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In This Issue
President's Message
Annual Networking Event
PRO BONO
Happy Anniversary
FPA/NEO
Board of Directors
President:
Mark McCandless, CFP�, CPA

President Elect:
Molly Balunek, CFP�

Treasurer:
Patrick Hanratty, CFP�, CPA/PFS

Secretary:
Kevin Kroskey, CFP�

Trustees:
Mary Farrell, CFP�
Mario Gigante, CFP�, CPA, AIFA�
Ken Paull, CFP�
Pamela Sandy, CFPzzr

Chairman
Bill Russo, CFP�
Upcoming Program Dates

May 20, 2010
ANNUAL NETWORKING EVENT
Topic:  "Four Pillars of Social Media"
Speaker: 
Michael DeAloia

Michael DeAloiz

Place:  The Club at Key Center
127 Public Square
3 - 6 p.m.
SELF Parking is Free in the garage.
Heavy appetizers/ CASH bar
Click here to reserve online

June/July/August 2010
No programming held

September 16, 2010
Annual Ethics Program
Speaker:  Patrick Kuhse
2CE
Lockkeepers

October 18, 2010
FPA/NEO Symposium
Speakers include:
Nick Murray
Blaine Aikin
Place:  LaCenter
7:30 a.m. - 5  p.m.

November 18, 2010
The State of the Profession
Panel event
panel:  TBA
Place:  Lockkeepers
2 - 6 p.m.
 
Thanks to Our Sponsors
Gold Sponsor:
Charles Schwab Institutional

Silver Sponsors:
American Funds

Direxion Funds

Fidelity

Franklin Templeton Investments

Long Term Care Financial Partners

Ohio Tuition Trust

Prudential Annuities

SS&G Financial Services

Tri-C Corporate College

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FPA/NEO May 2010 Newsletter

President's Message
by Mark McCandless, CFP�, CPA

"WE NEED TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES" ARE YOU PART OF THE "WE"?


The note was inviting...Your Social Security Statement.  Not anyone else's statement. It was all about me. I quickly turned the page to look at the numbers. Nice!  So much for those people who "bash" Social Security!  They must not have looked at their own statement. After basking in the warmth of my retirement, I looked at the front page of the report. Probably just the same old language I assumed. For some reason, I actually read it. My warmth started to turn chilly. It stated:

"In 2016 we will begin paying more in benefits than we collect in taxes. Without changes, by 2037 the Social Security Trust Fund will be exhausted* and there will be enough money to pay only about 76 cents for each dollar of scheduled benefits. We need to resolve these issues soon to make sure Social Security continues to provide a foundation of protection for future generations. *These estimates are based on the intermediate assumptions from the Social Security Trustees' Annual Report to the Congress."

Out of curiosity I dug out mine and my wife's prior reports from Social Security. The dates and the percentages change, but the message is the same: We need to resolve these issues.

Who is the "we" referred to in the statement? Is it the Administration? Is it Congress? Writing this letter to our members, I decided that I should be a part of the "we". Using member tools from the Financial Planning Association Website (http://www.fpanet.org/GovernmentRelations/GrassrootsEfforts/) I fired off a letter to my Senator Sherrod Brown. I stated the issue outlined above, asked for his position on the issue and told him I would be ready to volunteer my time to work on this issue. What response I receive remains to be seen. If he receives my letter, what impression will he have?  Perhaps if he receives one hundred e mails, we can make an impression.

I encourage you to use the tools FPA provides and communicate with your representatives on the issues affecting your clients' financial security. While I don't expect everyone to agree with how Social Security should be addressed, I hope we can all agree that Social Security must be addressed for the good of our clients and for the good of our country.

April Meeting

Our April 15th after-tax season meeting was held in the afternoon at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at Legacy Village. This was a nice change of pace from our traditional breakfast meetings and afforded additional time to network with fellow FPA members. Our speaker was Jeff Matthews, author of Pilgrimage to Warren Buffett's Omaha; A Hedge Fund Manager's Dispatches from Inside the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting.  Jeff provided a first-hand account of his attendance at the annual meeting and offered insights into the leadership traits which have characterized Buffett's success.

Getting Involved

If you would like information on how your interests may intersect with opportunities for involvement in our Chapter, please feel free to contact me at 216.831.4900. We are always looking for individuals with a passion for service to our profession and the people served by our profession!

