MINNEAPOLIS (May 9, 2012) — Kim Brown, president of Bloomington-based JNBA Financial Advisors, has been named to the Minnesota board of the Jefferson Awards for Public Service. As a member of the board, Brown will act as an advisor to the Jefferson Awards in the Twin Cities, identify national nominees for recognition, strengthen the organization’s relationships with the Minnesota business community and assist with fundraising.

In December 2010, Brown’s firm received the Jefferson Award for Corporate Giving, recognizing JNBA’s dedication to supporting community organizations such as Special Olympics Minnesota and the Angel Foundation.

“As a past recipient of the Jefferson Award for Corporate Giving, I’ve been part of a team that has seen the benefits of this organization first-hand,” Brown said. “I look forward to helping the Jefferson Awards expand its mission of recognizing and strengthening volunteerism in Minnesota.”

“We are thrilled to have Kim join our board of business and community leaders in the Minneapolis area,” says Tom Basquill, Regional Director for the Jefferson Awards.  “We are looking forward to her contributions specifically as we work to inspire volunteerism in the area and encourage community involvement among Minnesota youth and business organizations.”

For five consecutive years, Brown and the JNBA team have jumped into the icy waters of Lake Calhoun for Special Olympics Minnesota’s annual Polar Bear Plunge, becoming the biggest corporate fundraising team in the state for three years in a row. Over the past four years, JNBA has raised more than $106,000 for the cause. Brown also brings her business and marketing experience to the Angel Foundation as a board member, focusing on raising awareness of the non-profit and its cause. For the past five summers, she has volunteered her time at the Angel Foundation’s Kid’s Camp working with children who have family members going through the cancer experience, and has been an active fundraiser for the camp.

In 2011, JNBA was named a finalist in the Community Service category of the Community Leadership Awards presented by Investment News and Invest in Others Charitable Foundation. Also in 2011, Starkey Hearing Foundation named Kim and her husband, JNBA CEO Richard Brown, Hearing Angel Ambassadors and honorary chairs for the foundation’s annual “So the World May Hear” Awards Gala.

 About the Jefferson Awards for Public Service

The Jefferson Awards was co-founded in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft, Jr. and Sam Beard, as the 'Nobel Prize' for public service. Named for one of America's most influential Founding Fathers, and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, the Jefferson Awards' central tenet is that each and every citizen shares a responsibility to work towards the betterment of their communities through economic participation, public service, volunteerism, and other such efforts to improve life for all. Today, the mission of the Jefferson Awards is to recognize, inspire and activate volunteerism and public service in communities, workplaces and schools across America. As President J.F. Kennedy once said, "One person can make a difference and every person should try" and to date, over fifty thousand individuals of all ages have been recognized by the Jefferson Awards for their efforts to make the world around them a better place.

About JNBA

Bloomington-based JNBA Financial Advisors, Inc., is an independent fee-based wealth management firm specializing in goal-directed asset management and financial planning for more than 33 years. Their advisory teams champion a team approach, reviewing client portfolios every 10 business days and driving the planning process, including strategy development and implementation with estate, tax and risk professionals as appropriate. For more information, visit www.jnba.com.

The Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE) at the University of Minnesota Duluth recently became the first in the state of Minnesota to have a Student Chapter of the FPA. On Wednesday, April 4, the financial planning program there welcomed FPA CEO Marv Tuttle as well as Richard Brown, CEO of JNBA Financial Advisors and LSBE Senior Fellow, Kjell Knudsen, LSBE Dean, and faculty and student representatives to the TD Ameritrade Learning Lab to officially initiate the chapter. Other representatives from FPA included Mike Branham, President-Elect and Keith Loveland, Board Member. Loveland also presented to the financial planning students at their class later that evening.

Brown believes the affiliation with FPA will greatly benefit LSBE financial planning students. “FPA is a well-respected organization. They work to broaden the education of their financial advisor members. Through FPA, students will have opportunities to attend the same workshops as advisor members, improve their interview skills, and learn about internships. Being associated with FPA will set our students apart from others looking to get into the industry,” Brown said. LSBE launched the financial planning minor with Brown’s help in 2010.

During his visit, Tuttle had a chance to speak with financial planning students and faculty members as well as tour the first-of-its-kind TD Ameritrade Learning Lab. “We’re excited to visit the university and witness cuttingedge innovation in action for the future of the financial planning profession. UMD’s unique Learning Lab is a sterling example of combining hands-on training and technology to prepare and train our next generation,” he said.

The TD Ameritrade Learning Lab is one of the signature features of LSBE’s financial planning minor. The Learning Lab was developed through a strategic relationship with JNBA Financial Advisors, TD Ameritrade Institutional, and LSBE and is located in the Duluth Technology Village in downtown Duluth. This combination learning lab and professional office for JNBA’s Duluth office allows students to work alongside professionals in an actual advisory firm.

”Our visit to Duluth helped FPA become better informed and to play a supporting communications role with other universities and colleges about the uniqueness of the Learning Lab approach,” Tuttle said. “FPA sees a special opportunity for the Learning Lab approach to spread to other registered programs that prepare individuals to become Certified Financial Planner (CFP) practitioners.” Students graduating from UMD with the financial planning minor are eligible to sit for the CFP exam.

Brown, who was recently ranked number three among Minnesota’s financial advisors as part of Barron’s list of 1,000 top advisors in the country, has considerable praise for LSBE’s financial planning program. “It is highly respected within the industry for the students coming out of the program,” he said. “The FPA Student Chapter at LSBE will be a phenomenal addition.”

