Keynote Speaker

Dr. Marci Rossell

The Economista

Marci Rossell is a world-renowned economist and financial expert who electrifies audiences nationwide, speaking candidly on the nexus of economics, politics, culture and the media. She honed her animated style serving as the popular, lively Chief Economist for CNBC, where she became a household name and a must-watch source of financial news.

Prior to her career in broadcast journalism, Rossell served as Corporate Economist and Investment Spokesperson for Oppenheimer Funds, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and an expert witness for Deloitte & Touche in court cases involving economic issues.

Rossell brings a world of experience — from Main Street to Wall Street — when discussing the U.S. economy, international events and movements in capital markets.

  • Session Title: The COVID-19 Economy - The Economic Impact of Seismic Surprises
  • Session Description: In this talk, Dr. Marci Rossell separates fact from fiction on the potential impact businesses can expect from coronavirus (COVID-19) by outlining the current state of the economy, explaining government relief packages, including the CARES Act, and the aid needed for natural disasters. Explaining the source as a healthcare problem, rather than an economic issue, Rossell analyzes past events (think SARS and MERS epidemics) to predict the economic effects, such as postponed spending, job loss, and a decreased value of retirement savings. She highlights that this outbreak is symptomatic of a larger trend: that businesses today face a variety of seismic surprises. Cyberterrorism, environmental disasters, swings in the regulatory regime, and, yes, epidemics like COVID-19 can all impact interest rates, yield curve, and profitability of financial institutions – and shares her expert insights on how businesses can plan for unforeseen events today and in the future.

Highlighted Speakers and Sessions

Marina Baranovsky

Regulatory Compliance Consultant (SEC), Scitus Consulting

After her five year tenure at the Securities and Exchange Commission, Marina Baranovsky started her compliance consulting practice where she provides services focusing on Risk Assessment for SEC and CFTC registrants. Baranovsky is also currently serving on the Hearing Committee for National Futures Association (NFA) and is the President of the Board of the Washington, D.C. Compliance Roundtable. 

Marina Baranovsky received the Meritorious Service Award at the SEC for her five years of outstanding federal government service and developed and implemented the Rule 17-h Risk Assessment Program as a Senior Risk Analyst in the Broker-Dealer Risk Office of the Division of Trading and Markets.

  • Session Title: Regulatory Compliance 2020: SEC Exams, COVID-19, Cybercrimes and How to Protect Your Business and Clients
  • Session Description: Learn the most recent SEC regulatory developments and get practical suggestions on how to stay compliant. This session will discuss proposed regulations, including COVID-19 regulatory updates, recent FBI cybercrimes and how to protect your business and clients.
  • Session Topic: Profession of Financial Planning: Regulation and Compliance
     

David Blanchett, Ph.D., CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CFA

Head of Retirement Research, Morningstar Investment Management

David M. Blanchett is head of retirement research for Morningstar Investment Management, LLC. In this role, he helps develop and maintain methodologies relating to wealth forecasting, general financial planning, automated investment selection and portfolio assignment. He has published over 100 papers in a variety of industry and academic journals that have received a number of awards. He is currently an Adjunct professor of Wealth Management at The American College of Financial Services, an Expert Panelist for the Wall Street Journal, and a member of the ERISA Advisory Council.

  • Session Title: Guaranteed Income: The Forgotten Household Asset    
  • Session Description: Guaranteed income is the largest financial asset for many retirees, yet its role in a financial plan is generally quite minor, treated simply as a cash flow that can be used to fund the retirement liability. This presentation explores why financial planners need to consider guaranteed income more fully, since doing so can have significant implications on optimal investing and spending strategies. This presentation will address four primary topics: retiree households should have more guaranteed income, its role on the household balance sheet, its role in determining the optimal portfolio risk level and its role when determining optimal spending strategies.    
  • Session Topic: Practice of Financial Planning: Retirement
     

Amy Florian, FT, M.A.

CEO, Corgenius, Inc.

Amy Florian, CEO of Corgenius, Inc., specializes in training professionals to communicate effectively with clients through aging, loss and the transitions of life. She is author of over 250 articles and four books, the recipient of numerous awards for her ground-breaking work, an in-demand speaker and a regular feature throughout the financial trade press. Amy holds a Master’s Degree and a Fellow in Thanatology, is a graduate-level university instructor, has worked with over 2,000 grieving people and teaches nationwide and around the world. She also makes excellent homemade cinnamon rolls!

