Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Expands Consumer Advocacy with CFP Board Ambassadors Program in the Bay Area

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Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.

Oct 06, 2010, 10:00 ET

CFP Board Ambassador Will Serve As Local Resource About Personal Finance Issues

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Responding to the financial insecurity many Americans feel today, Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. has expanded its national consumer advocacy program in the Bay Area through the creation of the CFP Board Ambassador program.

Lynn Ballou, managing partner of Ballou Plum Wealth Advisors, LLC, has been appointed to serve as the CFP Board Ambassador, Bay Area. Her term is for one year. Ballou will be a representative of CFP Board with the local media, policymakers and community organizations.

"As it continues to educate the public on how competent, ethical financial planning can increase the quality of life for all Americans and help them to achieve their life goals, CFP Board is profoundly grateful for the enthusiasm, expertise, and concern for the financial well-being of her community shown by Lynn Ballou," said Kevin Keller, CEO of CFP Board.

Ballou is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and was chosen on the basis of her demonstrated leadership skills, passion for financial planning, and belief in CFP Board's mission to serve the public.

CFP Board Ambassadors are all volunteers. Their contributions will include, among other things:

Educating the public on the importance of having a financial plan that supports one's life goals, and of working with a competent, ethical financial professional;
Representing and explaining the meaning of the CFP® certification, the recognized symbol of excellence in personal financial planning; and
Supporting CFP Board's Consumer Advocacy program, which currently includes broadening the awareness of CFP Board's "Lifelong Financial Strategies" initiative, a series of financial tips designed for different stages of the lifetime earning cycle and publicizing CFP Board's recently-released Consumer Guide to Financial Self-Defense, a handbook of tips on how ordinary savers and investors can protect themselves from unethical or incompetent financial advisors.

"CFP Board Ambassadors are critical to the success of the financial planning profession and our organization," said CFP Board Consumer Advocate Eleanor Blayney, CFP®. "These Ambassadors will give local voice to our consumer advocacy and mission to benefit the public."

ABOUT CFP BOARD

The mission of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. is to benefit the public by granting the CFP® certification and upholding it as the recognized standard of excellence for personal financial planning. The Board of Directors, in furthering CFP Board's mission, acts on behalf of the public, CFP® certificants and other stakeholders. CFP Board owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and the federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements. CFP Board currently authorizes more than 61,000 individuals to use these marks in the U.S.

SOURCE Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.