As rated by Barron’s in the 2/22/10, 2/21/11, & 2/20/12 issues of Barron’s magazine. Rankings and/or recognition by publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, nor should it be construed as a current or past endorsement of JNBA by any of its clients. Rankings published by magazines, and others, generally base their selections exclusively on information prepared and/ or submitted by the recognized advisor. JNBA is an SEC registered investment adviser principally located in Minneapolis. A copy of JNBA’s written disclosure statement discussing its services and fees is available upon request.

MINNEAPOLIS (March 14, 2012) — Richard Brown, CEO of Minnesota-based JNBA Financial Advisors, has been named to the Starkey Hearing Foundation board of directors, which meets quarterly to receive updates on the Foundation’s day-to-day operations, review and approve major financial decisions, and plot the Foundation’s long-term strategic vision.  As a member of the board, Brown will serve on the fundraising committee and will be an advocate for the Foundation.

Brown has accompanied the Foundation on several international missions since joining the cause at the end of 2010, including one to India in November. On the Indian mission, the Foundation visited seven cities in three weeks, and delivered hearing aids to more than 16,000 people. In one day alone, the group fit 1,250 people, an all-time single-day record.

“We are thrilled to have Richard join our board of directors,” says Bill Austin, Starkey Hearing Foundation Founder.  “Since joining our cause over a year ago, he has demonstrated not only generosity, but also dedication and an enduring willingness to help.  He never hesitates to dig in and do the work and his leadership skills have been a huge asset as we continue to spread the word.”

“For years, I’ve been in awe of what the Starkey Hearing Foundation has accomplished around the world, and I am honored to have been chosen to help guide its ongoing mission,” said Brown. “The organization and its thousands of volunteers and sponsors are truly living founder Bill Austin’s vision by bringing the gift of hearing to those in need around the globe. I am proud to be a part of it.” Brown and his wife Kim were honorary chairs of the Starkey 2011 “So the World May Hear” Awards Gala.

Hearing missions are the primary way the Starkey Hearing Foundation realizes its goal - So the World May Hear. In turn, the Foundation has set a target of fitting 1 million hearing aids to individuals in need by the end of this decade.

In 2010 and 2011, Brown was recognized for his community service as a finalist in the national Community Leadership Awards presented by Investment News and Invest in others Charitable Foundation for his leadership role and volunteer efforts as a board member for Special Olympics Minnesota. He co-chaired the special projects committee, sat on the executive and finance committees, spearheaded the Duluth Polar Bear Plunge fundraising event, and led the JNBA team in becoming the top Polar Bear Plunge fundraiser in the state for three consecutive years.

About Starkey Hearing Foundation

Starkey Hearing Foundation is striving to foster greater understanding among people through hearing care by focusing on awareness, education, protection and treatment, so the world may hear. Hearing loss affects one in 10 Americans, and 63 million children worldwide, yet many do not have access to the hearing devices that can help them. From 2000 to 2010, Starkey Hearing Foundation fit more than 500,000 hearing aids to people in need in the U.S. and around the world. The Foundation has grown that commitment to more than 100,000 hearing aids annually and is dedicated to fitting 1 million hearing aids this decade. In addition to giving the gift of hearing through worldwide hearing missions, Starkey Hearing Foundation promotes hearing health awareness through the Listen Carefully initiative and provides hearing instruments to low-income Americans through the Hear Now program. For more information on Starkey Hearing Foundation, visit www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org.

About JNBA
Bloomington-based JNBA Financial Advisors, Inc., is an independent fee-based wealth management firm specializing in goal-directed asset management and financial planning for more than 33 years. Their advisory teams champion a team approach, reviewing client portfolios every 10 business days and driving the planning process, including strategy development and implementation with estate, tax and risk professionals as appropriate. For more information, visit www.jnba.com. 

MINNEAPOLIS (March 6, 2012) — For the third year in a row, Bloomington-based JNBA Financial Advisors has been named to Barron’s list of the 1,000 top advisors in the country. In the magazine’s state-by-state rankings, Richard S. Brown, CEO of the independent, 33-year-old firm, was ranked third in Minnesota, up from fourth for the previous two years.

“We’re proud to be recognized as one of the nation’s top advisors again this year and equally proud to be one of only 3 independent RIAs to be recognized in Minnesota” says Brown. “It’s a sign of the times, as more and more investors are choosing to work with independent wealth advisors who put clients front and center, always acting in their best interest. We continue to see an increasing consumer demand for independent, client-centric wealth management.” JNBA has also twice been named one of the nation’s top-100 independent wealth advisors by Barron’s and The Winner’s Circle.*

“TD Ameritrade Institutional would like to congratulate Richard Brown and JNBA Financial Advisors on being named to Barron’s list of the top 1000 advisors for a third consecutive year, and for being one of only a few on the list in Minnesota representing the independent RIA industry,” said Tom Nally, president, TD Ameritrade Institutional. “We have been witness to a major industry shift in recent years as investors are increasingly looking to independent RIAs for objective financial advice. JNBA has been ahead of that trend, offering independence and transparency for more than 30 years.”

Barron’s ranked advisors on factors including quality of practice, assets under management, philanthropic work, revenue produced for the firm and regulatory record. Over the years, JNBA has developed a highly customized approach to wealth management and a focus on service that has helped the firm gain this national recognition. “Thanks to our independent RIA business model we can be objective in the advice we provide and investment recommendations, putting clients’ needs first.  We customize investment strategies to individual client goals, which are implemented by our experienced, dedicated team through our disciplined process, that includes review of each portfolio every 10 business days,” says Brown. “Our clients value our approach, helping JNBA to consistently receive an above 96 percent client-retention rate since we started tracking in 2001.” JNBA’s dedication to offering high-touch service and objective asset management has fueled the firm’s continued growth through a challenging economic period. The company expanded to Duluth, Minn., in 2010.

