June Is National Annuity Awareness Month

For nearly 50 years, the throughline of Doug Lenhoff's career has been protection. A West Point graduate, Lenhoff spent 15 years in the US Army—including five years in Germany—before making the switch to insurance and financial services. Since then, he’s developed his niche and become an expert in disability insurance. 

LinkedIn can be a powerful platform to help grow and establish your business, as well as get your foot in the door for booking meetings with prospects. However, coming up with an effective and efficient strategy can be hard to establish to make the jump from social media to booking a call.

Discover the secrets to LinkedIn prospecting success in the next Business Performance Center webinar on Wednesday, June 14 at 12 pm eastern. Join the Founder and CEO of NAIFA partner Hummingbird Growth & Automation, Bruno Nicoletti, as he helps you crack the code by unveiling his step-by-step process for booking 15 meetings a month on LinkedIn.

Like many, Chad Horsham, LUTCF^®, CLU^®, ChFC^®, RICP^®, got into the insurance and financial services industry through serendipity. In 2004, he ran into his real estate agent while out on a walk with his dog. When she heard he was looking for a new job, she suggested he look into New York Life Insurance Company. Nineteen years later, he’s a financial advisor through Eagle Strategies, LLC, an insurance agent at New York Life, and owns his own agency, Horsham Financial Group.

NAIFA President Bryon Holz understands as well as anyone how annuity products can fit in holistic financial plans for many of his clients. They are the only product that can provide guaranteed income for life and are often the perfect complement to other planning products.

NAIFA’s 8th Annual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Symposium: REPRESENT was a resounding success! With more than 175 participants, the program featured top speakers sharing their experiences with diversity, how to recruit more diverse talent into the insurance and financial services industry, and strategies to reach underserved populations.

The event kicked off with remarks from NAIFA President Bryon Holz, NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux, and OneAmerica President of Individual Life and Financial Services (ILFS) Dennis Martin. Martin addressed the ongoing efforts to increase diversity, saying, “DEI is a journey, not a destination.”

It's fitting on the first day of National Annuity Awareness Month for us to recognize the great work done by NAIFA leaders, members, and lobbyists in 37 states that have implemented the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) model for annuity transactions. NAIFA chapters, along with our partners at ACLI, have worked with lawmakers and regulators in the states to get the measures passed. 

If you are concerned about diversifying your clients' income during retirement and are searching for strategies to protect against potential increases in taxes and inflation, then join the next Advisor Today webinar on Tuesday, June 13 at 2 pm eastern with Allianz.

At "Decumulation Diversification," Schyler Adams, Director of Advanced Strategies & Planning Platforms will reveal concepts and innovative approaches to secure your clients' financial future. Don't miss this opportunity to optimize retirement income and help your clients achieve long-term financial stability.

NAIFA is the only association for insurance and financial professionals with a strong political advocacy presence in Washington, D.C., and every state capital.

On May 17, NAIFA members in Connecticut amplified NAIFA's advocacy message in Hartford. NAIFA-Connecticut's Legislative Day created great momentum heading into the Congressional Conference, May 22-23, in Washington, D.C.

In 1999, Panos Leledakis was in Greece studying to be a lawyer when he met a manager in the insurance business who convinced him to try financial advising part-time. After six months, he says, he fell in love with the profession and decided to make it his career.  

You’ve likely heard or seen this statistic: Only 13% of investors choose to work with the same advisor their parents use. 

That’s from a 2019 survey by Cerulli Associates. The findings of a 2021 Cerulli survey are a little more promising: Those who said they were willing to stick with their parents’ advisors after inheriting their parents’ wealth was closer to 30%. 

However, that still means an overwhelming majority of heirs plan to take their parents’ money and run … to other advisors. And that amount of money is substantial. Cerulli projects that $76.2 trillion in assets—that’s trillion with a T—will be transferred to heirs through 2045.

NAIFA’s 10^th annual Congressional Conference was an overwhelming success, demonstrating that NAIFA is the One and Only when it comes to our unmatched advocacy influence. More than 500 insurance and financial advisors from all over the United States gathered in Washington, D.C., to receive policy briefings and grassroots advocacy instruction, hear words of encouragement from distinguished guests, and take NAIFA's advocacy message directly to their elected officials on Capitol Hill.

Join NAIFA’s partner White Glove at their 2023 Virtual Summit, an exciting event that sets the stage for financial professionals eager to expand their businesses. The summit will take place on Wednesday, June 7th, 2023, from 1 pm - 6 pm eastern, offering a range of insightful discussions and learning opportunities. 

Joey Davenport is the Co-founder and President of Hoopis Performance Network (HPN), a LIMRA strategic partner providing innovative, web-based sales training and leadership development learning solutions for financial professionals. Joey is responsible for leading all sales and marketing, enterprise client relationships, solutions development, and team development for the organization. He is the executive producer for HPN and serves as a speaker, coach, and consultant to HPN clients worldwide. He served as the President of NAIFA Chicagoland and is a graduate of NAIFA's Leadership in Life Institute.

Steven Saladino, RICP®, LACP, LUTCF® will join Advisorist's Virtual Advisor Power Hour this coming Wednesday, May 31 at 12 pm eastern. At this Power Hour, Steve will share why he joined NAIFA and how his involvement and engagement with the community have helped take his practice to an all-time high.

This will be a Power Hour you do not want to miss as it marks the closing chapter of a series that featured NAIFA-National President Bryon Holz and members Ken Leibow, Danny O'Connell, John D. Richardson, RICP® LACP®, and Kathleen Owings.

Kathleen Owings makes her appearance on the Advisorist Virtual Advisor Power Hour this coming Wednesday, May 24 at 12 pm eastern. Kathleen will discuss critical lessons from her book, Put Your Money to Work: A Woman’s Guide to Financial Confidence, in order to help more women with their finances with advice that was never taught in school.

Kathleen will also share the story of her non-traditional route into the financial services industry and how it has helped during times of high market volatility or challenging life events that her clients have experienced.

Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance can be an essential part of every business' risk management plan. On Thursday, June 1 at 2 pm eastern, Ross Jordan, CPCU, of NAIFA partner CalSurance Associates will outline the current E&O landscape for financial professionals and give you loss prevention tips to help you protect your practice.

In this Business Performance Center webinar, explore recent E&O claim trends, learn what other agents are doing to protect their businesses, and what kind of coverages you should be reviewing for your practice's E&O insurance.

NAIFA will host the 10^th annual Congressional Conference May 22-23 in Washington, D.C. The event will feature targeted advocacy training with briefings on legislative issues that affect members’ businesses and the clients they serve. Expert presenters will offer best practices for conducting Congressional meetings and tips for developing impactful long-term relationships with legislators.

Accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity products are often not top-of-mind but offer incredible value as stand-alone products, while also working well together when paired with health insurance.

At the next Advisor Today on Wednesday, May 31 at 12 pm eastern, find out how these products can provide a whole health solution for your clients and offer advantages to agents looking to grow their business.

As a child, Jeff Brittain, CLF, LTCP, knew one thing: he didn’t want to work in insurance. His father is a State Farm agent and Brittain remembers helping him with filing on the weekends and vowing, “I will never be an insurance agent.” As it turns out, life has a sense of humor. After graduating college, he took a job with State Farm, and he’s stayed for the last 30 years. 

What does it take to be a winner? Who would know better than Advisor Today 4 Under 40 winners? 

A recent article at InsuranceNewsNet.com appropriately titled "Tips for Financial Advisors: What It Takes to Be a Winner" features Kathleen Owings, LACP, 4 Under 40 class of 2018, and Brian Haney, CLTC, CFS, CIS, CFBS, LACP, LUTCF, CAE, RF, class of 2017, discussing some of the things they did to achieve career success.

