Tower Managed Funds strongly supports the promotion of excellence in financial planning and believes in recognising financial planners for their excellence and professionalism.

The Financial Planner of the Year Awards are a positive step towards this. Created by the online money management magazine, Good Returns, and organised by its editor, Philip Macalister, the awards encourage excellence in financial planning and highlight the proficiency of advisers in New Zealand.

The awards have been organised to promote professionalism and excellence in financial planning as well as helping to show the public how financial planners can help them meet their investment and retirement income goals.

Entrants are judged on their skills and professionalism. Knowledge of current issues, communication skills, input to the profession and extracurricular contributions made to the community are also taken into account.

Ralph Stewart, General Manager Distribution at Tower Managed Funds, says, "In a spirited industry such as ours, the awards criteria will no doubt attract healthy debate.

"It's the debate that's valuable because it's another practical way of raising awareness of the development and acceptance of professionalism in our industry."

Another key strength of these awards is the high calibre of the judging panel, which includes Retirement Commissioner Colin Blair, Reserve Bank deputy governor Rod Carr and prominent financial journalist Mary Holm.

The financial planning community has contributed greatly to Tower Managed Funds and its investors, and, in turn, the company is delighted to be a major sponsor and supporter of the awards.