The Financial Planning Association this week announced the winners of its third annual Heart of Financial Planning Distinguished Service Awards that recognize people who've advanced the profession. The winners, who will be honored at FPA Boston 2008, include:

  Dr. William Gustafson, the driving force behind what is now the Division of Personal Financial Planning (PFP) at Texas Tech University (TTU). Gustafson's vision created the nation's first and only Ph.D. registered program in financial planning.

  Peter Kote, J.D., has a personal finance workshop series' "It's Your Money" and "It's Your Estate," which educates the public on the importance of financial literacy so they are better prepared to protect their own financial interests from predatory sales techniques.

  Dee Lee, CFP, began her career as a financial planner and later founded Harvard Financial Educators. Teaming with State Treasurers around the country to present Women & Money Conferences, Lee has been able to help women of all backgrounds and income levels obtain a better understanding of what is going on in their financial lives. Lee has also authored several books including The Complete Idiot's Guide to 401(k) Plans, Let's Talk About Money, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Retiring Early, Women & Money and Money.

  Jeffry L. Sessions, CFP, introduced Dr. Lynne Scoresby's Leadership Syste to FPA of Minnesota during his tenure as chapter president in 2002. After the success of the Leadership System with the Minnesota chapter, he introduced the concept to other FPA chapters around the country. Sessions has encouraged local leaders and members to apply the system to their personal and professional lives.

  Ken Williams, CFP, serves as director of Pro Bono for FPA of Greater Indiana and as the Indiana Stakeholder Partnership Education and Communication (SPEC) Territory Manager for the IRS. Williams and his staff support service approximately 2,000 volunteers who prepare 85,000 free low income, elderly, disabled and Limited English Proficiency individual tax returns. He participates in Community Tax Education and Earned Income Tax Credit Outreaches and helps promote financial literacy and asset building via multiple partner relationships built throughout the State of Indiana.