Qualifications for Membership

PAN membership is limited to professional advisors who:

  • have been actively engaged in one of the designated professions for at least five of the past eight years;
  • hold the required license, certification(s) or designation(s) for their profession and are in good standing with the issuing organization;
  • have a client base inclusive of clients who reside or operate a business in Cobb County;
  • engage in conversations with their clients around charitable giving, as a matter of course;
  • are sponsored and endorsed by current PAN members in good standing; and
  • are approved for membership by the PAN Leadership Team.

 

Designated Professions*

Profession Description
Attorney A current member of the bar of a jurisdiction of the United States
Accountant A certified public accountant licensed by the state board of accountancy of a jurisdiction of the United States
Financial Planner A holder of the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) certification
Life Insurance Representative A holder of the designation of Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), or Master of Science in Financial Services (MSFS)
Wealth Manager A holder of one of the following certifications or designations: CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®); Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®); Accredited Estate Planners (AEP®); Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA®); Chartered Advisors in Philanthropy (CAP®); Certified Private Wealth Advisors (CPWA®); Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA); Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) Certification; Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC®); Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV®)

 

Nomination Process

Existing members are encouraged to nominate for membership outstanding professional advisors who meet the member qualifications. The member extending the invitation acts as a sponsor for the applicant seeking PAN membership and secures the endorsement of the nominee’s membership from another member.

The nomination process begins with the sponsor’s completion of a Nomination Form affirming that the nominee meets the qualifications for membership and providing contact information for both the nominee and the endorser.  Cobb Community Foundation will confirm endorsement and provide the nominee with an application that will be reviewed by the PAN Leadership Team.  The nominee will receive notification of the membership decision shortly thereafter.

 

*Individuals engaged in one of the above or allied professions but without the noted certification or designation may be accepted to PAN by unanimous vote of the PAN Leadership Team. Further, any member of Cobb Community Foundation’s Board of Directors is considered a de facto member of PAN. 

 

Have questions?  Contact us at 770.859.2366.