. Clairmont's right to use the CFP® certification marks for two and a half years. In its 2023 order, the Commission found that Mr. Clairmont breached his fiduciary duty under Rule 1.4 of CFP Board's Rules of Conduct and failed to exercise reasonable and prudent professional judgment under Rule 4.4 when he failed to plan for the significant taxes his client incurred on the sale of assets the client had inherited, instead recommending that the client purchase illiquid investments. As a fiduciary providing financial planning, Mr. Clairmont had an obligation to comply with Practice Standard 400-2 of CFP Board's Financial Planning Practice Standards, which requires a CFP® professional to develop recommendations to reasonably meet the client's goals, needs and priorities. The Commission found that Mr. Clairmont failed to fully investigate and set aside funds for his client's tax liability and to appropriately determine the client's required cash flow in relation to her need for immediate income. The Commission also found that Mr. Clairmont violated Rule 6.2 of the Rules of Conduct when he intentionally made a misstatement to CFP Board on his April 2020 Ethics Declaration by answering 'No' to a question asking if he had ever been named a respondent in an arbitration. The order notes that six months earlier, Mr. Clairmont had settled an arbitration claim filed against him by the same client. Mr. Clairmont's suspension is effective June 4, 2025, through December 3, 2027. Read the order: Case History 33677. TEXAS Todd L. Luft (The Woodlands, Texas): In April 2025, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission issued an order immediately suspending Mr. Luft's CFP® certification and right to use the CFP® marks based on his February 2025 suspension by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA). FINRA suspended Mr. Luft from associating with any FINRA member after he failed to comply with an arbitration award directing him to pay more than $500,000 to his former firm for not meeting obligations under promissory notes he had signed. The CFP Board order, effective April 21, 2025, suspends Mr. Luft during the pendency of related enforcement proceedings. Read the order: Case History 47717. TEMPORARY BAR CALIFORNIA Brian P. Colla (Corona, California): In May 2025, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order denying Mr. Colla's petition for a determination that he is fit for CFP® certification and barring him from applying for CFP® certification for two years. Mr. Colla was required to file his petition after disclosing to CFP Board that he had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protections in October 2001 and again in April 2024. In reaching its determination, the Commission noted that although Mr. Colla's first bankruptcy occurred over 20 years before he entered the financial services industry, his most recent bankruptcy was discharged only one month before he filed his petition. While the second bankruptcy was due in part to unforeseen business challenges arising from the COVID pandemic, the Commission found it too soon to conclude that Mr. Colla had adequately demonstrated an ability to manage his financial affairs. The bar is effective from June 20, 2025, through June 19, 2027. Read the order: Case History 46512. FLORIDA Christopher A. Hynes (Punta Gorda, Florida): In April 2025, Mr. Hynes entered into a consent order with the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) barring him from CFP Board certification and the right to use the CFP Board certification marks for one year and a day. The order describes a recommendation Mr. Hynes made to his clients, a Massachusetts couple, to invest in 'structured cash flows' offered by an issuer purporting to sell the rights to pension payments owed to federal employees. The couple, who in February 2016 purchased approximately $87,000 of the structured products, had discussed with Mr. Hynes their need for a stream of cash flow to cover the first phase of their retirement. Mr. Hynes, a lawyer, told the couple that he had conducted extensive due diligence into the issuer of the structured cash flow product he was recommending, including his review of a memorandum discussing the propriety of the issuer's purchase of pension payments under federal law. The clients' purchase agreement for the product states that payments were in fact illiquid and not guaranteed, and that they were subject to 'unsettled' law and increasing scrutiny by state regulators. In 2018, the clients stopped receiving monthly payments, and the issuer was later determined to have orchestrated a Ponzi scheme. In 2022, Massachusetts securities regulators investigated the circumstances around the clients' investment