Leaders from Australia and Canada recognized for their impact on the global financial planning profession
DENVER, COLO (U.S.) – 19 October 2026 – Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB), the standards-setting body for the global financial planning profession, is pleased to announce Steve Helmich, CFP and Cary List as recipients of the FPSB 2026 Noel Maye Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession. The award recognizes individuals whose leadership, advocacy and volunteer service have made a lasting impact on the advancement of financial planning and CFP certification worldwide.
Helmich was recognized for guiding FPSB through a transformative period and strengthening its strategic and governance foundations, while List was honored for advancing professional standards and collaboration across FPSB’s global network.
“Steve and Cary have each left a lasting mark on our profession,” said FPSB CEO Dante De Gori, CFP. “Steve’s leadership helped shape the direction and foundations we still build on today, while Cary set a high bar for the profession and enriched our global network. This award is a fitting tribute to the legacies they have both built.”
FPSB 2026 Noel Maye Award Recipients
- Steve Helmich, CFP (Australia): Helmich receives the FPSB 2026 Noel Maye Award for his principled leadership and long-standing commitment to the global financial planning profession. As FPSB Board Chairperson from 2013 to 2016, he guided the organization through a pivotal period. His leadership helped strengthen financial planning as a distinct global profession and supported governance reforms that continue to shape FPSB’s global network today. A tireless ambassador for CFP certification, Steve helped build a stronger, more connected financial planning profession around the world.
- Cary List (Canada): List receives the FPSB 2026 Noel Maye Award for his enduring contribution to FPSB and the global financial planning profession, spanning more than a decade from 2007. Through leadership roles including Chairperson of the FPSB Council and involvement in several committees, he helped strengthen governance, align professional standards and advance the consistency and recognition of CFP certification worldwide. His leadership of FP Canada (formerly the Financial Planning Standards Council) as President and CEO also brought valuable Canadian expertise to FPSB’s international work and helped elevate financial planning globally.