October 9, 2013
Topic:
Fiduciary: Amateur vs. Professional
Taking action now to prepare your clients, family and neighbors for a Catastrophic event
Speaker:
Marguerite Lorenz, CTFA, CLPF
Marguerite Lorenz is a member of PFAC, North County Estate Planning Council, San Diego County Bar Association and President of the Estate Planning Group Network. She was appointed by Governor Brown to the Professional Fiduciaries Advisory Committee in 2012 and is currently serving as Chairman.
Marguerite is also the co-author of Ethics for Trustees: A Guide for All Who Serve as Trustee. Marguerite has also been published in Lawyer Magazine (International), and the North County Lawyer Magazine.
As a public speaker, Marguerite is the host of “Estate Planning 101”: a Free Estate Planning Education Workshop Series that provides 12 hours of charity sponsored education to seniors in San Diego and Riverside Counties. Marguerite has spoken to many organizations in Southern California, and can be heard on past shows of ESPN’s AM 1700 with Mr. Credit (www.MrCreditRadio.com).
September 11 , 2013
Topic:
Prepare San Gabriel Valley
Taking action now to prepare your clients, family and neighbors for a Catastrophic event
Disaster can strike suddenly, anywhere and anytime. Yet, only 14% of Californians have made any plans for what to do before, during and after a catastrophic event. And one in every five people have taken absolutely NO action toward disaster preparedness! In view of these startling facts, preparedness is critical in preventing and alleviating the impact of disasters as county services may not reach all persons in the event of a disaster affecting a mass number of individuals.
Speaker:
Ben Green
CEO
American Red Cross San Gabriel Pomona Valley
Bio:
Ben Green joined the San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter as CEO in January, 2007. He brings with him 18 years experience in non-profit management and 12 years in Local Government.
Green is an active member of the Pasadena Rotary and is the Chair elect of the Pasadena Chamber.
Green’s relationship with the Red Cross began early in his life. At the age of 15, he volunteered for the organization’s Water Safety programs. He has been a Red Cross volunteer over the years until he became the CEO in 2007.
Green obtained his bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri.
June 12, 2013
Topic:
Planning for Education Savings
Ralph Clement, Team Manager at TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc.
Ralph Clement will discuss the various education savings options available today for parents and grandparents concerned with addressing the rising cost of education for their children and grandchildren. He will focus in detail on ScholarShare, California’s 529 College Savings Plan. This topic should be of interest to anyone with clients thinking of helping their grandchildren or children save for college or for your own family.
Ralph Clement is the TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. (TFI) Team Manager in charge of ScholarShare, California’s 529 College Savings Plan. He considers it a privilege to manage a very diverse and unique team of six field consultants covering the state of California. Ralph has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and has worked in the Pension, Institutional Relationships and TFI divisions of TIAA-CREF since joining the company in 1998.
Ralph graduated with a BA in Political Science with minors in History and German from Utah State University. He is an avid recreational skier and has spent thousands of hours on the slopes of Utah and his previous home state of Colorado. After thirty years in Colorado, he is looking forward to the new journey of making California his permanent home and helping get the state’s 529 ScholarShare message to its residents.
May 8, 2013
Topic:
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Speakers:
Carol Peters, Daniel Stubbs | Jeffrey P. Palmer | Mary Winners
Carol A. Peters, ESQ., is an elderlaw attorney and a representative of senior and disabled persons to advocate on their behalf. She also teaches classes to Professional Fiduciaries online at Cal State Fullerton in their UEE Fiduciary Management Program. She has been honored for the last three years in Pasadena Magazine as a Top Attorney in Elder Law/Abuse and Top Attorney in Trusts & Estates.
Daniel G. Stubbs, a long-time member and Past President of FRT, has been providing fiduciary services for over 24 years. He is also an instructor in the Cal State Fullerton Fiduciary Certification Program in the areas of management of assets, fiduciary standards and practices and problems and resources for professional fiduciaries. Mr. Stubbs is a lecturer and writer in the field, and expert witness and arbitrator of fiduciary disputes.In addition, Mr. Stubbs serves on the Advisory Committees for CSUF and Professional Fiduciaries Bureau.
Jeffrey P. Palmer, current President of FRT, began his law practice in 1973 and later used his management and legal experience to run his family’s aerospace manufacturing business for fourteen years. In 1994, he became a professional mediator. Mr. Palmer, who devotes most of his alternative dispute resolution practice to mediation, is currently a panelist at ADR Services, Action Dispute Resolution Services and Judicate West, but receives most of his cases directly. Palmer believes his best attribute in mediation is his bottom-line experience in the business world.
Mary Winners, BSBA, MSG, Certified Gerontologist, is the founder of About Senior Solutions, a Geriatric Evaluation and referral organization. The company offers support to aging seniors and their loved ones to find the right direction for care and support tools.
Mary is a very strong advocate for seniors in the community and is a active in several community programs, including acting as the Co-Chair for the Area Agency on Aging’s Focal Point Consortium in Pasadena.
