North Dakota Community Foundation

President’s Message:

 Welcome to another year of The Red River Valley Estate Planning Council!  It is crazy how time flies . . . not only are we saying goodbye to summer and entering into a new season of engaging speakers and fun collegial networking here in our very own estate planning council, but many of us are sending our kids off to another year of school or watching our grandchildren continue to grow up too fast.  For me, my oldest daughter is starting high school and my youngest is starting kindergarten, so it is a bittersweet year.  It seems like just yesterday when my colleagues at the RRVEPC were congratulating me on having babies!  It also seems like just yesterday that I joined the board of directors to get involved in bringing top-notch speakers to our area and to get to know more folks in our estate planning industry.  I recall thinking of what life would be like for me when I got the opportunity to serve as President of this awesome community of estate planning professionals, and here we are!  It came way too fast, but my time involved with the council has been such a fulfilling experience for me.  I always enjoy the speakers, but I will say, for me, the relationships I have built over the years are the most rewarding.

At the heart of the RRVEPC’s mission is the commitment to providing our members with the tools, knowledge, and connections necessary to excel in the dynamic and ever-changing field of estate planning.  This year, we are excited to announce a diverse range of speakers starting strong in October with a Director of The American College of Financial Services, Steve Parrish, to discuss life insurance and annuities and ending in April with ACTEC Attorney, Stephanie Loomis-Price, on closely-held entities and the IRS.  In between, we have topics on ethics, charitable planning, and real estate.  Additionally, right after the start of the year, we will have a recent developments session given by the entertaining economist, Chris Kuehl! 

That being said, even though it is fun to bring such esteemed speakers to our community, life is all about relationships and so is the RRVEPC.  We are equally committed to nurturing a sense of camaraderie and collaboration with our council members.  We recognize that our members are not only seeking professional growth, but also the opportunity to connect with like-minded peers who share their passion for estate planning.  To this end, I encourage each of you to try to attend the luncheons and take advantage of the networking breaks to get to know other members (or to reconnect with those you know) at each meeting.  However, please know, we are also working on organizing a social where we can connect outside of the Holiday Inn and have fun!  Stay tuned. . .

In closing, I want to thank my colleagues on the board for working diligently on putting together a great year ahead.  We are even started on the 2024-2025 schedule!  And lastly, thank you to Patty Monilaws for all of her hard work keeping us organized each year that comes and goes.  I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Sincerely,

Toni

 

Red River Valley Estate Planning Council is affiliated with the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils and joining can fulfill the requirement of belonging to an affiliated local estate planning council to become an Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) designee. Please contact the national office at 866-226-2224 to learn more about the Accredited Estate Planner® designation.