and entered a consent order with Mr. Hynes in which he agreed that he had violated state law by transacting business in the state without being properly registered. Massachusetts barred Mr. Hynes from seeking registration in the state for five years and ordered him to pay approximately $50,000 in restitution, a $25,000 fine and disgorgement of the referral fee he had earned on the transaction. Mr. Hynes's consent order with the Commission cites several violations of CFP Board's Rules of Conduct, including Rule 1.4, for failing to meet his fiduciary duty of care when engaging in financial planning; Rule 4.5, for recommending an investment that was not suitable for his clients; Rule 4.3, for failing to comply with applicable regulatory requirements governing the professional services he provided to his clients; and Rule 6.5, for engaging in conduct that reflects adversely on his integrity or fitness as a certificant, on the CFP® marks or on the profession. The bar is effective from April 30, 2025, through April 30, 2026. Read the order: Case History 45210. NORTH CAROLINA Basil Marchi (Raleigh, North Carolina): In May 2025, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order denying Mr. Marchi's petition for a determination that he is fit for CFP® certification and barring him from applying for certification for three years. In his May 2024 application for CFP® certification, Mr. Marchi disclosed tax liens and other conduct presumed to bar him from being certified. In February 2016, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began imposing liens on Mr. Marchi covering multiple tax years dating back to 2005. In all, the IRS imposed more than $900,000 in liens for unpaid federal taxes, fines, penalties and fees. North Carolina tax authorities filed separate liens related to Mr. Marchi's unpaid state taxes. His firm terminated him in August 2016 for failing to report the liens, and in March 2017, Mr. Marchi entered a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) suspending him for six months and fining him $10,000 for failing to disclose the liens on his FINRA registration. Mr. Marchi filed for bankruptcy in early 2018. At the time of his hearing, Mr. Marchi had not paid his FINRA fine and had $50,000 in outstanding federal tax liens, which he intended to pay under an installment plan with the IRS. In addition to imposing a three-year bar, the Commission's order conditions Mr. Marchi's eligibility for CFP® certification on his having satisfied all outstanding liens and paid his FINRA fine. Mr. Marchi's bar is effective from June 2, 2025, through June 1, 2028. Read the order: Case History 46708. REVOCATION PENNSYLVANIA John A. Dougherty (Blue Bell, Pennsylvania): In May 2025, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an administrative order revoking Mr. Dougherty's CFP® certification and permanently barring him from future certification after he indicated he would no longer participate in CFP Board's investigation into allegations made against him in a lawsuit filed in South Carolina state court. The lawsuit alleged that Mr. Dougherty breached his fiduciary duty and duty of care and failed to properly disclose conflicts of interest relating to investment recommendations he had made to a client, including that the client invest in a highly speculative business venture. Mr. Dougherty was already under an interim suspension issued in April 2024. By expressing his clear intention not to participate in CFP Board's investigation, Mr. Dougherty was in default under Article 4.1.b of its Procedural Rules. Enforcement counsel filed a motion for an administrative order revoking Mr. Dougherty's CFP® certification and permanently barring his future certification based on a determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of his conduct. Counsel for the Commission granted the motion on May 30, 2025. The order was effective on June 30, 2025. Read the order: Case History 46471. ABOUT CFP BOARD CFP Board is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board consists of two affiliated organizations focused on advancing the financial planning profession for the public's benefit. CFP Board of Standards sets and upholds standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification — widely recognized by the public, advisors and firms as the standard for financial planners — so that the public has access to the benefits of competent and ethical financial planning. CFP® certification is held by more than 100,000 people in the U.S. CFP Board Center for Financial Planning addresses diversity and workforce development challenges and conducts and publishes research that adds to the financial planning profession's body of knowledge.
