President's Message

By Joseph D. Leone, CFP®, CPA, CLU, President

As this is my first occasion to address the membership, I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve as your president this year!  My time on the board and as a committee member has been quite rewarding.  I have made many new friends, learned so much from my colleagues and have seen firsthand the great volunteer work that our members deliver to our community.  

First, thanks to all of you who participated in the “Do One Thing” reception on January 19, 2010.  The reception was a success as board members and FPANJ members discussed the many opportunities planners have to help people in the community as well as your fellow members.  FPANJ offers many programs for involvement such as working with military families preparing for deployment or mentoring a student in one of the many CFP programs in the state. How about increasing consumer awareness by conducting a basic investment workshop or promoting financial literacy at your local library by coordinating a window exhibit? The list goes on and on. If we all just commit to Do 1 Thing (and how hard is that?!) as an organization, we could accomplish a tremendous amount.

We are also pleased to announce that with the help of FPA National and the hard work of individuals at William Paterson University and the NJ chapter leadership, William Paterson University has become the first student chapter of the FPA in the United States.  There will be opportunities for members to mentor, participate in education opportunities and maybe one day employ one of these students!

The New Jersey Chapter has scheduled many educational and volunteer activities in which our members can participate.  In February, the ethics program and breakfast meeting topic, “What’s next in ETF Investing”, were well attended.  Many of our members, including myself, will participate in the Newark Financial Helpline during America Saves Week, February 22-26, 2010.   In March we have two “Succession Planning” events on the 2nd and the 4th and a Dinner Meeting on the 16th.  The topic for that meeting is “Staying Compliant in the Post Madoff Era”.  We hope to see you there!