Judith Brown founded JNBA in 1979, and was a pioneer in offering fee-based, client-focused financial advice. Today, her son Richard and daughter-in-law Kim continue Judith’s vision, concentrating on building the company’s client-focused reputation and maintaining the independent, community-focused outlook that JNBA was founded upon. Since Richard joined JNBA in 1997, the company has tripled in assets under management.

ABOUT JNBA
Bloomington-based JNBA Financial Advisors, Inc., is an independent fee-based wealth management firm specializing in goal-directed asset management and financial planning for more than 33 years. Their advisory teams champion a team approach, reviewing client portfolios every 10 business days and driving the planning process, including strategy development and implementation with estate, tax and risk professionals as appropriate. For more information, visit www.jnba.com. 

*As seen in the 07/20/07, 07/11/08, 2/22/10, 2/21/11 and 2/18/12 issues of Barron's and the 8/27/07 and 8/18/08 issues of Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Rankings and/or recognition by publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, nor should it be construed as a current or past endorsement of JNBA by any of its clients. Rankings published by magazines, and others, generally base their selections exclusively on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser. A copy of JNBA's current written disclosure statement discussing advisory services and fees is available upon request.

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As Seen in FPA of Minnesota Newsletter, February 2012

A UMD Alum and Senior Fellow, JNBA Financial Advisors CEO Richard Brown has been involved with the business school there (The Labovitz School of Business and Economics, LSBE) since 2009. Inspired by their already successful Financial Markets Program, Richard thought it was important that the university provide an equally prestigious Financial Planning Program to complement it. He worked alongside the university to create a new two-year minor for financial planning and knew that in order for it to be truly beneficial to the students and the industry, it had to include some real life experience.

The minor integrates various areas of financial planning: Tax, Estate Planning, Risk, Investment Fundamentals and a Financial Plan Development Course which is the capstone. The real experience comes from the dual role that Richard and JNBA play in the program as instructors and practicing professionals. Richard is a coinstructor of the program’s capstone course and other members of the JNBA team have been asked to act as guest lecturers with the Chief Investment Strategist, John Foster having spoken to the investment class this past November and others scheduled to do the same in the spring. Housed in JNBA’s Duluth office, the TD Ameritrade Learning Lab is a technology and educational hub for students pursuing the CFP®. Upon completing the minor, students are eligible to sit for the CFP® exam. Through video conference technology they can interact with JNBA’s Minneapolis office as they navigate real life case studies (where names and personal information have been changed) and listen in on Investment Committee and Financial Planning Committee meetings. They also have access to the same technologies used in the ndustry such as MoneyGuidePro™, Morningstar and Junxure.

“The new Financial Planning Minor and learning lab provide students at LSBE with an edge over others in a competitive marketplace. The real life experience in a comprehensive environment where financial planning and asset management work hand-in-hand will make them very attractive to employers as they graduate from college.” says Richard Brown.

With the first graduate of the minor eligible to take the CFP® exam in May, students are looking for opportunities to apply their education, which has led them to the FPA. They have had the opportunity to attend various FPA events including the FPA of Minnesota Symposium in 2010 and 2011 as well as last year’s Career Day. Through a scholarship provided by Richard, students also look forward to attending the upcoming Career Day on February 24 where JNBA team member Stacy Friedges will be participating on the Young Planners Panel. The goal is to successfully create an FPA Student Chapter at UMD, something the two student directors of the program are working on closely with the FPA’s Career Development Committee.

More information about UMD’s Financial Planning Minor and the TD Ameritrade Learning Lab can be found on JNBA’s website or by contacting JNBA at (952) 844-0995 or info@jnba.com.

By: Deborah Nason

Investment News

A special group of financial advisers who have demonstrated exceptional charitable leadership were honored last Wednesday at the fifth annual Community Leadership Awards.

The awards, spanning five categories, were presented by the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation and InvestmentNewsat Cipriani 42nd Street in New York. The ceremony was attended by more than 500 executives from nearly 60 financial organizations.

The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation had planned to make a $10,000 donation to the charity of each category winner. In addition, a donation of $1,500 was to be made to the charities of each of the other 10 finalists. However, at the event, Kandis Bates, president of the Invest in Others Foundation, announced that the donation will be raised to $20,000 to the honorees and $5,000 to each of the finalists.

As part of the event, the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation rang the opening bell at Nasdaq last Thursday. The charity was joined by the honorees and finalists of the Community Leadership Awards. (View all of this year's finalists.)

Germaine Broussard, a McLean, Va.-based adviser for Morgan Stanley Smith BarneyLLC, was named Volunteer of the Year for TroopTreats.com, which supports thousands of troops in active service abroad.

The finalists were Mary Bersot of Bersot Capital Management LLC in Mill Valley, Calif., for MedShare and Andy Seth of LotusGroup Advisors LLC in Denver for Minds Matter of Denver Inc.

Barry Engelman and his Los Angeles-based team with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., won the Volunteer Team Award for their work for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Southern California and Nevada chapter

The finalists were Laura and E.J. Rabell of Defender Capital in Charlotte, N.C., for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, mid-Atlantic chapter, and Randy Carver of Carver Financial Services in Mentor, Ohio, for the Rotary Club of Mentor bone marrow project.

David Benning of Ameriprise in Minneapolis received the Mentoring Excellence Award for his support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities.

The finalists were Gerald L. Ray of Gerald L. Ray and Associates in Dallas for Aggies on Wall Street and Grant Blindbury of FMB Wealth Management in Westlake Village, Calif., for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County.

