Financial Planning Association CEO Patrick Mahoney died away on Saturday after a “long and brave battle with cancer,” the trade association announced today. He was 62.

Mahoney had been appointed head in 2020 and helped revitalize an organization that was “facing internal and external challenges,” according to a statement from FPA President Paul Brahim.

“During his nearly five years with FPA, Patrick worked diligently to reform and reshape our association,” Brahim wrote in a post on the FPA’s website. “He focused significantly on internal structure and financial stability while nurturing our relationships with key stakeholders. He took every opportunity to applaud the work of our members, both publicly and privately, consistently advocating for the value and importance of our profession.”

FPA Chief Operating Officer Dennis Moore will serve as interim CEO while the board creates an executive search committee to find a full-time replacement.

The Denver-based Moore is a financial planner who had previously been chief operating officer for Quest Capital Management Inc., which was acquired by Mercer Advisors in 2021. He also served on the FPA board for six years.

Mahoney told the board of his cancer diagnosis in 2022 and then gave subsequent updates on his progress, according to the announcement. During that time, he also worked with the FPA to put a succession plan in place that includes appointing Moore as interim CEO while a search is undertaken for a full-time CEO.   

Mahoney was born in Philadelphia and graduated from St. Joseph’s University in 1984. His career included roles in sales and marketing before eventually joining Standard & Poor’s where he held various senior leadership roles before joining the FPA.

“Patrick was a deeply thoughtful and forward-looking executive,” Brahmin said. “In his efforts to revitalize the association, he prepared it for the next 25 years by working closely with the board to develop a robust strategic plan that positions FPA as the leading membership organization and trade association for financial planners, with the goal of ‘elevating the profession that transforms lives through the power of financial planning.’”

To honor his memory, his family recommends gifts to support the Melanoma Research Fund at Mass General Hospital.