CFP® Certification Program Instructors and Faculty
The people who construct and deliver an education program determine its value. Kaplan has assembled the most effective, well-respected, and experienced team of professional writers and instructors to create and deliver your CFP® exam education and review material.
John has worked in the financial services industry for 20 years and holds the FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 licenses, as well as an insurance license. He has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ since 2006.
He owns a wealth management and tax planning firm in Fort Worth, Texas. He has formerly served as Education Director of the DFW Financial Planning Association and has been a Guest Finance Lecturer onboard both Celebrity and Norwegian cruise lines. He is the current Chair of the Girl Scouts of North Texas Investment Committee and serves as a Subject Matter Expert for CFP Board, including being a volunteer on the CFP Board DEC panel. John holds the IRS Enrolled Agent designation and is also a Registered Tax Return Preparer.
John graduated summa cum laude with a BBA in Finance from Texas State University, and currently teaches all of the CFP® certification education courses including the CFP® exam Live Review prep course. He resides with his wife and two daughters in the Dallas area.
Rey has been the President of Cornerstone Financial Planning since 2002, concentrating on comprehensive financial consulting for individuals and small- to medium-sized businesses. He has over 27 years of experience in the financial services industry.
Rey also has over 25 years of teaching experience, which includes Financial Planning Education and Exam Prep Review courses. He also holds an MBA from the University of Central Florida, Orlando and a BS from the University of Florida, Gainesville.
Sharon has worked in the financial services industry for 20 years and has held the FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 licenses as well as an insurance license. She has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ since 2000. Sharon currently teaches all of the CFP® certification education courses and the Financial Planning Review course.
She has a BS in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Albany and a Masters in Personal Financial Planning from the College for Financial Planning, Denver, CO.
She has served as a board member of the Financial Planning Association's Philadelphia Tri-State chapter.
She resides in the Tampa, FL area.
Ed has been an instructor for CFP® education and CFP® Exam Prep Review courses since 2004. He began his career in financial services in 1994 as a property-casualty insurance actuary and opened his multi-line insurance and financial services agency in 1999 (State Farm- Ed Clark Insurance Agency, Inc.), which he continues to manage.
Ed earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Brigham Young University and an M.S. in Personal Financial Planning from the College for Financial Planning. He is Series 6 and Series 63 licensed.
John is a previous Relationship Manager within Scudder Investment's retirement division and has also worked as a Portfolio Accountant with Putnam Investments. He received his BS in Business Administration with a major in Finance from Merrimack College in Massachusetts and received his MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. John received Certificate in Financial Planning from Merrimack College in 2001 and obtained Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) from The American College in Bryn Mawr, PA in 2002.
John is an adjunct faculty member at Boston University and teaches Retirement Planning, Income Tax Planning and Estate Planning in BU's CFP Board-approved Program. He is also a former adjunct faculty member in Merrimack College's CFP Board-approved Program. John also manages a team of relationship managers that are responsible for the overall client servicing of Principal's retirement business in New England.
Christopher Tuttle has worked in the financial services industry for 43 years—22 years as a tax based corporate finance banker in London, Houston, and New York—and the past 21 years as an independent wealth management consultant to HNW individual and small business clients in the US and Europe.
Chris has an undergraduate degree from Colgate University and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from New York University. He has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ since 1999, and also holds the CLU®, ChFC®, and AEP designations from The American College. Chris is an Enrolled Agent with the IRS, and is an NTPI Fellow with The National Association of Enrolled Agents.
Chris is an active member of the Estate Planning Council of New York City; the Financial Planning Association (FPA), and the Society for Financial Services Professionals (SFSP).
Chris owns a corporate Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) with his CFA® partner—Tuttle Financial Services, Ltd.—and is affiliated with an independent Broker Dealer, where he holds the FINRA Series 7, 63, 65, and 24 licenses.
Chris has experience in financial services since 1993. Chris prepares comprehensive financial plans for clients and their families, including tax, retirement, investments, asset allocation, insurance needs analysis, business succession issues, special capital needs, and estate planning.
Chris is experienced in administering trusts, agency and custodial accounts, IRAs, and private foundations. Previously served at Fidelity Investments, designing and implementing retirement plans for small businesses and their owners, he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Cincinnati chapter of the Financial Planning Association; curriculum instructor since 1998.
Chris holds his MBA with a concentration in Taxation from Xavier University and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Cincinnati.
Geoffrey White has been in the investment and financial planning business for 19 years.
He has a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from Arizona State University and a Master’s Degree in Financial Services from the Institute of Business and Finance.
Geoff has become experienced in solving complex financial issues for families and businesses. With tenure in multiple specialized areas, he has been able to put his experience to work for families, no matter how simple or complex.
