Kearney Group Named 2011’s National Practice of the Year

Kearney Group returns from the 25th annual Securitor Convention in Singapore as the 2011 National Practice of the Year.

Matt Englund (Head of Dealer Groups for BT Financial Group) described the title as a “hotly contested” before Gail Kelly, CEO of Westpac Bank, presented Principal Paul Kearney with the award.

Kearney Group is pleased to announce that its licensee, Securitor Financial Group, has named the firm their 2011 National Practice of the Year.

The announcement came on April 15th at the annual Securitor Convention in Singapore; an event that draws hundreds of advisers from across Australia each year.

 

Award “hotly contested”.

Matt Englund, Head of Dealer Groups within BT Financial Group, described the National Practice of the Year title as “hotly contested” before Gail Kelly, CEO of Westpac Bank, presented Principal Paul Kearney with the award.

“We are very honoured to be recognised by Securitor,” said Kearney. “As a business owner, it’s nice to have external validation from time to time. I’m very pleased that so many of our people got to share in this event tonight,” Kearney added, speaking of the six employees who made the trip to Singapore for the four-day conference.

 

From A-Grade compliance to outstanding outcomes.

For the National Practice of the Year title, the Kearney Group was required to demonstrate:

• Provision of top quality advice
• “A Grade Compliance” meeting licensee’s standards
• Advocacy within and for the Securitor group
• Diversity of income streams
• Commitment to practice development
• First-rate, comprehensive Statements of Advice (SOAs)
• Outstanding outcomes from advice

Without question, the firm’s unique offering has allowed the Kearney Group to continually rank among the top practices in Australia. The 2011 National Practice of the Year award follows last year’s Victorian Advisor of the Year accolade and the Kearney Group’s 2008 Victorian Practice of the Year title.

“This award is credit to our entire team,” Kearney continued, “and to our belief that professional financial services can be delivered differently.”

 

Doing things differently at Kearney Group.

The notion of ‘doing things differently’ has long been a core value of the firm. At its inception 25 years ago, Mr. Kearney aimed to establish a practice that custom-tailored its strategies and solutions for each and every client. Today, a quarter century later, the firm has grown into a multidisciplinary practice offering a host of award-winning services and solutions which are holistic, individualised, complementary and client-focused.

Without question, Kearney Group’s strategic and targeted approach to practice development sets it apart and has driven much of the firm’s recent success.

Development exercises during the past financial year have explicitly focused on bettering the client experience and nurturing employee satisfaction. In particular, the Kearney Group’s appointment of 15 new staff members, investment in a 900-square-metre office refit and expansion and the continued redevelopment of internal reporting systems, is evidence that the firm is living its corporate mission, vision and values.

Steady performance figures, especially during such transition and growth, are testimony to solid planning, healthy internal processes and a committed team.

 

Commerciality and community.

Drawing on the company’s most recent performance data, Mr. Kearney noted that the firm had “comfortably achieved its best results ever” during the 2009/10 financial year. In addition to the recent practice development initiatives, Kearney attributed this success to an increased corporate profile, a closely-knit staff of highly qualified professionals, the firm’s ongoing commitment to exceptional client centred service and its numerous income streams which include a holistic offering of financial planning, investment, risk management, debt finance, accounting, taxation and business advisory services.

Kearney Group has also continued its corporate participation and community engagement efforts. Principal Paul Kearney is now in his fifth year as a member of the Securitor Circle, a professional development and advisory committee composed of the state’s top 10 advisers.

Kearney also sits on the Board of Directors for The Big Issue Australia; one of the country’s leading social enterprises whose key project, a fortnightly magazine publication ‘The Big Issue’, creatively tackles homelessness and long-term unemployment. The firm also provides accounting and strategic support to Ovarian Cancer Australia.

 

From Singapore, back to Melbourne.

Following his return to Melbourne, Kearney congratulated the team: “This award is something for all of us to enjoy and celebrate,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean our work is done. We don’t just get to sit back and relax now. We’ve got an extremely energetic and talented team and I can confidently say that I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead.”

For today though, Kearney Group celebrates. Tomorrow brings the next big task; living up to the title.

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