Business Wire
24-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
CFP Board Announces Search for Next CEO, Engages Spencer Stuart
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CFP Board today announced that it has retained executive recruitment firm Spencer Stuart to assist in the search for its next Chief Executive Officer. The search follows the February announcement of CFP Board CEO Kevin R. Keller's planned April 2026 retirement and reflects CFP Board's commitment to a deliberate, strategic transition. 'The Board of Directors is approaching this transition with a clear plan, and we are excited to partner with Spencer Stuart in this important search,' said CFP Board Chair Liz Miller, CFP®, CFA®. Share The Board of Directors began preparing for this transition early in 2025, forming a CEO Search Committee led by 2025 Chair-Elect Terri Kallsen, CFP®. This thoughtful planning allows ample time to conduct a thorough search and engage a broad range of stakeholders. 'The Board of Directors is approaching this transition with a clear plan, and we are excited to partner with Spencer Stuart in this important search,' said CFP Board Chair Liz Miller, CFP®, CFA®. The search begins immediately. 'We're looking for an innovative leader who will not only drive our strategic initiatives forward but also embody the core values of our organization — integrity, commitment to the profession and a focus on the public interest,' said Kallsen. CFP Board invites highly qualified candidates to apply. This process will involve thorough outreach to leaders within the association and financial planning communities to help ensure a broad, well-qualified candidate pool. For inquiries or further information, contact the following at Spencer Stuart: Leslie Hortum (lhortum@ and Sarah Burley Reid (sburleyreid@ ABOUT CFP BOARD CFP Board is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board consists of two affiliated organizations focused on advancing the financial planning profession for the public's benefit. CFP Board of Standards sets and upholds standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification — widely recognized by the public, advisors and firms as the standard for financial planners — so that the public has access to the benefits of competent and ethical financial planning. CFP® certification is held by more than 100,000 people in the U.S. CFP Board Center for Financial Planning addresses diversity and workforce development challenges and conducts and publishes research that adds to the financial planning profession's body of knowledge. ABOUT SPENCER STUART Spencer Stuart is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm that works with organizations to help them find and develop the leaders they need to succeed in a complex and rapidly changing world.
Business Wire
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Financial Avenues LLC Celebrates 15 Years of Fiduciary Financial Guidance
KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Financial Avenues LLC (Financial Avenues), a fee-only (commission-free) financial planning and investment advisory firm, is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary. Over the past fifteen years, Financial Avenues has grown from a staff of just one to over half a dozen that has served more than 350 financial planning and investment advisory clients in the Kansas City area. Founder Tracy St. John, RICP® (St. John) is one of the first female financial planners in Missouri and Kansas to serve clients on a fee-only fiduciary basis, a business model that reduces conflicts of interest and clearly aligns client/advisor goals and priorities. 'I'm deeply passionate about helping individuals who want to learn but often feel overwhelmed by the jargon used in the financial industry. My goal is to make personal finance accessible and understandable for everyone.' The firm's focus on providing services on an hourly, as-needed basis, or on a continuous basis makes it possible for people from all walks of life to receive support. Managing assets is not the focus or requirement; however, it is an option, and this service is not a percentage of assets under management (AUM) and instead, charged on a flat fee basis. This service structure, which is not the norm in the financial services industry, has contributed to the firm's ongoing success. Reflecting on why she founded Financial Avenues, St. John shared, 'My vision has always been to empower people seeking financial advice without the pressure of being sold products or the requirement to manage money. I'm deeply passionate about helping individuals who want to learn but often feel overwhelmed by the jargon used in the financial industry. My goal is to make personal finance accessible and understandable for everyone.' As the summer and fall months unfold, celebratory open houses will be held at each office location, providing an opportunity to interact with the firm's local teams—and most recent new employee—and to donate to the Rose Brooks Center and Synergy Services, local organizations dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence, abuse, and homelessness. Kids are welcome and attendees will also have the opportunity to congratulate financial planner Beth Watts on earning the CFP® marks of distinction. Later this year, the firm will be offering 'Ask an Advisor' events. There will be a special blog series focused on personal finance and business success, and corresponding webcasts. OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE Leawood Office: 4701 College Boulevard, Suite 214, Leawood, Kansas 66211 Thursday, July 17, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Liberty Office: 8 Westowne