The Community Service Award was given to Michael Curran of CAPTRUST Financial Advisors in Raleigh, N.C., for his work with the Triangle Aquatic Center, a nonprofit aquatic facility.

The finalists were Richard S. Brown of JNBA Financial Advisors in Minneapolis for Special Olympics Minnesota and Dennis Stearns of Stearns Financial Services Group in Greensboro, N.C., for the YMCA of Greensboro.

Dave Polstra of Brightworth in Atlanta won the Global Community Impact Award for his work with Medical Missions Ministries, which provides free medical clinics in rural Guatemala.

The finalists were Bruce Kusmin of Mariner Wealth Advisors in Leawood, Kan., for the Global Orphan Project, and R. Stephen Werner of Exemplar Financial Network in Walworth, Wis., for Health Education Africa Resource Team.

Watch video from the Opening Bell Ceremony. (© 2011, The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.)

Working with the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation over the past five years has given me a chance to witness the selflessness of people in the financial services industry. These individuals give their time, energy and resources to charitable organizations in their communities.

To recognize the contributions of these people, the foundation created the Community Leadership Awards, which honor financial advisers at brokerage firms and registered investment advisory firms of all sizes for their roles as leaders and volunteers in various charitable organizations.

Serving as a judge for the CLAs, which are sponsored by the foundation and InvestmentNews, has acquainted me with some truly remarkable accomplishments on the part of advisers.

The awards pay tribute to these advisers by honoring them for their dedication to their communities and the lasting impact of their efforts.

The CLA judges evaluated each entry based on the person's ability to motivate and inspire others to accomplish a specific goal or objective. The judges also looked for an ability to inspire others to volunteer their personal time.

After reading hundreds of entries, all the judges — volunteer industry executives and key InvestmentNews staff members — share my sense of humility and appreciation.

Selecting finalists from the nearly 300 nominations we received wasn't easy. However, as in any other competition, there are those people who stand out.

InvestmentNews and the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation will honor the exceptional advisers who have made a difference in their communities at an awards dinner in New York on Sept. 14.

As in past years, the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation will make generous donations to the charity designated by each category's honoree. Furthermore, Invest in Others will make a donation to each of the finalists' charities.

(Complete profiles of this year's finalists will appear in a special section in next week's issue of InvestmentNews.)

This year, in the Community Service category, the adviser finalists are Richard S. Brown of JNBA Financial Advisors in Minneapolis for Special Olympics Minnesota; Michael Curran of CAPTRUST Financial Advisors in Raleigh, N.C., for Triangle Aquatic Center; and Dennis Stearns of Stearns Financial Services Group in Greensboro, N.C., for the YMCA of Greensboro.

In the Mentoring Excellence category, the adviser finalists are David Benning of Ameriprise Financial Services Inc.in Minneapolis for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities; Grant Blindbury of FMB Wealth Management in Westlake Village, Calif., for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County; and Gerald L. Ray of Gerald L. Ray and Associates in Dallas for Aggies on Wall Street.

In the Volunteer of the Year category, the finalists are Mary Bersot of Bersot Capital Management LLC in Mill Valley, Calif., for MedShare; Germaine Broussard of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC in McLean, Va., for TroopTreats.com; and Andy Seth of LotusGroup Advisors LLC in Denver for Minds Matter of Denver Inc.

In the Volunteer Team category, the adviser finalists are Randy Carver of Carver Financial Services in Mentor, Ohio, for Rotary Club of Mentor bone marrow project; Barry Engelman of Ameriprise Financial Services Inc.in Los Angeles, for National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Southern California & Nevada chapter; and E.J. and Laura Rabell of Defender Capital in Charlotte, N.C., for National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Mid-Atlantic chapter.

In the Global Community Impact category, the adviser finalists are Bruce Kusmin of Mariner Wealth Advisors in Leawood, Kan., for the Global Orphan Project; David Polstra of Brightworth in Atlanta, for Medical Missions Ministries; and R. Stephen Werner of Exemplar Financial Network in Walworth, Wis., for Health Education Africa Resource Team (HEART).

Each of the finalists deserves our humble praise.

Judith Brown was an early pioneer in the then brave new world of fee-based financial advice when she founded her practice in 1979.  Her son, Richard S. Brown, took charge 18 years later, and JNBA Financial Advisors in Minneapolis and Duluth, Minn., continues to flourish.

Beating the usual odds against family-owned financial planning firms, JNBA has grown from $90 million in client assets under management in 1997 to more than $375 million today, all despite the worst decade for financial markets since the Great Depression.  In 2007 through 2009, while investors were paniking, the firm nearly doubled its new assets.

The advisor has built on his success to think about the future of the profession.  "One of the biggest issues a financial advisory firm faces is hiring and retaining new employees," Brown says.  Graduates of college financial planning programs now need three years of experience to earn a CFP credential and another two years before they are ready to see clients one-on-one.  Read the entire article.

MINNEAPOLIS, March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomington-based JNBA Financial Advisors has been named to Barron's list of the 1,000 top advisors in the country for the second year in a row. In the magazine's state-by-state rankings, Richard Brown, CEO of the independent, 32-year-old firm, was ranked fourth in Minnesota.

