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If you are not receiving program information via email, please contact fpasoco@gmail.com.  

 

Upcoming Meetings Preview: 

Most breakfast meetings convene from 7:30-9:00 am on the 2nd floor of the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.

Please check for possible venue changes and details - indicated next to the date. 

January 16th - Rich Arzaga CFP®, CCIM Planning Opportunities for Clients Who Own Real Estate

February 20th - Margaret Dolan CPA, Philanthropic Strategies

March 19th at the Philanthropy Collective - Steffi Obilisundar, JD, CLTC®  Long Term Care Insurance Options

April 16th - Mike Spitz with Segall Bryan & Hamill - Macro-dynamic Effecting the Fixed Income Market

May 21st - Rob Amerine with FBB Group Preparing a Business To Sell: The Role of Financial Advisors

June 17th (Monday) - Summer Social at Top Golf 4:30-6:30

July 25th (date change - 4th Thursday) - Craig Kirkpatrick Artificial Intelligence for Financial Advisors

August 20th at UCCS Downtown (venue change)  - Dr. Bill Craighead Program Director for UCCS - Economics - 

September 17th - Brendan Frazier of RFG on Mastering the Human Side of Advice

October 15th -Christine Richardson of FPA National - Membership Benefits You May Not Know About - Membership 101

November 19th at UCCS (venue change) -Gordon Stringer and Michelle Dockter -2 hour Ethics presentation 

December - Winter Social -TBD

 

 

Upcoming Meeting Formal Invitation:

 

Friendly Reminder - We will NOT have a program on Tuesday, July 16th.  


Our meeting time for July has changed to Thursday, July 25th, to accommodate our out-of-town speaker, Craig Kirkpatrick. 

Please RSVP to this email for our July 25th program by July 18th.  


Presentation Details for Thursday, July 25th: 

Speaker:  Craig Kirkpatrick Co-Founder of Optimal AdvisorAI

Craig Kirkpatrick brings over three decades of experience in the financial services sector, focusing on educating financial professionals to enhance client service. As a Co-Founder of Optimal AdvisorAI, he has taught the use of Artificial Intelligence technologies across the country, demonstrating their practical applications in saving time, expanding knowledge, and improving client relationships. His efforts, backed by 1,000+ hours and over 5,000 interactions with AI models, have been well-received within the financial community due to his practical application in advisor practices.


Saving Financial Professional Time by Integrating AI into Daily Practices

 Presentation Overview:   
In this session, we showcase the practical applications of AI in financial planning and advisory services. We demonstrate how offices can save 1-5 hours per week by highlighting real world use cases. After this session, our goal is advisors will be more open to leveraging AI to create stronger, more profitable practices. This presentation is more than just a talk; it’s a look into how AI is going to change the way a financial planning practice can operate. 

Key takeaways from the presentation: 

  • Real-World Use Cases: Gain practical insights with real-world examples, demonstrating how AI can be implemented into everyday workflows. 
  • Explore the power of AI to help you save time by providing comprehensive due-diligence reviews, from dissecting 50-page investment PDFs in seconds to summarizing complex financial data, aiding in more informed decision-making. 
  • Learn about the transformative impact of AI on client communication and engagement in a compliant manner and how it can help build deeper, more meaningful relationships. 

Why This Presentation? 

  • Educational Focus: The practical session is tailored to educate and empower financial advisors, equipping them with the knowledge to incorporate AI in their daily operations. 
  • Interactive and Engaging: Our style is conversational, ensuring a lively and engaging learning experience for all attendees.


Guests:  Please consider bringing a guest to an FPA meeting. 

  • Guests may attend their first meeting free of charge.  Subsequent meetings will include a $30 breakfast fee.
  • When RSVPing, please let Morgan know your guest's name to ensure we have a name tag for them and include them in our breakfast order count.

 

 

 

Monday, June 17th

FPA Summer Social - Top Golf!

Join us for engaging conversation, complimentary
appetizers, beverages, and golf!

When: Monday, June 17th, from 4:30- 6:30 PM. 

Venue: Top Golf - 165 Spectrum Loop, Colorado Springs, CO 80921

Dress: Come dressed to play and for warm weather!

Please note: This is an evening event - we will not meet for breakfast at the Hilton on Tuesday, June 18th. 

There will be no program or CE credit for this meeting - but there will be ample opportunity to catch up with colleagues!

 

 

May 21st

Preparing a Business To Sell: The Role of Financial Advisors

Presented by Robert Amerine
 President of The FBB Group, Ltd

Tuesday, May 21st:

7:30-8:00 am Breakfast served.
8:00-9:00 am Program begins. 

Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown- 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  Please take the elevator to the 2nd floor.

Parking: Please utilize the parking garage beside the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.  Parking will be validated. 

