Greetings, Austin FPA Members!
It has been said that a new year is a fresh start and a new chapter in life waiting to be written.
As we end this period, let’s take a quick moment to reflect on events from our Chapter in 2019.
On a national association level, the plan to dissolve each FPA chapter by year-end derailed. In its place was a revised plan for chapters to volunteer to participate in a two-year beta test. Out of the 86 chapters, 16 chapters applied for the experience and 11 chapters were chosen.
Our Austin FPA Board thoroughly discussed the pros/cons of opting in and decided not to apply.
The main tenets of the revised OneFPA Network plan are centralized functionality and participatory government. Although we’re choosing not to participate in the centralized functions that they will test, we will have a representative voice in the newly created OneFPA Advisory Council.
At our local level, we’re pleased with work accomplished by our 14 Board of Directors during 2019.
We introduced an entirely new program–the Women’s Initiative–that was helmed by Margaret Casey and Tasha Rock. Under their guidance, quarterly events were hosted that featured dynamic speakers such as Meredith Jones, Ashley Ilardo of DFA, Neesha Hathi of Schwab and New York Times best-selling author, Dan Solin. Such events are also open to our male members.
Membership Director, Donald Beattie, effectively kept his thumb on the pulse of our 204 members and welcomed 18 new members.
Jasen Wallace, led a vibrant Career Day and even made time to provide gems of experience with candidates.
We’re grateful for Blake Rhodes for taking up the challenge and creatively arranging the CE content that we received during each of our Chapter’s lunches. For those who expressed concern about meetings held at the Austin Country Club during the Dell Match Play—we heard you! We always aim to create an engaging experience for all. So, in 2020, we will veer away from this event’s congestion by using a different location during those months.
Bill Simonet led an innovative Austin Planners Conference, that featured our highest level of sponsorship for a conference event, eight possible hours of CE credits, a course on the new CFP® Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, along with the unconquerable keynote speaker,
Cindy Eckert.
David Hampton joined during the year as our NexGen Director, taking the baton from Matt Bacon, who relocated. You’ll hear more from David during 2020.
Pro Bono Director, Ross Patterson was on hand at the Chapter Leaders Conference in Denver to accept our Outstanding Achievement in Pro Bono award for work done the previous year with Austin Habitat for Humanity.
Brooks Morgan is grateful for our nine fabulous sponsors who served as the life blood for our Chapter and organized a year-end appreciation reception for them.
Lastly, special thanks to Sarah Frankenfeld, who as Austin FPA Chapter Executive, does a considerable job at keeping the gears turning and being the glue from year to year for us all, along with Chris Stolte, Ann Connolly and Shane Sullivan, who handled various executive, behind the scenes responsibilities.
Leadership-wise the Chapter is in great hands as Bill Parrott takes the helm as President in 2020, along with Margaret Casey as President-Elect.
A new year. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. What words will you write?
However you decide to approach 2020, we wish you the best and look forward to seeing your faces during the year.
Best,
Daphne Jordan, CFP®