During Disability Insurance Awareness Month, InsuranceNewsNet features an article from NAIFA member Rick Cordaro, DIA, DIF, LUTCF®. In the article, Rick shares insights into the intricacies of protecting gig economy workers with disability insurance. 

Lara Galloway is the SVP of Channel Management at White Glove, a marketing and management firm helping financial advisors connect and engage with quality leads. Lara collaborates with White Glove’s Resource Partners to provide educational resources to financial advisors on marketing practices, practice management, and presentation skills. She is also the host of White Glove’s FAST Podcast, featuring industry leaders who have discovered the secret to success. 

In 1979, Michael Gaeta, CLU®, LUTCF®, LACP, knew he needed to make a change. He had been managing restaurants since he was 16 years old but needed a career with more stability and a higher income. That's when he joined Prudential, starting with life insurance and eventually working his way up to financial advising. 

At this Business Performance Center webinar, Alison Susko and Mike Hemmert of NAIFA partner Asset-Map will show you how in 15 minutes or less, you can gather and place the most critical information about your clients' financials into one, easy-to-use and easy-to-share picture.

Mark your calendars and register now for "Scaling Advice: How to Make the Financial Planning Process More Efficient," taking place on Thursday, May 18 at 12 pm eastern.

Jeremie Latremore, CIC, grew up in the insurance industry. His grandparents started an insurance agency in 1965 that his father and uncle went on to work for, but Jeremie didn’t plan on joining the family business until he realized in college, “insurance was in my blood.”

We're #NAIFAproud to celebrate our Asian American and Pacific Islander members and community. We want to recognize and promote our AAPI members. 

If you're a member of the AAPI community or know a NAIFA member within the AAPI NAIFA community, we invite you to celebrate with us. You can be a social media ambassador, participate in a short video, or recommend recognition of one of our members. Let us know how you'd like to get involved in the survey below.

Financial Advisors are in the best position possible to be of service to their clients during this recent wave of banking news.

“Kevin O'Leary thinks regional banks and their shares are doomed. ... wherein small regional banks will consolidate into super-regionals.” – March 30, 2023

Who would better know what to do now, in this place, with their knowledge, than a financial advisor? When I say, "financial advisor," I am talking about a real intelligence advisor, not a robo artificial intelligence advisor. A real financial advisor with decades of experience with designations like the following: CFP, ChFC, CLU, LACP, LUTCF.

Recognizing the best in the insurance and financial services industry, the NAIFA Quality Award is now accepting applications through August 31, 2023.

The NAIFA Quality Award recognizes the best of the best in our industry. It celebrates outstanding advisors and agents who provide quality care, adhere to ethical standards, and is not solely based on annual production numbers. The NQA is open to all agents and advisors to apply, however, only active NAIFA members are eligible to be recognized.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is pleased to announce its move to a new headquarters location in Arlington, Virginia. The new headquarters will be located at 1000 Wilson Boulevard in Suite 1890 aptly named for the year that NAIFA was founded.

The move is another milestone in NAIFA’s transformation that began in 2019 with the membership’s vote to restructure the association. The new headquarters’ proximity to Capitol Hill will facilitate more interaction between members and legislators while also providing ample space for training events and conferences.

Bregman Financial & Insurance Services was founded in 1969 by Dutch immigrant, Peter Bregman, father of current CEO Marc Bregman, LUTCF, loyal NAIFA member since 1997. Peter’s sister was widowed at a young age, which instilled in him a passion for ensuring that all his family members were protected by life insurance. He started in the industry as an agent with Metropolitan Life. During his first year in the business, he set a goal to hand out 30 business cards a day saying “I’m Peter Bregman, and I work for Metropolitan Life. If you need life insurance, call me. Here’s my card.” Peter made MDRT his first year in the business and every year until his retirement 40 years later. Peter’s first employee, Esther Crest retired in 2022 at the age of 97.

Aflac District Coordinator Terry Anderson's interest in the insurance industry started with a snowmobile accident that reinforced for him a fundamental truth about insurance—when people get hurt or sick, they still need money to pay the bills. Two years later, Anderson was talking with a customer in his store who was an Aflac agent. She told him that, when someone gets hurt or sick, Aflac pays the claim quickly and Anderson asked himself, “Why didn’t I know about this after my accident?” From that conversation, he decided to start his career in insurance.

Andrew Holt is the Government Relations and Grassroots Manager at the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA). NAIFA works on behalf of its members to promote a favorable regulatory environment, provide professional education services, and ensure ethical professional conduct for insurance and financial advisors.

Andrew spent several years of his career in the political arena, getting his start as an intern for a senate race in South Carolina, where he found his passion for connecting voters with elected officials. This eventually led to his current position at NAIFA, where he influences public and elected officials on legislative priorities, engages volunteers in grassroots efforts, and leads grassroots lobbying efforts at the state level.

Cody Schoonover is a PAC Manager for NAIFA. Before NAIFA, he was the Sr. Associate at PLUS Communications, a Beltway-based consulting firm specializing in coalition building, grassroots mobilization, advertising, digital engagement, message development, and media relations. Cody earned his BA in political science from The Ohio State University.

In the highly competitive insurance industry, brokers and agencies are constantly seeking new ways to drive growth. Agents must reach sales targets, and agencies must attract and retain high-performing talent. Fortunately, innovations in digital sales platforms are making these goals achievable.

John Boothman of NAIFA partner iLife Technologies will give you actionable tips on how to incorporate more digital solutions into your business to drive growth and keep up in today's ever-changing market.

See John D. Richardson, RICP® LACP®, loyal member since 2003, in action on NAIFA Talent Development Center partner Advisorist's Virtual Advisor Power Hour (VAPH) this Wednesday, April 26 at 12 pm eastern.

John will discuss why more advisors should be comfortable with being uncomfortable, and how this shift in attitude and mindset can lead to greater success in their professional careers.

Marc Kiner, CPA, is a co-founder of the National Social Security Advisor (NSSA^®) Certificate program and a new NAIFA member as of early March.

Over his three-decade career as a CPA, Kiner grew increasingly interested in the inner workings of Social Security benefits. In 2008, he bought three books on Social Security, read them cover to cover, and emerged with more questions than answers. So, he sought out an expert and was referred to Jim Blair, then the District Manager of the Piqua, OH, Social Security office. Blair worked for SSA for 35 years before retiring on December 31, 2010.

SECURE 2.0 is here, but what does that mean for your clients' retirement and estate planning? On Tuesday, May 9, from 12 pm to 3 pm eastern, join NAIFA and the Society of Financial Service Professionals for an Advanced Practice Center live virtual event, as three industry experts discuss the impact of SECURE 2.0, what it means for your clients, and why now is the best time to prepare.

Who better to know what to do now, in this place, with your knowledge, than you?

Do you have a passion for something you want to deliver to your clients and prospects, and you want to understand how to reset your mindset?

What is the essential thing to have in place for the problems you are solving for your clients and prospects?

On Tuesday, April 25, Joseph Chalom, CLU®, RICP®, LUTCF, LACP, presented "Financial Wellness Concepts & Career Opportunities," a webinar for all American consumers. 

Chalom shared building blocks to help consumers become more financially secure, including:

• How to manage money
• How to protect money
• How to ensure financial security into retirement

When Melissa Snively graduated from college, she began working as a national consultant for her University of Florida sorority. The job required long and strenuous hours, though, so she wanted to find a new opportunity. She had a friend who worked for State Farm who suggested she join the company. In 1994, she started as an underwriter, then became an agent before opening her own State Farm agency in 2001. 