According to Brown, the fact that JNBA and other independent Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) made this and last year's list alongside traditional brokerage houses indicates a shift toward a new wealth-management model. "It's gratifying to be recognized as one of the nation's top advisors again this year," says Brown. "And as more and more investors are demanding transparency and independence from their wealth advisory firms, I believe we're going to be seeing an even greater number of independent RIAs across the country named to the list in the future." JNBA has also twice been named one of the nation's top-100 independent wealth advisors by Barron's and The Winner's Circle.*

Barron's cited the top advisors' high client-retention rate as one important measure of their collective success. JNBA consistently posts an above 96-percent client-retention rate. In their 30+ years of doing business, they have developed a highly customized approach to wealth management and a focus on service that has helped them gain this national recognition. "One of the most important gauges of our success is how our clients feel about the job we're doing for them," says Brown. "And that's been reflected by the feedback we're receiving from our clients, as well as our company's growth." The firm opened an office in Duluth, Minn., in 2010.

Judith Brown founded JNBA in 1979, and was a pioneer in offering fee-based, client-focused financial advice. Today, her son Richard and daughter-in-law Kim continue Judith's vision, concentrating on building the company's client-focused reputation and maintaining the independent, community-focused outlook that JNBA was founded upon. Since Richard joined JNBA in 1997, the company has tripled in assets under management.

ABOUT JNBA

Bloomington-based JNBA Financial Advisors, Inc., is an independent fee-based wealth management firm specializing in goal-directed asset management and financial planning. Their advisory teams provide advice on future financial direction as well as current financial issues. For more information, visit www.jnba.com. 

*As seen in the 07/20/07, 07/11/08, 2/22/10, & 2/21/11 issues of Barron's and the 8/27/07 & 8/18/08 issues of Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Rankings and/or recognition by publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, nor should it be construed as a current or past endorsement of JNBA by any of its clients. Rankings published by magazines, and others, generally base their selections exclusively on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser. A copy of JNBA's current written disclosure statement discussing advisory services and fees is available upon request.

Watch the interview.

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. 

Richard Brown and Bill Fish from the Special Olympics Minnesota joined us to talk about this weekend's Minneapolis Polar Bear Plunge.  Bill and Richard said it's a fun way to raise money for the Special Olympics, and it's not too late to join the event.

Minneapolis Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, March 5 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Lake Calhoun's Thomas Beach.  For more information, call 612-333-0999 or check out www.plungemn.org.

The 2011 winners of Finance & Commerce’s Minnesotans on the Move awards include chief executives, entrepreneurs, leaders of trade associations, a former gubernatorial candidate, and Susan Haigh, the new chairwoman of the Metropolitan Council who remains president of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.

The annual awards go to Minnesotans poised to make business news in the coming years. Our 2011 group also includes some Minnesotans who have made news and are expected to make more news in new roles.

Haigh is one of them. She really will be “on the move” between the Met Council office in St. Paul and the Habitat for Humanity office in Minneapolis.

Another familiar name is Margaret Anderson Kelliher, a 2010 DFL gubernatorial candidate and a former speaker of the House of Representatives. Anderson Kelliher was named last year as president and chief executive of the Minnesota High Tech Association.

Another familiar name to F&C readers is Doug Ruth, the chief executive of EarthClean Corp., whose company won the Minnesota Cup entrepreneurial competition last year for a product called TetraKo, which is expected to revolutionize firefighting.

F&C also thinks David Siegel, the new executive director for the Builders Association of the Twin Cities, will be making news as he leads member builders through a slow recovery.

The winners will be honored on April 7 at a reception and awards presentation at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Minneapolis. They also will be featured in a Finance & Commerce special section.

This year’s 40 winners are:

Shari Aberle, partner, Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Margaret Anderson Kelliher, president and chief executive, Minnesota High Tech Association

Kim Bartmann, “instigator,” Bryant-Lake Restaurants Inc.

Paul Bieganski, president and founder, Packet Power

Richard Brown, chief executive, JNBA Financial Advisors

Don Cate, Midwest regional manager and franchise owner, Multivista

Brian J. Cohen, chief operating officer, Aeration Industries International

Mike Derheim, chief executive and co-president, the Nerdery

Rebecca Ellis, president, Questions & Solutions Engineering

Wendy Ethen, president and commercial closer, Guaranty Commercial Title Inc.

Vance D. Fiegel, co-founder and chief science officer, Creative Water Solutions

Steve Foster, chief executive, Argos Risk

Scott Ganske, construction executive, Mortenson Construction

Kevin Grotheim, co-founder, Torrefaction Systems Inc.

Ernest Grumbles, co-founder, MOJO Minnesota

Curt Gunsbury, founder, Solhem Cos.

Susan Haigh, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Council, and president, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

Todd Headlee, chief executive, Silent Power Inc.

Tim Holland, president and chief executive, Metro Mold and Design

Greg Hosch, president and chief executive, Harris Cos.

Jennifer Iwanicki, co-founder and president, Curation Station

Dan Juntunen, president and chief executive, Wells Concrete

Keith Korsi and Michael Vinje, co-founders and principals, Trissential LLC

Lars Leafblad, principal, KeyStone Search

Kerry Marusich, president, Third Wave Systems Inc.

Bonnie McDonald, executive director, Preservation Alliance of Minnesota

Liz Pangerl, owner and creative director, Casa Valencia

James Rennie, president and chief executive, SafeKey Corp.

Doug Ruth, chief executive, EarthClean Corp.

David Siegel, executive director, Builders Association of the Twin Cities

Lisa Zweber-Smith and Terry Smith, founding partners, the Implementation Institute

Nils Snyder, vice president, NAI Welsh Cos.

