Shining Shoes Wins Student $1,000 and Professional Financial Advice

January 17, 2002, St. John's NF - Shining shoes and managing finances have little in common according to Shinerama volunteer Colleen Mifflin. She excelled at the former on campus this fall, but admits that until last Friday when she met with Investors Group's Perry Russell, CFP®, she knew nothing of the latter. Mifflin met with Russell in St. John's after receiving her $1,000 draw prize from Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC).

"Now I'll know what to do and who to go to for advice about my financial affairs when I graduate," says Mifflin. The native Newfoundlander is in her third year at Memorial University and her first year of professional studies in nursing.

"Our session was mostly about educating Colleen about the financial planning process," says Russell, a 24-year veteran in financial planning and Senior Accountant at Investors Group's St. John's office. "She now knows to go to a professional financial planner for advice as soon as she graduates, to set her on the right track. It's the best thing she can do to secure her future."

Russell also hopes that the conversation they had about her desire to buy a car will be of immediate benefit. "I talked to her about all the other costs involved in owning and operating a vehicle that she must consider."

"I honestly knew nothing about financial planning before, but I know just how to begin now," says Mifflin who, much to Russell's delight, has decided to use her $1,000 prize to pay her tuition.

FPSC President Don Johnston says, "Our support of Shinerama is part of our "Take the Next Step" campaign to educate Canadians about the importance of financial planning and of seeking professional advice from qualified planners who have earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. Shinerama helps us reach them early enough to really make a difference in their lives."

FPSC was the official 2001 supplier of the Shine Kits used by more than 25, 000 students in 58 colleges and universities during Canada's largest post-secondary fundraiser supporting the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This year Shinerama raised $670,000.

Financial Planners Standards Council is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to benefiting and protecting the Canadian consumer by establishing and enforcing education, examination, experience and ethics requirements for financial planners who choose to earn the CFP designation. FPSC is the Canadian licensor of the internationally recognized CFP certification marks used by 62,000 planners in 15 countries around the world. There are more than 13,000 planners licensed to use these marks in Canada.

Don Johnston, Perry Russell and Colleen Mifflin are available for interviews.

For more information about FPSC or to arrange an interview, contact:
Ann Bowman, Director of Communications
416.593.8587 ext. 225 or 1.800.305.9886
abowman@cfp-ca.org

For more information about Shinerama and the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF), contact:
Leslie Jacobs, Development Officer, Annual Giving & Donor Relations
416.378.2233 ext. 241
ljacobs@cysticfibrosis.ca

For more information about Investors Group in St. John's, contact:
Dan Charlong, CFP, Regional Director
709.753.4300