April 10, 2013
Topic:
Elder Law Solutions
Speaker:
Terry Magady, ESQ
Terry Magady, ESQ., one of the most accomplished Elder Law Attorneys in the country, will make a presentation on Elder Law planning. Mr. Magady is a Certified Elder Law Specialist, National Elder Law Foundation. He also has many professional affiliations including: member of the Council of Advanced ractitioners, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys; member of Los Angeles County Personal Assistance Services Council; Chairman of the Elder Law Committee, Beverly Hills Bar Association Trusts & Estates Section; and he has been appointed by the Mayor of Los Angeles to the Los Angeles City Disability Commission.
March 13, 2013
Topic:
The Road to Representing Non-Traditional Couples –
From Coupledom to Registration to Marriage
Speakers:
George N. Seide and Willow A. Mc Jilton
Attorney George N. Seide is known for his expertise in both negotiation and litigation in all aspects of Family Law from litigants with assets totaling millions of dollars, to the best interests of their children, dealing with custody, visitation and complex move-away matters. Mr. Seide prides himself in attempting to settle as many issues as possible in every litigation.
As a former California S&L’s Residential Lending VP, and a licensed California Real Estate Broker, Mr. Seide is experienced with complex income tax returns, profit and loss statements and high value real estate appraisals. Years of experience in real estate, drafting and reviewing Pre and Post Nuptial Agreements, and his sub-specialty in Same Sex Relationships, Mr. Seide is a sought after Family Law speaker. He has been both a moderator and a panelist for the California Bar Annual Conference, Los Angeles County Bar Annual Family Law Symposium, Beverly Hills Bar Association, Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) publications and many privately sponsored programs.
Willow Mc Jilton is an attorney, practising in the field of estate planning in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Willow is certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California as a Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law.
Willow was born and raised in southern California. She graduated from UC Irvine in 1998 and, after working in the non-profit sector for two years, Willow moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA School of Law.
Since graduating from UCLA in 2003, Willow worked exclusively in the fields of estate planning and trust administration with two prestigious estate planning firms in Los Angeles. Willow began her own estate planning firm in 2010.
Willow has been an instructor with UCLA Extension since 2007, and served as Chair of the Trusts & Estates Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association from 2009 to 2010. Willow is a member of the California State Bar, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Beverly Hills Bar Association, and the Estate Counselors Forum.
Willow was featured as a “Rising Star” in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 by Southern California’s Super Lawyers magazine.
When not practicing law, Willow enjoys international travel, reading and composting.
February 13, 2013
Scared Money Can’t Win: Economic Backdrop and Investment Strategy
Speaker:
Kevin J. Cavanaugh
Kevin (born 1961), graduated from Loyola Marymount University (LMU) in 1984 with a Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA) and is
completing his Masters (MA) in Philosophy at LMU. Kevin began his career in the investment management business in 1984 as a trader and securities analyst at CMB Investment Counselors in Century City. He joined Cramblit & Carney, located in Los Angeles, in 1991 and served as an analyst, portfolio manager and principal. In 1998 he helped found Palladian Capital Management in Los Angeles and served as Chief Investment Officer and principal. In 2010 he started Boothill Investments in County Kerry, Ireland. Kevin joined Clifford Swan Investment Counsel in 2011 and serves as an investment counselor and portfolio manager.
January 9, 2013
Tax Planning in 2013 and Beyond
Speaker:
Boyd Hudson
Adams, Hawekotte & Hudson
Professional:Attorney specializing in Federal and California tax planning, estate and financial planning, corporate and business planning, and representation of taxpayers in tax disputes before taxing authorities; Certified Specialist in taxation Law-State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, 2003; Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Education: Claremont McKenna College; University of California Los Angeles School of Law; University of California Los Angeles Graduate School of Management.
Professional Associations & Memberships: State Bar of California (Sections: Taxation; Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law); Pasadena Bar Association; CPA Discussion Group; American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; California Society of Certified Public Accountants; Board of Trustees, Claremont McKenna College (1989-1992); President, Claremont McKenna College Alumni Association (1987-1988); Treasurer, St. James Episcopal Church, South Pasadena (1985-1990); Rotary Club of Altadena.
December 11, 2012
The Ins and Outs of the Affordable Health Care Act
Speaker:
Chuck Kiskaden, C.H.C.
President/CEO Health Benefits Advisors, Inc.
www.healthbenefitsadvisors.com
Chuck has an extensive background with executive roles in HealthCare marketing, sales and operations and has worked for Insurance Carriers, National and Regional HMOs, a National Mental Health PPO, National Workers Compensation network, a Third Party Administrator and The Pacific Business Group on Health employer purchasing coalition.
Chuck has talked on Health Care Reform to numerous CEO groups, Financial Planners and other professional organizations. He has been a speaker at National and State conferences on the status of the Health Care Industry.
Chuck is a graduate from Indiana University with a BS in Business Marketing and Sales, also attended the Stanford MBA Executive Program and the Harvard Program on Negotiations.
November 14, 2012
Topic:
Jewellery appraising for all types of Estate Applications:
Lessons learned and pitfalls to avoid when dealing with clients’ jewellery collections
You can save your clients & heirs unnecessary disputes and financial loss by helping them to make wise decisions on how to properly handle their jewellery, divide family heirlooms and comply with IRS requirements for qualified appraisers and jewellery appraisal standards.