Drive, Suite 801, Liberty, Missouri 64086 Thursday, August 28, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 15 YEARS / 15 INSIGHTS To mark fifteen years of empowering individuals and professionals with professional, fiduciary financial guidance, Founder Tracy St. John will be developing '15 Years, 15 Insights,' a special blog series that will distill over a decade and a half of business insights and personal financial planning experience into actionable advice for readers. This series is designed to offer something for everyone—from individuals and families seeking to build a secure financial future to business professionals and entrepreneurs looking for fresh perspectives. Each post will deliver concise, practical insights that reflect the core principles of Financial Avenues: simplicity, clarity, and empowerment. Topics will range from effective budgeting techniques to strategies for navigating investments in uncertain markets to retirement planning essentials, ensuring readers gain valuable knowledge applicable to their unique financial goals. The blog series will be capped with special webcasts. Hosted by St. John, the virtual presentation will expand on each of the fifteen blog posts, providing insight with practical tips—plus an opportunity to participate in a live Q&A. Members of the press and interested others are invited to explore the blog series and register for the webcasts by emailing Connect@ ABOUT ROSE BROOKS CENTER Over the past 46 years, Rose Brooks Center has offered domestic violence services and programming in the Kansas City Metro area and beyond. While hundreds of individuals and pets find safety in the emergency shelter, thousands more are served outside of shelter through groundbreaking community programs. Their mission is to break the cycle of domestic violence so that individuals and families can live free of abuse. In 2024 alone, Rose Brooks Center served over 14,000 victims of abuse and violence. In recognition of their work, Rose Brooks Center has maintained their designations as both a Platinum-level and 4-star charity through Guidestar and Charity Navigator. Rose Brooks continues to be there at every point of a survivor's journey, both behind their shelter walls and throughout the entire Kansas City community. ABOUT SYNERGY SERVICES Synergy Services, Inc. began in 1970 as Synergy House, the only shelter for runaway and homeless youth in western Missouri. Synergy now provides a full continuum of nationally accredited care to assist children and families with immediate respite from violence, and services which empower clients to find and choose good options for future safety and success. In addition to their work to treat the effects of violence, Synergy provides supportive services to families in crisis in an effort to prevent violence. They also focus on community education to build a safer society. Their programs include crisis hotlines, emergency shelter, transitional housing, therapeutic services, advocacy, mentoring and violence prevention programs throughout the greater Kansas City area. ABOUT TRACY ST. JOHN AND FINANCIAL AVENUES Founded by Tracy St. John, RICP®, in 2010, Financial Avenues, LLC, is an independent, fee-only financial planning and investment advisory firm based in Kansas City, Missouri. With a mission to provide transparent and compassionate financial guidance, the firm offers customized planning services without the pressure of product sales or asset minimums. Emphasizing education and empowerment, Financial Avenues ensures clients receive clear, jargon-free advice tailored to their unique financial journeys. St. John entered the financial planning field after a career in the retirement plan industry, consulting on corporate retirement plans and providing employee education and investment advice. She holds a Master's Degree in Family Financial Planning from Kansas State University in 2004. This degree represents two years of study, which included family economics, real estate, behavioral psychology and financial counseling. In addition, she earned a Certificate in Personal Financial Planning through Kansas State University in 2002, including study in the core topics of insurance, taxes, retirement, estate planning and investments, including the required courses to qualify for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ exam. She received the Retirement Income Certified Professional RICP® through the American College of Financial Services in 2018. St. John also served as Director of Public Awareness for the Kansas City Financial Planning Association (FPA) from 2010 to 2014. With two locations currently established (Leawood and Liberty) from which to meet with and serve clients as well as offering virtual meetings, the firm is happy to schedule a confidential get-acquainted conversation with anyone interested in exploring options and opportunities. For more information, visit
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mission Wealth Launches MissionForward™: A Mobile App for the Next Generation of Investors
