Instructors
All courses are taught by instructors with extensive professional experience. All instructors are CFP® practitioners and most also hold an advanced academic degree (MBA, JD, etc.), or other appropriate professional licenses or designations (CPA, CFA, etc.). SMU Instructors use the financial planning topics as outlined by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. as a framework for teaching each course.
The SMU CPFP course curriculum was developed by integrating the CFP Board’s required topic list, traditional textbook curriculum, and well known CFP® Certification Examination review material . The result is a CFP Board-registered Program that combines sound financial planning principles, theory, and strategy with practical skills in development and implementation.
George B. Alden, Jr.
CFP® (Certified Financial Planner), ChFC (Charter Financial Consultant)
B.S., Texas A&M University
M.B.A., University of Wyoming
M.S.F.S., The American College in Bryn Mawr, PA
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George Alden has been in the financial services industry for 27 years. He is an agent with New York Life Insurance Company, a registered representative of NYLIFE Securities and a financial advisor (as an RIA) with Eagle Strategies Corporation. George provides estate tax planning and investment advising for middle- to high-net worth individuals and to businesses offering employee benefits such as 401(k) plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and group health. As a registered representative of NYLIFE Securities, he sells both proprietary and non-proprietary mutual funds and REITs. As an RIA, George charges fees for his personal financial plans and implements the money/asset management with a number of select national money managers.
George is a member of the Financial Planning Association, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and a life and qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table. He holds a Texas Insurance Group One License and Series 6, 7, 63, 65 and 22 Securities Licenses. He has served as a consultant/expert witness in the area of suitability for several law firms in Dallas regarding investment lawsuits. His website is www.aldenfinancial.com.
George has taught asset allocation and retirement planning on a local and national basis. He has participated as a panel speaker for national NYL meetings regarding retirement with both qualified and non-qualified plans. He authored a paper that was published in the Financial Planning 2000 textbook.
For recreation, George loves to bird hunt, golf, fly-fishes and has been a referee of high school football for 10 years. He is active in his church and has been married for 31 years.
As part of the SMU CPFP instructor staff since 2003, George Alden has taught SMU CPFP 101 Fundamentals of Financial Planning, SMU CPFP 107 Financial Planning Strategies and Case Studies and, most recently, SMU CPFP 104 Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits.
Joe Chenoweth
CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter), ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant)
Texas A&M University
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Joe Chenoweth specializes in wealth transfer planning for wealthy families and the owners of closely held businesses. As vice-president of the Estate & Financial Planning Division of Ackley Financial Group, Inc. in Addison, Joe coordinates his firm’s fee-based financial planning activities. An experienced educator, he has instructed courses in three professional designation programs. He is a past president of the Dallas Chapter, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and serves on the Board of Governors of the Estate Planning Council of North Texas. He also is an active member of the Financial Planning Association of Dallas-Forth Worth. He has more than 25 years of experience helping clients find and implement simple solutions to their often complex business succession, executive compensation and wealth transfer planning problems. Joe is past president of the Allen Jaycees, Jaycees International Senator and vice president of the Agricultural Heritage Foundation.
Joe Chenoweth regularly teaches SMU CPFP 102 Insurance and Risk Management.
William E. Dendy
CPA
(Certified Public Accountant), CLU (Charter Life Underwriter)
B.S.,
University of Dallas
M.B.A.,
Southern Methodist University, Cox School of Business
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an e-mail
William E. Dendy provides full-service financial planning, investments, risk management and financial education. Bill is president of Elite Financial Management in Dallas, Texas. He spent six years with Smith Barney as a financial consultant prior to joining Prospera, where he was vice president of investments for seven years. Bill teaches investment courses for several continuing education programs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Bill is a member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFSP), The Dallas Association of Underwriters and American Mensa. He hosts the weekly Money Matters series on KLIF Radio and is a contributing author of 21st Century Wealth. Bill resides in Dallas.
He regularly teaches the SMU CPFP course, 103 Investments.
Diana Jenkins
CFP® (Certified
Financial Planner), CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
B.S.,
Southwest Missouri State University
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an e-mail
Diana Jenkins provides effective solutions to clients’ financial planning needs, no matter how complex. During her 25 years of experience, Diana has worked with two of the country’s largest independent financial planning firms, as well as Ernst and Young, LLP. Diana has managed an independent registered investment advisor and worked with all levels of clients, from those with basic planning needs to those with complex, specialized business and tax planning needs. Diana is now part of the First Horizon’s Wealth Management Team in Dallas. She was named one of the “Best of Financial Planners in Dallas” in 2002 and again in 2004 in D Magazine. She has volunteered in the past at the SPCA and likes to care for abandoned animals.
Diana Jenkins regularly teaches SMU CPFP 105 Tax Planning.
