Financial industry veteran Keefe Gorman works as an advisor for Merrill Lynch. To bring up-to-date knowledge of the financial industry to his clients at Merrill Lynch, Keefe Gorman maintains membership in the Financial Planning Association (FPA). As a membership organization for certified financial planners (CFPs), along with affiliated educators, students, and other professionals, FPA seeks to advance the interests of the financial planning community.

To help members advance in their careers, FPA offers a range of professional education opportunities. Each year, the organization hosts several conferences, which feature high-caliber speakers and programming to provide the latest business and technical information to members. The organization’s annual conference attracts more than 2,000 financial planning professions, with 50 percent of attendees having at least 15 years of experience in the financial industry. Through this event, planners at every stage of their career gain insights from noted industry leaders and have opportunities to network with peers.

In addition to in-person events, FPA provides virtual learning opportunities, including free webinars. The organization also produces a publication, the Journal of Financial Planning.

A managing director of investments at Merrill Lynch, Keefe Gorman leads an experienced team of financial professionals. Demonstrating a strong work ethic at Merrill Lynch, Keefe Gorman has been recognized several times as a leading financial professional and has been named to Barron’s magazine Top 100 Advisors several times.

Once you've decided that it’s a good time to find a financial advisor, a good place to start your search is checking for specific designations and qualifications. There are three main designations that can help narrow down your search significantly: Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder, Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC). Additionally, check for any regulatory exams, such as Series 6 or 7 regulations, that a professional has completed along with the services they offer and how much experience they have dealing with areas specific to your situation.

After you find an advisor that meets your technical specifications, asking them about their personal approach to financial planning and the type of clients they usually help provides you with some additional background. Not every financial planner will have a philosophy that aligns with your own, nor will they always be used to working certain financial situations or asset levels. The final step to selecting an appropriate advisor is to start discussing the logistics of their services, including how your advisor will be paid and whether they offer any packages or comprehensive planning options that may better suit your needs.                             

Throughout his career as a financial advisor, Keefe Gorman has garnered accolades such as placement on Barron's Best 100 Brokers of 2005 and Top 100 Advisors of 2004 lists. Active in his community, Keefe Gorman has sat on the board of directors for the Rotary Club of Ithaca Sunrise since 2010. 

Located in upstate New York, the Rotary Club of Ithaca Sunrise serves as a branch of Rotary International. As one of 34,000 clubs around the world, this unit follows the “service above self” philosophy espoused by Rotarians across the globe. Meeting every Thursday at 7:30 A.M. at the Royal Court Restaurant, the entity adopted the “Sunrise” portion of its name due to these early morning get-togethers. 

Throughout the year, the Rotary Club of Ithaca Sunrise participates in numerous projects that aid its neighborhood as well as people around the world. In June 2013, Gorman talked to the Ithaca Times about one of his group's recent endeavors in South America: inspired by the lack of adult language training programs in Ovalle, Chile, Rotary International developed an English language laboratory there. Thanks to the group's remarkable infrastructure, which allows for local clubs and districts to match the amount raised by the areas being helped, the Rotary Club of Ithaca Sunrise eventually managed to acquire more than $25,000 for the cause, starting from an initial donation of just $1,500.