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The Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) has named Melbourne-based financial planner Renato Manias as the first 2021 winner of the Gwen Fletcher Memorial Award.
Named after the late ‘First lady of Financial Planning’, the award recognises the highest performing student in the CFP® Certification Unit (CFP C) for each semester, with demonstrable dedication to providing high-quality financial advice.
Mr Manias, who has been a financial planner for eight years, said the CFP® Certification Program was a challenging and rewarding experience .
“I have worked very hard to get to this point and am honoured to win this prestigious award,” Mr Manias said. “One of my primary motivations for becoming a CFP® was a desire to achieve the highest designation in the profession. I don’t take shortcuts and have always strived to obtain the best qualifications in the field.”
Mr Manias completed a Masters of Financial Planning at Kaplan Professional before choosing to become a CFP® professional. He said the CFP® Certification Program is very practical and he praised the program’s assignment component.
“Working through realistic case studies in depth and completing SOAs was the highlight of the program. The knowledge I’ve gained from the program will be hugely beneficial to me and my clients.”
FPA CEO, Dante De Gori CFP®, congratulated Mr Manias on his win: “I would like to congratulate Renato on his achievement and to formally recognise his ongoing commitment to Gwen’s legacy of improving the financial planning profession through education and higher professional standards.
“The FPA is pleased to hear positive feedback around the online program, particularly the flexibility it offers to financial planners to achieve and maintain a work-life balance. The program has a strong support structure so everyone can get the most out of their online experience,” concludes Mr De Gori.
The CFP® designation is the only financial planning designation recognised globally. It is a recognised symbol of excellence for financial planners who are actively committed through higher education and accountability to adhering to world-class professional and ethical standards.
With the new education standards, all financial planners will be expected to hold an approved degree by 2026. The CFP® designation continues to offer financial planning professionals a way to differentiate themselves in the profession.
For more information and to apply for the CFP® Certification Program, visit fpa.com.au/cfp