NAPFA’s Third Decade 

By Susan Weiner

A past chair of NAPFA shares his recollections of the association’s third decade, 2003–2012. See the timeline for more highlights.

I think that one of NAPFA’s greatest and most impactful accomplishments was the establishment of the NAPFA Consumer Education Foundation [now known as the NAPFA Foundation] in 2004. NAPFA had long served as an advocate for the financial consumer, but having a dedicated foundation for this purpose was a game changer.

The quintessential event (and the biggest splash) for the NAPFA Consumer Education Foundation was the Your Money Bus Tour in 2008 and 2009. … The Your Money Bus Tour created quite a stir with appearances on the “Today” show and NPR’s “Morning Edition,” as well as press conferences with U.S. Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney of New York, journalist Knight Kiplinger, and numerous state and local officials in the cities that the tour visited. More importantly, hundreds of volunteer NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisors assisted thousands of individuals during those turbulent economic times with free advice sessions and symposiums.

—Michael Joyce, chair, 2003–2004

Susan Weiner, CFA, is the editor of the NAPFA Advisor. Send her your ideas for articles and authors for the magazine.