FOR RELEASE
November 3, 2008

CONTACT 
Kate Hendrickson
303.850.3079

IMCA Completes Second CPWA Class at University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Nearly 200 advanced wealth management experts now hold designation

DENVER—November 3, 2008—Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA) completed its second Certified Private Wealth Advisor^SM—or CPWA^®—designation class at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, September 22–26, 2008. Prior to the class, attendees were required to complete a seven-month, managed self-study program, and the group finished the in-class week with a three-hour comprehensive examination.

“We are extremely pleased with the quality of the CPWA program,” said Dede Pahl, executive director of IMCA. “We’ve heard from attendees that the advanced curriculum of the course goes far beyond other designation programs in providing the knowledge and confidence for addressing the needs of high-net-worth clients.”

Launched in 2007, the CPWA designation program is designed to provide advanced expertise in the life cycle of wealth: accumulating, preserving and protecting, and distributing wealth. Key topics of the program include advanced tax planning, portfolio management, executive compensation, concentrated stock, planning for the closely held business, retirement planning and distribution, asset protection, charitable planning, and advanced estate planning.

“Without a doubt, this has been the most intense and valuable learning experience of my career to date. I can’t believe what I didn’t know,” wrote one attendee on the evaluation form. “Above all, this has made me a student of my profession and I will persist in that endeavor going forward.”

“With the rise of family offices, it is clear to us that the CPWA designation serves a niche of this industry by better preparing wealth management experts for dealing with complex issues facing their high-net-worth clients. The program introduces these professionals to new resources and strategies and teaches them how to apply those concepts,” said Ms. Pahl. “Ninety-eight percent of the September class said they would recommend the program to an associate, which is up from 91 percent after the initial class.”

The third CPWA program has sold out. Pre-study for the program began in September 2008 and the in-class session is slated for March 2009.

The minimum experience requirement for CPWA participants is five years, but seventy-eight percent of CPWA candidates from the first three cohorts have more than 10 years of experience, and a full third have been in business for more than 20 years. Thirty-nine percent of CPWA candidates are employed by a “traditional” full-service investment brokerage company. Sixteen percent are employed by a bank/trust company, and nearly a third come from either an independent registered investment advisory firm (19 percent) or an independent investment brokerage company (11 percent). A quarter of the participants manage greater than $500 million, while 24 percent manage between $50–$150 million, 17 percent manage between $150–$250 million, and 19 percent manage between $251–$500 million.

The next available CPWA course is open for enrollment, with pre-study commencing in April 2009, and the in-class portion scheduled for October 5–9, 2009. For more information about the CPWA program, click here.

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Note to media: If you are interested in interviewing candidates who completed the CPWA course work and program at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, please contact Beau Ballinger at via e-mail or at 303.850.3080.