Julie Tanaka, principal, Compendium Business Strategies

Rebecca Hage Thomley, chief executive, Orion Associates

Nicolas Thomley, chairman, Pinnacle Services

Marty Wetherall, co-founder and principal, FanChatter

Deb Wilkens-Costello, president of WomenVenture

Dan Yarano, shareholder and chairman of Fredrikson & Byron’s Energy Group

JNBA Financial Advisors and CEO Richard Brown were recently recognized by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal and the Jefferson Awards for corporate giving. As seen in their December issue, JNBA was chosen for setting the corporate standard for fundraising, plunging into icy waters and volunteering for Special Olympics Minnesota.

"I am a firm believer in giving back to something that's important to you. I also know it's hard to find that something you have a passion for," Brown said.

Each year JNBA donates to the nonprofit nearly 700 hours of volunteer time, including Brown's service to the Special Olympics Minnesota board of directors for the past five years. The JNBA team also raised over $80,000 for Special Olympics Minnesota in 2009 and 2010 through participation in the Polar Bear Plunge.

Experts Forum, November 2010

By:  Tom Evans

Every year around the holidays we begin to think about the blessings that surround us and are thankful.  In turn, we also think about those who are in need and about the causes that are important to us and want to give back.  Giving back can never be a bad strategy.  However, planned giving is the strategy of aligning your philanthropic vision and values to a deliverable process.  A planned giving strategy can be immediate, life-long, and/or trans-generational.  It can incorporate gifts made during one’s life or as a legacy bequest.  The primary goal of planned giving is to enable a donor to enact a gifting strategy that provides both a personal and monetary benefit to the donor and selected organization.  In short, it allows us to know that the causes closest to us are being taken care of in whatever manner we choose while also understanding the benefits to our wealth management plan.  These benefits can be both monetary and personal.  The monetary benefits range from tax deductions to reduction of net worth to lower estate taxes.  The personal benefit is the ability to impact one’s community, important organization or cause.

In some cases, your strategy may find it is more advantageous to gift stock or real property instead of cash.  For most people, a cash donation is an after tax gift.  One tax effective method is to gift highly appreciated stock, mutual funds, or property.  By gifting the highly appreciated asset, the donor avoids realizing the capital gain for tax purposes yet receives the full fair market value of the asset as a charitable deduction, subject to income limitations.  In addition to cash or portfolio assets, time and experience are two valuable gifts people can donate to an organization.  Unlike a monetary donation, neither time nor experience can be utilized as a tax deduction.  However, donating your expertise to guide and advise an organization enhances not only your experience but directs the organization down the proper path.  Drawing on one’s work related and life experiences can help an organization avoid pitfalls and accelerate programs and projects to success.

This holiday season, when you are thinking about your own planned giving strategy, it is important to incorporate aspects of current giving, as well as future giving.  This may mean the use of donor advised accounts, family foundations, and trust planning.  The goal is to fully understand how your giving can benefit your existing and legacy goals.  Keep in mind that procrastination is a silent enemy.  Many individuals feel they want to make a difference but don’t know how to get started.  The first step is to commit to your philanthropic vision and values.  Discuss these concepts with your wealth manager.  Their knowledge will help in developing a strategy that aligns these visions and values through a comprehensive plan that maximizes the benefits of your gift to all parties.  Happy Holidays.

By:  Kara McGuire, Star Tribune, November 21, 2010

As seen on CNBC

September 21, 2010

DES MOINES, Iowa - The challenge of saving for a comfortable retirement has a few more degrees of difficulty for parents.

They want to be able to retire when they're young enough to enjoy at least a few work-free years, but also want to help send their kids to college.

Striking the right balance is one of the biggest struggles parents face. And it can be tougher for older parents whose target retirement age may be that much closer to the time when their kids are in college.

Parents typically pay about half of the cost of college for their children. For many it's about ensuring that their family's next generation enjoys the enhanced job prospects that can come to college grads. But the price tag is steep. Annual expenses currently average between $15,000 a year for in-state four-year public universities to $35,000 for private four-year schools. And those costs rise an average of 6 percent a year.

The vast majority of parents start saving for college expenses early. Some 80 percent started stashing away money before their child turned 7, according to Sallie Mae, the nation's largest student lender.

And there's little doubt that starting early helps tremendously. Parents who saved for seven years or more accumulated two to three times the amount of parents who saved for shorter periods.

Corey and Lindsey Groepper, of Indianapolis, are believers. Parents of 1-year-old twins, every month they deposit money in a 529 college savings plan for each child. They're targeting $5,000 a year to maximize the state tax credit. They also contribute enough to match the employer contributions to Corey's 401(k) plan and put money into an IRA for Lindsey.

Funding both retirement and college meant something had to give. So the couple pared back on their entertainment expenses — less dining out and the sports season tickets had to go.

"We live within a tighter budget in terms of what's in our checking account every month," Lindsey Groepper said.

She's 31 and works for a public relations agency and her husband, Corey, 35, is a sales manager for a logistics company. Both attended state universities on partial athletic scholarships and paid the rest with money from working and family support. They feel fortunate not to have their own college debt to pay and are determined to help pave the way for their children.

Financial advisers recommend that if an employer will match your 401(k) contributions, you should save that much — at a minimum. Parents can then set aside college money through an account such as the increasingly popular 529 savings plan.

The 529 plans operate much like a 401(k) plan. Account contributions are placed in mutual funds or other investments. Parents can also opt for a prepaid tuition plan, that allows them to purchase college tuition for their kids in today's dollars.

While there are any number of college savings strategies, putting retirement first makes sense because the common advice is that there aren't any retirement scholarships. Parents face a finite number of years to build up enough money for retirement, while a student has more options for paying for education including grants, scholarships, loans and part-time job earnings. The parent likely has fewer choices for retirement — working longer being the most likely and perhaps least palatable.

