At its annual general meeting in Vancouver, the Canadian Institute of Financial Planners (CIFPs) elected Marion Weisgerber as chairwoman and director. Fourteen other directors were also elected yesterday.

Weisgerber is the head of wealth management at the Watson Credit Union in Watson, Sask. For the past year, she has been vice chairman of the organization, which represents certified financial planners.

CIFPs president Keith Costello reported to the membership that the industry association is on firm financial footing. “There are resources to pay operating activities, program development and debt reduction,” he told the 450 planners who are attending the four-day annual conference.

Costello also reported that the Financial Planning Practitioner’s Guide had been updated. The guide co-ordinates with the practice standards set by the Financial Planners Standards Council and addresses how to apply those standards in practice.

The CIFPs also announced the opening of the first six local chapters across Canada. CIFPs has 2,500 members and its goal is to reach 5,000 members over the next two to three years, says Costello. To reach that number, CIPFs is developing chapters, which will develop local programs and services.

The first six chapters are: Vancouver with Monika Kriedemann as president; Edmonton with Janet Kesslar as president; Calgary with Gail Haines as president; Regina (Marvin Schroeder); Kitchener/Waterloo, Ont. (Joe Shumka); and Toronto/ Mississauga (Nagib Kerba).

Of the other directors, Konstantinos (K.C.) Tsirigotis of Vancouver-based Wolverton Securities is first vice chairman and Miklos Nagy of Toronto is second vice chairman. Also representing Ontario are John Charrette, past chairman; Saleem Hajee; Jason Laidler, Tony Mahabir and Ian Skaith. From Prince Edward Island is Lloyd Snyder; from Alberta, Donna Worthington and Edward Sinnott; and from Nova Scotia, James Boylan. Costello and John Murray of the Investment Funds Institute of Canada are also directors, as is student Lennie Natividad-Vandamme from Quebec.