AFSE Background & History

In November 2000, the University of Western Sydney (UWS) sponsored a Financial Planning Symposium for universities, RTOs, financial institutions, regulators and industry bodies; anyone, in fact, with an interest in the training of financial planners. UWS had a strong interest in this area, offering its own masters program and managing the FPA’s CFP program.

The instigator, organiser and driving force behind this event was Sharon Taylor, a senior lecturer at UWS. The symposium was held over two days at the Norwest International Hotel at Baulkham Hills. Speakers included Malcolm Rogers from ASIC, Ray Griffin, President of the FPA, Professor Thomas Eyssell, of the University of Missouri and Professor Roger Juchau from UWS.

The response to the program was so encouraging that a meeting was convened after the close to give consideration to establishing a permanent association dedicated to promoting good standards in, and supporting the providers of, education in the financial planning industry.

A working group was formed (the list of members appears below) which met a number of times over the ensuing months to plan the implementation of this idea. An association was subsequently incorporated and named the “Association of Financial Services Educators”. The foundation board was elected at the first general meeting, which was held on 21 September 2001. The foundation board members were:

President: Gwen Fletcher (Managing Director, Fletcher Green),
Vice President: John Prowse (General Manager, IntegraTec),
Treasurer: Terry Hallahan (Program Director, Master of Financial Planning, RMIT),
Director: Annette Donsellar (National Compliance Manager, ASIC) ,
Director: Anne Johns (Education Director, CPA Australia) ,
Director: Sara Nathan (Training Manager, State Super Financial Services),
Director: Ray Neale (Lecturer, University of Western Sydney) ,
Director: Sharon Taylor (Senior Lecturer in Accounting, University of Western Sydney)

The founding sponsors were CCH, IntegraTec (now Kaplan), ITC – Investment Training College (no longer around), RMIT, UWS and the FPA. Finances were tight in the establishment period, and credit for the survival of the association is due in particular to Gwen Fletcher, who made a generous personal donation at a critical time, and Sharon Philp of secretary.com.au, who provided very efficient administration and secretarial services when it was not at all clear that the money to pay for them would be available.

Members of the working group
Gwen Fletcher
Chair Investment Training College
Diana Beal University of Southern Queensland
Ken Bruce  FPA
David Corby Charles Sturt University Bathurst
Janet Cowen UWS
Annette Donselaar  ASIC
Terry Hallahan RMIT School of Economics and Finance
John Hudson Training Consultant
Warren McKeown RMIT
Michelle Melinz Secretary
Peter Michelson University of Sunshine Coast
Deidre Missinghan CPA Australia
Carolyn Mooney Training Consultant
Sara Nathan Training Manager – State Super Financial Services
Ray Neale UWS – Blacktown Senor Lecturer in law
John Peacock Consultant
John Prowse IntegraTec
Graham Rogers University of Canberra
James Ryan Adviser Educational Services
Lyndal Taylor UTS – Faculty of Law
Sharon Taylor UWS
Malcolm Voyce Macquarie University – Law Division