Floyd Saunders, of Andover, Kan., used those strategies and more to help four of his five children get a college education. At 60, he's working on figuring out how to put his fifth — who's just entered high school — through college.

A management consultant who spent most of his career in financial services, Saunders said he knows he's behind on retirement saving.

"Raising that many children on a single income hasn't always allowed me to max out my 401(k) contributions," he said. He's tried to maintain at least a 2 to 3 percent contribution from his paychecks and set aside a few hundred dollars a month for college funds, knowing that wouldn't be enough.

He said parents facing such financial challenges should recognize that they don't have to pay the full cost of a child's college education.

Planning ahead and making some compromises might be necessary. One of his sons, for example, lived at home for the first year to save money. Choosing a public university instead of a private college may also help.

He said he taught all his children to save as youngsters. Part of their allowance went into a savings account, which he matched. When the accounts accumulated a certain amount, the money was invested in a mutual fund.

He's set up a 529 account for his high school-aged son and contributes to it monthly in addition to a savings account his son puts money into.

A good way to begin to assess the necessary balancing act is to get a handle on the cost of college. Several calculators are available online. Don't be scared by the figures. Keep in mind that, on average, grants and scholarships pay about 23 percent of the college costs, and student loans about 14 percent, according to Sallie Mae.

The advantage of an account like a 529 is that the earnings grow tax free. But investing in the stock market is always subject to volatility.

What's more, in the current market where interest rates are anemic, parents need to be sure they're not investing too conservatively at the cost of generating enough growth to meet their goals.

Tom Evans, senior adviser with Minneapolis-based JNBA Financial Advisors, suggests the best way to stay on track is to establish an automatic transfer to a college savings account.

Another helpful strategy is to establish a mindset for grandparents and other family members to put money in the college fund instead of buying gifts for birthdays and Christmas.

This is another strategy used by the Groeppers.

Along with the Indiana 529 account they've set up for the children, Corey Groepper's parents set up another set of 529s in Iowa, where they live.

Saving for college and retirement will continue to challenge families but starting early and developing a plan for setting aside as much as possible will help.

For the Groeppers, it has taken some adjustment.

"For us it was looking at where we were spending and reallocating some of that toward our family," Lindsey Groepper said. "We are sacrificing, but in my mind it's for the future of our kids and for us, so it couldn't be going to a better place."

By:  Andrew Tellijohn

Andrew Tellijohn is a freelance writer.

Congratulations to JNBA on being named a 2010 FIVE STAR Wealth Manager.

Lives Change.  Needs Change.  Markets Change.  Values Endure.

• 96% client rentention rate since 2001
• Celebrating 30 years of working with individuals, families and businesses to achieve their goals
• Recognized as a 2009 Minnesota Family Business Finalist

Areas of Focus:  Comprehensive wealth management through goal-directed asset management and financial planning.

Designations:  CFP(R), ChFC(R), CASL(TM), CRPC(R), MS-PFP, PPC(TM)

The drive to get ahead is part of what makes us human.  Even in the best of times, that drive can cause people to hear only what they want to believe and suspend their better judgment in pursuit of greater returns.  That's why, since our founding 30 years ago, we have based everything we do on a set of fundamental values:  Honesty and transparency of fees.  Independence.  Professional excellence.  True service to others.  Fulfilling our fiduciary duty by acting in our clients' best interests at all times.

Those values have helped us become one of the region's premier wealth management firms.  They are also one reason why Barron's has recognized our CEO, Richard S. Brown as a Top 100 Independent Financial Adviser for two consecutive years.* 

*As rated by The Winner’s Circle in the August 27, 2007 and August 18, 2008 issue of Barron’s. Rankings and/or recognition by publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, nor should it be construed as a current or past endorsement of JNBA by any of its clients. Rankings published by magazines, and others, generally base their selections exclusively on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure statement discussing advisory services and fees is available upon request.

JNBA Wealth Management and the FIVE STAR Program are not affiliated.

By:  Tom Evans

Social Security is a hot topic affecting the retirement plans of many that will continue to garner a lot more attention in the coming years.  As our country's largest group of workers,  "The Baby Boomers", is set to retire between 2012 and 2030, more and more people will begin to pay attention to the complexities surrounding this retirement income source, and rightfully so.  With the quantity of Boomers, the recession, and high unemployment rates, the ratio of workers to beneficiaries is expected to be 2.1:1 by 2030, which means that workers will have to pay more money to cover the extra beneficiaries.  This has many concerned about the future of Social Security funds and wondering how they can best utilize the benefit which is one of the most challenging financial decisions many people face.

When do I claim my Social Security benefit? Do I take a reduced benefit at age 62 or wait to full retirement age? Should I claim a spousal benefit? How does my current income affect my Social Security? How will my payment be taxed?

When Social Security was first enacted, a worker could claim benefits at age 65, and the average life expectancy was 67.  In 2010, the United States Census Bureau calculates the average life expectancy in the United States to be 78 years old. This is great news. Life expectancy is increasing! Unfortunately, since no one wants to outlive their assets, longevity has also created the financial challenge of coordinating Social Security benefits to best fit your financial plan and goals. 

A key initiative for the JNBA Financial Planning Committee is the review and analysis of the Social Security options impacting individuals and families who are approaching retirement. Our challenge is to help them evaluate how their choice of Social Security payments can best meet their needs in retirement. The solution to this challenge is not one-size-fits-all. The solutions are numerous and complex.