We're excited to announce we are now accepting nominations for NAIFA's 2023 Diversity Champion Award. 

The Diversity Champion Award recognizes exceptional efforts to promote the full and equal participation of diverse people within the insurance and financial advising profession. NAIFA members in good standing are eligible for this prestigious award.

Join NAIFA's Business Performance Center for a webinar on Wednesday, April 26 at 12 pm eastern as partner AccuPoint Solutions will help ensure you maximize your ROI when using data to brand, market, recruit, analyze, or update your CRM.

Gary Weber, Founder and CEO of AccuPoint Solutions, will share his expertise from over 35 years in the industry, where he has been both a user and supplier of data to help you increase productivity, and learn how to leverage data to maximize your results.

More Examples from Our Code of Ethics to Collaboratively Close the Coverage Gap

We may be taken aback when we fully realize that NAIFA is seriously working through LL Global to raise the life insurance coverage gap among professionals and their companies regarding life insurance in our country. LIMRA research indicates that 60 million American families lack life insurance or are underinsured. The Help Protect Our Families campaign is focused on improving Americans’ future financial security by increasing life insurance coverage among our families and is participated in by 76 life insurance carriers and distributors, focusing each month on an underserved market.

We're excited to announce we are now accepting nominations for NAIFA's Advisor Today 4 Under 40 Awards.

Each year, Advisor Today magazine recognizes four financial advisors with Advisor Today’s 4 Under 40 Award, who achieve excellence in their profession by or before the age of 40. Past winners have a proven track record of continued success through industry leadership roles, speaking engagements, and increased peer recognition.

Rith Nou always knew she wanted to make a career helping people. A Cambodian refugee, Nou learned English from volunteers who came to her school to read to her, and she used that knowledge to help her family and community communicate and navigate the American financial system. 

The life insurance industry has been slow to adopt digital solutions, but recently I was introduced to a new company working to change that. Plum Life, founded by former executives in the life insurance industry, was created after they recognized a shift towards digitization was coming quickly and created a 100% digital platform exclusively for agents.

NAIFA is dedicated to promoting financial literacy education across the United States year-round. Each April, we shine a spotlight on local, state, and national efforts to provide Americans with financial wellness education.

Former NFL player Marques Ogden is a keynote speaker, business coach, and corporate consultant, passionate about elevating his clients' success. From an early age, Marques learned how to define his values and set goals for himself. He attended Howard University from 1998-2002 on a football scholarship and received his bachelor’s in finance — being drafted by the NFL in 2003. Marques is a best-selling author and host of the Get Authentic With Marques Ogden podcast.

Tune in to see your NAIFA President, Bryon Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, LACP, on NAIFA Talent Development Center partner Advisorist's Virtual Advisor Power Hour (VAPH) this coming Wednesday, April 5 at 12 pm eastern.

Taking place every Wednesday, the VAPH is a free weekly masterclass dedicated to helping industry-leading insurance and financial advisors grow their practices with modern sales and marketing tips, systems, and processes.

When Barbara Micheletti, MS, Gerontologist, became a business insurance advisor in 2006, she brought with her a unique skillset. She has a background in Gerontology and is well-versed in the challenges—both financial and emotional—that aging issues present to individuals and families.

Kathleen Owings is the Principal and Financial Advisor of Westbilt Financial Group, an independent financial advisory firm providing comprehensive planning for clients wanting to achieve personal goals. In 2007, Kathleen began her career in the financial services industry with New England Financial. Her licensure is in life and health insurance and she maintains Series 6, 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations. Kathleen’s book, Put Your Money to Work: A Woman's Guide to Financial Confidence, helps women take control of their finances. 

Kathleen graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2000. After serving for eight years as an active duty officer in the Army Corps of Engineers, she retired — but continued to commit herself to selfless service.

 The leading association and most influential advocacy association in the financial services industry undertakes a multitude of events in celebration of Women’s History Month

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) has undertaken a series of events this month to raise awareness of the importance of women’s economic security in our country, as well as to highlight the importance of the voice of women financial advisors in their voting districts. The series of events was created as part of NAIFA’s participation in Women’s History Month and to deliver on several aspects of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative that is part of its 2025 Strategic Plan.

Join Talent Development Center partner, Advisorist, for their Virtual Standout Summit this Thursday, March 30, from 9 am to 5 pm eastern. This all-day, live event will feature some of the industry's top names—including several from NAIFA Nation—to help you learn industry tips, secrets, and techniques to help you get more clients, more leads, and more income.

Spring baseball is here and while Mike Downing, EVP, COO and Chief Actuary at Athene, didn’t disclose who he’s cheering for this year, our conversation was peppered with baseball analogies during our Friday afternoon meet-n-greet interview. Our topic? Annuities and specifically, how annuities can be used as a critical tool in ensuring that women achieve financial security.

Tuesday, April 4, 2022 | 12 noon eastern

The Q2 State of NAIFA will feature association President Bryon Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CASL, LACP, and CEO Kevin Mayeux, CAE, updating all interested stakeholders on how NAIFA is serving members and the insurance and financial services industry. They will also outline the association’s progress toward meeting goals established by the NAIFA 2025 Strategic Plan. The program will feature a legislative and regulatory update by NAIFA Senior Vice President for Government Relations Diane Boyle.

For over 30 years, Diane Boyle has been the Senior Vice President of Government Relations for NAIFA. Diane advocates for state, interstate, and federal laws that benefit the good of the people. She graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in political science and government.

After Curt Lindsay earned his bachelor's degree in business and master’s degree in finance, he chose to follow his interest in economics and, in 1996, he entered the insurance and financial services industry as an agent and registered representative with Equitable. In the years following, he worked his way through the ranks, serving as regional vice president, district manager, executive vice president, and branch manager, among other roles.  

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 23 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.

NAIFA is proud to announce that Advisorist has joined NAIFA in supporting the Talent Development Center to raise awareness of their respective brands and promote membership and participation in their respective organizations.

Led by CEO Jeremiah Desmarais, Advisorist is a group dedicated to helping insurance and financial advisors generate qualified leads and appointments to help their businesses grow. Under the partnership, Advisorist will feature six NAIFA members in their live weekly Virtual Advisor Power Hour (VAPH) workshops in 2023. NAIFA will promote the VAPH and Advisorist through social media and marketing efforts. 

The premier association for agents and advisors in the United States encourages diversity, equity, and inclusion in the insurance and financial services industry and promotes financial security for all Americans.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is pleased to announce NAIFA’s 8th Annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Symposium on May 22, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Presented by NAIFA’s Talent Development Center, the Symposium will focus on the importance of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the insurance and financial services industry to provide opportunities for financial security to all Americans. 

The 2022 NAIFA Annual Report offers a snapshot of our association and our accomplishments from the past year. The report includes sections on the three components of NAIFA's membership promise and areas of interest to members, partners, and companies. The report is broken down by the following areas:

Rick Lam has spent his career helping his clients plan for their financial futures and mentoring the next generation of insurance and financial professionals. Just after college, Lam became a claims adjuster with State Farm. After seven years of learning about the insurance world, he spent over 12 years as an agent before taking his current position as a sales leader in 2012. 

Insurance and financial advisors need to be aware that carriers are investing in wellness apps and reward programs to help engage policyholders. This can be leveraged as an added value when an advisor is quoting a carrier’s life insurance product. One of the most challenging issues in insurance is the transient nature of carriers’ relationships with policyholders. Traditionally, coverage is bought out of necessity and then forgotten about unless – or until – a payout is required.