We will offer C.E. credit for CFP certificate holders.

Presentation Details: 

Speaker:  Robert Amerine, President of The FBB Group, Ltd

Rob Amerine serves as President of The FBB Group, Ltd., a highly reputable M&A Advisory firm which has represented sellers in a wide variety of industries since 1982.  Rob is active in the community through multiple networking, non-profit and Christian ministries, while guiding business owners as they prepare and sell their businesses. Rob holds both a Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) certification and a Merger Acquisitions Master Intermediary (M&AMI) certification.   He is aboard member of the Colorado Association of Business Intermediaries (CABI) and is an active member in both the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), and M&A Source.  He also holds an employing broker Colorado real estate license.

 Preparing a Business To Sell: The Role of Financial Advisors

 Presentation Overview:   The FBB Group, Ltd. has worked as a trusted advisor alongside hundreds of business owners in the successful sale of their businesses.   For some of these owners, who did not start preparing their business to sell soon enough, it was too late to make recommended changes and they were forced to sell at an inopportune time.   To address this growing need, our firm developed the Strategic Sellability Plan (SSP) to help owners who are considering an ownership transition in the next 2-10 years.   This transition includes internally to family members and/or key employees, as well as preparing to sell to individual buyers, industry, and/or strategic acquirers.   The SSP is individually tailored to assist in the owner’s exit strategy by working in tandem with other key professional advisors.   Specifically, we believe working alongside financial advisors, the SSP is an ideal way to provide unique perspectives and insights to allow business owners to maximize liquidity when the time is right.     
 
Rob will provide an educational overview of the Strategic Sellability Plan along with examples of how the SSP can benefit business owners in the planning process by addressing the following 5 key areas that highly impact the sellability of a business:

· Financials

· Assets (Tangible/Intangible)

· Real Estate (Ownership/Leasing)

· Operations/Processes

· Market/Industry

April 16th

Macro-dynamics Affecting the Fixed Income Market
Presented by Mike Spitz Head of National Accounts and Director of Distribution and Jim Dadura the Director of Fixed Income with
Segall Bryant & Hamill

Tuesday, April 16th

7:30-8:00 am Breakfast served.
8:00-9:00 am Program begins. 

Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown- 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  Please take the elevator to the 2nd floor.

Parking: Please utilize the parking garage beside the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.  Parking will be validated. 

We will offer C.E. credit for CFP certificate holders.

Presentation Details:

  • Jim Dadura
    • Jim Dadura is Director of Fixed Income for Segall Bryant & Hamill Asset Management. He leads the firm's Fixed Income group. In addition, his responsibilities include the management of Core and Intermediate Fixed Income products along with analyzing alternative structured products. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Dadura served as a mortgage-backed security, portfolio structure and quantitative analyst at The Chicago Trust Company from 1994 to 1999. He holds a BBA from the University of Texas and an MBA from DePaul University. Mr. Dadura started in the investment industry in 1994 and has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
  • Mike Spitz
    • Michael Spitz is the Head of National Accounts and Director of Retail Distribution for Segall Bryant & Hamill Asset Management (SBH), where he is responsible for distribution of SBH’s separately managed accounts (SMAs) and ’40 Act vehicles to Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), trust banks, third-party investment platforms, turnkey asset management programs (TAMPs) and financial consultants. Prior to joining the firm, he held positions at Deutsche Bank, Invesco, and UBS. Mr. Spitz graduated from DePaul University with a B.S. in Finance and Economics. He has been in the investment industry since 2007 and holds Series 7 and 63 securities licenses.

 

Presentation Overview:   Macro-dynamics Affecting the Fixed Income Market
Ten months into 2023, the fixed income market appeared poised for its third consecutive yearly decline. At the beginning of November, however, the Treasury Department announced it would focus largely on short-term issuance for upcoming government funding needs. How did this influence the fixed income market and who are the NEW buyers of US Treasury debt. We’ll discuss why government funding matters along with the fundamentals and technicals that drove the year end bond rally and what’s to come for investors for the rest of 2024.

  • The US fixed income market is ripe with inefficiencies spanning from small issue credits and miss ratings
  • Why small issues matter and the benefit to holding these securities
  • Changes in today’s treasury curve versus this time last year
  • Term premium, what it means and how its changed
  • Ballooning US debt
  • The largest buyers of treasury debt has changed substantially, who are the new buyers
  • How healthy are corporate issuers in today’s higher rate environment
  • How liquidity has changed in the fixed income market
  • Main Streets expectations vs. Wall Street

 

 

 

March 19th

Long-Term Care Options

Presented by Steffi Obilisundar  JD, CLTC 
Life and LTC Specialist of Brighthouse Financial

Notice the venue change to the Philanthropy Collective

Tuesday, March 19th at the Philanthropy Collective

7:30-8:00 am Breakfast served.
8:00-9:00 am Program begins. 