Speaker:
Gina D’Onofrio, FGAA, ASA
Master Gemologist Appraiser
Gina D’Onofrio is a gemologist, fine jewellery and watch appraiser with over 20 years experience dealing in the retail, design manufacturing and appraisal areas of the jewellery industry. Ms. D’Onofrio maintains a portable laboratory and serves a client base that includes attorneys, CPA’s, Banks, Auctioneers and Jewellers from Pasadena to Malibu. She is an accomplished speaker and passionate about all jewellery
related subjects.
Despite being a veritable mine-field, appraising jewellery for all types of estate applications can be very rewarding. The sentiment and personal attachment brings out the best and worst in her clients. Ms. D’Onofrio will share lessons learned and common pitfalls to avoid when dealing with a client’s jewellery collection. Step-by-step from estate planning, appraising for estate taxes, charitable contribution and probate through to equitable distribution.
October 10, 2012
Topic:
Aging ain’t what it used to be:
Issues of Aging in an every changing environment
Speaker:
Bunni Dybnis – MA, MFT, CMC
Director of Professional Services
Bunni Dybnis is the Director of Professional Services of LivHOME, the nation’s leader in professionally managed care services for seniors. She brings over as 30 years experience as a Licensed Marriage, Family Therapist and Certified Care Manager.
Since 1993 Bunni has focused on issues of aging in both the profit and non-profit environment and is a recognized leader in Geriatric Care Management.. She is a Fellow, past board member, regional president and identified leader in the National Association of Professional Care Managers (NAPGCM). She has been honored both regionally and nationally for her work in Geriatric Care Management. Since 2006 Bunni has taught a course on aging at Philips Graduate Institute. Prior to her work in aging, Bunni had a career in Thanatology serving the terminally ill and bereaved.
Bunni’s knowledge and experience makes her a respected consultant, educator, speaker, writer and expert witness on the challenges faced by families and professionals in understanding issues facing older adults. Bunni has been noted by numerous members of the media, regarding issues aging and long term care including L.A. Times, NY Times and NPR. Most recently CBS Radio and was selected for the Advisory Board of KCET. Her article on Interventions with the Terminally Ill was recently published in the GCM Journal and she was quoted in Smart Money Magazine on “10 Things You Don’t Know about Assisted Livings”. She regularly presents on both a local and national level at conferences, community organizations and other venues. Upcoming events include USC Law School Annual Estate and Probate Symposium & South Bay Estate Planning Council (Beyond Advanced Directives) OPICA (Aging in Place), Western Regional Conference, NAPGCM (Relationship Base Business Development
Bunni is currently Past President of the Board of OPICA Day Care and Counselling Center, Additionally, she on the board of Trinity Hospice and ARMS (Adult Resolution and Mediation Services). She is an active leadership in several other local and national organization
involving older adults. Bunni is proud to be the 2012 honoree for MAPS Charities for seniors in need.
Growing up in Los Angeles, Bunni is a proud alumnus of Carthy Center, Palms Junior High, Hamilton High, UCLA and CSUN.
September 12, 2012
Topic:
Tools of Our Trade:
Moving Our Clients to Implement Our Sage Advice
We craft sophisticated estate plans, astute investment directives, and amazing care plans that serve our clients well — IF they act as we direct. With thirty years’ experience as an author, financial journalist and retirement specialist, Robert Cullen, president of Retirement Planning & Management Group, daily witnesses the benefits enjoyed by compliant clients – and the self-inflicted plagues suffered by stubborn, defiant people who fail to implement our ‘expert’ recommendations.
About Our Speaker:
Robert J Cullen, CFP®, AEP™, is a writer, speaker and consultant. Author of “Saving Mom & Dad…and You” and a frequent speaker before consumer and professional groups, Robert develops graphics-based client presentation tools to educate and motivate his financial
planning clients.
His work, coupled with experience as an overseas reporter and national financial journalist, propelled him to become an authority on long-term care planning for seniors, baby boomers and concerned offspring of aging parents.
In the process, he developed Put it in a Box?, a new paradigm for simplifying eligibility rules for obtaining government assistance for long-term care expenses and became a sought-after consultant on long-term care assistance programs for seniors, financial and legal advisors.
In May 2004, Robert released Saving Mom & Dad…and You, a 126-page book that simplifies long-term care planning for all socio-economic levels. Available for purchase online on Amazon, Saving Mom & Dad…and You is updated annually to keep consumers
and advisors current on long-term care issues.
Robert maintains a busy financial planning and consulting practice in Upland.
June 13, 2012
Topic:
Proposed Legislative Changes to Regulations in Home Care
This month, a panel including a couple FRTSGV members will discuss the proposed legislative changes and the significant impact they will have on all the people who utilize home care for themselves, clients and loved ones. These changes will impact all of us in one way or another, especially home care agencies, investment advisors, fiduciaries and conservators.
Panel Members:
Elizabeth Murphy is an employment law attorney exclusively representing management in employment disputes. She has a particular expertise in the home care industry and is a sought after speaker regarding wage and hour issues.
Trevor O’Neil is President of Colonial Home Care Services located in Orange County. His two decades of home care experience have allowed him to be an effective advocate for the entire industry through his substantial efforts in both NPDA and CAHSAH.
