The winner of the FPA/NEO 2011 Heart of Financial Planning Award is Karin Stifler. 

Karen has shown years of commitment and dedication to the profession of financial planning and the FPA.  As a member of the FPA since 1991, she has served as a board member of the FPA/NEO and later as a National board member from January 2008 - December 2010.  Her work and contributions to the financial planning community include public awareness and pro bono initiatives.  As the post 9/11 Inaugural Chair of the FPA Pro Bono Committee she created a comprehensive pro bono tool kit for use by local chapters to establish pro bono outreach activities. 

Karin has shown commitment to raising the awareness of the imortance of financial planning in the lives of individuals and families.  Her person contributions to the community through her own pro bono efforst have brought financial planning services to those who are traditionally underserved.  Karin has volunteered time and expertise to such organizations as America Saves/Cleveland Saves, Volunteers of America, military reservist outreach, and has worked with cities such as Cleveland, Cincinnati and Denver creating Financial Planning service days allowing members of the public access to financial planners.

Karin has selflessly contributed to her local community, her generosity has not been limited to the members of the public.  Karin has been an active member within the FPA community by mentoring financial planning students as well as professional colleagues.  She has shown great willingness to support her fellow financial planners and share her experience as we discuss and promote our ever-changing, maturing profession.  She has served on panels on both the FPA National level and our local FPA/NEO chapter.  Members of our local chapter saw and heard her love of financial planning when she participated as a panel member of our State of the Profession discussion in November 1009.  At the FPA National Conference 2010 she served as a panelist for the discussion -- Living in the Fiduciary World.

We are happy to award Karin Stifler the FPA/NEO - 2011 Heart of Financial Planning Award

The winner of the FPA/NEO 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award is Alex Koler. 

Alex started in the financial services industry in 1972.  He received his certification as a Certified Financial Planner® in 1979, where he gave the Valedictorian Address at the College of Financial Planning commencement in Denver, Colorado on November 2, 1979.

His business model has been to provide investment and insurance advice to households that are primarily in the middle to upper middle income bracket.  He currently manages more that more than $200 million in assets.  He was one of the first, if not the first, financial professional in the Cleveland area to complete a direct rollover from a pension plan.

Alex served on the Board of the International Association of Financial Planning (IAFP) for four years and International Association of Certified Financial Planners (ICFP) for six years.  He served as Program Director for the ICFP for several years.  He was very involved in the merger of the IAFP and ICFP into the Financial Planning Association (FPA).  He served on the FPA Board for two years.

Alex is also very involved in his local community.  He was Civil Service Commissioner for the city of Parma for twelve years.  He has been involved with the Proud of Parma Committee since 1975, serving as President and Treasurer for many years.  He is currently the Vice-President on the Parma Hospital Health Care Foundation.  He has been a Director since 1992, previously holding the psoitions of Treasurer and Chairman of the Finance Committee.  In 2009, he was selected to serve as a Trustee on the Parma Community General Hospital of Trustees.

Alex has taught financial planning classes in the Cuyahoga Community College Senior Adult Education Program since 1986.  This educational program is for adults age 55 and older.

In 2001, Alex was awarded the Lifetime Achievelent Award from his broker-dealer, SunAmerica Securities (now known as SagePoint Financial, Inc.), for his many successful years as a top producer within the organization and for his contributions to the broker-dealer.  His award was recognized and further embellished by a Proclamation from the Ohio House of Representatives. 

Alex also served three years on the Managemet Advisory Council with SunAmerica Securities, which s a committee made of representatives who are liaisons between the field force and management.

We are happy to award Alex Koler the FPA/NEO - 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award.

FPA of Northeast Ohio is again seeking nominations for two awards that were presented for the first time in 2008.  The awards and criterion are as follows:

Heart of Financial Planning Award:

• Active member of financial planning community.
• Has done extraordinary work to contribute or give back to the financial planning community and/or the public.
• Past Board or committee service a plus, but not required.
• Promotes/provides awareness or education and financial planning issues and topics.
• May be a member of the public (i.e. reporter).
• Not a current Board member.
• More than one award can be given.
• Award does not have to be given each year.

Lifetime Achievement Award:

• Active in financial planning profession for 25+ years.
• Served as Board or committee member for FPA or predecessor financial planning organizations.
• Exemplifies the financial planning profession.
• Not a current Board member.
• More than one award can be given.
• Award does not have to be given each year.

As the financial planning profession continues to grow, evolve and professionalize the Board would like to recognize members of our chapter who exemplify the essence of these two awards.