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mission Wealth, a nationally recognized wealth management firm headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, is proud to announce the launch of MissionForward™, a forward-thinking digital platform designed specifically for the evolving needs of young professionals, entrepreneurs, and emerging affluent families. Recognizing a growing demand among digital natives for financial advice that is flexible, cost-effective, and conveniently accessible, MissionForward is a mobile app that extends Mission Wealth's commitment to personalized, expert guidance to those who may not yet meet the firm's traditional high-net-worth profile. This new offering reflects the firm's strategic initiative to broaden its reach and support the next generation of investors at earlier stages of their financial journey. "We understand that today's investors want a modern, mobile-first approach to managing their personal finances," says Sara Clark, Partner and Chief Client Officer at Mission Wealth. "MissionForward is our way of meeting these clients where they are—offering clients real-time access to expert advice, digital financial planning tools, and relevant educational content that supports their life goals." Built for convenience and empowerment, MissionForward provides a subscription-based model for financial planning and investment management, with no minimum asset requirement. The app offers secure, on-demand communication with dedicated CFP® professionals, goal tracking, budgeting, financial planning updates, and access to Mission Wealth's investment strategies—all in a user-friendly, mobile experience. To learn more about MissionForward or to join the growing community of next-generation investors, visit "We see MissionForward as a tool designed for the life you are building," explains Clark. Whether launching a career, managing a growing family, or navigating early-stage wealth accumulation, MissionForward can help clients take confident steps forward—without the traditional barriers to professional financial advice. Key Features of MissionForward™ Include: Secure messaging with a dedicated CFP® professional Personalized financial planning with annual updates Access to professionally managed Mission Wealth investment portfolios In-app scheduling, document uploads, and real-time task tracking Educational resources and insights tailored to individual goals Watch a short introduction video about MissionForward on YouTube from Mission Wealth's Co-Founder, Seth Streeter. Please note: MissionForward is a new service designed specifically for emerging investors. If you are already a Mission Wealth client utilizing their comprehensive wealth management services, please continue to use the MissionAccess mobile app for your ongoing financial planning and portfolio management needs. About Mission WealthSince 2000, Mission Wealth has been a nationally recognized Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) dedicated to serving over 4,190 valued clients and families and managing assets exceeding $11.9 billion across the United States. For comprehensive information about Mission Wealth's core values and services, please visit or contact us at 805-516-5187 for a complimentary consultation. Follow Mission Wealth's Growth: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube MISSION WEALTH IS A REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISOR. 00760396 07/25 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Mission Wealth Management, LP Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sam Huszczo, CFA®, CFP® Named InvestmentNews' 2025 Investment Advisor of the Year
DETROIT, June 25, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SGH Wealth Management is proud to announce that its Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Sam Huszczo, CFA, CFP®, has been named InvestmentNews' 2025 National Investment Advisor of the Year. This prestigious honor recognizes excellence in financial advice, innovation, and client impact at the highest level in the wealth management industry. This recognition, part of the prestigious InvestmentNews Awards ceremony in New York, highlights Sam's outstanding contributions to the financial advisory profession. Huszczo stood out among a competitive national field for his data-driven investment strategies, client-first approach, and his rare ability to blend academic rigor with practical, real-world advice. His background as a CFA charterholder and CFP® professional underlines a deep commitment to discipline, transparency, and long-term thinking, values he also shares with the diligent clients he serves. The annual InvestmentNews Awards celebrate top-performing advisors who exemplify leadership, innovation, and transformative results for clients. "Winning this national honor underscores our mission of empowering clients through disciplined, data-driven advice and transparent client-first values," said Huszczo. "Our success is shared with the remarkable families and individuals who trust SGH to manage their financial futures." Known for his relatable storytelling and market commentary, Huszczo often brings humor and honesty to his role, blending references from Newton's market failures to barefoot earnings calls, all while reinforcing a simple truth: The best financial advisors don't just ride market waves, they pivot, protect, and plan. This national recognition reflects the strength of the SGH Wealth Management team and Huszczo's unwavering dedication to helping clients live their version of success, on purpose. Outside work, Sam is active on the board of Leaders for Kids, Finance Committee for the Detroit Economic Club, and regularly speaks at financial literacy workshops across Metro Detroit. Along with National TV recognition with Huszczo appearing on: CNBC's Squawk Box, Bloomberg TV, Fox Business News, CBS TV, & more. "Starting a firm from scratch required an incredible amount of faith and discipline, values our clients embody in their own financial journeys," said Huszczo. "Our clients invested consistently for decades and this level of discipline deserves an Advisor who genuinely puts their interests first." Learn more at: View source version on Contacts SGH Wealth Managementhttps:// Sam Huszczo, CFA, CFP248-731-0029info@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