Dorothy Dougherty, President of Comfort Keepers In-Home Care – Burbank, has operated her home care agency for 10 years. She is a member of CAHSAH and her agency is CAHSAH certified. She has been active in legislative issues related to home care for a number of years.
Sam Gopinathan, CEO of ComForcare Senior Services, serves the East San Gabriel Valley. He is a member of CAHSAH and his agency is CAHSAH certified. Sam has also been active in responding to legislative issues facing home care.
May 9, 2012
Topic:
A Year in the Life of an Abuse Prosecutor
We are pleased to announce that on May 9, Robin Allen, Deputy DA, will discuss her experiences as an Elder Abuse prosecutor with us. Elder abuse is an issue that concerns all of us and our clients. We hope to see you all there!
Deputy District Attorney Robin Allen has been a prosecutor since 1991, and assigned to the Elder Abuse Section since May 2005. She carries a full case load of serious crimes effecting the elderly and disabled population including murder, rape, neglect and financial abuse. She is a member of the LAC+USC Elder Abuse Forensic Center, the Fiduciary Abuse Specialist Team, the Elder Death Review Team, the West San Gabriel Valley Elder Abuse Task Force, and the Residential Placement Protocol Group. She teaches classes on elder and dependent adult issues throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties and in Washington, D.C. at the National Center for Victims of Crime: 2009 national conference. She was featured on the cover of Los Angeles Lawyer magazine in February 2009 along with an article she authored on elder abuse. She traveled to Israel with the Jewish Federation’s Los Angeles – Tel Aviv partnership as part of a delegation of elder abuse professions. In 2011, she was featured on the PBS show Frontline and in an accompanying piece on National Public Radio dealing with the subject of gray homicide.
April 11, 2012
Topic:
What is POLST?
Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment
Hear about the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (the “pink” form) the target patient population and why it doesn’t replace an advance directive. Ideally, the POLST conversation involves a rich dialogue incorporating goals of care, wishes during critical illness, and patient and/or family awareness of their medical condition.”
Patty Watson-Wood is the Senior Health and Caregiver Support Coordinator at Huntington Hospital Senior Care Network. She has been a registered nurse at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena since 1977, working in critical care, home health and long-term care insurance quality review. In her current role, she coordinates the 50+ Health Connection Membership Program in addition to educational programs for family caregivers which include the Master Caregiver Series and Taking Care of You: Powerful Tools for Caregivers. She also coordinates the nursing assessments for the Assisted Living Waiver Program.
From her work in critical care, Patty became very interested in the subject of advance directives. Too often she witnessed conflicts in care that might have been avoided with advance care planning. She is a member of Huntington Hospital’s Bioethics Committee and the governing board for the statewide Coalition for Compassionate Care of California. She chairs the local San Gabriel Valley End-of-Life Care Coalition. She provides staff and community education on advance health care directives and the POLST, Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment.
March 14, 2012
TOPIC:
New Tax Laws: Top Tax Planning Strategies for 2012
FRTSGV member Chuck Stanislawski and tax attorney Boyd Hudson will be discussing with us the top tax strategies for 2012.
Charles G. Stanislawski, M.B.T., C.P.A.
Stanislawski & Company, Inc.
Professional: Providing expertise in tax, accounting and consulting for close to 30 years. He specializes in many forms of businesses including real estate, manufacturing, and retail businesses. He also has extensive expertise in estates and trusts, probate accounting,
private foundations and non-profit organizations.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Master’s degree in Business Taxation from the University of Southern California
Professional Associations & Memberships: International Society of Certified Public Accountants; American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; University of Southern California School of Accounting; Pasadena Museum of History – Vice President; Pasadena Chamber Political Action Committee – Treasurer; Pediatric Orthopedic Institute – Chairman; Archdiocese of Los Angeles Estate & Trust Committee; City of Pasadena Commissioner.
BOYD D. HUDSON
Adams, Hawekotte & Hudson
Professional:Attorney specializing in Federal and California tax planning, estate and financial planning, corporate and business planning, and representation of taxpayers in tax disputes before taxing authorities; Certified Specialist in taxation Law-State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, 2003; Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Education: Claremont McKenna College;
University of California Los Angeles School of Law; University of California Los Angeles Graduate School of Management.
Professional Associations & Memberships: State Bar of California (Sections: Taxation; Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law); Pasadena Bar Association; CPA Discussion Group; American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; California Society of Certified Public Accountants; Board of Trustees, Claremont McKenna College (1989-1992); President, Claremont McKenna College Alumni Association (1987-1988); Treasurer, St. James Episcopal Church, South Pasadena (1985-1990); Rotary Club of Altadena.
February 8, 2012
TOPIC:
Hidden Health Hazards in Hoarding Houses
Speaker: Kathie Jo Kadziauskas
Owner and CEO of AAA Crime Scene CleanUp Services
Kathie’s company specializes in both crime-scene and death-scene cleanup, as well as cleanup of houses in probate and conservatorship situations, including hoarding situations. She’s going to give us a brief overview of crime-scene and death-scene cleanup, but will focus most of the talk on dealing with hoarding situations.