  • Session Title: Life Happens: Prepare Your Clients and Their Families, Build Loyalty and Inter-generational Reach and Protect Yourself    
  • Session Description: Aging, illness, death…all are inevitable, as COVID-19 painfully reminds us. Do you know how to prepare your clients and deeply connect to their trusted network? Learn to help clients retain control of their lives and leave a legacy behind, while increasing the chances of keeping their assets. Protect clients and your firm with a complete array of financial and non-financial documents (including several few people know about). Gain techniques to position yourself as the go-to advisor for the entire family. Take away protocols you can implement immediately that set you apart from the first prospect meeting.    
  • Session Topic: Practice of Financial Planning: Financial Planning
     

Scott Hanson, CFP®, CFS®, ChFC®

Co-Founder and Senior Partner, Allworth Financial

Scott Hanson is a co-founder and senior partner of Allworth Financial, formerly Hanson McClain Advisors. A nationally recognized authority on financial topics, he has been named to Barron’s list of the Top 100 Independent Wealth Advisors in America six times. For more than 25 years, Scott has co-hosted Allworth’s Money Matters, one of the longest-running financial topic radio programs in the country. A regular contributor to InvestmentNews and other national media outlets, Scott is the author of three books. Under Scott’s direction Allworth has grown to over $8 billion in AUM.

  • Session Title: Client Communication Through Periods of Crisis    
  • Session Description: COVID-19 has transformed the way we communicate; video chatting has ultimately become the acceptable and possibly preferred method of interacting. Even the financial industry will forever be changed by COVID-19, requiring us to adapt to a new way of communication. Scott Hanson, co-founder of Allworth Financial, will explain the best way to approach client contact through crisis and market volatility. Hanson will discuss Allworth’s digital response as well as developing a revised client outreach plan, transitioning to digital advising, expanding services, shifting marketing messaging and the vision for the future of a digital client experience.    
  • Session Topic: Business of Financial Planning: Client Communication
     

Kristin Harad, CFP®

CMO, Outsourced

Kristin Harad, CFP® is an outsourced CMO for RIAs who want experienced guidance to set and get their marketing plans into action. Prior to this role, Kristin founded and grew an independent fee-only RIA. She uses this firsthand knowledge plus 14 years of corporate marketing and ad agency experience (with Grey Direct, Charles Schwab, Visa, United Airlines) to help RIAs attract more of the right people. Fulfilling a lifelong dream to live and work abroad, Kristin and her family moved to Sydney, Australia in 2015. She ran her consulting business remotely for nearly three years before returning to San Francisco. 

  • Session Title: Beyond Referrals: How to Help the Next Generation of Advisors Grow Your Firm    
  • Session Description: Most likely, hard work from founders who were tenacious networkers got you to where you are today. Sales and marketing are different now, with proactive outreach shifting from direct contact to education through content and the slow nurturing of prospects. Skeptical of the advice industry, potential clients seek validation of your reputation, take longer to feel trust and want human connection, not a faceless company. RIAs must balance company brand building with developing personal brands that resonate. Learn how to prime your next generation of advisors to grow your firm and focus efforts for a greater return.    
  • Session Topic: Business of Financial Planning: Marketing and Lead Generation
     

Mishkin Santa, J.D., LLM, TEP

International Tax Director, The Wolf Group

Mishkin oversees The Wolf Group's international tax services in the areas of Offshore Voluntary Disclosure, US Exit Tax, Foreign Grantor and Non-Grantor Trusts, Nonresident Alien Taxation, International Organization Employee Taxation, Pre-Immigration Tax Planning and Cryptocurrency. 

He speaks regularly at professional events sponsored by attorney and CPA groups in the US and abroad. Mishkin assists individuals and businesses with highly specialized and complex tax issues related to offshore corporations, family businesses, trusts and pension/retirement plans. As a former attorney with the IRS Chief Counsel, Mishkin is well-positioned to guide clients on a range of reporting and disclosure issues.

  • Session Title: How to Best Take Advantage of Tax Changes for High-Net Worth Clients    
  • Session Description: High Net Worth Individuals with US income tax filing obligations require significant income tax planning which can range from Federal to State to foreign jurisdictions (income, estate and gift taxes. Additionally, High Net Worth Individuals may benefit from family office setups and assets protection trusts. This presentation highlights general topics that should be addressed when dealing with planning and structuring for US income, estate and gift taxes as they relate high net worth individuals. The presentation also reviews aspects of foreign financial asset reporting for high net worth individuals with cross-border fact patterns.    
  • Session Topic: Practice of Financial Planning: Taxes