Financial Planning Honors Six Practitioners with its First Annual Influencer Awards

NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- (http://www.myprgenie.com) -- Financial Planning, the leading publication and online resource for independent financial advisors, hosted its inaugural Influencer Awards Ceremony during the FPA Conference in Denver.

The awards, part of the magazine's 40th Anniversary celebration and sponsored by New York Life and MainStay Investments, were awarded to six practitioners who have made significant contributions to the financial planning profession. Winners were selected by Financial Planning's advisory panel and announced during the awards ceremony on Sunday, October 10.

"We wanted to recognize those select few who, by their actions, are changing the industry for the better," said John McCormick, editorial director for SourceMedia's Professional Services Group, which includes Financial Planning. "These award winners are teachers, mentors, and coaches to their clients. And these awards not only celebrate their outstanding work, but also the best of the financial planning profession."

Awards were presented to:

• Contributor of the Year -- Marilyn Capelli Dimitroff, President of Capelli Financial Services Inc. - An advisor who has engaged in extraordinary efforts this past year in service of the financial planning profession
• Practice Management Guru -- Sheryl Garrett, Founder of the Garrett Planning Network Inc. - An advisor who has introduced innovative ideas about practice management for financial planners
• Technology Wizard -- Myra Salzer, Founder of the Wealth Conservancy - An advisor who has used technology in innovative ways
• Wealth Creator -- Louis P. Stanasolovich, Founder, CEO and President of Legend Financial Advisors Inc. and Emerging Wealth Investment Management Inc. - An advisor who has devised enduring models for portfolio management and shared them with the profession
• Legacy Builder -- Michael Kitces, Director of Financial Planning for Pinnacle Advisory Group and Editor of The Kitces Report - An advisor who is working to further the careers of young entrants to the profession
• Lifetime Achievement Award -- Ross Levin, Founding Principal and President of Accredited Investors Inc. - An advisor who has served as a mentor and role model during a notable career

"To celebrate our 40th Anniversary we created our new Influencer Awards to honor advisors who have contributed to the development of the profession and work to take it to a higher level," said Tim Whiting, Publisher of Financial Planning. "We hope this will continue as an annual tradition for the next 40 years."

The award winners will be honored in November's Financial Planning issue and online with a collection of media and event highlights at www.Financial-Planning.com.

About Financial Planning and SourceMedia, Inc.

Financial Planning (www.Financial-Planning.com) is the leading choice for more than 115,000 of the nation's leading investment professionals. Founded in 1971, its mission has been to deliver the essential information that independent advisors need to make informed decisions about their businesses and the clients they serve. Our loyal audience consists of powerful and action oriented financial advisors who rely on us to provide news, opinion, expert advice, and practical business building ideas that independent financial planners need to be successful.

SourceMedia, an Investcorp company, is a leading provider of timely and essential news, analysis, data, research, and insights for members of the financial services community, and the related fields of professional services and technology. SourceMedia offers its clients and subscribers professional publications and online information services, industry-standard data applications, and in-depth seminars and conferences.

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