A 20-year veteran of her field, Kathie Jo Kadziauskas first discovered her calling after helping a friend clean up a biohazard scene in her own home. She then established AAACSCS, motivated by a desire to assist the distraught family and friends of crime victims after law enforcement releases a trauma scene to them. In charge of managing operations, Ms. Kadziauskas directs trained biohazard removal crews in the expert, effective and safe clean-up of trauma scenes, always placing emphasis on providing compassionate, much-needed service
24 hours a day, seven days a week. Though deeply affected by what they have seen over the course of their work, she and her crews find personal fulfillment in assisting victims’ families and loved ones, thereby putting a stop to the unnecessary suffering of innocent people and helping them put their ordeal behind them.
Ms. Kadziauskas holds a master’s degree in industrial administration from the University of Illinois and certifications in bloodborne pathogen training and HazMat. Eager to share her knowledge, she has trained other crime scene clean-up companies across the United States, as well as in Europe and Australia.
January 11, 2012
TOPIC:
Philanthropy as a Tool for Preserving Wealth (and Retaining Clients) Across Generations
Speaker: Pegine Grayson, JD
The most successful advisors go in deep with their clients by building trust and becoming effective solutions providers in every area of their lives. As advisors, our livelihood over time depends on the preservation of our clients’ wealth, but we know that 70% of wealth transitions to successive generations fail (i.e., the assets are gone by the end of the next generation). It also depends on the quality of our relationships with our clients’ heirs, but 60% of intergenerational wealth transfers result in a change of advisor. This presentation highlights the pivotal role that philanthropy can play in reversing these trends (and enriching our clients’ lives), and offers some practical tips on how to have the philanthropic conversation with clients in a way that inspires them to action and deepens our relationships with them and their children.
Pegine is a Vice President in Whittier Trust Company’s Philanthropic Services office. She previously served as the Executive Director of the Western Center on Law & Poverty, a well-respected, state-wide poverty advocacy organization, and a management and Board consultant to nonprofit organizations throughout California. Pegine has extensive experience with private foundations, grants management, board development, nonprofit governance and administration, nonprofit financial management, organizational development, strategic planning, retreat facilitation and program evaluation.
Pegine received her law degree from USC Law School, and her BA from Middlebury College. She also is trained as a mediator through the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
November 9, 2011
TOPIC:
Interacting with Persons with Dementia and their Families
Developing a comprehensive care plan which includes the following:
- Medical care including care giving.
- Psychological care which includes communications and assessment of testamentary capacity and vulnerability to undue influence.
- Legal and financial planning.
Speaker: Bobbi Carlson, PhD
As a licensed psychologist, Dr. Carlson has been practicing in both outpatient and inpatient settings for over 30 years. Additionally, Dr. Carlson is a Professor Emeritus of Nursing at Cerritos College in Norwalk, CA and has practiced as a Marriage and Family therapist. Dr. Carlson treats individuals, couples and families, specializing in treating adults and adolescents with psychological issues relating to Trauma, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Addictions, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, ADHD, as well as psychological issues related to adult stages in life. Dr. Carlson is also a Consultant to Business and Industry, especially in the areas of communications, assertiveness skills, conflict mediation and executive coaching. Dr. Carlson is an active member of the medical staff at Aurora Las Encinas Hospital in Pasadena, CA. She is the Director of Psychological Services and the past director of the Trauma Recovery Program and Psychology Internship Program at Aurora Las Encinas Hospital.
November 10, 2010
TOPIC:
How to Market to Kathy Kirschling And Her 78 Million Friends
Speaker:
John H. Cochrane III, CEO of SC Presbyterian Homes
Kelly Finney, Dir. of Community Outreach, SCPH
“Kathy” was the first baby boomer born one second after midnight on January 1st, 1946. 78 million baby boomers followed. They are the largest, wealthiest age cohort in America. Every day for the next 10 years, 10,000 Americans turn 60. Are you ready?
John H. Cochrane III is the president and chief executive officer of Southern California Presbyterian Homes, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit organizations dedicated to providing quality housing, health and support services for older adults of all faiths. John is only the sixth individual to hold this position in SCPH’s 55-year history.
John joined SCPH in 2009 after serving as chief operating officer at Lifespace Communities, a nonprofit operator of senior living communities located throughout the Midwest and Florida. He began his career in senior living at Erickson Living back in 1993, where he oversaw development and served as the first executive director of a $150-million retirement community in the Baltimore area.
John’s extensive experience in managing senior living communities is complemented by a background in housing development and as a practicing attorney in the areas of finances and real estate. He and his wife Lisa, a gynecologic oncology nurse at City of Hope, live in Pasadena.
Kelly Finney is Director of Community Outreach for Southern California Presbyterian Homes (SCPH). She has held this position for the past two years. SCPH is one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the United States dedicated to providing quality housing, health and supportive services for older adults of all faiths. Kelly is currently responsible for developing new marketing opportunities, reinforcing the SCPH presence in the community and creating strategies for long-term partnerships within the community.
Kelly began her career with SCPH in 1992 as Director of Human Resources at Regents Point, a Continuing Care Retirement Community. She then went on to manage three affordable housing communities operated by SCPH and overseen by HUD. Then Kelly was brought into the corporate
office at SCPH to supervise SCPH Home Care. This was followed by an opportunity to gain an Administrator’s License through the State of California and Administer a free-standing skilled Nursing facility for SCPH prior to her new position as Director of Community outreach.
