Michael Branham Named 2012 FPA President-Elect

FPA Board of Directors Announces New Members For 2012

DENVER, Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) today announced Michael Branham, CFP® as its 2012 FPA president-elect, with his term as president beginning the following year. The FPA Board of Directors also elected three new members.

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Branham has served on FPA's Board of Directors since 2009 and has chaired its Professional Issues and Financial Integration committees.  He has also been a member of several key board committees, national workgroups and task forces. Branham has held leadership positions – including president in 2008 – with FPA NexGen, a national organization of young financial planners. At the regional level, Branham served on FPA of Minnesota's board and led its Career Development and Member Services Committees.  He also was a member of the chapter's Government Relations and Nominating Committees.                                                                         

Branham is a financial planner at Cornerstone Wealth Advisors, Inc., based in Edina, Minn. He specializes in retirement planning, income tax, cash flow and estate planning needs and plays an integral role in implementing the firm's investment portfolio strategies. Branham has worked and practiced in a variety of business and compensation models, from commissioned sales and fee-based planning at a national financial services company, to a variety of roles in his current firm.  Branham also worked in financial planning capacities at Minneapolis-based White Oaks Wealth Advisors and Waddell & Reed. He attended the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Each new FPA board member will serve a three-year term beginning January 1, 2012. The newly elected FPA board members will apply their experience and expertise to help guide FPA's strategic vision to achieve the organization's goal of advancing the financial planning profession.

The new board members are:

• Marty Durbin, CPA/PFS of Cleburne, Texas, retired from First Command Financial Planning in 2010 after a 27-year career where he held a variety of leadership roles including chief financial officer, chief of staff, board member, and president/chief operating officer. He is currently working on several private business ventures and serves on the board of CASA of Tarrant County.  He is a member of the AICPA Personal Financial Planning Division and FPA of Dallas/Fort Worth. He recently chaired FPA's Corporate Relations Advisory Council.  Durbin holds a bachelor's degree in business - accounting, and a MBA in Finance from the University of Texas in Arlington.
• Pamela Sandy, CFP® of Cleveland, Ohio is founder and CEO of CONFIANCE, LLC., a firm that provides financial and investment advisory services to individuals and small businesses. Prior to this she was with The Financial Strategies Group, Inc. for 16 years, a financial firm she co-founded and managed. Sandy has served on the board of FPA of Northeast Ohio since 2008 and currently serves as the chapter's government relations director. She is also a member of the FPA Professional Issues Committee and a contributing writer for the FPA Consumer Blog. She previously served on the FPA Public Issues Advisory Committee. Sandy completed her CFP coursework through the College for Financial Planning in Denver, Colo.  
• Richard Stumpf, CFP®, CEBS, AEP®, AIF®, MBA is a financial planner with Financial Benefits, Inc., in Wichita, Kan., with dual specialties of comprehensive financial and estate planning for middle-income individuals and small business retirement plans. Stumpf has taught CFP classes at five universities. He was recently appointed by the Governor of Kansas to a commission recommending improvements to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. He is a member of FPA of Kansas and has held many officer positions in the chapter, including 2011 president. Stumpf holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Montana.

Five members of FPA's current board of directors will complete their service at the end of this year. The 2012 Board will be composed of 17 total members, which includes the three newly elected members.

About the Financial Planning Association
The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) is the largest membership organization for personal financial planning experts in the U.S. and includes professionals from all backgrounds and business models. FPA members adhere to the highest standards of professional competence, ethical conduct and clear, complete disclosure to those they serve. Based in Denver, Colo., FPA works in alliance with academic leaders, legislative and regulatory bodies, financial services firms and consumer interest organizations. For more information about FPA, visit www.FPAnet.org or call 800.322.4237.

SOURCE Financial Planning Association