Fall 2026 President's Message
It is a true honor to serve as President for the 86th year of the Philadelphia Estate Planning Council ("PEPC"). PEPC is one of the largest and oldest estate planning councils in the country, and stepping into this role means carrying forward a legacy built by generations of dedicated members. I want to start by thanking our immediate past President, Jackie Barras, for her outstanding leadership this past year, and for the warmth and energy she brought to the role. I also want to recognize Chris Borden, Stephanie Sanderson-Braem and Jim Revels, recent past Presidents of PEPC, each of whom set a high standard during their tenures, and whose great work we intend to continue building upon.
I am also thrilled to share some exciting news: PEPC has once again been awarded the Council of Excellence by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (“NAEPC”) — the highest honor NAEPC bestows on an estate planning council — for the second year in a row. This is a tremendous achievement, and it is a direct reflection of all of you and the exceptional organization we have built together. Congratulations to our entire membership on this recognition!
Our 2026-2027 calendar year is off to an amazing start. In September, we were fortunate to host Josh Caron, Vice President of Government Relations for M Financial Group, who gave a terrific presentation titled "Washington, Wealth, and What Comes Next: Tax Policy After the 2026 Midterms." It was a timely and well-received discussion, and a fantastic way to kick off the program year.
Looking Ahead: A Great Year of Programming
I am excited about the lineup of programs we have planned for the rest of the year. We will be covering:
AI and Estate Planning — what estate planners need to know about AI
Review of the Past Year’s Significant, Curious, Downright Fascinating Fiduciary Cases — key developments every practitioner should know
Secrets of Successful Families: Creating a Lasting Legacy — a look beyond the numbers at common characteristics of families who have successfully transferred their values to future generations
Social Security and Medicare — practical guidance for advising clients through these programs
And, of course, our Annual Meeting will be held on May 13, 2027 at the wonderful Museum of the American Revolution, featuring one of our most entertaining and popular presenters, Sam Donaldson. He will be speaking on a Federal Tax Update. It is always a highlight of the year, and I hope to see many of you there.
More Than Just Educational Programming
While our educational programs are the backbone of what PEPC offers, our Council is so much more than that — and our back-to-back Council of Excellence awards are proof of it. We have worked hard to give our members different ways to connect beyond the traditional lunch program, including afternoon programs that fit better into a variety of schedules. We just had another great coffee networking event, and we plan to hold similar events throughout the year. And following the enormous success of our wine tasting event, we are excited to announce we will be hosting a Bourbon Tasting Experience this year — stay tuned for details, as we expect it to be a popular one.
One of the best ways to experience everything PEPC has to offer is to get involved in one of our committees. We currently have the following committees, each looking for engaged members:
Ethics
Inclusion
Membership
NAEPC Engagement
Newsletter
Outreach
Programs
Roundtable
Social
Social Media
Sponsorship
Whether you are brand new to the profession or a longtime member, joining a committee is one of the best ways to build relationships, sharpen your leadership skills and have a direct hand in shaping our Council's future. Speaking from personal experience, joining a committee has been one of the most rewarding and best ways for me to get more involved with PEPC and has made my own membership so much more meaningful. If you are interested in getting more involved, please reach out to me or any member of the Board. We would love to have you.
I would also encourage each of you to think about friends, colleagues and other professionals in your network who might benefit from joining this great organization. We are always open to welcoming new members into our community, and there is no better way to grow PEPC than through the personal recommendations of our own members.
We Want to Hear from You
Finally, we are always looking for ways to make PEPC better for our members, and we have worked hard to meet our members where they are — whether that's through in-person programs, virtual options or new types of events. If you have ideas, suggestions, or feedback on how we can continue to improve, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any of our fellow Board members.
In that spirit, for the first time in a number of years, we will be sending out a survey to our entire membership. Your feedback will help us better serve you and make this organization the best it can be, so we hope you will take a few minutes to complete it. We value our members' input and take it seriously.
Thank you for your continued commitment to PEPC. I look forward to a wonderful year together, and I hope to see you at our upcoming programs.
Alan Weissberger
President – Philadelphia Estate Planning Council