May 20 FPA/NEO
ANNUAL NETWORKING EVENT


Date:   Thursday, May 20, 2010
Place:  The Club at KeyCenter
            (located in the Marriott Hotel)
            127 Public Square
            Use elevator at the St. Clair Ave. entrance to hotel
Time:   3:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Self parking is FREE in the garage
Hearty appetizers / cash bar
Cost:    $25 FPA Members / $35 Non-members
To reserve on-line click here

Topic:  "Four Pillars of Social Media"


Speaker:  Michael DeAloia of LNE Group

Michael DeAloiz

The Four Pillars will focus on the effective use of the Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. These pillars are the foundation for a provocative and successful social media strategy. The presentation will delve into the strategy on how to link and effectively use each pillar as an effective communications tool for your business or personal brand. Case studies on best practices as well as on poorly executed strategies will be discussed. Emerging social media tools will also be detailed such as FourSquare, Pandora, YouTube, and Flickr.


Michael DeAloia is the practice leader of the Local Advocacy Practice ("LAP"). LAP specializes in identifying municipal, local and state incentives for companies that are seeking to expand facilities or add jobs. The incentives may take the form of grants, loans or tax incentives. The LAP team works diligently with its clients on a strategy to identify and receive an incentive package. LAP also introduces the client to key individuals or groups at the municipal, local or state levels that can prove beneficial during the process of obtaining incentives. LAP also has a Social Media Strategy service for clients that are seeking to develop and implement a social media plan.

PRO BONO University of Akron/ FPA Coaching Program a Win/Win

Last week, we completed the coaching program with the students from The University of Akron's financial capstone class.   The responses from the students and FPA members was overwhelmingly positive.  Students said they learned a lot about the planning profession from meeting with the FPA members.  "This is the first time I've been able to ask these kinds of  questions to someone currently doing financial planning," one student remarked.  The FPA members also enjoyed the engagement.   "I was very impressed with the level of knowledge of the students I met.  I enjoyed listening to their presentations, and giving them a better sense of what we do."    Thanks, again, to fellow FPA member, Doug Robinson, the professor who orchestrated the project.  Great appreciation goes out to everyone who volunteered their time to put together the cases, meet with the students, and evaluate their presentations: Mark McCandless, Patrick Hanratty, Mario Giganti, Chuck Grimm, Andrew Matmona, Marc Thomas.  We look forward to working again with the University of Akron's financial planning students next year.

 

In the meantime, if this project has peaked your interest in helping out with pro bono,  and you have suddenly come into some post-tax season free time, here's an opportunity that has just come through.  Euclid High School is looking for volunteers to teach two classes in May: Money Matters and Credit Matters.  Both are only one class period long.  You can choose to do one, or both classes.  All the materials, power point and handouts, and ready to go, so all you would have to do is show up and teach.  This is perfect for someone who wants to do a one-shot, one-hour community out-reach event.  Let me know soon if you are interested, and I can give you more details.


[email protected]


Happy Anniversary

30 Years
Carolyn C. Kaufman, MBA, CPA, CFP�, LDD

27 Years
Keith M. Lichtscsien, CFP�, AEP

26 Years
James E. Redmond, CFP�

20 Years
Richard B. Kiplinger, CFP�
Dennis M. Strasser, CFP�

19 Years

Karin Maloney Stifler, CFP�

17 Years

Joseph P. Heider

16 Years

Michael G. Kucharson, CPA, CFP�


14 Years
Robert A. Zappitelli
Joseph S. Kosek, CFP�
Constance A. Stone, CFP�, ATP

12 Years

Mary Simonelli
Kenny W. Hoopes, CFP�, CPA

11 Years
Ruth M. Samuels, CFP�, ChFC, CDFA

8 Years
Colleen M. Cowett, CFP�
Kathleen J. Crabtree, CFP�

7 Years

Ronald R. Cain, CFP�, CPA/PFS, RFC

6 Years
Richard L. Mohr, CFP�, CPA, PFS
Steven P. McCnn, CFP�

5 Years
Duane Lipps
Robin L. Riemenschneider, CFP�

4 Years
Kimberly E. Wirtz, CFP�

3 Years
Amanda Lisachenko

2 Years
Mark Bonhard
Jeffrey R. Kennard
Andrew Connors, CFP�
Wendelyn Walker, RP�
Emily A. Drake, CFP�
Chad A. Hartup

1 Year
Adrienne Love, CFP�
Amitabh Rao