NAIFA marketing partner InsurTech Express recently launched their new IE Bookshelf to help promote and highlight books written by insurance and financial services professionals.

Current books by NAIFA members in the IE Bookshelf library include How Not to Tear Your Family Apart by NAIFA's Executive Director of the Centers of Excellence, Carroll Golden, The K-Method of Roulette by Ken Leibow, and Diversity Means Dollars by Vince Vitiello.

Martha Underwood has been in the technology space for over 25 years and is skilled at successfully managing large-scale digital transformation initiatives. Co-founder of Prismm, a platform that allows you to securely store important documents, Martha focuses on executive advancement without compromising integrity or authenticity. She is a recognized speaker on the topic of women leading in technology and innovation within the business marketplace. 

Shella Sylla is the Chief Operating Officer at Prismm. With over 20 years of experience in commercial banking, commercial real estate financing, and portfolio management, she is skilled at networking and building strategic brand relationships. Before her work with Prismm, she was the Founder and CEO of SisterGolf, where she helped improve women’s confidence and accelerated their career development using golf as an ally. 

While attending college, Gregory Fat had an opportunity to intern with a financial advisor and saw firsthand how advisors play an essential role and are an extension of the families they work with. Throughout his internship, he helped form complex trusts, developed estate plans, and ensured appropriate insurance coverage for high-net-worth families. To provide the best possible outcomes for clients, Fat understood that he had to become an expert on the vast landscape of financial products and tools available within the industry.

Earlier this month, NAIFA members were mailed printed copies of the I Love NAIFA Month issue of Advisor Today magazine. The issue features a cover story on 2023 NAIFA President Bryon Holz, an advocacy report, updates from NAIFA's Centers of Excellence, and photos from the National Leadership Conference and Belong event.

Peg Fraser began her career in insurance and financial services selling health insurance part-time, but she soon found the same question coming up again and again from her clients. They asked if she could help with other types of insurance and financial planning. She wanted to do more. So, when she got the opportunity to work with COUNTRY Financial in 2008, she embraced the challenge. She got licensed and “careered” with COUNTRY, joining an elite group of financial service professionals within the company, just four years later.

NAIFA and the National African American Insurance Association (NAAIA)

As NAAIA is a NAIFA advocacy partner, NAIFA members can be proud of the progress of insurance and financial services companies with improved diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. However, we may also feel some concern as NAAIA’s follow-up to their 2018 study noted some areas where DEI initiatives fall short. Significant findings are a lack of influence on career advancement despite sustained efforts through increased DEI-related training, support for resource groups (ERGs), and mentorship programs. In addition, an increasing percentage of respondents in the study reported racial and gender bias as top barriers to entry into the industry of insurance and financial advisors than the study completed in 2018.

Eric Bottolfsen, MBA, is a Vice President at GoldBook Financial and a financial planner with a passion for protecting the medical professionals and small business owners who make up Main Street USA.

Getting Started

Bottolfsen knew from an early age that he wanted a career in financial services. When he played Monopoly as a kid, he insisted on being the banker. In high school, he loved his finance classes and read old issues of the Wall Street Journal in his free time.

NAIFA President Bryon Holz is speaking today at the 2023 NAIFA-TX Annual State Conference. Bryon is working to get more insurance and financial advisors to experience their NAIFA first times:

NAIFA will join our Limited & Extended Care Planning Center (LECP) partner, ILTCI, for the 2023 ILTCI Conference in Denver, CO, from March 12-15, 2023, at the Sheraton Downtown Denver.

ILTCI’s annual educational conference is for representatives of the long-term and extended care planning community and other strategic allies, including providers, public policy institutions, professional organizations, federal, state, and local government agencies, and the public. 

With almost 30 years in financial services, there is one aspect of the industry that John Profitlich understands very well: every day is a new market. This key understanding is what keeps him motivated to deliver customized banking and lending solutions to financial professionals as Director and Northeast Regional Business Development Officer for The Bancorp Institutional Banking business.

In our fast-paced, ever-evolving world, it can be easy to lose sight of what really matters.

However, ikigai can help you bring more meaning and purpose into your life. The Japanese philosophy provides valuable guidance on achieving balance and living a meaningful life.

Ikigai is a powerful concept that has been gaining traction in recent years, providing people with an effective way to find meaning and purpose in their lives. It's no surprise that people are increasingly turning to ikigai to improve their overall well-being and happiness.

In this article, we explore the power of ikigai to recession-proof your business and provide readers with simple steps to apply it in their own lives.

NAIFA leaders Jeff Chernoff, MS, LUTCF, LACP, and Danny O'Connell, LACP share their “big case stories” and advice on winning your own big case in the month's InsuranceNewsNet magazine.

For O'Connell, the key was persistence. He shares two stories of when his tenacity paid off. In the article, he shares, “If somebody goes dark on you and you don’t hear anything, you know people want to do business with someone they know, like, and trust. And that doesn’t come overnight. That takes time."

Chernoff won his big case with patience. “First of all, ‘no’ does not mean ‘never.’ Second, if you keep a relationship positive, you never know the opportunities you will generate from that," he says in the article.

Scott Blake, MBA, is dedicated to protecting young professionals, small business owners, and families through holistic financial planning and political advocacy.

Learning From the Best

After earning his MBA from Capital University, Blake transitioned from politics to financial services. He founded Blake Wealth Partners with Northwestern Mutual in 2016 and, since then, has learned from some of the top producers in the country. One of Blake’s first mentors was Bob Roach, CLU, ChFC, a 54-year veteran of Northwestern Mutual and the recipient of NAIFA’s inaugural Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award. Roach introduced Blake to NAIFA, where he met another mentor who helped shape his career—NAIFA-Columbus Past President Patrick Cannon. In 2020, Blake joined the NAIFA-Columbus Board of Directors at his suggestion. Now, Blake is taking the lead as NAIFA-Columbus President and continuing in his role as the chapter’s Vice President of Advocacy.

Ike Trotter began his journey in the insurance world when he was 22 years old. Ike is highly skilled in analyzing long-term care insurance, Medicare supplement coverage, disability insurance, life insurance, and retirement planning. As a Financial Services Professional for Ike Trotter Agency, he provides healthcare, risk management, and "basic" estate planning solutions to families and small businesses. He is an active member and volunteer of NAIFA.

Ike holds a multitude of educational credentials including Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), and Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP) from The American College of Financial Services in Bryn Mawr, PA. He is also credentialed through The National Association of Estate Planning Councils as an Accredited Estate Planner. Ike is also a recipient of the NAIFA Quality Award.

Matt Wagner of NAIFA Business Performance Center Partner, Client Focus, shares what agents and advisors need to know about AI and what it means for the industry.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the masses came online in December. It’s called ChatGPT. You can communicate with it at openai.com. It gives impressive answers to hard questions in seconds. Many think it will put Google search out of business. Maybe put schools out of business. AI is coming like a wrecking ball for repetitive, commodity work.

What about insurance agents? I was going to share my thoughts, but then it hit me.

Why not just ask AI?

So I did.

Why religiously following these commandments will catapult your practice to the next level!

What will it take to make 2023 your best year ever? Ever think about finding religion? No, I’m not talking about going to church or joining a cult. I’m talking about following the digital commandments, not handed down by Moses or even Meta, but embodied by some of the best practitioners in the digital marketplace. If you are wanting to up your game and take your marketing to another level, then pay close attention to these foundational keys to success:

This month's InsuranceNewsNet magazine features an article by NAIFA leader Jeff Snyder sharing how to use proactive asset reallocation over the next three years to help clients avoid unintended tax consequences and other possible financial pitfalls in retirement.