One example solution is the spousal benefit. A spousal benefit provides the ability for a spouse to claim a Social Security payment from the higher earner's benefit. Here is how it works; a spouse is entitled to a 50% payout of the higher earner's check if that amount is higher than the benefits of their own work record. It is in the best interest of the spouse to claim the higher benefit. A second strategy is the "claim and suspend".  A "claim and suspend" strategy is utilized when a lower earner is looking to receive a benefit on a higher earners work history. The higher earner, who has reached full retirement age, claims their benefit and then requests a suspension. The lower earner claims a spousal benefit, and the higher earner continues to work and accumulate delayed retirement credits until age 70. The current benefit increase for a delayed retirement credit can be as high as 8% annually. In this strategy the spouse is able to initiate a Social Security claim at a higher payout even though the spouse continues to work.

These are just two strategies an advisor may consider in helping to maximize your Social Security benefit. At JNBA, our goal is to be an advocate and provide a Social Security solution customized to our clients' needs. As you approach retirement, I encourage you to contact your advisor to assist you in this challenge, or contact JNBA Financial Advisors to see if we are a good fit for you.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE                              

JNBA Financial Advisors Named Finalist in
2010 Minnesota Business Ethics Award™

MINNEAPOLIS (May 17, 2010) — JNBA Financial Advisors has been named a finalist for the 2010 Minnesota Business Ethics Award (MBEA), recognizing Minnesota businesses that have exemplified and promoted ethical conduct for the benefit of the workplace, the marketplace, the environment and the community.

JNBA was selected as one of three finalists from a prestigious group of Minnesota companies in the small business category, including Certes Financial Pros and LABRADOR. Mid-size company category finalists include Bell Mortgage, Great Clips and Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapels, and large company category finalists include Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Imation Corp and U.S. Bancorp. JNBA will be honored and recipients will be announced during an awards luncheon on Wednesday, May 19.

Finalists were chosen based on judging criteria demonstrating the company’s ethics and compliance programs at work, including how they’ve exceeded industry norms, raised industry standards, or developed a unique way of serving one or more stakeholder groups. JNBA submitted a 54-page document detailing its ethics and compliance program, and specific examples of the Bloomington-based firm’s ongoing commitment to serving all stakeholders with the highest level of ethics.

“We’re honored to be recognized for our adherence to the highest ethical standards with our clients, employees, partners, competitors and the community for more than 30 years,” says Richard Brown, CEO of JNBA Financial Advisors. “It reinforces our belief that the values JNBA was built on continue to resonate – trust, integrity, transparency and acting in our clients’ best interests at all times as a Registered Independent Advisor. Our commitment to these values is one of the key contributors to JNBA’s significant growth and outstanding client satisfaction.”

In 2009, during one of the most turbulent and difficult economic periods in U.S. history, JNBA increased new client assets 99.6 percent compared to 2007, a year when the stock market hit a record high. The firm also boasts a client retention rate of 96 percent. JNBA believes its growth during the recession reflects its independent status as a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firm, dedication to outstanding client service, and unique team approach during a new era where investors are demanding transparency and independence in their wealth management firm.

Judith Brown founded JNBA in 1979, and was a pioneer in offering fee-based, client-focused financial advice. Today, her son Richard and daughter-in-law Kim continue Judith’s vision, concentrating on building the company’s client-focused reputation and maintaining the independent, community-focused outlook that JNBA was founded upon. Since Richard joined JNBA in 1997, the company has tripled in assets under management. Brown has twice been named one of the nation’s top 100 independent wealth advisers by Barron’s*, and was also named one of the nation’s top 1,000 advisors in the country by Barron’s.* 

The MBEA was established in 1999 by the Center for Ethical Business Cultures at the University of St. Thomas and the Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals. Over the past ten years, 29 Minnesota-based businesses, ranging in size from less than 10 employees to more than 150,000, including Park Nicollet Health Services, St. Jude Medical, The Toro Company, Pentair, Best Buy, Carlson Companies, HealthPartners, Medtronic and Lockheed Martin, have been recognized and honored for the excellence of their ethical performance.

ABOUT JNBA
Bloomington-based JNBA Financial Advisors, Inc., is an independent fee-based wealth management firm specializing in goal-directed asset management and financial planning. Their advisory teams provide advice on future financial direction as well as current financial issues. For more information, visit www.jnba.com.
 
*As rated in Barron’s Top 1,000 Advisors appearing in the February 22, 2010 issue. As rated by The Winner’s Circle and Barron’s Top 100 Independent Wealth Advisors in the August 27, 2007, and August 18, 2008, issues. Rankings and/or recognition by publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, nor should it be construed as a current or past endorsement of JNBA by any of its clients. Rankings published by magazines, and others, generally base their selections exclusively on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure statement discussing advisory services and fees is available upon request. Barron’s is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Twin Cities Business, April 2010

Richard and Kim Brown

CEO and President, JNBA Financial Advisors

Started in 1979 by Judith Brown, Bloomington-based JNBA Financial Advisors was a pioneer in offering independent, client-focused financial advice. Judith’s son, Richard, joined JNBA in 1997, and daughter-in-law Kim joined in 2002.

Under the Browns' leadership, the company has boasted consistently high client retention rates, including 97 percent in 2009 despite the turbulent economy, and the firm’s assets under management have tripled within the past decade. JNBA has twice made Barron’s magazine’s list of the nation’s top-100 independent wealth advisers, and Richard made Barron’s 2010 list of the country’s top-1,000 financial advisors.

Richard, who serves on several local boards, was recently appointed a senior fellow in the Labovitz School of Business and Economics at the University of Minnesota—Duluth, where he's bringing practical experience to the university's student mentorship program and assisting in the development of a financial planning curriculum. Meanwhile, Kim was named by Finance & Commerce magazine as one of its 2009 top women in finance.

Kim Brown, Ninth Annual Top Women in Finance.  November, 2009