Global Financial Planning body the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) has handed two Planners awards for their “outstanding contributions” to the industry.
Steve Helmich of Australia and Cary List of Canada are recipients of the FPSB 2026 Noel Maye Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession.
The award recognises individuals whose leadership, advocacy and volunteer service have made a lasting impact on the advancement of Financial Planning and CFP certification worldwide.
Mr Helmich was recognised for guiding FPSB through a transformative period and strengthening its strategic and governance foundations, while Mr List was honoured for advancing professional standards and collaboration across FPSB’s global network.
Dante De Gori, FPSB CEO, said: "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."
Steve Helmich. Source: FPSB
The FPSB said Mr Helmich receives the FPSB 2026 Noel Maye Award for his principled leadership and long-standing commitment to the global Financial Planning profession.
It said as FPSB board chairperson from 2013 to 2016, he guided the organization through a pivotal period. It said his leadership helped strengthen Financial Planning as a distinct global profession and supported governance reforms that continue to shape FPSB’s global network today.
It said he was a tireless ambassador for CFP certification and helped build a stronger, more connected Financial Planning profession around the world.
Cary List. Source: FPSB
The FPSB said Mr 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.
It said that 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.
It said 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.
The 2026 awards were presented at the FPSB 2026 Global Meeting on 16 October in London, where recipients were recognised before an audience of Financial Planning leaders from around the world.
The FPSB Noel Maye Award was named on behalf of FPSB founder and former CEO Noel Maye.