Todd and Joyce Kimpel Family Financial Planning Scholarship

BACKGROUND

 

Todd and Joyce started dating in 1980 and were married in June of 1982. Their respective careers in financial services began before they even met. In 1980, during Todd’s junior year at West Liberty State College, he began working as an intern with his father, Edward, who built a practice focused on Life insurance, pension, and retirement planning, based in Wheeling WV. Joyce started her career in 1976, working in the operations area of the regional Prudential office based in Wheeling where she worked her way up to Senior Service Representative.

 

With the passing of Todd’s father, Edward W. Kimpel in 1983, Todd bought his father’s practice. By June of 1984, Todd needed assistance with client support, so Joyce left Prudential and joined Todd to help best serve their clients. The practice began to evolve to keep pace with changing markets and products. 1984 saw an entry into the securities markets by offering mutual funds. Todd started studies in 1984 for the Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) designation and completed the required course work in 1988. Todd also completed the Charted Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designation in 1989, both designations conferred by the American College in Bryn Mawr, PA.

 

Joyce also started studies for the Registered Financial Paraplanner® (RFP®) designation and completed the course work in 1990. The designation was conferred by the College for Financial Planning, and Joyce was the first designee in West Virginia. The designation has since been renamed Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional® (FPQP®).

 

The decade of the 90’s brought more growth in products, services, and clients. By the early 2000’s, a change was clearly needed in the structure of the practice. Commonwealth Financial Services, LLC was created on April 1, 2003. The Kimpels joined forces with a group of advisors located in Parkersburg, WV and began with LPL as their broker dealer. Todd continued in his role as a client facing advisor and later took on the additional role of Chief Compliance Officer from 2010 to 2017. Todd also served as Managing Partner until late 2024. Joyce managed operations in the Wheeling Branch. Joyce and Todd have both dedicated 45 years to the financial services industry. They have viewed the efforts of their working years as a form of a ministry to their clients and the community.

The Kimpels also found time to raise three children, Matthew Kimpel, Laura Kimpel-Matthews, and Kathryn Kimpel Ray. Todd and Joyce have been very active in their Church as well as serving with several non-profit organizations. It is their desire with this scholarship to promote the career path of Financial Planning for students at West Liberty University.

 

USES AND PURPOSES

 

The Todd and Joyce Kimpel Family Financial Planning Scholarship has been created to financially aid students majoring in Financial Planning. The amount of the yearly scholarship and number of recipients will be based on income available in the fund.

 

Minimum Requirements for Consideration:

• Major in Financial Planning
• 5 GPA
• Eligible Junior year, renewable for Senior year
• To renew, must remain a Financial Planning Major and maintain 3.5 GPA
• Submit an essay on why you chose Financial Planning as a Major

 

 

Selection of Recipients:

 

The selection process will be overseen by the Dean of the Gary E. West College of Business with input from the Director of Financial Aid and College of Business Faculty members as needed.