T.J. Pool is a Texas based advisor who was recently interviewed by the Senior Market Advisor and stresses the importance of ethical behavior when interacting with senior clients. During the interview he was quoted as saying, “people are looking for a trusted advisor. Ethics is more than a word, it’s a work in progress.” The Society of Certified Senior Advisors (SCSA) strongly agrees with Mr. Pool and is proud to have him as, not only a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA), but also as a board member of the CSA Board of Standards.

Mr. Pool has been a Certified Senior Advisor member since 2004 and joined the CSA Board of Standards in 2009. The CSA Board of Standards is an independent, nonprofit organization that was established to review and resolve complaints lodged against Certified Senior Advisors for alleged violations of the CSA Code of Professional Responsibility during the conduct of their business. As a requirement to hold the CSA designation, all Certified Senior Advisors are required to adhere to the standards and rules set forth in the CSA Code of Professional Responsibility. The rules include, but are not limited to, such items as:

• The CSA designee shall limit his/her professional advice or services to those in which he/she is competent.
• A CSA designee shall not solicit clients through false or misleading communications or advertisements.
• A CSA designee shall confirm that his/her senior clients fully understand the terms and risks of a particular product or service.

Mr. Pool is one of five directors on the CSA Board of Standards who serves a three year term and who brings many years of invaluable professional experience to the board. He is the owner of Options Marketing, Inc., co-founder of the Arlington Senior Alliance, and holds RFC, FPA, and CSA designations. His commitment to ethical professionalism is exemplary of the values that are held by SCSA and the professional dedication performed by Certified Senior Advisor designees.

ABOUT SCSA. SCSA was established in 1997 to enhance education and standards among professionals working with senior citizens. SCSA’s mission is to educate professionals to work more effectively with their senior clients. We believe that the right kind of planning, recommendations and referrals can make aging a state to be savored instead of a fate to fear. For those who work with seniors, this means understanding the key health, social and financial factors that are important to seniors—and how these factors work together. CSAs are able to integrate this into their professional practices, no matter what field they’re in. They’ve learned how incredibly gratifying it is to help seniors achieve their goals, and the seniors they’ve worked with have learned how important it is to work with someone who truly understands their age-related circumstances.