NAIFA Members Serve Main Street

Uncertain market conditions make cash-value life insurance a valuable tool in the toolbox of investors and their planners, Jeff Snyder, a loyal NAIFA member since 2012 and Executive Vice President of Business Development and Insurance at Gateway Financial Advisors, writes in InsuranceNewsNet. Life insurance products are often overlooked in investment strategies, even though they offer tax advantages and competitive returns and can provide accelerated benefits for things like critical illnesses, chronic or cognitive illnesses, and terminal illnesses.

Greg Ayers, CLTC, RICP, is a New York Life Insurance Company agent and advisor committed to serving Main Street USA through education and political advocacy.

Getting Started 

Ayers got a later start in his insurance and financial services career than most. He has always been interested in finance and had two career paths to choose from when he graduated from college. He was offered a financial services position, but it was an intimidating prospect. At the same time, he received a job offer for a banking position. He chose the banking job. While he gained valuable experience, he eventually got discouraged because of the lack of opportunity for upward movement. When he started looking for other options, he found his true passion as an insurance agent.

"It is with deeply saddened hearts that we say goodbye to our Father and Husband, Terry K. Headley in Melbourne Beach, Florida on March 18, 2023. Terry's passion was IFAPAC, and Terry would want any memorials directed to IFAPAC. Terry and I treasured all the support and friendships over the years. Thank You. There will be a Private Family Remembrance of Terry in Florida."

-- Wynetta Headley and Family

NAIFA is sad to inform our members, partners, and friends that NAIFA Past President Terry K. Headley, LUTCF, FSS, LIC, passed away March 18, in Melbourne Beach, Florida. A loyal NAIFA member since 1974, Terry was a legend in the insurance and financial services industry. He was the Founder and President of Headley Financial Group in LaVista, Nebraska.

As most have now heard, NAIFA lost a very loyal friend and industry icon in Terry Headley this past Saturday, March 18. For those who knew him as a friend, he bravely faced his three-year illness with courage.

It is hard for me to put into words what his passing means to me personally. But even more for NAIFA, it is indescribable to speak of our loss and, yet, not appreciate the impact of this one individual on NAIFA over the past half-century.

Jennifer B. Barthol, CEP, has been in the financial services industry since 1986 but found her niche working with estate planning attorneys and CPAs as a paralegal. Now, she’s a certified estate planner and helps her clients find solutions that fit their life-long goals. 

Raydania Peña got her first taste of financial literacy when her family immigrated from the Dominican Republic to the United States. Her mother didn’t speak English, so Peña translated bank documents for her. The more she learned, the more she wanted to use her knowledge and skills to help others in her community navigate their finances, too. But she didn’t plan to build a career in insurance and financial services. In fact, she dismissed the idea the first two times it came across her path. The third time, however, she decided to give it a try and became an agent with New York Life Insurance Company.

Want to differentiate yourself? Then change the conversation! A hot topic that every client is concerned about is Financial Longevity Wellness. Today’s clients are worried about outliving or outspending their money or getting caught in an expensive ‘sandwich generation’ situation, or worrying about family or business financial wellness. 

Join the next Advisor Today webinar on Wednesday, March 29 at 12 pm eastern, as Carroll Golden, Executive Director of NAIFA's Centers of Excellence, demonstrates a three-step formula to show how to incorporate Financial Longevity Wellness in the products and services you provide, while staying focused on your client’s story.  

NAIFA-OK Vice President of Advocacy Chad Tredway, LUTCF^®, FSCP^®, always knew he wanted to be in the financial services industry. He studied actuarial science in college but found his true calling working with customers directly, learning their stories, and helping them as they mapped out their financial futures. After several years as an agent, he was appointed as a district manager. Now, he uses his years of experience as an agent to mentor and train agents.

Did you know that new Indexed Universal Life (IUL) Insurance illustration regulations are likely to go into effect in May? Make sure you are prepared for these changes, which can affect your business and your clients by tuning in to the next Advisor Today webinar on Monday, March 27 at 2 pm eastern.

Join experts Gregory Rohtstein and Steven Patrizio of Symetra and Ryan Mattern of Modern Life as they discuss the history of the regulation, the nuances of the changes, and how can begin to prepare.

Ken Leibow has over 36 years of insurance industry experience. He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of InsurTech Express, a one-stop shop for insurance resources. He has held strategic and executive roles in Fortune 500 companies and proactively managed operations in alignment with the company vision. He is a recipient of the NAILBA ID20 Award, ACORD Leadership Award, and was recognized in 2016 with the NAILBA Chairman’s Award.