The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards has imposed an automatic interim suspension on Timothy A. Hanna of Bridgeville, Pa., following his conviction of aggravated assault against the wife of his son’s hockey coach.
Hanna’s right to use the CFP certification marks is suspended pending CFP Board’s completed investigation and possible further disciplinary proceedings.
Hanna Financial & Tax Services is an investment advisor firm registered in Pennsylvania. It provides financial consulting, tax accounting and insurance services. As per the firm’s most recent Form ADV, it has been operating for 15 years, has 75 clients and $14 million in assets under management. Fidelity Investments is its custodian and broker-dealer.
The incident occurred in suburban Pittsburgh in March 2017 after a game involving Hanna’s son’s under-14 hockey team. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Hanna confronted the coach, Douglas Kelly, about his son’s lack of playing time. The confrontation became heated, and Kelly’s wife, Christie, tried to defuse the situation.
The news article quoted witnesses who said that Hanna, who is listed at 6-foot-1, got into the face of Mrs. Kelly, listed as 5-foot-3, in an “aggressive, intimidating and threatening” manner. The news account said Mrs. Kelly tried to push Hanna away, and he responded by punching her in the left side of her head around the ear and temple.
According to the CFP Board, Mrs. Kelly was knocked to the ground, and later went to the hospital for treatment and was diagnosed with a concussion, along with neck and back injuries.
In a non-jury trial, Hanna was convicted of the violent felony of aggravated assault and sentenced to 11½ to 23 months in jail. That was later reduced to 18 months of house arrest. Hanna appealed his conviction to the state Supreme Court, but that was denied last June.
Hanna’s conviction of a violent felony prompted the CFP Board to impose its automatic interim suspension on his right to use the CFP designation.
In his firm’s ADV, Hanna described the incident differently. He noted that he went to the hockey rink after his wife called him to say their son’s coach was bullying their son with berating comments and profanities. Hanna said when he tried to discuss this matter with the coach, it was then that Mrs. Kelly tried to push him out of the rink, and after an exchange of words she hit and punched him. He said he pushed her away with an open hand as a reflex action.
Hanna noted the incident was investigated by the Bethel Park, Pa., police department.
“It was determined that I pay a fine for disorderly conduct,” he wrote in his ADV. “The case was over. It wasn’t until the plaintiff a few weeks later said she wanted to press charges due to lingering injures.”
Hanna said he still has other legal avenues to use to get his charges reduced.
Hanna couldn’t be reached for comment because the phone number attached to his business was not operational.