Norman A. Lofgren
A.B.,
University of Missouri
J.D.,
Oklahoma City University
LL.M.,
Taxation, Southern Methodist University
Case
Comments Editor, Oklahoma City University Law Review, 1976-77
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an e-mail
State Bar of Texas–admitted 1978; District of Columbia (inactive); Dallas and American Bar Associations; U.S. Tax Court; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas; U.S. Court of Federal Claims; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; Pilot, U.S. Navy, 1969-75 (active duty) 1975-94 (reserve), retired rank of Captain.
Norm Lofgren, as a trial attorney for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, pursued those who failed to properly address their responsibilities or attempted to abuse existing regulations. Empowered by those experiences, he is able to minimize tax exposures and protect assets, while creating a structure that is flexible and normally amendable. Modern business operation requires more than a sound idea and a marketable service or product. A clearly defined course of action allows the entrepreneur to follow their vision, unencumbered by concerns of proper taxation allocations, estate and business plans. Norm is now with Looper, Reed & McGraw.
Norm regularly teaches SMU CPFP 106 Estate Planning.
Greg McMurdie
CFP® (Certified
Financial Planner), ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant), CEBS (Certified
Employee Benefit Specialist), RPA (Retirement Plans Associate)
B.S.,
Management, Brigham Young University
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an e-mail
Greg McMurdie has spent the past 30 years building his business, his dreams and those of his clients. Greg is a member of the Garland Chamber of Commerce and is a qualifying lifetime member of the Million Dollar Round Table. In 2002, he was selected by his peers and named by D Magazine as one of Dallas’s best financial planners.
Greg put into practice the principles he teaches to clients in his own life, raising eight children with his wife of 33 years, putting each of them through college and still successfully working toward retirement. He is an active member of his church, has coached Little League for 12 years and enjoys golf.
Greg McMurdie regularly teaches SMU CPFP 104 Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits.
Clark D. Randall
CFP® (Certified
Financial Planner), CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter), AEP (Accredited Estate
Planner)
B.B.A.,
Finance, Texas A&M University
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an e-mail
Clark has been helping business owners, professionals, and retirees as their "Personal CFO" through his comprehensive fee-based financial planning approach for over twenty years. The creative design strategies he offers have provided his clients stability and reassurance during these uncertain and challenging economic times. Having been listed as one of Dallas' "Best Financial Planners" by D Magazine, Clark is frequently quoted in media publications including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Dallas Morning News, Money Magazine, Investment News, Kiplinger.com, as well as by the Associated Press.
Clark has had the privilege of serving two terms on the Board of Directors for the Dallas/Fort Worth chapter of the Financial Planning Association.
He currently serves on the Advisory Board for the FPA’s Journal of Financial Planning and is the Program Director of the CFP® Board-Registered education program at Southern Methodist University, where he also teaches financial planning.
Clark Randall is the program director for external affairs of SMU CPFP, the CFP® Board-registered education program at SMU, and regularly teaches SMU CPFP 101 Fundamentals of Financial Planning.
Tom Ricks
CFP® (Certified
Financial Planner)
B.A.,
Southern Methodist University
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an e-mail
Tom Ricks is President of ETEXfinancial, Inc. a Texas Registered Investment Adviser. Tom has more than thirty five years of experience providing clients with comprehensive wealth management strategies designed to provide the most tax-efficient acquisition, use and distribution of assets. Specializing in assisting medical professionals, business owners and mid to high net worth clients, Tom’s practice involves every facet of comprehensive financial planning, including needs assessment, goal identification, risk tolerance analysis, development and implementation of investment strategies focused on wealth accumulation, current tax management and asset protection strategies. Tom has been recognized as one of the “Best Financial Planners” in Dallas by D Magazine.
Tom is a General Lines Agent–TX Group 1, Texas Registered Life Settlement Broker. His registrations include Series 7, 63 and 65. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association, Dallas Estate Planning Council.
Tom Ricks is the program director for internal affairs of SMU CPFP, the CFP® Board-registered education program at SMU, and regularly teaches SMU CPFP 102 Insurance and Risk Management and SMU CPFP 107 Financial Planning Strategies and Case Studies.
Kristi Tafalla
CPA
(Certified Public Accountant), CFP® (Certified Financial Planner)
J.D.,
Louisiana State University
M.S. in Accounting
with a Tax Specialty, The
University of New Orleans
Ms. Tafalla is a Personal Financial Planner specializing in Personal Income Tax and Estate Planning. In addition to several years of teaching experience, she holds undergraduate degrees in Civil Law and Business Administration.
A former Director of Product Development, Advanced Designations for BISYS Education Services, Ms. Tafalla is a contributor to Personal Financial Planning: Theory and Practice, 1st, 2nd and 3rd editions, as well as the BISYS Review for the CFP® Certification Examination: Volumes I-III, 5th through 8th editions. Ms. Tafalla is a member of the American Bar Association.
Kristi Tafalla regularly teaches SMU CPFP 105 Tax Planning and and the Kaplan Review Course for the CFP® Certification Examination.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP (with flame logo)®, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete initial and ongoing certification requirements.
SMU does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and 
. CFP certification is granted solely by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. to individuals who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-Registered Program, have met ethics, experience and examination requirements.
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