The International Association of Registered Financial Consultants (IARFC®) announces the results of the recent election and the expansion of the Master Registered Financial Consultant (MRFC®) Certification Board. These MRFC credential holders will help set the policy of the MRFC Certification Program and maintain the credential as it continues to serve the IARFC Association.
Robert D. Lawson, MRFC®, the current Board Chair, has been re-elected for a second term. With over 40 years of financial experience in securities and insurance, and in a professional capacity as a financial advisor, investment fiduciary, and managing principal, Lawson serves as the President of Barrington Financial Consulting Group, Inc., a full-service securities and insurance Expert Witness consulting firm and the President and Chief Investment Officer of Barrington Capital Management, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisory Firm and Insurance Agency that he established in 1988. Lawson proudly serves as a FINRA and NFA Arbitrator (FINRA Chair-Qualified) and a FINRA Mediator where he presides over industry and public disputes pertaining to breach of fiduciary duties, negligence, failure to supervise, misrepresentation, breach of contract, monetary damages, and employment issues.
“I am pleased to be re-elected and look forward to onboarding our newly elected Directors – thus increasing the size of the Board,” commented Lawson. “The experience and knowledge represented by these members is invaluable when keeping the credential pertinent to the financial services professional. My goal is to expand our reach and encourage qualified consultants to sit for the exam.”
Alan C. Kifer, MRFC®, a new addition to the Board and the 2023 Loren Dunton Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, is a retired U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School “Top Gun” Instructor Graduate and 1995 International Air Forces “Navigator of the Year”. With more than 30 years’ experience in insurance and financial services, he has served as a licensed/credentialed adjunct faculty instructor for the 3 top nationally accredited financial services academic institutions in the USA. Kifer has completed the curriculum requirements for 19 financial professional designations and obtained his Masters of Science Degree in Financial Services (MSFS) in 2012. He is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and educator with appearances on Fox, CBS, ABC, and NBC. Main stage presentations include presentations to Harvard Business School and the US Military Academy at West Point. In 2001, Kifer was named “America’s 1st Retirement Advisor of the Year”.
According to Kifer: “My intention to serve is first and foremost driven by the desire to continue elevating the MRFC accredited credential and expanding the number of IARFC members holding this certification denoting highly ethical, professional conduct & educational acumen.”
Melvin Mills Jr., MRFC®, of Money Concepts Inc., located in Manchester Center, VT is a multiple state licensed financial professional with Series 7, Series 63 & Series 65 (securities) and Life & Health, Property & Casualty – both commercial and personal (insurance). He brings to the Board almost 25 years of financial services’ experience with a focus on helping investors reduce risk in their portfolios. As a presenter and lecturer, Mills consults with other financial professionals on how to handle all aspects of stock options for their clients. Since 2016, he has worked with Money Concepts to establish and grow the financial services arm at banks and credit unions. He is familiar with the bank products and enjoys working in the bank environment.
According to Mills: “I am committed to the Association because I believe it promotes professionalism and integrity. I would like to be part in helping the MRFC Certification Program expand its reach and serve the financial services community."
Historically speaking, the IARFC submitted the MRFC credential to obtain vetted approval from the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA) in 2018. For the IARFC, this intense verification process ensured that their qualified consultants were being represented as true-tested financial professionals. By engaging an MRFC for financial direction, consumers are assured that they are dealing with an ethical, educated, and experienced consultant – who remains a life-long learner in the field of financial services and who has their best interest at heart.