In the article, Snyder gives specific advice on protecting clients' assets and giving them greater peace of mind. He compares the economic and regulatory environment now with the model many are used to and encourages a change in approach. 

Though Dustin Carnevale’s career did not begin in the financial industry, he always found himself extremely interested in monitoring the market and keeping up with financial news. It was only when he became involved in financial literacy education efforts through his earlier professional roles that his eyes were opened to the need for trained, objective fiduciaries to help those who are not sure where to start achieving their financial goals. This helped drive Carnevale to leave his established career in marketing and pursue his interest in finances to help fill a gap in the industry where his communication skills were needed and valued.  

This month's InsuranceNewsNet Magazine features an interview with Angela Ribuffo, RICP, CFP, ChFC, CDFA, CLTC, loyal NAIFA member since 1973.

In the article, Ribuffo shares how she became a financial advisor to help women make informed decisions to ensure their financial security and why recruiting and retaining women and people of color in the insurance and financial services industry is crucial to serving the financial needs of Main Street USA.

John W. Wheeler, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CRPC, LUTCF, CLTC, LACP, Senior Executive Partner of Totus Wealth Management and loyal NAIFA member since 1973, is featured in this month's InsuranceNewsNet Magazine.

In the interview, he shares powerful stories from his life and career, thoughts on the changing face of the insurance and financial services industry, and his advice for new agents and advisors. 

Brett L. Moore, CFP®, grew up in the insurance and financial services business. His father, long-time NAIFA member William C. Moore, CFP®, founded W.C. Moore Financial Services, LLC, and Moore remembers spending hours at his dad’s office, stuffing financial papers into plastic sheets and helping out any way he could.  

Joe Templin is the Co-founder and CEO of The Intro Machine, a training ecosystem for professionals who want to build an introduction-based business. Joe began his career in financial services with the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, eventually becoming a “Top 10 Mike Gish Qualifier” and a “Top 10 College Unit Director.” He also served on Northwestern Mutual's recruiting, retention, and diversity committee and has earned numerous Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) and NAIFA Quality Award honors. 

Later in his career, Joe served NAIFA on the local, state, and national levels and was a recipient of NAFIA's Advisor Today 4 Under 40 Award. Recently, he helped found NAIFA’s Coaches Circle, which provides individual coaching to advisors. Joe has spoken all over the country, authored multiple best-sellers, and founded various companies that help professionals grow.

When NAIFA President Bryon Holz graduated from college during the recession of the early 1980s, career opportunities were few and far between. So, when his high school biology teacher, who had left teaching a few years earlier to become a financial advisor, offered to have Holz come work with him, Holz accepted. He planned on staying until he found his “real” job, but he fell in love with helping families plan for their financial futures. Four decades later, it’s safe to say he’s found his calling.

If you ask Derek Glitz what he likes most about working in financial services, he’ll answer that it’s the people he works with. Specifically, he enjoys assisting financial advisors and insurance agents to reach their maximum potential and help their clients realize their retirement dreams.

Matthew C. Daley, MBA, FSCP, LACP, LUTCF, grew up in the life insurance world, but his journey to the top wasn’t easy. He relied on grit, determination, and the support of those around him to overcome addiction and build a thriving insurance agency from the ground up.

The firms' advisors join the #1 professional association for financial security professionals and prepare to participate in NAIFA’s unmatched state and federal advocacy success under an agency-wide membership program.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is pleased to announce that Bryon Holz & Associates in Brandon, FL, has become a NAIFA 100% Agency. Under the membership program, all advisors within Bryon Holz & Associates became NAIFA members and active participants in NAIFA’s grassroots advocacy programs at the state and federal levels.

Join Advisor Today for its next webinar on Wednesday, February 8 at 12 pm eastern. NAIFA Coaches Circle leader Joe Templin will teach today's advisors how to have balance and growth to build a sustainable and profitable business you love. Being part of I Love NAIFA Month in February, "Love Your Business" will help you plan to ensure the longevity of your career while avoiding burnout.

The National African American Insurance Association (NAAIA), a NAIFA advocacy partner, has issued a new report showing that, while insurance and financial services companies have increased diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, many fail to address inequity at a foundational level.

When long-term care insurance is not an option due to a person's health and/or finances, there may be an alternative solution to a difficult situation. Limited long-term care insurance can be an option to help during your client's time of need.

Register now for this upcoming webinar discussing limited long-term care on Tuesday, February 7 at 2 pm eastern.

If you ask Abdullah Rajput what motivates him to excel in financial services, he’ll tell you it’s his clients. “The interaction I have with my clients is my favorite part of my job. Many of my clients have turned into friends, which drives me to provide the best service in the industry.”

NAIFA-MO President Craig Wright, MBA, CFP®, ChFC®, has been a loyal NAIFA member since 2014. A NAIFA Quality Award winner, Wright has dedicated his career to serving the individuals, families, and small businesses that make up Main Street USA.

Reverse mortgage loans are widely misunderstood, and many homeowners and advisors have a strong negative bias against them. Unfortunately, those misconceptions and preconceptions hold back many ideal candidates from ever considering a reverse mortgage.

Today’s reverse mortgage loans are not the same as they were even a decade ago, and it is to your advantage as a trusted financial professional to take a fresh look at them, as they can often be a viable solution to many of the financial challenges that retirees face.

The aim of this piece is to help you understand both common, and somewhat less common, questions about reverse mortgages. Armed with the facts, you will have a much clearer picture of whether a reverse mortgage might be right for older-adult homeowners you advise.

Note: Most, but not all, reverse mortgages today are a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), the only reverse mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). This article refers only to the HECM reverse mortgage.

Join Dan Mangus, VP of Growth and Development at Senior Marketing Specialists, for an Advisor Today webinar on Wednesday, January 25 at 12 pm eastern. In "Buying or Selling an Agency - A Focus on Medicare," Dan will guide you through the ins and outs of buying or selling an agency, and the top things you need to know when it comes to Medicare.

Bryon Holz is the President of NAIFA, providing investments and insurance to successful individuals and business owners throughout the Southeast with Bryon Holz and Associates, which he oversees as President and Registered Principal. He has obtained numerous designations and certifications over the years, including Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC^®), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU^®), Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL), and his LUTCF designation and LACP certification.

Bryon is a graduate and Presidential Scholar from the University of Tampa. He is also a graduate of Leadership Brandon and NAIFA's prestigious Leadership in Life Institute (LILI).

Join NAIFA's Business Performance Center for a webinar on Tuesday, January 24 at 1 pm eastern. Hear from NAIFA Coaches Circle leader Joe Templin to learn how you can reliably get your foot in the door and get your name out there.

Entering the financial services industry in 2006, Dave Gannett quickly adapted and enjoyed working with other financial professionals by providing them with various investment vehicles and equipping financial advisors with information that helps benefit their clients. Eventually, he found himself serving as an advisor, focusing on global wealth and investment management.

The NAIFA Foundation for Financial Security is pleased to announce that Gregory Jean Baptiste and Brooke Bastiaans-Brooks are recipients of the inaugural NAIFA Foundation Diversity Scholarship.

Jean Baptiste holds a bachelor’s degree in business management with an emphasis in finance from Brigham Young University-Idaho and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in financial planning and analytics at Utah Valley University. A first-generation Haitian immigrant, Jean Baptiste knows the value of a solid financial plan and is motivated to help all Americans achieve financial security. He is currently employed at a Wells Fargo branch in Lindon, UT.

Understanding whether you are an Extrovert, Introvert, Ambivert, or Omnivert will help you to get through Behavioral and Economic Highs And Lows.

