FPA NexGen, a community of the Denver-based Financial Planning Association connecting and supporting more than 3,500 new and aspiring CFP professionals, has announced that effective January 1, Joey Stemmle will lead the organization as its 2021 president.

“The FPA NexGen Leadership Committee is thrilled to work with the FPA Board, newly appointed CEO Patrick Mahoney and FPA staff to advance the association’s mission, while continuing to support and grow our community,” Stemmle said in a news release announcing his new role. “I look forward to working with our NexGen Leadership Committee to advance the profession that transforms lives through the power of financial planning.”

Stemmle is a financial advisor with Riverstone Wealth Advisory Group in Midlothian, Va., a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services. He serves as president of the FPA of Central Virginia and on the Financial Empowerment Board for the City of Richmond Treasurer’s Office. He earned a bachelor's degree in financial planning and real estate from Virginia Commonwealth University.

“We just finished one of the most challenging years in recent memory,” he said in an email. “Over the last nine months, we have been able to adapt with mostly virtual experiences, including Zoom happy hours, wine tastings, and training programs for our local leaders. We are really excited for the externship in 2021, and will continue what were many of our successes in 2020.”

Financial Advisor asked Stemmle how the challenges of today’s new advisors differed from those he faced early in his career. 

Stemmle said that while each generation is different, he and his leadership team believed that giving them a voice bridged many of those differences. However, he acknowledged that Covid-19 had introduced a new dimension to accomplishing that mission.

“Those entering the profession are having to embrace so much uncertainty and the humanness of what is going on in the world,” he said.

Stemmle said that when he first entered the profession, anyone studying financial planning was expected to become a financial planner or a related professional in operations or support. 

“Now we see careers in writing, teaching, operations, and then you have the growing fields of financial therapy and the FinTech space,” he said. “And once we add in different compensation models and methods - the industry has really evolved.”

Stemmle said that he and his leadership team spent the last three months of 2020 working on an agenda for 2021. Ultimately, the team identified four areas on which to focus their attention during the year: creating a successful one-day gathering conference experience; supporting local and national volunteer leaders; creating an international community; and expanding the NexGen media footprint.

To fulfill their agenda, they decided to expand the national leadership team from seven volunteers to 11. In addition, Stemmle said, the FPA Board of Directors prioritized the NexGen program by allocating sufficient resources to make it successful.

“Lastly, we have over 50 NexGen Local Leaders at FPA chapters who provide ongoing programming and events for members across the country,” he said. “These leaders continue to be innovative and adapt, even during these challenging times.”

The expanded NexGen Leadership Committee Stemmle heads in 2021 includes the following new members:

·      Coordinator Megan Abbott, Trajectory Financial Planning in Denver; 

·      Local Leader Coordinator Amie Agamata, Northwestern Mutual in San Diego; 

·      President-elect Kevin R. Clark, Highview Advisor Group in Columbus, Ohio; 

·      Gathering Co-Coordinator Erica James, Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc., in McLean, Va.; 

·      Coordinator Soraya Morris, Envestnet MoneyGuide in Richmond, Va.; 

·      National Coordinator Christopher Stroup, Abacus Wealth Partners in Santa Monica, Calif.; 

·      Gathering Co-Coordinator Diana G. Yanez, RTD Financial Advisors, Inc., in Philadelphia; and 

·      National Coordinator Daniel M. Yerger, MY Wealth Planners in Longmont, Colo.

Each new committee member is serving a one- or two-year term, effective Jan. 1, 2021.