Venue Philanthropy Collective-  315 E Pikes Peak Ave #120, Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Parking: Please utilize street parking. 

We will offer C.E. credit for CFP certificate holders.
Steffi Obilisundar  JD, CLTC a Life and LTC Specialist of Brighthouse Financial

    As a Life and LTC Specialist, Steffi travels throughout Colorado, New Mexico, and Hawaii, working with financial professionals to provide ideas and strategies that help grow their businesses. With nearly 10 years of wholesaling experience, she has had the pleasure of working with top financial professionals in various financial institutions.

    Steffi is committed to helping you build your business with proven sales techniques and marketing tools that can keep you better connected with clients to become their financial professional of choice. Steffi’s specialty lies in providing innovative ideas with an emphasis on improving practice management techniques and growing books of business.

     Steffi was fortunate enough to have lived all over the country and has now settled in Golden, CO. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and juris doctor from Southern University Law Center. She currently holds her Series 6, 63, and state insurance licenses. Steffi has two Siberian Huskies and enjoys camping and hiking with them. She is also a competitive mountain biker who races throughout the year.

Presentation Overview:   Long Term Care Options

  • What is long-term care (LTC)?
  • Popular types, costs, and ways to pay for care
  • Hybrid life insurance + LTC vs. traditional LTC
  • Claims payments: Cash indemnity vs. reimbursement
  • Managing long-term care needs
  •  Long-term care: A case study

 

February 20th

Tuesday, Feb 20th

7:30-8:00 am Breakfast served.
8:00-9:00 am Program begins. 

Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown- 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  Please take the elevator to the 2nd floor.

Parking: Please utilize the parking garage beside the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.  Parking will be validated. 

We will offer C.E. credit for CFP certificate holders.

Presentation Details:  Strategic Philanthropic Giving


Margaret Dolan, Chief Executive Office and CPA

Margaret Dolan, CPA

Ms. Dolan brings a unique range of financial, executive, and civic experience to her role as Chief Executive Officer for the Pikes Peak Community Foundation.

She most recently headed a private consultancy practice providing distinct solutions for a diverse client base. Dolan previously served as President & CEO of Launch Tennessee, a state-wide public-private partnership that supports entrepreneurs from ideation to exit, and Managing Director for AuthEX, a subsidiary of Worth Group, LLC. Dolan also served as President & CEO of LocalShares, LLC and its subsidiaries, prior to the acquisition of LocalShares by Worth Group, LLC. LocalShares, through its RIA and in partnership with an independent fiduciary trust, brought the first city-based exchange-traded fund to market and developed thirty city-based indices that measured the performance of headquartered publicly-traded companies in various US metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). Prior to that, Ms. Dolan served as President & CEO, Saint Thomas Health Foundations and Executive Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Saint Thomas Health, a subsidiary of Ascension Health. Ms. Dolan spent over two decades at Ingram Industries Inc. where she advanced to Vice President of Community Relations serving in a lead role in family and corporate philanthropic and civic activity. Ms. Dolan began her career at KPMG, LLP.

Ms. Dolan graduated from the University of Tennessee, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (with honors), majoring in Accounting. She earned her Master of Business Administration from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management (Beta Gamma Sigma) where she received the Dean Martin S. Geisel Leadership Award. A Certified Public Accountant licensed in Colorado and Tennessee, Ms. Dolan is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the International Women’s Forum. She is a Sustaining Member of the Junior League of Nashville and a graduate of Leadership Nashville and Leadership Tennessee.

Her board service includes Fifth Third Bank Tennessee, Cumberland Emerging Technologies, and NuSachi. Ms. Dolan’s non-profit board experience is extensive and includes Adventure Science Center, Alignment Nashville, Center for Nonprofit Management, Junior League of Nashville, Memorial Foundation, Nashville Alliance for Public Education (past Chair), Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Nashville Business Coalition, Nashville Downtown Partnership, Nashville Public Education Foundation (past Chair), Tennessee Business Roundtable (past Chair), United Way of Metropolitan Nashville (past Chair), Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management Alumni Board, and the Rotary Club of Nashville (past President), among others.

Ms. Dolan was recognized with the Nashville Public Education Foundation’s 2013 Nelson C. Andrews Distinguished Service Award, and in 2015, she was inducted into the prestigious Academy for Women of Achievement by the YWCA of Middle Tennessee.
 