Behavioral research goes back to 400 B.C. when Empodocles stated that behaviors have four elements or roots; Fire, Air, Earth, and Water.

The elements of Fire and Air are said to be Extroverted.

The elements of Earth and Water are said to be Introverted.

Gone are the days of the plain old vanilla Extroverted or Introverted behavioral styles.

NAIFA and Women in Insurance & Financial Services (WIFS) have agreed to continue to work closely together and support their mutual goals in the areas of professional development; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and political advocacy. The two associations have signed an expanded partnership agreement. Under the agreement, NAIFA and WIFS share resources and NAIFA represents WIFS’s political advocacy interests.

When Refine Wealth Strategies founders David J. Klein, CFP^®, CLU, ChFC^®, RICP; Brian Kelly, CLU, ChFC^®, RICP, CASL; and Larwin W. Kauffman CFP^®, CLU, ChFC, met in the early 2000s, they didn’t anticipate starting a business together. Fortunately, fate intervened—with a bit of help from 41-year NAIFA member Terry McTigue, CLU, ChFC^®, who recruited all three to Northwestern Mutual. 

NAIFA is saddened to share the news that NAIFA-National Past President Michael C. Keenan, CLU, ChFC, has passed away. Keenan was born in Evanston, IL, and made his career as an agent with Prudential in the Chicago area.

After serving as local and state president as well as on a myriad of local, state, and national committees, including IFAPAC (known then as  LUPAC), he was elected National Secretary in 1982 and then served as NAIFA (then NALU) President in 1984-1985. 

Bryon Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CASL, LACP, President of Bryon Holz & Associates, Brandon, FL, is NAIFA's 2023 President. 

Digital Marketing had the biggest growth for generating insurance sales since 2021. In a recent global study conducted by Accenture, most insurance buyers now search for information on digital channels. 48% of insurance customers who responded to an Accenture survey stated that social media would factor into their insurance-buying decision. Introducing agents and training to effectively utilize email, social media, web-based advertising, text messages, and personalized videos which helps maximize their value delivery.

Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the technology driving the industry to new insurance sales as it does with other industries in e-commerce. Winning agencies will become more data-driven and introduce agents to tools that utilize data analytics and AI to grow their businesses. Whether finding patterns based on past data to predict future events or leveraging AI to make assumptions and predictions beyond human capabilities, successful agents and agencies will take advantage of these new technology tools.

NAIFA-GWDC Past President Peter Glassman, CFP^®, is a Founding Partner of Wealth Insight Partners and has been a loyal NAIFA member since 1989.

After graduating with a business and marketing degree in 1987, Glassman moved from Connecticut to Washington, D.C., where a family friend suggested he get into the insurance and financial services industry. After learning more he dove into what turned out to be the beginning of a career. Thirty-five years later, Glassman is still dedicated to helping his clients plan for their futures.

Chris Gandy is the Founder of Midwest Legacy Group LLC, a boutique concierge insurance group for executives, professional athletes, physicians, business owners, and entrepreneurs. It focuses on the client's interests in wealth accumulation, wealth preservation, retirement strategies, insurance, asset protection, and investments.

Dennis Cuccinelli, LACP, an Independent Advisor associated with Certified Financial Services from Paramus, NJ, has received NAIFA's inaugural Annual Membership Hard Hat Award. He was presented the award by current NAIFA President Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP, and incoming 2023 President Bryon Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CASL, LACP, November 14 in Washington, D.C., at NAIFA’s Belong awards celebration that was part of the National Leadership Conference.

On January 10, join 2023 NAIFA-National President Bryon Holz, NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux, and NAIFA SVP of Government Relations Diane Boyle for the first State of NAIFA webinar of the new year. 

Holz, Mayeux, and Boyle will share an update on where NAIFA is as an organization, preview NAIFA's advocacy goals for the new year, and highlight the benefits available exclusively to NAIFA members.

This Wednesday, December 14 at 1 pm eastern, join NAIFA's first financial security champion, E4 Insurance Services, for their next Building Relationship Every Week (BREW) webinar.

This week's BREW will feature Steve Walker, CLTC, LUTCF, Vice President of Institutional Accounts at E4, loyal NAIFA member since 2009, and a NAIFA 4 Under 40 Award Winner in 2021. 

For Joshua O’Gara, CLU^®, ChFC^®, CFP^®, Owner and Founder of O'Gara Financial Group, entrepreneurship runs in the family. Both of his parents were small business owners and O’Gara inherited their drive. His entrepreneurial spirit—along with his college studies in economics and his desire to help people—made a career in insurance and financial services a perfect fit. 

As your parents age, there’s a good chance they will need long-term care. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, more than half of Americans turning 65 today will develop a disability serious enough that they will need daily help with the basic activities of living. Most will need care for less than two years, but 1 in 7 will need assistance for more than five years.

As tough as it might be to imagine your parents being unable to care for themselves, the thought of discussing this possibility with them probably seems even harder. But it’s important to talk to your parents sooner rather than later to develop a plan for long-term care if they ever need it. If you wait for an emergency to strike, emotions will be running high and you’ll likely have fewer options to deal with your parents’ need for care.

Chris Bor, LUTCF, CLU, ChFC, a loyal NAIFA member since 1998 and Immediate Past President of NAIFA-WA, testified at a hearing of the Washington State Senate Business, Financial Services & Trade Committee on the use of life insurance, annuities, and policy riders in long-term care planning. He gave an overview of a wide variety of LTC planning options and discussed the value of agents and advisors to consumers. Bor also serves as Vice-Chair of NAIFA's National Membership Committee.

Over the past few months, I’ve been revisiting my purpose, my why I do what I do.

Why? I used to be a live public speaker. As you may have noticed, there haven’t been a lot of live conferences and speaking opportunities over the past few years. For decades, creating live speaking presentations was a huge catalyst for me to create new content.

When you think of purpose, what comes to mind?

Will your current mind allow you to realize your purpose while your mind is being consumed trying to get your needs met through a person, place, position, or possession?

Your inner script and beliefs will illuminate or eclipse you during these historical worldly events, followed by economic highs and lows.

Today’s reverse mortgage loans have built-in protections designed to make sure the loan is a sustainable solution for the borrower. In this article, we’ll explore what a life expectancy set-aside (LESA) is, how it helps a borrower to pay property charges, when the lender’s underwriter will require it, and why, in some situations, it may be advantageous for a reverse mortgage borrower to voluntarily opt for a LESA.

Adam Sachs is a Financial Advisor for Centinel Financial Group, LLC. Since 1993, he has been serving clients by helping them understand their financial options — giving them the confidence to make decisions for their future. Adam is the recipient of the inaugural 2023 NAIFA President’s Citation. He has been a member of NAIFA (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors) since 1994, is currently a Vice Chair of the National Membership Committee, and continues to serve on the NAIFA-MA Board. Adam has served as the past president of the Massachusetts chapter and was the 2021 NAIFA-MA Membership Chair.

In 2003, Kevin Bontrager hit a ceiling in his sales career. He wanted to help people in a more direct way, so he decided to become a financial advisor and created an independent firm. A few years later, Bontrager joined Randall Lehman, CLU^®, ChFC^®, AEP^®, RICP^®, and Rob Hayworth, CLU^®, ChFC^®, CASL^®, AEP^®, RICP^®, CFP^®, to create Summit Financial Group, a Northwestern Mutual Private Client Group. Now, Summit Financial Group has three Indiana offices in Fort Wayne, Angola, and Marion.

