If there were ever a year when we needed strong personalities to challenge the idea of business as usual, this is it. The world of financial advice is in flux, owing to the economy, the industry, politics and demographics. Change, both evolutionary and revolutionary, is the main item on the 2009 calendar.

The Movers and Shakers we chose this year are coming up with powerful ideas for embracing and mastering change. Michael Branham has been involved with the Financial Planning Association only since 2001 and already has been elected to the national board; He's a powerhouse who cares deeply about elevating standards of care. Mark Casady, CEO of LPL, responded to the industry earthquake by gathering Wall Street refugees and assiduously adding them to his wealth management roster. The result: LPL is a stronger, tougher competitor than ever. Bob Curtis of PIETech has introduced state-of-the-art planning software that's also state-of-the-practice, a boon to advisors who need more than ever to leverage their time and talent. Kevin Keller "aka, Our Man In Washington" is straightening out the CFP Board and using it as a bully pulpit to promote the excellence of the CFP designation at a time when much financial advice may be subject to new federal regulation. Carolyn McClanahan is bringing her medical training into play to pioneer a new type of planning that focuses on helping clients with healthcare issues. As America ages, MClanahan's skills will be the ones you want to learn. We end with a celebration of the life of Joan Bavaria, a founding mother of socially responsible investing. She will be missed.

Mike Branham
Financial Planner, Cornerstone Wealth Advisors, Edina, Minn.
Age: 34
Years As Planner: 10
Designation: CFP

First Job: Financial advisor at Waddell and Reed

Best Career Decision: Moving to the fee-only world in 2001.

Worst Career Misstep: Have I taken any?

Favorite Way to Relax: Getting outdoors. Whether it's camping or canoeing, I have to be where there isn't a bunch of other people.

Most Important Thing Learned in 2008: Don't assume that because something happened one way in the past, it will happen that way again.

Worst Fear for 2009: That we'll continue to have conversations with clients about how terrible things are in the world financially and there will be no light at the end of the tunnel. That we'll have to watch clients go through more emotional turmoil.

In 2002, when Mike Branham's boss at White Oaks Wealth Advisors, John Guyton, told him that he was starting his own firm and would like Branham to join him, Branham seized the opportunity. He helped Guyton create Cornerstone Wealth Advisors, a fee-only firm in Edina, Minn. This wasn't the first time Guyton had led Branham onto a new path—and it wouldn't be the last.

Back in 2001, while Branham was still at White Oaks, Guyton told him about the Financial Planning Association. "He said, "Here's a great opportunity to learn more about your profession and make connections," Branham recalls. "He told me to join a committee and throw myself into this organization." This year, Branham joins the national board of the FPA, putting him in the forefront of the emerging generation of leadership.

Now, back to our story. Branham quickly learned about the FPA and joined the government relations committee of his local chapter. He then became the board's director of career development, a position he held for two years. In that role, he worked a great deal with young professionals much like himself, aligning them with mentors and getting them assimilated into the industry.

So it wasn't much of a surprise when in 2004, Guyton came to Branham once again. "He had just come back from a conference and told me that there was a group of young planners like myself and that we could have a voice and share our ideas," Branham says. The group Guyton was referring to was NexGen.

Branham went to the 2005 FPA conference and attended a NexGen meeting. Quickly realizing that he wanted to get involved, he ran for president for the following year and won. Today, NexGen is flourishing and is on the verge of adopting a set of bylaws similar to those of the FPA. "The growth in the organization has been outstanding, and the way we rely on one another and the community we've built is unparalleled," Branham says. "I'd like to ensure that the legacy that was left to us is carried on in a responsible fashion."