Financial Advice New Zealand presented the award winners at its 2019 Conference Gala Dinner held at Sky City Convention Centre in Auckland on 22 August.
Over 300 advisers industry partners and sponsors attended the evening, which was sponsored by AIA.
Financial Advice New Zealand Chief Executive, Katrina Shanks, says the awards are about celebrating success and excellence in financial advice.
“They are an important opportunity to acknowledge those who are providing exceptional service for Kiwis and helping to build positive awareness of our sector,” she said.
Over 50 nominations were put forward for the Awards across five key categories.
“Thank you again to all of our award nominees for the 2019 Financial Advice New Zealand Awards, and congratulations to our winners: your recognition and acknowledgment is well deserved – thank you for your contribution to building a thriving financial advice sector,” said Shanks.
“Striving for excellence is about wanting to make a difference; being ahead of the curve; embracing creativity and innovation – all with a healthy dose of persistence, passion and commitment. Our 2019 winners exhibit these very impressive characteristics and more.”
The 2019 winners include:
Outstanding Adviser Awards
Peter Leitch, SHARE – Insurance
Comments from the judges: “Perhaps the best way to sum up Peter’s outstanding advice business and service is through a statement included in his award nomination:
‘It is dangerous to state one is better than the other, rather there are lots of different people, they all need advice, delivered in one way or another, and so long as that advice is delivered with their clients’ best interest in mind, then the (advice) ecosystem is safe’.”
Maria Thackwell, Maria Thackwell Mortgage Company – Lending
Comments from the judges: “Maria’s advice process is 100 per cent client focused and is supported by technology that provides transparency and in turn builds trust and educates. Maria continually seeks new ways to improve her operations; she has engaged a business consultant for the past two years and has actively undertaken further studies to improve her industry knowledge and understanding.”
Tim Fairbrother, RIVAL Wealth – Financial Planning
Comments from the judges: “The systems and structures of RIVAL Wealth are comprehensive and have been developed with the clients’ interests at heart, and the educational material produced for clients is impressive. We were also very impressed with Tim’s services to the community, and in particular, his work giving back to the financial advice community.”
Fred Dodds, Service to the Profession Award
Comments from the judges: “Fred’s passion for the profession and his ability to encourage others to achieve and become part of the story is outstanding; it is this inclusiveness that sets him apart. In his leadership role, as the CEO of the Institute of Financial Advisers, Fred was instrumental in forming the sector engagement group, presenting a united voice of stakeholders to regulators and officials. He continues to make a significant contribution to the profession, as a board member of PIQ and undertaking consultancy work throughout the sector.”
Rising Star Award – Lending
Sarah Bloxham, Let’s Talk Mortgages
Comments from the judges: “Sarah started her business from scratch with no franchise help just over two years ago, and has quickly built a very successful business that has a major focus on listening to clients and working with them for as long as it takes to help them reach their goals.”
Outstanding Support Person Award
Liz Cannon, Westpac
Comments from the judges: “Liz’s work to support advisers in what could be described as a challenging environment, made her the clear winner. Liz has been a leader in the push towards more professional standards and is not afraid of making hard decisions.”
Community Service Awards
- Darcy Ungaro of Ungaro & Co Financial Advisory Services
- Garth Clarricoats of SHARE
- Marie Quinn of Marie Quinn Financial Services
Comments from the judges:
“Darcy launched NZ Everyday Investor one year ago out of a genuine desire to help people become financially literate. We were impressed with Darcy’s vision, commitment, innovation, integrity, and the service he is providing the New Zealand community.”
“Over the past 15 years, Garth has committed to extensive community service and in particular has volunteered his governance expertise to community charities, to help them become financially resilient and to realise their vision for the community. We were inspired by both Garth’s contributions to the community and his belief that we have a responsibility to help others have a good life and to leave the world a better place than we found it.”
“Marie was a pioneer in the financial planning industry when it began in the 1980s. Her accomplishments and contributions to the community are numerous, and in 2014 was awarded the Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for Services to Business and the Community. Marie’s dedication to serving others, without expectation of financial reward is unquestionable, and her commitment to her causes is inspirational.”