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Communication Associate: Public Relations | Lori Melton | lmelton@d.umn.edu | (218) 726-8830
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July 9, 2015

Amy B. Hietapelto | Dean, Labovitz School of Business and Economics | 218-726-7061 | ahietape@d.umn.edu
Hugo Hietapelto | Director, Financial Planning Program | 218-726-8482 | hhietape@d.umn.edu
Gina Chiodi Grensing | Editor/Writer, Labovitz School of Business and Economics| 218-726-8730 | ggrensin@d.umn.edu


LSBE Establishes Financial Planning Major

DULUTH – Meeting the demands of the business industry, the Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE) at the University of Minnesota Duluth has established a Financial Planning Major starting in the Fall 2015 semester.

Students will receive specialized training to assist people with a full array of financial products, such as retirement planning, college funding, estate planning, business planning, tax planning, asset allocation, risk management, and general investment analysis.

Encompassing classes based in accounting, business law, and finance, with an additional elective in management, accounting, or marketing, graduates will have gained the necessary knowledge to register for the CFP® Certification Examination. Becoming a certified financial planner assures the public that practitioners have met a level of competency appropriate for professional practice.

Numerous programmatic components, such as attending industry conferences, having exposure to guest speakers representing a variety of financial careers, and accessing more experiential opportunities through LSBE’s Financial Planning Club, will be integrated into the student experience, as well.

“There is a significant need for more financial planners as the wave of baby boomers retire,” said Hugo Hietapelto, CFP, ChFC, CLU, MS, Financial Planning Program director. “43% of current advisors are age 55 or over, with more CFP professionals over age 70 than under 30!”

The career outlook for financial planners is good with a growth rate of 27%, according to U.S. News & World Report. The business publication also ranks financial planning at #5 of the Best Business Jobs and at #25 in the 100 Best Jobs lists.

“I decided to go into financial planning because I wanted to be the person a client trusts to help him or her with finances, as that is one of the biggest stressors in life,” said Emily Van Blaricom, one of the program’s students who has chosen LSBE’s Financial Planning major.

“Graduating with a degree in financial planning from a top business school means that I have proven to myself and my future clients that someone in their 20s is capable of entering a field traditionally fit for the older generation. Financial planning is more than just making a profit for someone; it is about helping people who need help to succeed financially.”

The Financial Planning Major will only accept 20-25 students annually through a competitive process in early spring consisting of an application and an interview with the program director.

For applications and more details, contact Financial Planning Program Director Hugo Hietapelto at 218-726-8482 or hhietape@d.umn.edu.

LSBE is accredited by the AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). Less than 5% of business schools worldwide have earned this prestigious distinction. In Northeastern Minnesota, LSBE is the only school to have attained AACSB accreditation. Its website is lsbe.d.umn.edu.


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