Meeting/Event Information

• Lunch is provided
• 4 Dynamic Sessions
• 4 CFP^® CE credits (pending approval)
• Happy Hour included

Conference Agenda:

9:45 – 10:15 AM | Registration & Sign-in
10:15 – 10:25 AM | Welcome & Opening Remarks
10:25 – 11:15 AM | Session #1: “Advisor Marketing in an AI Economy” with presenter Ray Hennessey, CEO and Executive Partner at Vocatus 
11:15 – 11:30 AM | Connection & Conversation Break
11:30– 12:20 PM | Session #2: “Maximizing Enterprise Value in Your Independent Practice” with presenters Kimberly Papedis, CFP®, Managing Partner & Michael Papedis, CEO & Co-Founder at Fusion Financial Partners  
12:20 – 12:50 PM | Lunch Sponsored by Zacks Investment Management
12:50 – 1:40 PM | Session #3: "AI, Trust, and the Future of Work in Wealth Management” with Sam Jurrens, CFA, CFP®, CEO & Co-Founder at Helmsted
1:40 – 2:00 PM | Coffee & Connection Break
2:00 – 2:50 PM | Session #4: “Transition Literacy: Essential Skill for Uncertain Times” with Susan Bradley, CFP®, CeFT, Founder of Sudden Money Institute & Certified Financial Transitionist®
2:50 – 3:00 PM | Closing Remarks & Thanks
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Cocktail Happy Hour

Meet the Speakers:

Advisor Marketing in an AI Economy
1 CFP^® CE 

Ray Hennessey, CEO and Executive Partner at Vocatus

AI has become one of the biggest referral sources for financial advisors. The firms that create the strongest client experiences will increasingly be the firms recommended by AI. Brand, content, and digital presence have become growth assets, rather than just marketing accessories.

Ray Hennessey is Chief Executive Officer of Vocatus. An expert in financial services and reputation management, he has counseled and advised Fortune 500 and Inc. 5000 CEOs and CMOs in messaging, marketing, and executive visibility.

Ray spent 25 years in news media. He was the founding director of business news for Fox News, where he helped lead the launch of the Fox Business Network. He was an on‑air contributor to CNBC, CBS News, and Fox News. In addition, he was editorial director of Entrepreneur and SmartMoney magazines.

Maximizing Enterprise Value in Your Independent Practice
1 CFP^® CE

 Kimberly Papedis, CFP®, Managing Partner

 Michael Papedis, CEO & Co-Founder at Fusion Financial Partners

Building a valuable advisory practice takes more than strong revenue; it requires a business that can thrive beyond its founder. This session will explore how to reduce key-person dependency, strengthen governance and operating systems, and develop leadership and succession strategies that improve transferability, continuity, and long-term enterprise value.  Learn how founder dependency can suppress the value and transferability of an independent practice. Dive into which governance and operating structures help transform a solo practice into an enduring enterprise.

Kimberly leads Fusion Financial Partners' institutional consulting engagements and international expansion. A co-founder of the firm, she works with financial institutions that retain Fusion to build independent advisory businesses, develop operating models, and execute strategic initiatives.

She leads these projects from strategy through execution. Her institutional work includes Fusion's consulting engagement with Thrivent to develop Thrivent Advisor Network. That experience extends beyond helping an individual advisory team establish independence to building the infrastructure and capabilities an institution needs to operate in the independent wealth management market.

Mike Papedis is the CEO and Co-Founder of Fusion Financial Partners. Since launching Fusion in 2017, Mike has helped breakaway advisors, family offices, broker-dealers, national enterprises, insurance organizations, and trust companies with a combined AUM of over $75 billion move to independence.

AI, Trust, and the Future of Work in Wealth Management
1 CFP^® CE 

Sam Jurrens, CFA, CFP®, CEO & Co-Founder at Helmsted

This session gives advisors and RIA staff a practical framework for evaluating today’s AI tools and applying them in professional-services practices. Topics include AI systems and client data, Reg S-P and vendor oversight, AI capabilities and limitations, purpose-built vs. general AI, and how to balance advisor judgment with AI execution. No prior AI experience is required.

Co-founder and CEO of Helmsted, an AI-native platform empowering independent RIAs to deliver financial planning the way it was always meant to be. Also founder and CEO of Even Herd, an ETF manager using a proprietary relative-momentum investment strategy designed for changing economic environments.

Transition Literacy: Essential Skill for Uncertain Times
1 CFP^® CE

Susan Bradley, CFP®, CeFT, Founder of Sudden Money Institute & Certified Financial Transitionist®

Life transitions are at the heart of financial planning. Yet they require skills that go beyond traditional financial literacy and CFP® protocols. This session introduces “transition literacy,” a set of practical tools and client scenarios that help advisors navigate the human side of life-changing events.

Susan Bradley, CFP®, CEFT®, is the founder of the Sudden Money® Institute (SMI), a think tank that created the Certified Financial Transitionist® designation and the Financial Transitionist® Institute, which now delivers advanced CEFT® training.

Interested in speaking or being highlighted as a sponsor for this event? Email [email protected] for more information.