Organisers of this year's FPIA Conference – Beginning a New Future – have signed up a number of key sponsors and are in the process of finalising the programme.

Platinum sponsors for the Christchurch conference are BT Funds Management and Colonial First State. AXA has committed to be a silver sponsor while AMP Financial Services, Equitable Group, Fidelity Life and Harwood Pacific have all signed up as bronze sponsors.

The conference is to be held at the Christchurch Convention Centre from 19-21 July 2001.

Keynote speakers confirmed include strategist Dr Fred Grosse, and successful adviser Kathy Paget.

Dr Grosse is a master at pinpointing strategies that empower and inspire. He coaches people on how to double and triple their incomes in less time.

Kathy Paget is an Australian with a background in both insurance and investment advice. An adviser with RetireInvest she has been operating a franchise in the Bundaberg/Hervey Bay area of Queensland since 1996. In the past four and a half years she has built the client base from 45 to more than 530, with A$92 million of funds under management and is about to open a third office in Maryborough.

The franchise has won the Small Business Award for Financial Services in Bundaberg four years running and will be inducted into the "Business Hall of Fame' next year for this achievement. The franchise was a finalist in the Queensland Franchisee of the Year in 1999 and this year won the Services Category and were announced overall Franchisee of the Year 2000.

In her first year with RetireInvest Paget was awarded the "New Adviser of the Year' national title for writing the most upfront revenue in Australia and last year was awarded RetireInvest's Most Productive Adviser in Queensland, having written the most upfront revenue of any adviser in the state.

Paget's goal this year is to generate A$1 million in upfront revenue through the business and is on target to do this – consistently writing more than A$50,000 per month and twice exceeding A$100,000 per month.