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Eileen M. Sharkey, CFP®,

Outstanding Membership Recognition Award

Eileen M. Sharkey, CFP®, lived in Evergreen, Colorado since 1984 with her husband Jim and passed away on April 19th, 2021. Eileen was well known in the Financial Planning World and was a founding firm partner in 1990 for a Denver-based Financial Planning and Investment Advisory firm, Sharkey Howes & Javer. Eileen loved Financial Planning and it showed at every seminar or class where she spoke.

Eileen was a gifted professional in the earlier years of our financial planning profession, a visionary fee-only service model pioneer, and was greatly respected among her colleagues. Eileen believed customized financial planning and goal-based investing were at the core of sound wealth management. Eileen led efforts to create and adopt practice standards and became a staunch and influential advocate for financial literacy, starting early. Eileen served as Chair of the Board of the College for Financial Planning and as a Director for the CFP® Board of Standards. She held an impressive number of consumer and industry awards, one of which is the 2009 P. Kemp Fain, Jr. Award – The Financial Planning Association’s top award for
lifetime achievement in our financial planning profession. Eileen served as the President of the Institute of Certified Financial Planners (ICFP). She was part of the long efforts to accomplish the merger between the ICFP and the International Association of Financial Planners, which created the Financial Planning Association (FPA) on January 1, 2000. Eileen was active in our FPA of Colorado since its inception until her death and served as our Colorado Chapter’s first President---a year our Chapter was named FPA’s Chapter of the Year. Eileen also served on the Board of Trustees with the Foundation for Financial Planning through 2019.

Eileen exemplified the Certified Financial Planner Practitioner™ Code of Ethics and in a manner that displayed integrity in our Financial Planning Profession and CFP® certification. It is with this same volunteer spirit and in Eileen Sharkey’s name that our Colorado Financial Planning Association is honored to offer this annual award to a qualified member of our esteemed organization as nominated and confirmed by our current membership commencing in 2022, where the recipient at a minimum will receive FPA and Colorado FPA one year of complimentary dues paid at their next renewal.

Qualified nominees will be requested from the membership annually in time to present members’ choice recipient at our annual Chapter meeting or holiday gathering. The criteria include:

Must be a member in good standing with the Colorado Financial Planning Association and FPA for a minimum of 5 years.
Must hold the Certified Financial Planner CFP® credentials and be in good standing
Must be a strong steward of CFP® credentials and what they stand for
Must be/have been an active, engaged member of the Colorado Financial Planning Association
Serve as a volunteer (non-paid, non-business generation), community involvement that can come through efforts outside of our Colorado FPA
Support and participate in Colorado FPA activities and event

2025 Award Winner - KRIS TOWER, CFP®, AIF®

Kris is a Senior Managing Director at American Portfolios Denver. Kris has been named a 5 Star Wealth Manager for 13 consecutive years (2012-2024) and hold Certified Financial Planner® (CFP), Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF), and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor® (CPFA) designations.

Kris served as COFPA President in 2018 and as our representative on the FPA Advisory Council, as well as its chair. He has served on the Executive Committee of the national Financial Planning Association (FPA), the Financial Industry Advisory Committee for the Colorado Securities Commissioner, and the Producer Advisory Council for the Colorado Insurance Commissioner. He served as a member of the FPA 2023 board nominating committee, and as a member of FPA Public Policy Advocacy Council. He has also served on the Board of Directors for several non-profit organizations in the Denver area.

Congratulations Kris! Thank you for your continued advocacy and commitment to the profession.

2024 Award Winner - Karl Frank, CFP®

We are thrilled to recognize Karl Frank, President of A&I Wealth Management, for his exceptional contributions to the Colorado Financial Planning Association (COFPA). As the COFPA President in 2014, Karl was instrumental in building our reserve fund, ensuring long-term sustainability for the organization. Today, his firm manages the COFPA Investment account, conservatively growing our savings so we can continue delivering top-notch events and services.

Karl’s leadership also brought about the creation of Denver Financial Planning Day, a signature initiative during his presidency, which continues to benefit the community today.

We are deeply grateful for Karl's ongoing support and dedication to our chapter and the financial planning profession.

Congratulations, Karl! Thank you for your service and continued commitment to COFPA!

2023 Award Winner - Wendi Strom, CFP®

Wendi joined FPA over a decade ago, and almost immediately dove into volunteering.

She was instrumental in getting the Pro Bono committee off the ground -- an effort that bears fruit today in the annual Financial Planning Day, and with our Pro Bono volunteers' service to individuals in need year-round.

In 2016 she took the reins of the organization as COFPA President and Board Chair.

Her community involvement is also extensive. Soon after moving to the Front Range from the Western Slope, she led a community-wide effort to update a local playground. She advocated for our local schools and became a voice for aging community members.

In November 2021 she was elected to Lakewood City Council, and in 2023 was chosen to serve as Mayor of Lakewood, Colorado.

Congratulations Wendi! Thank you for your service to our chapter and our profession.

2022 Award Winner - Patricia Kummer, CFP®

The inaugural award was presented to Patricia Kummer, CFP® on December 1, 2022, at the COFPA Annual Holiday party.

Pat strives to provide her clients with objective, unbiased insight into the areas of financial decision-making. She specializes in the planning process and works with anyone committed to improving their financial situation.

She is active in the FPA, having served on the board for eight years including as president.

She enjoys mentoring new advisors. She inspires her team to grow professionally and personally by leading by example and practicing servant leadership for her team, the FPA, and its predecessor, the ICFP.

Pat founded her own financial planning and advisory firm, which was merged with Mariner Wealth Advisors in 2018. She now serves as a Managing Director, still makes time to advocate for third-world clean water, and participates in numerous philanthropic efforts. She was recognized as #4 on Forbes` Top Women of Wealth Advisors and #20 Wealth Advisors Best-in-State of Colorado. Giving back and making positive differences is in her DNA.

Congratulations to Pat for receiving this well-deserved award!