Fiduciary Trust International issued the following announcement on Feb. 19.

Fiduciary Trust Company International, a global wealth manager and wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton, proudly announces that Ellen Kratzer, managing director, will speak at this year’s STEP (Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners) Europe conference, to be held February 20-21, 2020 at the Ritz-Carlton in Vienna, Austria.

Ms. Kratzer, who was elected chair of STEP USA in May 2019, will represent the U.S. in a panel discussion on the second day of the conference focusing on trust and estate practice updates in Germany, Israel, Russia, and the U.S. The annual STEP Europe conference is attended by trust and estate practitioners from 18 countries. Ms. Kratzer and the other speakers at this year’s gathering will discuss the impact of expected advancements in transparency, innovation, and mobility on the management of trusts and estates during the 2020s.

“The new decade will bring many changes to the ways that trust and estate practitioners around the world service the wealthy families who rely on them,” said Ms. Kratzer. “It is important for STEP members in different nations to be able to come together, and learn from each other how the new era of transparency, innovation, and mobility will help them serve their clients better across generations—especially in the area of international planning.”

London-based STEP is a global body consisting of 100 branches and chapters in 95 countries. More than 20,000 attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, and other practitioners around the world who deal with issues related to family inheritances and succession planning belong to STEP. The organization seeks to educate members of the public about inheritance and succession planning matters which they and their families could experience. STEP also promotes high professional standards among trust and estate professionals. Its members can receive the respected TEP (Trust and Estate Professional) designation if they obtain certain qualifications and experience as a specialist concentrating on inheritance, succession, and tax planning.

“Ellen has proven herself to be a fine ambassador for the growing community of dedicated trust and estate specialists throughout the world,” said Gerard F. Joyce, Jr., national head of trust and estates at Fiduciary Trust Company International. “She has made enormous contributions as a leader in this specialized field, and her speaking engagement in Europe demonstrates that she will continue to make a positive impact in the next decade.”

As chair of STEP USA, Ms. Kratzer works with STEP members in the organization’s 17 branches and chapters in this country. She previously served as chair of STEP New York. Many Fiduciary Trust Company International team members are actively involved in STEP, with Michael Schiff, managing director, having been elected vice chair of STEP’s Gold Coast Florida chapter in October 2019. Gail E. Cohen, chair of Fiduciary Trust’s board of directors and general trust counsel, is also a founding board member and former vice chair of the Gold Coast Florida chapter of STEP.

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 Company International

Fiduciary Trust Company International, a global wealth management firm, has served individuals, families, endowments and foundations since 1931. With over $77 billion in assets under management and administration as of December 31, 2019, the firm specializes in strategic wealth planning, investment management and trust and estate services, as well as tax and custody services. The firm and its subsidiaries maintain offices in New York, NY, Coral Gables, FL, Boca Raton, FL, St. Petersburg, FL, 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 on LinkedIn and Twitter: @FiduciaryTrust.

About Franklin Resources

Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton. Franklin Templeton’s goal is to deliver better outcomes by providing global and domestic investment management to retail, institutional and sovereign wealth clients in over 170 countries. Through specialized teams, the Company has expertise across all asset classes, including equity, fixed income, alternatives and custom multi-asset solutions. The Company’s more than 600 investment professionals are supported by its integrated, worldwide team of risk management professionals and global trading desk network. With employees in over 30 countries, the California-based company has more than 70 years of investment experience and approximately US$688 billion in assets under management as of January 31, 2020. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com.

Original source: https://www.fiduciarytrust.com/insights/commentary?commentaryPath=templatedata/gw-content/commentary/data/en-us/en-us-ftci/in-the-news/feb_19_2020_ellen_kratzer_step_europe&commentaryType=PRESS%20RELEASES