Presentation Overview:   
Including philanthropic legacy building as an essential element of estate planning delivers extraordinary value to the client and their family. In her presentation, Pikes Peak Community Foundation (PPCF) CEO Margaret Dolan will emphasize the significance of legacy through effective estate planning, including the Community Foundation's pivotal role in helping generous people and families realize their charitable goals. Building a philanthropic legacy can forever improve the community while providing a multi-generational opportunity for the family to actively experience the joy and fulfillment that comes with seeing the results of their philanthropic investments. Ms. Dolan will present a compelling case study illustrating the impact of unrestricted endowment on the community and show other real-world examples of how PPCF bridges the gap between community needs and impactful charitable investments. PPCF is ready to partner with you and other professional advisors to get the best outcome for your clients.

 

January 16th Invitation

Tuesday, January 16th

7:30-8:00 am Breakfast served.
8:00-9:00 am Program begins. 

Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown- 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  Please take the elevator to the 2nd floor.

Parking: Please utilize the parking garage beside the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.  Parking will be validated. 

We will offer C.E. credit for CFP certificate holders.

Presentation Details:  Please join us for Real Estate Opportunities for Clients Who Own Real Estate.
 

Rich Arzaga CFP®, CCIM from The Real Estate Whisper Financial Planning: 

Rich Arzaga, CFP®, CCIM, offers clear and practical guidance on real estate strategies that align with client interests, driving their financial goals. His experience spans diverse real estate planning aspects, such as buy-sell-hold strategies, tax-deferred options, family/business succession planning, and real estate cash flow management.
 
Founder and CEO of The Real Estate Whisperer Financial Planning, Rich operates as a flat-fee, advice-only Registered Investment Advisor. He also shares his knowledge as an adjunct professor in UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz Personal Financial Planning programs and has been recognized for his teaching excellence.
 
Rich's education includes a distinguished graduation from UC Berkeley's Personal Financial Planning Program, a BA from San Jose State University, and Graduate Studies in Management from Northwestern University J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Based in Monument, Colorado, he serves clients nationwide.

Presentation Overview:   

As a financial professional, you're no stranger to clients who hold or aspire to own rental properties. Some seek your insights, while others acknowledge the distinction in your expertise. In guiding your clients in meeting their financial goals, the equity in their rental property could represent the most significant area for improvement to their plan. The question becomes, what is a good approach to offering advice or support?
 
This program has been created for financial advisors and planners interested in getting insight into helping clients who own directly held rentals. The speaker, Rich Arzaga, CFP®, CCIM, has spent the last two decades advising on these matters. In most cases, his recommendations have improved a client’s financial condition by hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars over the life of a plan. In the short term, this advice has helped improve a client’s cash flow in retirement and their outlook for financial success.   
 
This program includes

  • Measuring the potential impact: Brief case studies using a popular planning technology.
  • Unveiling the allure of rental property: Reviewing the appeal and potential benefits for clients
  • An approach for identifying critical data and planning triggers.
  • Applying the CFP® financial planning process to evaluate real estate. (You do not have to be a CFP® to use the CFP® process).

 

 

December 2023 Winter Social Event

Join us for conversation, appetizers, and traditional libations.  

When:  Thursday, December 14th from 4- 6 PM. 

Venue: 616 North Tejon Street. Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903

Parking:  Please utilize street parking. 

Dress:  Business casual or holiday attire.

Guests:  Please consider bringing a guest to our FPA Winter Social Event! 

  • Guests may attend their first meeting free of charge.  Subsequent meetings will include a $30 fee.
  • When RSVPing, please let Morgan know your guest's name to ensure we have a name tag for them and include them in our appetizer and refreshment count. 


Please noteWe will not meet for breakfast at the Hilton on December 19th.  

There will be no program or CE credit for this meeting -but there will be ample opportunity to catch up with colleagues.

Thank you to our Winter Social Sponsors! 

Image removed.

November 2023 Robert Bertman from Family Budget Expert

 Robert Bertman CFA®, CSLP, CFP®  from Family Budget Expert  presenting:

Cashflow, Planning and Budgeting
 

Tuesday, November 21st

7:30-8:00 am Breakfast served.
8:00-9:00 am Program begins. 

Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown- 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  Please take the elevator to the 2nd floor.

Parking: Please utilize the parking garage beside the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.  Parking will be validated. 

We will offer C.E. credit for CFP certificate holders.

Presentation Details:  Please join us for Cashflow, Planning, and Budgeting.
 

Robert Bertman CFA®, CSLP, CFP®  from Family Budget Expert

  • 15 years experience as a financial planner, investment analyst, and advisor + 7 years at Family Budget Expert. 
  • Equity Partner at two successful financial companies before founding Family Budget Expert
  • Certified Financial Planner™
  • Holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.
  • Zero conflict with clients and advisory relationships – I don’t sell, manage, or advise on investment products or insurance.
  • University of Michigan Bachelor of Science (2001), Organizational Development & Psychology, Mathematics Minor


Presentation Overview:   Cashflow, Planning, and Budgeting

  • Go from Villain to Hero: Turn The Difficult Budget Conversation into an Opportunity to Know Your Client, Motivate Behavior Change & Improve Financial Success
  • We all have clients whose spending is hindering the success of the financial plan. But how do we have those challenging conversations without being the villain and driving a wedge in the relationship?
  • Rob will show you his collaborative process to turn the budgeting/cash flow conversation into a golden opportunity to truly know your client, help them identify where to reduce expenses without sacrificing and motivate them to make the sustainable changes necessary.
  • Ultimately, clients will increase their probability of reaching their financial goals. Advisors will know their clients better and increase retention and assets under management. A true win-win.

