2008 National Winner
Justin Pratt
National Winner & New South Wales State Winner
Justin was educated early in life on the benefits that can be gained from good financial advice.
Currently an Assistant Financial Advisor at Mercer Wealth Solutions in Sydney, Justin has a Bachelors Degree in Commerce and an Advanced Diploma in Financial Advising. He is currently completing the Certified Financial Planner program offered by the Financial Planning Association. He has also completed a number of internal training courses including the highly regarded AMP Adviser School.
Justin’s greatest achievements in this field have come when he has added value to a client’s situation. He believes there is always an area that a paraplanner can help a person’s unique set of circumstances.
2008 State Winners
Sabrina Li
Queensland State Winner
Sabrina’s first thoughts about being a paraplanner were “How fascinating!”.
After working in the financial and banking industry in China for 11 years, Sabrina moved to Australia five years ago and took up a position as an assistant financial adviser. Inspired to become a paraplanner, Sabrina changed her major at university from Accounting to Applied Finance and completed her Masters in 2004. She then went on to complete a Diploma in Financial Planning and became a qualified paraplanner. She has continued her studies and has completed an Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning.
Sabrina believes wellbeing comprises three pillars: health, relationships and your financial situation. As a paraplanner at Mercer Wealth Solutions in Brisbane, Sabrina is also amazed at how rewarding it is to be a paraplanner by helping people achieve their financial goals so that they can enjoy their lives.
Craig Weatherill
South Australia State Winner
Craig Weatherill believes that financial planning has an enormous impact on a client’s wellbeing and that of their families. That is why Craig always strives to offer alternatives to a client to meet their needs.
In the accounting business in which Craig works, he provides extensive cash-flow modelling to help clients understand the potential outcomes of various scenarios. He has also developed modelling software for the wider financial advising community to aid other advisers in caring for their clients. Craig also provides technical assistance to advisers within the Lifespan Financial Planning Pty Ltd dealer group and from time to time presents at their PD days.
Craig believes wellbeing can be physical, mental and spiritual. He says that some clients do worry about the spiritual aspects of their life, thus providing advice about charitable trusts and estate planning and incorporating charitable giving also plays a small part in his day to day work.
Bree Hunter
Victoria State Winner
Working as a paraplanner at chartered accounting firm MB+M Business Solutions for five years, Bree has gained valuable experience working with professional and reputable taxation and superannuation specialists on a vast range of client files.
She has successfully completed a Diploma in Financial Planning, Diploma in Financial Markets and also recently attained her Certified Financial Planner certification.
Drawing on a combination of her education and experience, Bree works closely with her colleagues to develop technically sound strategies that are appropriate for each client’s unique and individual circumstances. Bree also helps to provide the structure and discipline required to enable her clients to fulfil both their financial and lifestyle dreams.
Kasey Brack
Western Australia State Winner
Kasey has been in the financial services industry for over 4 years and worked her way from a casual filing clerk and receptionist, to her current role as a full time client relationship manager and paraplanner at Westwide Financial Services.
She completed DFP units 1-5 as well as a Self Managed Super Fund course through Kaplan Professional. She is currently completing an ALPA course and aims to have her Advanced Diploma of Financial Services completed in early 2009.
Kasey feels that paraplanners play a vital role in the education of clients and reinforce the importance of structuring finances in preparation for a client’s future and their personal goals.
She says it is extremely rewarding to complete a strategy which will allow a client to retire earlier, or have more frequent holidays in retirement and not have to worry about the cost.