The award was announced last night at the PFS Annual Financial Services Awards in London. Mr Morrison was head of platform technical at AJ Bell and was a well known speaker and pensions technical expert for three decades.
A JustGiving page set up in memory of Mr Morrison by his family has now raised over £9,500 - more than double its target - in just two weeks with dozens of Mr Morrison’s many friends and industry colleagues making contributions and leaving messages of condolence and support for the family and the charity campaign.
The Just Giving Page set up in memory of Mr Morrison is raising money for Daisy's Dream, a charity set up to raise money for children and families coping with bereavement. The Just Giving page and details of how to contribute are here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rita-morrison
At last night’s PFS event Keith Richards, PFS chief executive, paid tribute to Mr Morrison as a first rate speaker and highly respected pensions expert. He described him as a “gentleman and professional.”
He said: “Everyone at the Personal Finance Society was shocked and saddened to hear the news about one of the profession’s best known and most respected experts on anything and everything ‘pension technical’.
“Mike was a most welcome and highly regarded speaker at our events across the country, and could always be relied upon to deliver business-relevant CPD in his uniquely impactful and humorous style.
“I am honoured to have known and worked with him and we are proud to bestow this lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the personal finance profession and the public we serve. A gentleman and professional who will be dearly missed.”
Mr Morrison died suddenly at 55 after suffering from a brain haemorrhage at home on 6 November, leaving wife of 25 years Rita and daughter Sophie, aged 10. He had been working from home until shortly before his unexpected death.
On the JustGiving page Rita Morrison writes: “My truly unique husband of 25 years passed away unexpectedly following a brain haemorrhage. We have a remarkable 10 year old daughter who he was extremely proud of.”
Delegates at AJ Bell's Investival event soon after his death applauded the life of one of the UK’s leading pensions expert. AMPS, the trade body for SIPPs and SSAS providers, has also saluted the life and contribution to the industry of the pensions expert and former AMPS chairman.
Zachary Gallagher, chairman of AMPS, said: "Mike had a rare talent for expressing complex subjects in a straightforward and compelling way, and he used this talent to great effect in his work for AMPS, at a time when pensions was going through fundamental change.”
Mr Morrison, apart from being a regular contributor to Financial Planning Today, was also a columnist for Financial Planning Today's sister website SIPPs Professional where his columns attracted substantial audiences and sparked debate.
• For our first story the news of Mike Morrison's death and earlier tributes click here: https://www.financialplanningtoday.co.uk/news/item/8105-pensions-legend-mike-morrison-dies-at-55