Foundation for Financial Planning Names New Chair, Appoints Three New Trustees

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Foundation for Financial Planning, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization, announced that Kenneth (Kacy) Gott, CFP® has become Chair of its Board of Trustees and that it has elected three new members to the board: Lazetta Rainey Braxton, MBA, CFP®, founder and CEO of Financial Fountains; Ben Harrison, managing director at Pershing Advisor Solutions; and Trisha Miller, an Executive Director of W.P. Carey Inc.

"I'm excited to partner with Kacy as we move forward during this period of rapid change for the Foundation," said Jon Dauphiné, the Foundation's executive director. In 2016, the Foundation moved its operations from Atlanta to Washington, DC, and hired a new team. "I'd also like to thank Bernie Clark, our outgoing board chair, for his many contributions and vigorous leadership in advancing pro bono financial planning." Clark will remain on the Foundation's board and serve on its executive committee.

Kacy Gott, CFP®, has been a financial advisor since 1995, with past roles at Aspirant and now at Meritas Wealth Management in California. He's been active in service to the profession for many years, including serving on the Financial Planning Association's (FPA) national Board of Directors; as Chair of the FPA of San Francisco; and as Chair of CFP Board's Council on Education. Kacy has taught financial planning at UC Berkeley Extension and Golden Gate University, has mentored new professionals in the FPA Residency program, and is a national recipient of the Heart of Financial Planning award. Kacy began his service on the Foundation's board in 2014. 

"We have ambitious growth plans and a sharp focus on increasing our impact," noted Kacy, "and I'm thrilled to be assuming the Chair at this pivotal time."  He continued, "We are delighted to welcome Lazetta, Ben, and Trisha to our board. They each bring unique insights that will strengthen our mission of connecting the financial planning profession to underserved people who need quality, objective, pro bono services. Our board consists of leaders from the financial advisory and services professions who have come together to help the most vulnerable, and Lazetta, Ben, and Trisha will be great assets to our brain trust as we move forward." Added Executive Director Jon Dauphiné, "The contributions of our new trustees will be invaluable as we seek to launch new initiatives, including a program designed to help low- and modest-income families navigate the costs of serious medical diagnoses."

Lazetta is founder and CEO of Financial Fountains, Inc., a fee-only financial planning and RIA firm, and has more than 18 years of experience in financial management services, including tenure at several leading wealth management companies. She advises people from diverse economic backgrounds and has a long history of supporting pro bono financial planning, including as a non-trustee member of the Foundation's Grants Committee, where she helped identify and fund worthy nonprofits. Named a 2015 "Woman to Watch" by Investment News, Lazetta served as president of the Association of African American Financial Advisors (Quad-A) and on many other notable boards and committees advancing the profession.

Ben is a managing director for Pershing Advisor Solutions, a BNY Mellon company, where he serves as head of Business Development and Relationship Management and a member of the Executive Committee. Prior to joining Pershing in 2006, Ben served as vice president of regional sales for TD Ameritrade Institutional. He started his career with TD Waterhouse Institutional and has spent the last 15 years serving registered investment advisors. In 2008, Ben was nominated by the Pershing Advisor Solutions' Executive Management Team for exemplary leadership and recognized by The Family Wealth Alliance as a top leader under the age of 40. Ben was a 2010 Chairman's Circle Honoree recognizing outstanding performance within BNY Mellon.

Trisha, an Executive Director of W.P. Carey Inc., is also Head of Distribution and Co-President of Carey Financial, LLC, W.P. Carey's broker-dealer subsidiary. She began her career in the financial services industry in 1986, having worked previously at Dean Witter, Putnam Funds, Columbia Funds, and Rydex Investments. Trisha has spoken to thousands on the topics of alternative investments and on the need to educate and empower women to enhance their financial security, and in the latter role was featured on Lifetime Channel's The Balancing Act.  

The Chair of the Foundation's Board of Trustees typically serves a two-year term, while the term of a trustee is for a three-year period.

About the Foundation for Financial Planning
The Foundation for Financial Planning, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, is the nation's only nonprofit solely devoted to supporting the delivery of pro bono financial planning to vulnerable people, including wounded veterans, domestic violence survivors, people with serious medical diagnoses, and many others. Dedicated to Powering Pro Bono Financial Planning, the Foundation has provided more than $6 million in grants to community-based nonprofits to support local programs; worked with partners to activate more than 15,000 volunteer financial planners to serve their communities; and acted as a leader and catalyst to embed a rich tradition of and commitment to pro bono across the financial planning profession. Visit FoundationForFinancialPlanning.org to learn more.

CONTACT
Jon Dauphiné, Esq.
Executive Director
202.864.5180

SOURCE Foundation for Financial Planning

Related Links

http://www.foundation-finplan.org