Now that January is behind us and the stock market enjoyed its best January in well over a decade, have you started to "take profits?" I don't just mean the profits from investment gains, although those are great too! The profits of which I speak result from taking advantage of the quality programming and resources available to you as a member of the FPA and can reap dividends for you and your clients. As many of you know, the FPA of Northeast Ohio and FPA National are key elements to helping our profession grow and succeed.

The NEO Chapter is your first link to FPA National, which provides valuable tools and information you can use to help your clients and expand your practice. If you have not visited FPA Connect lately, I encourage you to do so. Be sure to update your profile and view the different communities that you can join and participate. If you need some help navigating, there are some excellent tutorials for just that purpose. It's a great way to connect, ask questions, and learn from planners and professionals from all over the country who are dealing with similar issues that you may be facing every day.

In our last newsletter, I mentioned our 2013 theme: "Speaking as One Voice." This is becoming more important as members and local chapter leaders look to FPA National for support on many issues. One of the more recent issues of which we must leverage our unified "voice" is being heard in Columbus. Governor John Kasich's state budget proposal called "Jobs 2.0" includes a sales tax levied on services provided by financial advisors, CPAs, attorneys and other service professionals.

In addition to the FPA Standard of Care and Strategic Directive that were outlined in the last newsletter, the FPA NEO Chapter has adopted the following Mission Statement:

• To support and encourage the promotion of financial literacy for the general public;
• To increase awareness of financial planning as a profession to both the public and to other professions; and
• To enhance the ability of our members to serve their clients in accordance with the fiduciary standard by being the premier provider of professional development programming.

If you are passionate about our profession and would like to volunteer on a committee, please contact me at 216-831-4900 or speak with one of our board members at our February 21st meeting. We look forward to seeing you there!