October 2023 - Mandy Kobilann from Lighthouse Group -

Health Care and Insurance Planning

Notice - Venue Change to Philanthropy Collective!

Tuesday, October 17th 

7:30-8:00 am Breakfast Served
8:00-9:00 Program

Venue:  Philanthropy Collective at  315 E Pikes Peak Ave #120, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Venue Change!

Parking: Please utilize street parking today. 

We will offer C.E. credit for CFP certificate holders.

Presentation Details:  Please join us to learn about health care and insurance planning. 
Guests:  Please consider bringing a guest to an FPA meeting. 

  • Guests may attend their first meeting free of charge.  Subsequent meetings will include a $30 breakfast fee.
  • When RSVPing, please let Morgan know your guest's name to ensure we have a name tag for them and include them in our breakfast order count.

 

September 2023 - Legacy Planning

Tuesday, September 19th

7:30-8:00 am Breakfast Served
8:00-9:00 Program

Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown- 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  Please take the elevator to the 2nd floor. 

Parking: Please utilize the parking garage beside the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.  Parking will be validated. 

We will offer C.E. credit for CFP certificate holders.

Please RSVP to this email by September 13, 2023

Presentation Details:  Please join us to learn about Legacy Planning from Trustee Services CEO Steve Marken, Esq. 

Steve Marken, Esq.

Steve founded Trustee Services Group in 2009.

An accomplished attorney and consultant to wealth managers throughout the country, he is a nationally recognized expert adept at overseeing estate plans that holistically and multi-generationally integrate a family’s financial (material), human (people), and social (philanthropic) capital.

Recognized as a Certified Specialist in charitable tax planning by the American Institute of Philanthropic Studies, Steve intimately understands the role of philanthropy in the wealth equation and how such, when properly and intentionally embraced, can be a powerful antidote to the risk and challenge of “affluenza”, while also serving as an unparalleled means of uniting families around common values and interests in the building of a lasting family legacy.

With an accomplished professional background in law, tax, finance and philanthropy, Steve is privileged to share his diverse background and experience while serving families and their professional advisors nationwide.

Steve received his B.S. from Arizona State University and his Law degree from Southwestern University School of Law.

Presentation Overview:  
Becoming a multi-generational wealth advisor during this Great Wealth Transfer.
We are currently in the midst of the “Great Wealth Transfer”, where current estimates of up to $85 Trillion will pass from one generation to the next between now and 2045.  In other words, a vast majority of your client’s wealth will be changing hands in the next twenty years. 
During Covid, countless individuals have chosen to update their estate documents. During this time and following, Trustee Services Group has had the occasion to speak with hundreds of families who have put in place or revised their estate plans. When asked, most of these families would like to have their wealth advisor involved with the next generation when they pass. Yet hardly any of the estate documents we reviewed reflected this fact. 
What are some of the reasons for this marketplace disconnect? 
How can wealth advisors better position their practice and services during this “Great Wealth Transfer” to become a family’s multi-generational wealth counselor?
This program will explore the marketplace challenges and opportunities for professional advisors in this regard.
Specifically explored and addressed during this interactive program will be:

  • Benefits of moving from a traditional estate planning process to a “legacy design” focus.
  • Use of “Directed Trust” language.
  • Pros and cons of a Co-Trustee and the involvement of a Trust Protector.  

Program participants will come away better equipped with a deeper understanding of the tools and resources available to deliver what many of their clients desire . . . for the client’s team of wealth advisors to remain involved with their family wealth for the benefit of their next generation.  

Guests:  Please consider bringing a guest to an FPA meeting. 

  • Guests may attend their first meeting free of charge.  Subsequent meetings will include a $30 breakfast fee.
  • When RSVPing, please let Morgan know your guest's name to ensure we have a name tag for them and include them in our breakfast order count.

 

 

 

August 2023

Portfolio Management

Tuesday, August 15th

7:30-8:00 am Breakfast Served
8:00-9:00 Program

Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown- 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  Please take the elevator to the 2nd floor. 

Parking: Please utilize the parking garage beside the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.  Parking will be validated. 

We will offer C.E. credit for CFP certificants.

Presentation Details:  Please join us to learn about Portfolio Management from two Chartered Financial Analysts.  

