Fiduciary Trust International’s Michael Schiff Elected Chair of STEP Gold Coast Florida

Fiduciary Trust International, a global wealth manager and wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton, announces that Michael Schiff, managing director, has been elected chair of the Gold Coast Florida branch of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Mr. Schiff, who was elected vice chair of STEP Gold Coast Florida in October 2019, will continue to focus on growing branch membership and increasing awareness of STEP and its well-respected Trust & Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation among trust and estate planning professionals in South Florida. STEP Gold Coast Florida organizes educational and networking programs to help keep members up-to-date on changes in multijurisdictional law and the latest domestic and international planning trends. Mr. Schiff will help procure speakers from the trust and estate planning industry for these events.

STEP Gold Coast Florida’s founding board members include Gail E. Cohen, chair of Fiduciary Trust International’s board of directors, general trust counsel, and chair of Fiduciary Trust International of the South. Ms. Cohen previously served as the branch’s vice chair.

“The pandemic reminds all of us about the importance of being prepared,” said Mr. Schiff. “STEP Gold Coast Florida enables trust and estate practitioners in our region to learn from global experts, and one another, about products, strategies, and tools to strengthen the inheritance and succession planning advice they can provide during this period of extraordinary uncertainty.”

London-based STEP is a global body consisting of 100 branches and chapters across 95 countries. More than 20,000 attorneys, accountants, financial advisors and other practitioners around the world who specialize in family inheritance and succession planning are STEP members. Many Fiduciary Trust International team members belong to the organization and hold its TEP certification, including Mr. Schiff and Ms. Cohen.

Ellen Kratzer, Fiduciary Trust International managing director, was appointed chair of STEP USA, which oversees the 18 STEP branches and chapters in the United States, in May 2019. In her capacity as chair of STEP USA, Ms. Kratzer represented the U.S. as a speaker at the most recent STEP Europe conference, held February 20-21, 2020 at the Ritz-Carlton in Vienna.

“STEP is a valuable resource for trust and estate practitioners all over the world, and we are proud that our professionals have undertaken leadership roles in this vital organization,” said Todd Stoller, CFA®, CFP®, CPA, Fiduciary Trust International regional managing director and senior portfolio manager based in the firm’s Boca Raton office. “As chair of STEP Gold Coast Florida, Michael will have the opportunity to help accountants, advisors, attorneys, family offices, and other trust and estate practitioners throughout South Florida demonstrate greater value for high-net-worth families at a time when concerns over inheritance and succession planning are rising. We remain dedicated to creating customized plans and solutions for growing and protecting clients’ wealth across multiple generations, and Michael’s work with STEP can potentially elevate the advice and planning services that families across our region can receive from trust and estate practitioners.”

About STEP

STEP is the global professional association for practitioners who specialize in family inheritance and succession planning. STEP works to improve public understanding of the issues families face in this area and promotes education and high professional standards among its members. STEP members help families plan for their futures, from drafting wills to issues surrounding international families, protection of the vulnerable, family businesses and philanthropic giving. Full STEP members, known as TEPs, are internationally recognized as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience. Find out more at www.step.org.

About Fiduciary Trust International

Fiduciary Trust International, a global wealth management firm headquartered in New York, NY, has served individuals, families, endowments and foundations since 1931. With over $82 billion in assets under management and administration as of June 30, 2020, the firm specializes in strategic wealth planning, investment management and trust and estate services, as well as tax and custody services. The New York-based firm and its subsidiaries maintain offices in Coral Gables, FL, Boca Raton, FL, St. Petersburg, FL, Radnor, PA, Lincoln, MA, Los Angeles, CA, San Mateo, CA, San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, Wilmington, DE, and Arlington, VA. For more information, please visit fiduciarytrust.com, and for the latest updates, follow Fiduciary Trust International on LinkedIn and Twitter: @FiduciaryTrust.

About Franklin Templeton

Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE: BEN] is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 165 countries. Franklin Templeton’s mission is to help clients achieve better outcomes through investment management expertise, wealth management and technology solutions. Through its specialist investment managers, the company brings extensive capabilities in equity, fixed income, alternatives and custom multi-asset solutions. With offices in over 30 countries and 1,300 investment professionals, the California-based company has more than 70 years of investment experience and approximately $1.4 trillion in assets under management as of August 31, 2020. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com.

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