October 13, 2010
TOPIC:
Property Values and property Taxes in Los Angeles Couunty:
Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?
Speaker:
John R. Noguez
Los AngelesCounty Deputy Assessor
Mayor of Huntington Park
This month we have the unusual opportunity to hear directly from the leadership of the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office. John R. Noguez, Los Angeles County Deputy Assessor, will speak to us. Deputy Assessor Noguez will talk about trends the Assessor’s Office has seen in property assessments and taxes in recent years, what they see coming in future, and how we as fiduciary professionals can more effectively navigate working with the Assessor’s Office on behalf of our clients, including dealing with assessments, exemptions, etc. He is prepared to take our candid questions, so please come prepared with questions you have always wanted to ask the Assessor but haven’t been able to.
John Noguez was born at Kaiser Hospital in Hollywood, California. He was raised in Los Angeles City’s diverse, multi-cultural suburb of Boyle Heights, where he attended Hollenbeck Junior High and Roosevelt High School.
He attended CalState University, Los Angeles, concentrating on real estate studies in the School of Finance. He holds a California Board of Equalization Certificate in Advanced Appraising and is a Los Angeles County Deputy Assessor as well as a Special Assistant to the Assessor in the Executive Office.
Mr. Noguez, 45, is also the current Mayor of Huntington Park and has served in various city capacities since the year 2000, including Vice-Mayor, City Councilman and City Clerk.
He has also been a government leader in several non-partisan roles, having served as President of the League of California Cities, Los Angeles Division, and Secretary Treasurer of the California Contract Cities Association.
He began his career with the Assessor’s Department 25 years ago as a student worker and rose rapidly through the ranks to become an Appraiser Specialist focusing on major business properties, including banks, shopping centers, Grand Central Market and inner city condominium and loft conversions in the Los Angeles Old Bank District. He has supervised assessments involving historic structures such as the BradburyBuilding and the Los Angeles Theatre.
As a Special Assistant, Mr. Noguez is the Department’s liaison with community groups and realty boards and he has worked for four CountyAssessors.
He is active in Huntington Park projects, including transportation and budget issues, senior health care, programs for youth and ethics reform measures.
September 8 , 2010
TOPIC:
A Bonding Experience:
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Legal Bond
Beyond hoping we won’t ever have to pay a bail bond to get out of jail, how much do most of us know about how legal bonds work? What are the circumstances under which we or our clients or family members might be obligated to seek a bond? How is personal information used, and are credit scores affected, when a bond is obtained? What can we do to make obtaining a bond easy, or to avoid having to obtain a bond at all? What are the recent changes we should be aware of in the world of legal bonds? Will Mingram, one of the foremost legal bond professionals in California, will speak to us in September.
Our Speaker:
Will Mingram, Principle Partner, Bond Services of California
After receiving a degree in Quantitative Economics and Decision Sciences from the University of California in San Diego, Will Mingram’s tenacious young spirit and impressive credentials earned him a post at Van Bokkelen Bonds & Insurance Agency. Trusted to establish a Southern California office and build a client base for this Northern California-based business, Mingram’s proficiency and determination made him instrumental in the subsequent partnership agreement Von Bokkelen Bonds made to join hands with Bond Services of California.
June 9, 2010
TOPIC:
Under Promise, Over Deliver
To end our year with a “bang,” we’ll hear from Joe Gubbrud, who will reveal his business secrets. According to the Urban Dictionary, UPOD is “An iPod whose volume is so ridiculously loud that everyone around them can hear what’s playing.” However, according to Joe, what UPOD really stands for relates to a better way of conducting business: Under Promise, Over Deliver.” Joe will explain how we can use this and other techniques to “train” our clients, and how proper client communication will enhance our business relationships.
SPEAKER:
Joseph T. Gubbrud. Joe was born and raised in South Dakota. He attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. where he graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration and Accounting in 1977. He earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of South Dakota in 1980 with emphasis on taxation and estate planning. He also, earned his MBA from the University of South Dakota in 1980.
Joe began his fiduciary and investment career with Norwest Banks in Sioux Falls (now Wells Fargo). He has been a Senior Trust Officer, Manager and Chief Fiduciary Officer for several large regional and national banks over his 30 year career including Bank of America, City National Bank, Valley National Bank of Phoenix and Bank of the West.
He has been involved with changing of situs of irrevocable trusts for tax purposes. He was instrumental in forming a charitable management group at Bank of America in the mid 1990’s that focused on administration and marketing of charitable trusts. He has had the privilege of speaking to many professional groups on charitable, estate and tax planning. He has been involved in investment, legal and compliance with all of the positions he has held.
Joe is currently and active member of the South Dakota Bar. He is an associate member of the Professional Fiduciary Assoc. of California (PFAC). He is active in PFAC and is involved with various trust and estate planning groups. Joe and his wife, Caroline, reside in Valencia, Ca. with 3 dogs and one cat. They enjoy riding their Harley Davidson motorcycles with their motorcycle club.
May 12, 2010
TOPIC:
The Current State of Real Estate
What is Going On With Mortgages and Appraisals?