The presentation will discuss various aspects of the portfolio construction process – discussing client objectives, selecting the appropriate allocation for the client’s risk/return objectives, selecting appropriate benchmarks, implementing the portfolio, and evaluating the portfolio performance. CFP professionals are well versed in all aspects of financial planning, The presentation will include the perspective of two CFA Charterholders that can help FPA members think more deeply about how they can better serve their clients in the areas of portfolio construction and investment selection.

Aaron Thurston CFA® CFP®

Ameriprise Financial, Financial Advisor, Investment Manager – Eagle Rock Wealth Strategies, Ameriprise Financial
21 years of experience as a registered representative
Oklahoma Wesleyan University - B.S. Business Administration, 2002
 
Aaron manages relationships with about 150 client households, helping with investments and financial planning issues. Aaron also lead the investment analysis and recommendations for client portfolios across the practice.


Andy Brown CFA®

Andy started in financial services with Intrinsic, LLC performing compliance and fiduciary opinions regarding business valuation for private equity, public companies, and complex estates. He completed over 150 engagements covering estate gifting, complex securities, fairness opinions, and solvency opinions. Andy has worked as an Advisor at D.A. Davidson since 2022 and specializes in investments and portfolio management on his team.
 
He possesses Bachelor's Degrees from Western Colorado University in Accounting and Business Administration and a Master's of Science in Applied Quantitative Finance from the University of Denver. Outside of work, Andy is an avid outdoorsman, golfer, and enjoys spending time with his growing family and dogs.

Guests:  Please consider bringing a guest to an FPA meeting. 

  • Guests may attend their first meeting free of charge.  Subsequent meetings will include a $30 breakfast fee.
  • When RSVPing, please let Morgan know your guest's name to ensure we have a name tag for them and include them in our breakfast order count.

June 2023

Economic Update

Please Join Us

Tuesday, June 20th
7:30-8:00 am Breakfast Served
8:00-9:00 Program
Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown- 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  Please take the elevator to the 2nd floor. 
Parking: Please utilize the parking garage beside the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.  Parking will be validated. 
If you haven't already, RSVP yes or no to FPASoCo@gmail.com by June 14th. 

We do plan to apply for and offer C.E. credit for CFP certificants.

Presentation Details:  Economic Update by UCCS's Dr. Joe Craig 
Dr. Craig will address the current state of the national economy, including but not limited to touching on inflation, interest rates, bank failures, housing, and jobs.  Additionally, he will discuss the local economy, including housing, jobs, and population.  Finally, he will touch on heavy-hitting and hot jobs within the financial industry.

Bio:  
Dr. Joe Craig is an Associate Professor of Economics, Chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS), and the Interim Faculty Director for the UCCS Economics Forum.   Professor Craig received his B.A. in Mathematics and Economics from Kenyon College and his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.  He is a specialist in applied economics and analytics, with publications ranging from cyclical capital hangovers and the effects of market restructuring, 

Guests:  Please consider bringing a guest to an FPA meeting. 

  • Guests may attend their first meeting free of charge.  Subsequent meetings will include a $30 breakfast fee.
  • When RSVPing, please let Morgan know your guest's name to ensure we have a name tag for them and include them in our breakfast order count.

 

May 2023

Secure Act 2.0 

Please Join Us:

Tuesday, May 16th
7:30-8:00 am Breakfast and Networking
8:00-9:00 Program 
Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown- 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  Please take the elevator to the 2nd floor. 
Parking: Please utilize the parking garage beside the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.  Parking will be validated. 
Please RSVP to FPASoCo@gmail.com by May 12th. 

We do plan to apply for and offer C.E. credit to CFP certificants

 Presenter:  Katie Schaffer and Robin Liontas with a Secure Act 2.0

Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022, or SECURE 2.0, is designed to expand access to retirement plans, simplify the process of contributing and withdrawing from retirement savings, and ease plan administration for employers. Signed into law Dec 29, 2022, the Act includes a series of effective dates for various key provisions.

April 2023

Ethics Presentation

Please note this presentation is two hours in length.  

Please Join Us

Tuesday, April 18th:  
7:30-8:00 am Breakfast Served
8:00-10:00 Program (2-hour presentation)

Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown- 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  Please take the elevator to the 2nd floor. 

Parking: Please utilize the parking garage beside the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.  Parking will be validated. 

Please RSVP to FPASoCo@gmail.com by April 13th. 

We do plan to apply for and offer C.E. credit to CFP certificants

 Presenter:  Michelle Dockter with an Ethics presentation. 

Please note--this presentation will be two hours in length.

___________________________________________________________________________

March 2023

ESTATE PLANNING:  

What you need to know to secure your health, finances, affairs.

