With Thanksgiving, we naturally turn our attention to the three Fs: family, food, and football. But when we consider things that we are truly thankful for, I’d like to add one more: financial service professionals.

Americans have much to be thankful for this holiday season largely because of the crucial work you are doing. While your practice websites might tell us that you offer insurance products, financial planning, wealth management, or other products and services, what you are really giving your clients is peace of mind, opportunities to live their best lives, and happiness for themselves and their loved ones. These are among the things Americans are most thankful for.

Gilbert Mares, MPA, LUTCF, LILI, is profiled in the November issue of California Broker magazine, where he credits his decades of active service and leadership within NAIFA as the foundation of his professional success. In the feature, Mares explains that NAIFA has been central to every stage of his career, from his early days in the business to his longtime role as an educator, advocate, and mentor in the financial service community.

National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) President Doug Massey, LUTCF, CLU, ChFC, CRES, FSS, has announced the appointment of Josh O’Gara, CLU, ChFC, CFP, a Partner and Co-Founder at Prism Benefits, PBC, in Woburn, Mass., to serve on the NAIFA Board of Trustees effective immediately.

Give the Gift of Growth This Season: Earn Your LUTCF® at the Best Prices of the Year 

As we mark November, long-recognized as National Long-Term Care Awareness Month, I want to extend my thanks to the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance for stepping forward with a public campaign to shine a spotlight on long-term care planning for the future. Their announcement reminds us that as Americans live longer lives, the possibility of needing long-term support services climbs significantly.

For more than three decades, Ellie Mills, ChFC, CLU, LUTCF, has built her career and reputation on compassion, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to helping others secure their financial futures. A loyal NAIFA member since 1992 and owner of Ellie Mills Insurance Agency, Inc. in Miami, Florida, Mills found her calling in the insurance industry through personal tragedy and triumph.

Life and disability insurance are powerful tools in business planning, helping to protect companies, retain key employees, and facilitate ownership transitions. Join NAIFA on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm Eastern for “Business Planning with Life and Disability Insurance,” a program designed to help financial professionals strengthen their understanding of how these products support long-term business success.

Limited and Extended Care Planning (LECP) Collective Impact Day

Caregiving is not only a personal responsibility but an emerging economic force reshaping how advisors and agents approach financial planning, longevity, and multigenerational wealth. Join NAIFA’s Limited and Extended Care Planning (LECP) Collective for an engaging virtual Impact Day, “The Care Economy: Where Compassion Meets Capital,” on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm Eastern.

Jamie Hopkins is the Executive Vice President and Chief Wealth Officer at WSFS Bank, where he leads the wealth management segment, providing private wealth and trust services to clients through both WSFS Bank and Bryn Mawr Trust. Under Jamie's leadership, WSFS and its associated entities have served clients for over a century, and he has contributed to the financial services industry as an author, educator, and by helping launch over 700 FinServ Foundation fellowships for students.

Brian Steiner is the Executive Director of Life Happens, where he is responsible for fostering partner relations and engagement at NAIFA. These organizations are committed to promoting financial literacy and supporting insurance and financial advisors. Under his leadership, Life Happens has successfully distributed over $4 million in scholarships and collaborates on the widely recognized research report, the Insurance Barometer. This partnership underscores its significant influence on both industry professionals and consumers alike.