FPA presents its highest award to LeCount R. Davis

DENVER (August 27, 2025) — The Financial Planning Association is pleased to announce LeCount R. Davis, MCS, CFP, as the recipient of the Association’s and profession’s highest individual award – the 2025 P. Kemp Fain, Jr., Award.

“I am truly honored and humbled to receive the P. Kemp Fain, Jr., Award. I'm proud to be recognized for upholding the values of service, integrity, and stewardship that he passionately promoted. I hope my journey has helped open doors and inspire a new generation of diverse financial planners to enter this great profession and positively impact their communities,” said LeCount R. Davis, MCS, CFP®.

In honor of the late P. Kemp Fain, Jr., CFP®, this pinnacle of recognition is bestowed on an individual who has made significant contributions to the advancement of the financial planning profession. The Award is presented to an individual who has realized outstanding achievements in service to society, academia, government, and professional activities.

“As the first African American Certified Financial Planner® professional, LeCount has set an important example over the past five decades for those of diverse backgrounds who want to make financial planning their vocation. His selflessness, supportive nature, and genuine desire to make the world around him better, LeCount is the embodiment of all that is good about this amazing profession,” said 2025 FPA President Paul Brahim, CFP®, CEPA®. “Those who are selected as P. Kemp Fain, Jr., Award winners have demonstrated a long career of strengthening financial planning through meaningful, impactful action. LeCount’s actions over the years have made our profession better and are directly impacting future generations of financial planners. I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize LeCount with this much-deserved award at FPA Annual Conference 2025 this November.”

LeCount R. Davis, MCS, CFP®, is the founder of the Association of African American Financial Advisors or Quad A, an organization dedicated to promoting the professional development of Black/African American financial advisers, planners, and affiliated professionals, while advocating for greater diversity within the wealth management industry.

In 1978, Davis became the first African American to receive the Certified Financial Planner® certification in the United States. Davis has a master’s degree in accounting along with extensive experience in tax planning, financial planning, financial management, and investment consulting.

His experience in both the public and private sectors has positioned him to serve as a financial expert in numerous print publications, as well as on televised and web-based programs. Davis ultimately established his own practice, serving a variety of clients, and served as a lecturer in Accounting at Howard University in Washington, D.C., as well as in Financial Management at Howard’s School of Continuing Education. He hosted the financial television program Common Cents for Howard University’s WHMM, now WHUT. A long-time proponent of working together to build the profession, FPA has been a proud supporter of his important work.

Davis's dedication to helping those who can benefit from the transformative power of financial planning, as well as the next generation of financial planners, is emphasized in his book, One Step Back Two Steps Forward: The Dance of My Ultimate Plan (AuthorHouse 2020), where he states, "My experiences and employment history could be repeated by many people who will not choose to pursue a career in the financial services industry but could benefit from the advantages of financial planning in caring for their families and community. My mission includes inspiring, motivating, and preparing the next generation of financial planners, who truly care, to help others while pursuing a successful career."

Davis will be recognized at FPA Annual Conference 2025 in Las Vegas, from November 3-5, 2025.