Mr. White has been teaching the CFP® exam curriculum for over ten years to students working toward the designation. He and his wife Andrea live in Gilbert, Arizona, with their five children.
Bill has a private practice in Florida focusing on asset management and estate planning considerations for his clientele. Mr. Yurkovac holds a Master's Degree in Education, has more than 25 years experience in the financial services arena, and enjoys serving as an instructor for candidates preparing for the CFP® Certification Examination.
His current community involvement includes assisting and counseling several non-profit organizations and a chair on the local Estate Planning Council's Board of Directors.
Gary O. Clement is President of Clement Asset Management, LLC, a financial planning and investment management firm, and a lead instructor in Kaplan's Certified Financial Planning Program. Gary considers himself both a lifelong student and teacher of personal finance. He enjoys educating groups, large and small, about money, personal finance, and the myriad financial products, vehicles, and strategies available to them.
Over the past 20 years, Gary has worked in various capacities in the financial services industry. Today, Gary leads an independent registered investment advisory firm that focuses on comprehensive financial planning and investment management. He's held FINRA Series 7, 63, 65, 3, 31, and 24 licenses and has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional since 2006. He also holds the Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist℠, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠, Accredited Financial Counselor®, and Master Planner Advanced Studies℠ designations. As an instructor, Gary teaches General Principles of Financial Planning, Investment Management, Retirement Planning and Estate Planning courses for the Certified Financial Planning programs at Oglethorpe University, the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, and, presently, for Kaplan. Gary is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, a graduate of the Oglethorpe University Financial Planner Program, holds a M.S.F.S. degree from the College for Financial Planning, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Financial Planning at the University of Georgia.
Nancy has worked in the tax and financial services industry for 27 years. She is currently a Tax Specialist, at JRA Financial in Maple Grove, MN. specializing in retirement, investment and education tax planning.
Nancy teaches Principles of Financial Planning, Insurance and Employee Benefits, Tax Planning and Estate education courses and the Financial Planning Case Study course.
She has a BS in Psychology from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio and a Masters in Business Administration from University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis, MN. She is an active volunteer for Best Prep, providing financial eduction to high school students. She has served as a board member of the Minnesota Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy.
She resides in the Minneapolis, MN area.
Lori has been in the financial services industry since 1996 and joined Merrill Lynch as a financial advisor in 2005. Lori is currently a Wealth Management Advisor and also has a passion for leading others as the Resident Director for the Private Banking and Investment Group office for Merrill Lynch in Pittsburgh, PA. In addition to managing her own clients, she has served in several leadership roles at Merrill Lynch spanning 10 years such as Practice Management Development coordinator, Sales Manager, and Resident Director.
The basis of Lori’s financial background began with her Degree in Financial Management, including a minor in Mathematics from Grove City College. She then successfully obtained the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation.Throughout twenty two years of experience in the Financial Services Industry, she has acquired NASD licenses Series 63, 65, 31, 7, 9, 10, 3 and Pennsylvania State Life, Accident, and Health Insurance, CRPC® (Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor) and CDFA™ (Certified Divorce Financial Analyst). In addition to educating individuals, families and business owners regarding personal financial planning and the wealth management process, Lori is an educator for Duquesne University. She enjoys teaching Duquesne University’s Executive Certificate in Financial Planning course that prepares professionals to obtain their CFP® marks.
Scott has worked in the financial services industry since 1985 and has held the FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 licenses as well as an insurance license. He has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ since 1991. He is also a Certified Funds Specialist since 1992.
Scott currently teaches all of the CFP® certification education courses and the Financial Planning Review course.
He has a BS in Business Management from Brigham Young University and a Masters in Personal Financial Planning from the College for Financial Planning, Denver, CO. He has served as president and chairman of the board of the Financial Planning Association's Utah Chapter (formerly International Association of Financial Planning). He has been a speaker at the Salt Lake Estate Planning Council Annual Symposium and a speaker on charitable gift strategies at the Kaiser Institute. He has authored six articles that appeared in Utah CEO magazine.
He resides in the Salt Lake City area.
He later became president of two broker affiliated trust companies and built a fiduciary business for over 15 years. In 2013, Dave left the corporate world to pursue a lifelong ambition to teach on at the post-secondary education. He was an adjunct professor of business law and is currently a member of the adjunct faculty for the College For Financial Planning.
Career Corner
Access news and career information for financial planners.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP®(with plaque design) in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP (with plaque logo) certification marks. CFP® certification is granted only by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. to those persons who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-Registered Program, have met its ethics, experience, and examination requirements. The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company is an education and exam prep review provider for the CFP® Certification Examination administered by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. CFP Board does not endorse any education or review course or receive financial remuneration from education or review course providers.