On December 6, NAIFA-National Trustee and Gateway Insurance and Financial Services Vice President Aprilyn Chavez-Geissler will be a featured speaker for the webinar "Beyond Sentiment: The Business Benefits of DEI," presented by Financial Planning magazine. 

The webinar will discuss how recent research can help you craft a strategy for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that is well-defined, driven by company leaders, and connected to business outcomes.

Jamie Hopkins is the Managing Partner of Wealth Solutions for Carson Group and is a Finance Professor of Practice at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business. He is the author of Rewirement: Rewiring The Way You Think About Retirement and Find Your Freedom: Financial Planning for a Life on Purpose. Jamie is a nationally recognized writer and researcher and has been published in dozens of financial, educational, and legal journals. He’s developed educational materials for The American College’s CFP^®, CLU, ChFC^®, and RICP programs as well as being a regular contributor to Forbes. He has been featured on Wall Street Journal podcasts, NPR radio, Fox radio, and is the host of the Framework Podcast.

While many advisors are well-equipped to help their clients evaluate their life insurance needs, some scenarios may call for outside-of-the-box solutions. Join NAIFA's Advisor Today on Thursday, December 8 at 2 pm eastern for the webinar, "4 Life Insurance Opportunities You May Have Missed," brought to you by Modern Life.

For NAIFA-CT President Addison Rosenbluth, CLTC, insurance is part of a family legacy. In 1957, his grandfather founded MERIT Insurance Services, Inc. During his senior year of college, he got an opportunity to travel to California for training. After gaining experience and earning his licenses, he returned to Connecticut and now works alongside his father, Jace Rosenbluth, running the family business.

A 35-year veteran in the insurance industry, Jeff Levin is the Vice President of Sales for Care Solutions at OneAmerica. OneAmerica is a leading mutual insurance company providing services and products, including retirement, individual life insurance, long-term care, and employee benefits. Aside from his genuine passion for care solutions, Jeff attributes his success to relationship management. He prides himself as a hands-on leader, quick to jump in to help others achieve their career goals. Outside of the office, Jeff is an avid reader, music lover, and triathlete.

On November 29, Ohio National Vice President of Product Marketing Karl Kreunen will present "Skate Where the Puck is Heading: Indexed Whole Life as Your Product of Choice."

In the webinar, Kreunen will showcase Ohio National’s new Prestige 10 Pay Indexed Whole Life policy and discuss why it makes sense today and in the future. He will also give a demonstration of relevant sales applications for a multi-pay indexed whole life policy.

NAIFA’S Hard Hat Winner! 

In the final two months of 2022, we are happy to recognize one of our members, Roger Sims, CLU, LUTCF, who has received NAIFA’s 2022 Q3 Membership Hard Hat Award. Roger has served NAIFA in several positions, beginning as an agent with New York Life in his father’s office, serving as a board member and Past President of NAIFA-North Carolina. He has served in NAIFA’s advocacy for several years.

Join NAIFA's Business Performance Center for a webinar on Tuesday, November 29 at 1 pm eastern. Sit down for a discussion with Harlan Accola of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, and Caleb Guilliams, Founder of BetterWealth, to learn about the three products your clients must have to survive this intense financial storm. 

NAIFA President Lawrence Holzberg, LACP, LUTCF, is pleased to announce that Adam Sachs, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC, AIF®, a Financial Advisor with Centinel Financial Group, LLC, in Needham, MA, is the recipient of the inaugural 2023 NAIFA President’s Citation.

Holzberg presented the citation to Sachs on November 14 at NAIFA’s Belong awards celebration at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C. in front of over 300 NAIFA members.

You probably are well aware that the inflation rate in the U.S. has been hitting fresh 40-year records lately. But did you know divorce rates in the U.S. for older couples have been reaching new highs lately, too? In fact, for couples in the U.S. who are 65 and older, the divorce rate has tripled since the 1990s. The trend is called “Silver Divorce” or “Grey Divorce.”

For older adults who are divorcing, assets have likely been intertwined for decades, adding to the challenge of dividing them. Financial needs are sure to be top of mind, as both parties will need a means to support their own individual lifestyles throughout a potentially lengthy retirement period.

For homeowners 62 and older, a reverse mortgage could help as part of a divorce settlement.

Did Covid make you feel inaccessible, irrelevant, and invisible in 2020-2022? 
Has the new world economic disorder compounded how you may be feeling about being inaccessible, irrelevant, or invisible in 2023?

If there was a way to become accessible, relevant, and visible in 2023, would you do it?

Being accessible, relevant, and visible is all about your purpose.

Purpose is not a noun, a possession, person, place, or position but a verb that is an ever-expanding expression of your values.

We're proud to announce Roger Sims, CLU, LUTCF, has received NAIFA's 2022 Q3 Membership Hard Hat Award.

Carroll Golden is a consultant, public speaker, and leader with a comprehensive background in business development and effective strategy implementation. She is the Executive Director of the Specialty Centers at the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and the President of C. Golden Consulting, LLC, where she provides strategic consulting, including business plan and sales strategy development. Carroll is the author of How Not To Tear Your Family Apart, an industry resource for professionals that addresses the challenges of working with today’s aging population.

Sue Kuraja got her start in financial services at an early age. When she immigrated from Croatia with her family as a young child, she translated financial documents for her parents as they learned English. Her ability to conduct business in a foreign language was sought after and she continued to demonstrate financial aptitude early in her career. Twenty years later, she still serves Main Street USA as a representative and advocate for consumers, while maintaining strong relations with corporate clients and enterprises.

NAIFA is proud to share that long-time partner and champion Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation was named #1 in the 2022 Top Workplaces USA, in an award issued by Energage. Fairway also took the top spot in 2021 as the top-ranked winner for a company with over 2,500 employees.

NAIFA congratulates our corporate partner OneAmerica on its new multi-year sponsorship deal with USA Swimming, the national governing body of the sport of swimming in the United States. OneAmerica is the first Centennial Partner heading into the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for swimming, which will be held in Indianapolis. 

NAIFA is pleased to announce that Charmell Davis, CMP, is NAIFA’s new Vice President of Member Advancement. In this role, she leads NAIFA’s newly created Member Advancement team and reports to CEO Kevin Mayeux, CAE. The Member Advancement team combines many of the functions of NAIFA’s former Professional Development and Professional Credentials Departments under Davis’s direction.

On Monday, October 31's "Don't Be Scared of Long-Term Care," NAIFA's Executive Director of Centers of Excellence, Carroll Golden, addressed the crisis of long-term care that is sneaking up on most Americans. "When we look at the cost of care, it’s only increasing and it’s increasing dramatically," she said at the Limited & Extended Care Planning Center's annual Impact Day.

Paul Dougherty is a Board Member for Life Happens, a nonprofit organization focused on education based on unbiased opinions about insurance. He has been an insurance agent for nearly 25 years and is a former President, Secretary, and Trustee for NAIFA (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors).

For Johnson Byrd, the transition from high school teacher and coach to insurance agent was an easy one. As he points out, both careers require a drive to succeed and a passion for education. So, when he got a job opportunity with Farm Bureau, he decided to take the leap. 

Washington State’s “Washington Cares Fund” (WCF) imposes an uncapped 0.58% employee-paid payroll tax ($580 per $100,000 earned) to fund a $36,500 lifetime pool (intended to inflate, beginning in 2027, according to WA’s consumer price index) for long-term care received in WA by vested employees. A claimant must require help with at least 3 activities of daily living (11 ADLs are listed on WCF’s website).

