Press Release Headlines

Twenty-four Professional Advisors Earn the Prestigious CEPA Credential

CHICAGO, Nov. 28, 2011 — Twenty-four professional advisors recently earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) credential from the Exit Planning Institute™ (EPI), joining more than 125 other certified exit planning professionals worldwide.

The fall 2011 class of CEPAs successfully completed the CEPA examination administered on November 11, 2011. The new class of Certified Exit Planning Advisors includes:

Sam Armour, CEPA – Armour Vickerman – Olympia, WA
Maurie Cashman, CEPA – Sunbelt of Eastern Iowa – Cedar Rapids, IA
Allison Elliott, CEPA – Briggs & Veselka Company – Bellaire, TX
Thomas Farrell, CEPA – Regent Atlantic Capital – Morristown, NJ
James Ferguson, CEPA – Ferguson Financial – McKinney, TX
Stephen Furrer, CEPA – Furrer & Associates CPAs – Westlake, OH
William Gaines, CEPA – Gaines & Associates – Norfolk, NE
Arnie Hendricks, CEPA – Financial Management Resources – Snoqualmie, WA
Frank Li, CEPA – Merrill Lynch – Pittsburgh, PA
John Maierhofer, CEPA – Maierhofer Wealth Management – Burlingame, CA
Michael McHugh, CEPA – Oxford Financial Group – Carmel, IN
Jody Nichols, CEPA – Up-to-Date Accounting Services – East Perth, Western Australia
William Otto, CEPA – Investors Advisory Group – Waukesha, WI
Bruce Rukkila, CEPA – Bruce A. Rukkila CPA – Houghton, MI
Peter Snelling, CEPA – Merrill Lynch – Thornton, PA
Richard Spies, CEPA – RS Management Group – Mason, OH
Leah Stapleton, CEPA – Stapleton Financial – San Diego, CA
Annie Taillon-Bell, CEPA – Clark & Horner – Toronto, ON
Michael Trabert, CEPA – Skoda Minotti & Company – Mayfield Village, OH
Lori Watt, CEPA – Investors Advisory Group – Waukesha, WI
Thomas Wegner, CEPA – BankUnited – Canton, GA
David Wilder, CEPA – Financial Management Group – Cincinnati, OH
Justin Wimberly, CEPA – Blackthorne Group – Monticello, FL
William Zalewski, CEPA – Merrill Lynch – Upper St. Clair, PA

To earn the CEPA credential, candidates must satisfy professional experience and education requirements, attend a rigorous five-day executive-MBA-style educational program, complete 100 hours of self study, and pass a 3.5 hour written examination. Once earned, the certification must be renewed every three years through additional studies and leadership activities.

"Congratulations to the newest class of CEPAs who have demonstrated mastery of the competencies essential for professional exit planning advisors," said Peter Christman, CEPA, Chairman of the Exit Planning Institute. "The CEPA certification not only sets the standard of knowledge for exit planning professionals to achieve, but also defines the profession of exit planning itself."

The next CEPA program will be offered May 7 – 11, 2012. The application deadline for this course and exam is April 1, 2012. For more details about the CEPA course and exam visit the EPI website at http://www.exit-planning-institute.org.

About the Exit Planning Institute®

The Exit Planning Institute (EPI) is a professional membership organization of more than 138 certified business advisors involved in the creation of exit and transition plans for the owners of privately held businesses. Its members work with business owners across the United States and in 4 countries around the world. The Exit Planning Institute® is the premier provider of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for exit planning professionals. The Institute delivers innovative learning experiences, performance-enhancing resources, and strategic tools designed to advance the exit planning profession. For more information about EPI, please visit http://www.exit-planning-institute.org.

Media Contact:

Dennis Gano, CAE, Executive Director, at 847-458-2124 or Email

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