The Financial Planners and Insurance Advisers Association has held its final conference, association president Paul O'Brien says.

The association's annual talkfest next year will be a convention and it will be held in the Manawatu city of Palmerston North.

O'Brien, who is co-convenor of the convention with Kathy Jarrett, says there are great facilities in Palmerston North, many of which are currently being redeveloped.

The convention will be held at the Regent on Broadway, which has just undergone a $13.5 million revamp, plus the nearby convention centre.

O'Brien says one third of the association's members live within an hour and a half's drive of Palmerston North and the city is well served by direct airline links from Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington.

(For those of you who don't know Palmerston North is the distribution hub for the lower/central North Island because of its location and multiple access points. Also it has an international airport).

What's a convention?
The big question though is what is the difference between a conference and a convention?

O'Brien says a convention has a separate function and time allocation for the expose of the sponsors and exhibitors.

He says conventions are better than conferences. Conferences often are focussed on policy making, while conventions are more about education and presentations.

The organisers are planning to significantly ramp up the event. Numbers are expected to double from the 500 who attended this year's event in Christchurch.

O'Brien says the convention will be promoted to the association's 1200 members as well as other people interested in the industry such as accountants.

The theme for the conference will be Taking Charge. It will be held from July 18-20, 2002.

• To save your place at the convention register online here through our secure server. Payment will be made in two payments of $230 (October and February).
• Join our mailing list to keep up-to-date on the convention as it is planned. (Click here to choose which mailing list you would like to go on