UNIONDALE, N.Y., Aug. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Marquis Who's Who honors Vern Hayden for expertise in financial planning. Mr. Hayden, a certified financial planner (CFP) with Moneco Advisors in South Salem, NY, helps clients save for retirement and financial independence.
Mr. Hayden's mission has centered on getting people to take specific action toward saving. "It's essential to save consistently and invest," he said, adding that many people struggle to do either because of insufficient funds or reckless spending. His message has carried through decades of workshops, media appearances and work with individual clients.
A Change From Military Service to Financial ServicesMr. Hayden entered the financial services industry in 1969 after resigning his commission as a major in the United States Air Force. He served in the Air Force from 1962 to 1969 and remained on reserve through 1971.
In 1970, Mr. Hayden built his own financial planning firm, Vern Hayden and Associates, from the ground up, earning licenses in real estate and insurance before discovering the Financial Planning Association. The discovery was a turning point that led him away from product sales and into advising.
The Fireman's Fund, then owned by American Express, retained Mr. Hayden in 1979 for services that would become guidelines for the future. He wrote a training manual for financial planners titled "The Process of Financial Planning," a policy-and-procedure manual for managing a planning office, and a marketing manual on acquiring new clients.
Additionally, Mr. Hayden finished writing his first book, "Money: Use It or Lose It," during this time. He also created a half-hour television pilot, "One for the Money," that explained and promoted financial planning to the public. This was done in collaboration with industry professionals in Los Angeles and included an interview with William Simon, the former Secretary of the Treasury under President Richard Nixon.
Decades of Distinguished ServiceMr. Hayden's professional accomplishments span six decades. In 1975, he became president of the North Bay chapter of the International Association of Financial Planners (IAFP) and was elected chairman of the Northern California chapter a year later. One signature act was to have Venita VanCaspel Harris, CFP, the "First Lady of Financial Planning," speak at the group's event.
Having earned the Certified Financial Planner designation in 1977, Mr. Hayden co-founded Independent Financial Services in White Plains, NY, in 1983. This was a joint venture with Sage Holdings Inc. of Johannesburg, South Africa, and Marine Midland Bank of New York.
In 1987, Mr. Hayden founded Hayden Wealth Management in Westport, Conn., as well as the Hudson Valley Chapter of the Financial Planners Association. He was elected to the board of the College for Financial Planning in 1990 and served as chairman in 1994 and 1995. In this role, he co-founded the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) and served as board chair in 1994 and 1995. Beginning in 1995, he served a three-year term on the CFP Board of Standards.
From 2007 to 2017, Mr. Hayden served as president of Hayden Wealth Management, a division of Northeast Community Bank. He later worked with Rightirement Wealth Partners before joining Moneco Advisors in 2024. He also founded and chaired the National Endowment for Financial Education, sat on the national board of the Financial Planning Association and served on the College for Financial Planning's board of regents in Denver. CNBC's Bill Griffith referred to him as "Mr. Mutual Fund" from 1994 to 2004, a nickname that still follows him.
Mr. Hayden earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College in 1959 and completed postgraduate coursework at New York University, the University of Oregon, American University and the University of Southern California. Additionally, he served on the national board of directors of the Financial Planning Association, which presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
A New Book, Lessons and Approach for a New GenerationIn 2025, Mr. Hayden released his latest book, "How Do I Know You Won't Steal My Money?" through iUniverse. The book joins a body of work that includes "Money: Use It or Lose It" and "Getting an Investing Game Plan." He also spent years as a weekly columnist for TheStreet.com.
Many factors contribute to someone's success in the financial sector. For Mr. Hayden, it was developing the habit of understanding other people's circumstances before offering advice.
He has also had to adapt again and again as the industry itself shifted from commission-based sales to fee-based planning. "If you don't like change, you will like irrelevance even less," he said. For clients without a plan, he said, "If you're unsure of your destination, treasure the journey."
Mr. Hayden's approach traces back to his upbringing. His father was a minister who helped everyone he met, and his mother was known for her generosity. Although he never felt called to the ministry, he found a parallel path in financial planning. This career choice enabled him to help people in another way. Working with Bill Brancaccio CFP, Mr. Hayden continues to manage a small roster of retirement clients.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America, Marquis Who's Who has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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