Please Join Us for ESTATE PLANNING:  What you need to know to secure your health, finances, affairs presented by Paul Mason

When:  Tuesday, March 21st   
Time: 7:30-8:00am Breakfast Served /  8:00am - 9:00am program
Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown - 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Parking: Please utilize the parking garage besides the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown - Parking will be validated. 

Cost: $0 for members; $30 for non members 

Please RSVP to  FPASoCo@gmail.com

We do plan to apply for and offer C.E. credit for CFP 

Presentation Details:  
Financial Advisors play an important role in assessing their client's individual needs and identifying opportunities to introduce them to an estate planning professional, as appropriate. Developing a tailored plan helps to ensure family wealth is protected and a proper estate plan is constructed. 

As members of the Financial Planning Association, we often play a part in the implementation of our client's estate planning strategy. We look forward to hearing Paul Mason's discussion on the importance of securing a client's health, finances, affairs and working together to ensure their peace of mind.  

 

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February 2023

Economics Outlook and Forces Shaping the Market:

Please Join Us Economics Outlook and Forces Shaping the Market presented by Bill Pugini

When:  Tuesday, February 21st   
Time: 7:30-8:00am Breakfast Served /  8:00am to 9:00am Program
Venue:  Hilton Garden Inn Downtown - 125 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Parking: Please utilize the parking garage besides the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown - Parking will be validated. 

Cost: $0 for members; $30 for non members 

Please RSVP to  FPASoCo@gmail.com

We do plan to apply for and offer C.E. credit for CFP 

Presentation Details:  
Please join us on February 21st to get perspectives from Bill Puggini CFA, Senior Portfolio Specialist with the Vanguard Group. 
Bill will lead discussions on key economic issues and forces shaping the markets, focusing on fixed income. During this session, Bill will cover the Central banks' vigilance in the fight against inflation, predictions for global markets in the coming year, and a more positive outlook for long-term investors. 
 
A Little About Our Presenter:  Bill Puggini
Bill Puggini CFA®  joined Vanguard in 2008. Before his current role, he helped build out the Vanguard Advisor Portfolio Analytics & Consulting offer. He
worked with advisors via data-driven consultations to aid in the portfolio construction process, giving him extensive insights into how top advisors around the country construct their models. Additionally, Bill served as an enterprise investment resource on strategic
initiatives, such as the launch of factor-based ETFs, which included designing and implementing Vanguard’s factor analytics tools for the web.
Bill earned a finance degree from the University of Arizona, and holds FINRA Series 6, 7, and 63 licenses, in addition to the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.


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January 2023

The Ideal Customer Experience:

Please Join Us for Ideal Customer Experience presented by H.B. Pasley

When:  Tuesday, January 17th  
Time: 7:30-9:00am Breakfast Served
Venue:  The Philanthropy Collective - 315 E Pikes Peak Ave #120, Colorado Springs, CO
Parking: Ample Street Parking

Cost: $0 for members; $20 for non members 

Please RSVP to FPASoCo@gmail.com

We do plan to apply for and offer C.E. credit for CFP 
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November 2022

FPA SOCO Holiday Happy Hour:

When: Wednesday, December 7th 

Time: 4:30pm to 6:30pm 

Where: 616 N Tejon St. Colorado Springs, CO 80903 

Cost: $0 

RSVP Link:  Please register here. 

Message from Host:

You are invited to join your friends at the FPA of Southern Colorado for a wonderful Holiday Happy Hour on December 7th from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. 

  • Craft cocktails, warm beverages, and small bites are provided. 
  • Private venue address: 616 North Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. (Plan to pay for parking on the street.)
  • Please RSVP so we can plan to host you and your significant other. (Please use Link above)
  • Also, please bring your team members and invite anyone who would love to make a deeper connection with financial advisors in our area. What a great time to meet new people. 
  • You may share this invitation!

Hosted by Nathan Johnson & H.B. Pasley. Call 719-243-4299 or 719-633-2515 with any questions you may have. 

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October 2022:

The SECURE Act & What Lies Head for the U.S. Tax Code

When: Wednesday, October 26th 
Time: 7:30-8:00am breakfast / 8:00-9:00am presentation plus Q&A  - arrive at 7:30am for Breakfast!

Cost: $20 for Members / $25 for Non-Members / Complimentary for first time visitors

Location: SpringHill Suits by Marriott 
Parking:     Enter Hotel Garage from Tejon
                      Hotel Garage Parking will Be Validated

Please RSVP to FPASoCo@gmail.com by Tuesday October 25th. 

