Chicago-Based Financial Advisor Frank Patzke Earns Retirement Management Analyst(sm) Designation

    CHICAGO, IL, June 04, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Frank Patzke, founder and president of Chicago-based Guidant Wealth Advisors, has just received word that he is one of the first graduates in the nation to earn the Retirement Management Analyst(sm) or RMA(sm) designation. To earn an RMA designation - which is offered by the Retirement Income Industry Association (RIIA) - financial professionals must complete the RIIA's focused educational and ethics training curriculum and pass a rigorous examination on retirement income planning and management. The RMA program consists of intensive self-study pre-work, two days of in-class training and a three-hour exam. In addition, ongoing education is required to maintain the certification.

"When the bottom dropped out of the economy and our financial markets in 2008, it became clear that traditional retirement planning didn't work for millions of Americans whose retirement security is at risk," explains Francois Gadenne, Chairman and Executive Director of RIIA. "The leadership of RIIA decided to address this need for a more comprehensive approach to retirement income management and developed the education and training framework to help advisors better help their clients. That is how the RMA certification came into being."

"Our primary focus at Guidant Wealth Advisors is to ensure that our clients are confident about their retirement security -- that they trust we have guided them well. With today's market volatility and global economic situation in flux, I wanted the most relevant training available to help me respond and better serve our clients," says Patzke who devoted over forty hours to focused study over a three-month period to earning the designation. "I chose to invest myself in the RMA certification because it was the first program I discovered that was academically driven as opposed to product driven."

"Those advisors and financial professionals who receive the RMA certification are showing that they not only have mastered a challenging curriculum, but that they are dedicated to helping their clients and leading the effort toward creating retirement security for all Americans," notes Gadenne.

In addition to continually furthering his own training and education, Patzke also shares his knowledge with clients and interested others through periodic workshops on financial and retirement topics. He will be presenting a web-based (webinar) workshop, "The Rise of the Roth IRA: Is 2010 the year to act?" on Wednesday June 23rd at 3:00 CST. The webinar is free and open to the public. Journalists are also welcome to attend. RSVP and receive login information by contacting Danielle Ackerman at (847) 330-9911 or [email protected].

*Top Wealth Manager ranking based on average assets under management per client
**Leading RIA Firm ranking based on year-end 2008 assets under management
Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.
**** Listen to the Frank Patzke's interview about his Retirement Management Analyst(sm) podcast by visiting http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WWKzHvPT ****

About Frank T. Patzke, CFP, MBA, RMA(sm)
Independent advisor and consultant Frank Patzke has specialized in advising retirees and the "suddenly single" since 1978. In fact, more than half of his clients are single, widowed or divorced. Through his investment counsel and retirement workshops, innumerable individuals have benefited from his expertise and ability to simplify the often-confusing concepts of personal finance.

Frank earned his BA in Political Science and an MBA from the University of Illinois. He went on to earn the CFP mark of distinction from the CFP Board of Standards, which certifies that he has successfully passed all of the requirements to hold himself out as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional. In 2010, Frank received word from the Retirement Income Industry Association (RIIA) that he was one of the first financial advisors in the nation to earn the Retirement Management Analyst designation.

In 2009, Frank was recognized as a "Top Wealth Manager"* in Wealth Manager and Financial Advisor magazines. These publications also highlighted Guidant Wealth Advisors as a "Leading RIA Firm"**(based on revenue generated and customer service).

Frank is the founder and president of Guidant Wealth Advisors, a Registered Investment Advisory firm founded in 1993. Based in Palatine, Ill., the firm is comprised of seven professionals who serve 263 clients. As of July 2009, the firm had $115 million in assets under management.

For more information, visit www.guidantwealth.com.

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