The real estate industry has changed dramatically in the past few years. The mortgage fallout has prompted numerous and ongoing changes in the lending industry including changes to mortgage standards and the way appraisals are obtained.
We’ll hear from William Bortz and Don McCue, two industry insiders, who also happen to be members of our group. Will and Don will explain to us just what is going on in the real estate industry, including why it is so hard to get a mortgage these days and how the appraisal process has been revamped for the worse.
Our Speakers:
Don McCue, Senior Loan Officer, All Reverse Mortgage. Don assists his clients with all types of residential mortgages. As a licensed financial planner and mortgage banker for 14 years and with twenty- nine years of business management and sales experience, Don offers his clients an unprecedented level of insight and advice into each borrower’s mortgage choices and the effect on the borrower’s overall financial planning.
Don is an alumnus of Cal State Los Angeles and maintains active Securities, Life and Health Insurance and Real Estate Licenses. Don is a ten-year member and currently on the Board of Directors for NAIFA (National Association of Investment and Financial Advisors, holds the LUTCF designation, and has been involved in numerous community organizations.
William Bortz, Senior Real Estate Appraiser/Expert Witness, Anchor Pacific Company. Will is an established senior appraiser and financial analyst active in the valuations of commercial, industrial, and investment grade properties to estimate market value, allocation of purchase price, financing, and investment decisions. He has specialized skills and training in analyzing and documenting complex mortgage and real estate matters. His focus has been on providing valuation services and analyses of financial, economic, business and valuation issues for clients in a wide array of litigated and non-litigated
settings.
Will also provides expert witness testimony to the Property Tax Appeals Board and during California Superior Court cases. Will holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a MBA from Loyola Marymount University.
May 12, 2010
California Plein Air Art:
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
What fiduciary hasn’t come across an estate with a California Plein Air painting or two?
Just so you’ll be more educated and prepared to deal with your next important estate, Jeff Moran, Paul Fisher, and Katie Halligan of John Moran Auctioneers will share the history, importance and valuation of California Plein Air art with us.
Our Speakers:
Jeff Moran, Senior Vice President, Auctioneer and Appraiser. Specializing in 19th and 20th century California and American paintings, Jeff has been responsible for researching, expanding and cultivating the auction market for many Southern California artists. He meanwhile maintains a broad knowledge of antiques and fine furnishings, including rugs, silver, ceramics, jewellery, and books.
Paul Fisher, Vice President Estates and Appraisals. Prior to joining John Moran Auctioneers, Inc., Paul worked for more than a decade at Christie’s International Auction House in New York. Starting in their Trusts and Estates division, he then founded and became head of Christie’s Auction Estimates Department. In 1999, he became the head of the Estates and Appraisals Department at Christie’s East.
Presently, Paul heads the Appraisal Department at John Moran’s and is entrusted with cultivating new clients and business development. As an appraiser Paul has appeared on several television broadcasts, including The Early Show on CBS, NBC’s Dateline, and Fox News. He has been interviewed in several periodicals, most recently the New England Antiques Journal.
Katie Halligan, American Paintings Specialist. Prior to joining John Moran Auctioneers, Inc., Katie worked in the American Paintings Department of Christie’s Los Angeles, where she evaluated, researched and catalogued hundreds of California, Western, and American paintings, sculpture, and works on paper. From 1998 to early 1999, Katie worked for George Stern Fine Arts of West Hollywood, California, a gallery specializing in Early California Impressionism.
At present, Katie is responsible for curating each of John Moran’s thrice-annual auctions devoted to California and American paintings. Since joining the company in 2006, she has helped to secure several new auction records for important regional artists.
March 10, 2010
TOPIC:
Home Care Trends in California
Private duty home care, aka attendant/personal care, is unregulated in CA. More than half of the states in the US have adopted regulations for this type of service. California has not. The impact is detrimental to a client’s quality of care, limits California’s ability to collect payroll taxes, and increases the state’s healthcare costs for insured/underground workers.
Our speaker, Neil Rotter is actively involved with the California Association for Health Services at Home, a group that seeks to elevate the services and employment conditions for the home care industry in California. Mr. Rotter will introduce
us to legislative proposals under consideration.
Mr. Rotter has dual Master’s Degrees in Social Work & Gerontology from USC. In his current role, Neil is the Vice-President of Business Development for the Accredited Family of Home Care Services, based out of Woodland Hills. Neil has worked for Accredited for almost 11 years and is responsible for developing solutions to improve quality of home care services, patient outcomes and enhance quality of life for individuals in our community. Mr. Rotter serves as a Board Member for the California Association for Health Services at Home and chairs its Certified Home Care Aide Organization’s Marketing Committee.
February 10, 2010
TOPIC:
Conservator Survival in the Demanding World of Fee Approvals
Fiduciaries and their attorneys who practice in the area of conservatorships must navigate the waters of probate court with their fee petitions in order to be paid.