1 Hour CFP CE Credit is pending approval.

Program:  The SECURE Act, SECURE Act 2.0 & What Lies Ahead for the U.S. Tax Code
presented by Bernie Benyak, CPA,, CFP® & Rebecca V. Jackson, CPA, JD with Stockman Kast Ryan (skr+co)

The SECURE Act passed with bipartisan support in 2019 and became law on January 1, 2020.  At that time, some of the specifics about how the Act was to be administered in practice remained murky.  Since then, the IRS and regulators have weighed in and the rules have become clearer.  In the meantime, Congress is actively considering SECURE Act 2.0 -- a series of bills that build on the SECURE Act -- which many anticipate will pass before the end of 2022.  Our presenters will revisit the key provisions of the SECURE Act, discuss specific interpretations of the rules, and discuss what may lie ahead for the U.S. Tax Code.

Bernie Benyak is a Senior Tax Manager at Stockman Kast Ryan who has been in public accounting since 1995. His specialties include working with small business owners, relatively high net worth individuals, and real estate companies. He also provides financial planning and Social Security planning services and maintains his designations through the CFP Board and the National Social Security Association, LLC.  Bernie is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants (COCPA) and is also a licensed Certified Financial Planner. He was involved in the Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs and formerly served on the board of HBA Cares. In 2022, Bernie joined University of Colorado Colorado Springs College of Business as an adjust instructor of taxation.

Rebecca V. Jackson is a Wealth Planning Strategist who joined Stockman Kast Ryan in 2021.  Rebecca began her career in public accounting in 1990 with Deloitte and Touche. During the years from 1993 – 2005, Rebecca served many businesses in Accounting and Business Management in telecommunication, construction and healthcare. She earned her CPA license in 1995, her LL.M in Taxation in 2010 and her JD in 2009. She practiced law for 12 years specializing in tax, business and estate planning as well as probate and trust administration. Rebecca is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants (COCPA) and serves as a board member for the Estate Planning Council of Colorado Springs.

Please join us for an insightful presentation and dialog.

1 Hour CFP CE Credit is pending approval.

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April 2022 – FPA SoCo Chapter IN-PERSON Event 

Please join the Southern Colorado FPA for a timely update by J.P. Morgan on the markets and the economy. We encourage all members to support your local chapter by attending our first in-person program in over two years!

RSVP Required - Please RSVP to fpasoco@gmail.com by Friday, April 8th if you plan to attend!

When: Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Time: 7:30-8:00am breakfast / 8:00-9:00am presentation plus Q&A  - arrive at 7:30am for Breakfast!

Cost: $20 for Members / $25 for Non-Members / Complimentary for first time visitors

Location: Epiphany located at 32 S Tejon St, Suite 200 in downtown Colorado Springs

Topic: Market & Economic Update - 1 CFP CE Credit Available!

Speaker: Joshua Feuerman, CFA, managing director, is a Global Equity Strategist. Josh joined the firm in 2012 from Foundation Capital Partners where he served as Chief Risk Officer. Previously, Josh ran his own investment firm, Btn Partners, where he managed a quantitative market neutral hedge fund. Prior to founding Btn Partners, Josh was Vice Chairman of the Investment Committee and Head of Global Quantitative Equities at Deutsche Asset Management.  Josh was also Head of Active International Equities at State Street Global Advisors in Boston and an adjunct lecturer in the Finance Department at Pace University. Josh holds an A.B. in Economics and Romance Languages from Bowdoin College and an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

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October 2021 – FPA SoCo Chapter IN-PERSON Event 

When: Friday, October 22nd, 2021
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm Mountain Time (US and Canada) - arrive at 11:30am for Lunch!

Cost: No charge. Lunch provided!

Location: Integrity Trust Conference Room - 13540 Meadowgrass Drive, Suite 100 

Speaker: Joe Giulitto - Joseph has been in the financial services industry since 1998. Throughout his career, when working closely with industry professionals and clients Joe has followed the simple idea: If you can identify the need, then a solution is eminent. Joseph has a Bachelor's of Science in Business from the University of Southern Colorado and Harvard Executive Business School with a specialty in Global Economics and History. Joe resides in Colorado--and if you don't find him actively speaking, you will find him with his family, including his sons Joe, Vince, his wife of 21 years, Angela. His family enjoys every aspect of Colorado living. 

Topic: Estate & Gift Tax Planning

CollegeInvest’s Estate and Gift Tax Planning course will explore how the flexibility and tax advantages built into 529 education savings plans can assist in minimizing estate and gift taxes. We will explore specific tax benefits for grandparents and how certain trusts interact and are affected by 529s. Also expect an overview of the basic 529 functionality including plan types, state tax benefits, and qualified and non-qualified distributions to help put estate and gift tax planning into perspective. 1 CFP CE Credit available.

Key Points: 

  • Define the tax benefits for grandparent contributors and owners of 529s
  • Understand the forward gifting clause of 529 educational savings plans both conceptually and in application
  • Distinguish the difference between individual and trust ownership execution 

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