Chicago-Based Financial Advisor Frank Patzke Earns Retirement Management Analyst(sm) Designation
Frank Patzke, founder and president of Chicago-based Guidant Wealth Advisors, has just received word that he is one of the first graduates in the nation to earn the Retirement Management Analyst(sm) or RMA(sm) designation.

CHICAGO, IL, June 04, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Frank Patzke, founder and president of Chicago-based Guidant Wealth Advisors, has just received word that he is one of the first graduates in the nation to earn the Retirement Management Analyst(sm) or RMA(sm) designation. To earn an RMA designation - which is offered by the Retirement Income Industry Association (RIIA) - financial professionals must complete the RIIA's focused educational and ethics training curriculum and pass a rigorous examination on retirement income planning and management. The RMA program consists of intensive self-study pre-work, two days of in-class training and a three-hour exam. In addition, ongoing education is required to maintain the certification.

"When the bottom dropped out of the economy and our financial markets in 2008, it became clear that traditional retirement planning didn't work for millions of Americans whose retirement security is at risk," explains Francois Gadenne, Chairman and Executive Director of RIIA. "The leadership of RIIA decided to address this need for a more comprehensive approach to retirement income management and developed the education and training framework to help advisors better help their clients. That is how the RMA certification came into being."

"Our primary focus at Guidant Wealth Advisors is to ensure that our clients are confident about their retirement security -- that they trust we have guided them well. With today's market volatility and global economic situation in flux, I wanted the most relevant training available to help me respond and better serve our clients," says Patzke who devoted over forty hours to focused study over a three-month period to earning the designation. "I chose to invest myself in the RMA certification because it was the first program I discovered that was academically driven as opposed to product driven."

"Those advisors and financial professionals who receive the RMA certification are showing that they not only have mastered a challenging curriculum, but that they are dedicated to helping their clients and leading the effort toward creating retirement security for all Americans," notes Gadenne.

In addition to continually furthering his own training and education, Patzke also shares his knowledge with clients and interested others through periodic workshops on financial and retirement topics. He will be presenting a web-based (webinar) workshop, "The Rise of the Roth IRA: Is 2010 the year to act?" on Wednesday June 23rd at 3:00 CST. The webinar is free and open to the public. Journalists are also welcome to attend. RSVP and receive login information by contacting Danielle Ackerman at (847) 330-9911 or Danielle.Ackerman@guidantwealth.com.

*Top Wealth Manager ranking based on average assets under management per client
**Leading RIA Firm ranking based on year-end 2008 assets under management
Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.
**** Listen to the Frank Patzke's interview about his Retirement Management Analyst(sm) podcast by visiting http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WWKzHvPT ****

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