Our very own Daniel G. Stubbs will share his insight and help us survive the dangerous world of fee petitions and fees on account. Daniel G. Stubbs, a long-time member of Fiduciary Round Table of the San Gabriel Valley, is the owner of Stubbs & Associates in Pasadena, providing fiduciary services for over 24 years. Mr. Stubbs is an instructor in the CSUF Fiduciary Certification Program in the areas of management of assets, fiduciary standards and practices and problems and resources for professional fiduciaries. Mr. Stubbs is a lecturer and writer in the field, and expert witness and arbitrator of fiduciary disputes. In addition, Mr. Stubbs serves on the Advisory Committees for CSUF and Professional Fiduciaries Bureau.
Mr. Stubbs earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from West Virginia University followed by graduate work in education at Temple University. In his early career, Mr. Stubbs spent several years teaching high school in Philadelphia. Prior to entering the fiduciary world, Mr. Stubbs also worked in labor relations as a Union Representative and also as a consultant in labor relations, human resources and safety.
January 13, 2010
TOPIC:
Lessons Learned from Drafting and Administering Discretionary Trusts
Speaker: Trent Kiziah
The purpose of a trust is to facilitate the grantor’s intentions. Unfortunately, most trusts fail to accomplish the grantor’s objectives because the operative documents fail to provide sufficient guidance to the trustees. Trustees are left to administer trusts based on their concepts of what is appropriate rather than what the grantor intended.
Mr. Trent S. Kiziah (Regional Fiduciary Officer, U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management), will explore common discretionary distribution provisions, such as the words “health, education, maintenance and support,” to see if these provisions provide real guidance to trustees.
Trent drafted wills and trusts for 17 years prior to joining U.S. Trust in 2003. During the last seven years he has had to administer some of the very same trusts that he drafted.
He will share with us some of the lessons he has learned and wished he had known when he was drafting wills and trusts.
We’re excited to hear Trent’s presentation and hope you can all attend our first meeting of the New Year on January 13, 2010.
December 9, 2010
TOPIC:
Relationships and the Holidays
Holiday pressures often affect the delicate dynamics of our relationships with clients, family, co-workers and significant others.
Charles L. Gustafson, a Licensed Family Therapist since 1973, will share his insights on enhancing the level of harmony and comfort in our relationships.
Charles is a very entertaining speaker with a passion for his work. He will discuss the four identified types of attachment styles, the nature of the consequences of each; and the concept of “Reactive Attachment Disorder”.
November 11, 2009
TOPIC:
Long-Term Care – MEDICARE AND MEDI-CAL:
Eligibility and Recovery
Long-term care is a situation that many of us face, whether as fiduciaries for our clients, for our family members or for ourselves. With long-term care comes the problem of paying for it. We all know that Medicare and Medi-Cal are two government programs that can help. But understanding these programs can be complicated!
Our speaker Carlos Arcos will help us sort through these issues by addressing two issues: eligibility for these programs and recovery of assets by the government when services are used.
Carlos Arcos is an Elder Care Planning Attorney. He received his law degree from UCLA School of Law. Carlos has more than 19 years experience counseling elderly couples who are coping with long-term illness, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke-related illness.
Carlos is on the board of the Bio Ethics Committee of the San Gabriel Hospital. He is a certified continuing education provider and provides in-service training to nursing homes throughout Southern California.
Carlos has presented workshops and training sessions for charitable and professional organizations, including, the Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center at the USC School of Gerontology, the Department of Aging and California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform.
October 14, 2009
TOPIC:
Fiduciaries and Firearms
Many conservatorship estates, probate estates and trusts hold firearms, ranging from antique Civil-war-era rifles to modern handguns. As fiduciaries, what are our responsibilities and liabilities when we come across firearms? How do we safely transport
and store firearms? What do we need to know about gun registration and serial numbers? Where does one go to obtain a valid appraisal of a firearm? What is the difference between a modern firearm and one that is considered an antique or curio? What are the parameters for a valid transfer of a gun to an heir? And what else do we need to know about firearms?
Not only is our speaker Robert A. Arabian an estate planning attorney, he also has more than twenty years of experience in law enforcement. Prior to earning a law degree from Pepperdine Law School, Robert served for several years as an officer of the
Los Angeles Police Department, protecting the citizens of Los Angeles, including during the Los Angeles riots. After graduating from law school, Robert spent several years as a Prosecutor for Ventura County. While there, he prosecuted everything from kids fighting at school to gang members shooting each other. He then returned to his real love, which is law enforcement.
Robert has been serving as a Police Officer at the Simi Valley Police Department for the past 11 years. He is currently a Sergeant who oversees a group of Detectives that investigate property crime. When he is off duty, Robert prepares estate plans and assists
clients with probate issues.
September 2009
TOPIC:
How to Develop an Asset Allocation Plan in a Post-Great-Recession Environment – What Now?
Speaker: Karen L. Combs, CFA, CIC, Managing Principal of LS Investment Advisors
One year ago our financial markets were experiencing a meltdown. Since then, we have seen bank and company failures, a massive government bailout, and a substantial recovery in the
stock market. But, what is really going on? How should fiduciaries look at portfolios and asset allocation for their clients? What should we do now?
Karen Combs will share her experience both as a portfolio manager and equity analyst as we consider the current economy and markets. In her current role at LS Investment Advisors,
Karen is responsible for the management of high-net-worth portfolios with an emphasis on tax sensitivity. She is a member of the firm’s fixed income investment team and is actively involved in its marketing efforts.