Drilling down: Advocis conference heads west

(May 25, 2004) After a successful Newfoundland outing in 2003, Advocis is heading west this year to Calgary for its annual advisor conference, which gets underway later this week.

The theme of the yearly gathering of financial advisors — staged at the Telus Convention Centre May 26 to May 29 — is “Drilling down: shifting investors’ confidence.”

Plenary speakers include Manulife Financial’s Paul Rooney, whose topic is “Enhancing Advisors’ Confidence,” and AIM Trimark’s Doug Towill, who will discuss business building and client retention strategies.

A panel discussion on the Kyoto Protocol and its effect on Canada’s economic future, moderated by journalist Ann Medina, is also on the agenda.

The conference features six educational streams: human relations, insurance planning, practice management, sales and marketing, taxation and estate planning, and advanced financial planning. A wide array of guest speakers are participating, including Warren Baldwin of TE Financial Consultants, Cathie Hurlburt of the IFC Planning Group, Dr. Linda Duxbury of Carleton University in Ottawa, Standard Life’s Bernard Letendre and Peter Bailey of Raymond James.

Although the conference doesn’t officially get underway until May 27, three pre-conference workshops are scheduled for May 26, including a CFP/CLU update and “Writing a Financial Plan — The Simple Approach,” hosted by Hurlburt.

A day-long workshop on Advocis’ recently-released Best Practices manual will be held on Friday, May 28.

Also on Friday, Morningstar Canada president Scott Mackenzie will release the results of a survey of portfolio managers at Canada’s major fund companies. “The survey’s results on fund industry trends will provide advisors an idea of where they might concentrate their efforts over the near term,” Morningstar says. “For example, survey respondents say they believe hedge funds will play an important role in companies’ product development, and thus it makes senses for advisors to become more knowledgeable about hedge funds and other alternative investments.”

Dozens of exhibitors will show off their products and services at the three-day conference and there’s a full social calendar, including a western-themed dinner and a golf tournament.

Advisor.ca will feature extensive editorial coverage from the Advocis conference in Calgary, starting on Friday.

For detailed agenda information, please click here.

(05/25/04)

Staff

The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998.