When Michael Herring, CLU^®, ChFC^®, LUTCF, was studying business in college, he expected to build a career in finance, but he decided to change direction when he took a course on insurance. After graduation, he took a job as a claims adjuster and, three years later, became an insurance agent. Now, he works primarily with Nebraska’s farming community. He protects their farmhouses, combines, and tractors; provides liability coverage for the rare chemical spill or animal collision; and is his clients’ first call after a hailstorm.

Christopher Gandy, LACP, Founder of Midwest Legacy Group in Lisle, IL, and the top-ranked producer for OneAmerica, has been recognized as the NAIFA Diversity Champion for 2022.

Gandy, a loyal NAIFA member since 2003, serves on NAIFA’s Board of Trustees, is a Past President of NAIFA-Chicagoland, and is a Co-Chair of NAIFA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council. He was also a member of the NAIFA 2025 Strategic Planning Committee, which developed the NAIFA 2025 strategic plan with a goal of increasing DEI in the association and industry. After four years as a student-athlete at the University of Illinois and playing several seasons of professional basketball for the Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs as well as in L’Hermaine, France, Gandy entered the insurance and financial services profession in 1999.

Jeff Chernoff, M.S., LUTCF, LACP, Vice President of Insurance and Trust in Tampa, FL, is the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year for 2022.

Chernoff is the President-Elect of NAIFA-FL and has been a loyal NAIFA member since 2011. He is a graduate of NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) and has remained active in the program, serving as a moderator of classes in Florida. He is a Past President of NAIFA-Tampa Bay and received that chapter’s Dick Cimino Distinguished Service Award in 2018 for his strong support of the chapter’s membership endeavors and public service projects.

Coastal Wealth, a leading financial services firm in the southeast, has announced the addition of Lawrence “Larry” Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP as a new Brokerage Director. He will be responsible for leading financial professionals to offer case consultation and design and positioning strategies and presentations.

Advisor Today is pleased to announce the winners of its 2022 4 Under 40 awards: Scott Blake, MBA, of Blake Wealth Partners (Northwestern Mutual) in Columbus, OH, loyal member since 2018; Eric Bottolfsen, MBA, of GoldBook Financial (MassMutual) in Scottsdale, AZ, loyal member since 2017; Matthew Daley, MBA, FSCP, LACP, LUTCF, of the Daley Agency (American National) in Miller Place, NY, loyal member since 2018; and Brett Moore, CFP, of RBM Wealth Management Group (LPL Financial) in Newnan, GA, loyal member since 2015.

We're kicking off November's Long-Term Care Awareness Month on Halloween, Monday, October 31 to get the message out that you don't need to be scared of long-term care conversations!

NAIFA's Limited & Extended Care Planning (LECP) Center is hosting "Don't Be Scared of Long-Term Care," a free, day-long virtual program from 9 am to 5 pm. Included are interactive sessions from industry leaders who will address the scariest of topics in the long-term care arena. 

NAIFA is proud to announce that Robert A. Miller, M.S., M.A., Partner at Miller-Pomerantz Insurance and Financial Services in New York City, is the recipient of NAIFA’s Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award.

Miller, a loyal member since 1983, was NAIFA’s national President for the 2011-2012 term. He had previously served as President of the NAIFA-New York state chapter and NAIFA-New York City. He was elected to the NAIFA Board of Trustees in 2005 and has served as trustee liaison to the CEO Outreach Program, the Young Advisor Team, and the Corporate Partnerships Program. He also served as chair of the NAIFA Governance Committee and was a member of the NAIFA Finance Committee.

Over the past two to three years, there is no doubt you’ve been through a tremendous amount of change. The pandemic transformed the way we lived and worked. From career security to The Great Resignation, many of us were provided with plenty of opportunities for reflection. You went from working live to virtual and saw family and friends change careers, move from their homes (even total relocations), and pick up hobbies they’ve dreamed about for years.

In an advertising campaign in the 1980s, Heinz ketchup used the slogan “Good things come to those who wait.” For your clients who are in their 40s or 50s and yearn to get a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (or HECM, commonly called a reverse mortgage) loan, well, like the slow trickle of ketchup out of a glass bottle, they are going to have to let time do its thing and wait at least until they reach the minimum qualifying age of 62.

But let’s assume you have a client who is already 62 or better and wants to leverage his or her home equity one day via a reverse mortgage — should the wait to get one continue or is acting now the optimal strategy?

Brian Ashe is the President of Brian Ashe and Associates, Ltd. He has been a NAIFA member for 51 years and served as the President of the DuPage County Chapter. Since 1969, Brian has assisted clients with life, health, disability, annuity, and equity products in the insurance and investment business. His work concentrates on estate conservation, retirement planning, employee benefits, and business insurance strategies. Brian specializes in business continuity, transition, succession planning, executive benefits, and estate and legacy planning.

New Business Performance Center partner, AccuPoint Solutions, will host a data-driven webinar on Thursday, October 13 at 12 pm eastern. Join Founder & CEO of AccuPoint, Gary Weber, for "Data Diving: Understand and Maximizing Your Most Important Asset." Gary will help you how to best understand the complexity of the data you may have – or may want to purchase – for your sales, marketing, recruiting, and data analytics efforts.

There is a tremendous lack of diversity in financial services and the average age of financial advisors is 57. Part of NAIFA's mission is to help more people become aware of careers in financial services and to create a healthy, diverse workforce. Colleges and universities are filled with America's next generation of agents and advisors. NAIFA wants to be sure that these bright minds are equipped with the resources and a network to get their careers started in the right direction. NAIFA engages with these students through our Future Leaders program and as a gold sponsor at the Gamma Iota Sigma Conference, a professional fraternity for students interested in insurance, risk management, and actuarial science.

NAIFA is proud to announce Harry P. Hoopis, CLU, CHFC, Chief Executive Officer of the Hoopis Performance Network and a renowned entrepreneur, leader, and speaker is the recipient of the 81st annual John Newton Russell Memorial Award. The award is the highest honor accorded by the insurance industry to a living individual who has rendered outstanding services to the institution of life insurance. The selection committee consists of representatives of the nine leading organizations in the life insurance and financial services industry. NAIFA President Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP, announced Hoopis’s selection during the 2022 Q4 State of NAIFA webinar. Hoopis will be celebrated and formally receive the award at NAIFA’s National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., on November 14.

NAIFA Trustees Win Havir and Aprilyn Chavez Geissler and member Sue Kuraja appeared on a panel at the recent Women in Insurance and Financial Services  (WIFS) National Conference in Phoenix to discuss: "What If the True Kingmaker Is the Queen? Taking the Power of Women to the Polls."

NAIFA and the Society of Financial Service Professionals will host an Advanced Practice Center webinar on Wednesday, October 12 at 2 pm eastern. Presented by John Hancock, join Matthew Gibson and John Snider II, JD as they share their insights in "Is Behavioral Insurance the Future of Life Insurance?"

Tom Michel is the Immediate Past President of NAIFA (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors), where he has been a member since 1986. He is the Managing Director of Michel Financial Group, where he and his wife have over 70 years of combined experience in the industry. His prior experience includes working as the Managing Partner for New York Life Insurance Company and as a General Agent for UNIFI Companies.

NAIFA IFAPAC contributors received an exclusive elections update from nationally renowned political expert Nathan Gonzales. The webinar provided a big picture overview six weeks out from the November midterms and insights into factors that could turn specific races for House and Senate seats as well as state governorships and determine who will make decisions that will impact NAIFA members’ businesses and clients.

The NAIFA Family Response Fund is open to assist members of the association who suffer losses due to Hurricane Ian, which is expected to impact much of Florida as a potentially catastrophic storm. The Fund is also open to assist NAIFA members who suffered losses due to Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico and the federally declared Mississippi Water Crisis.

Brian Haney is the Founder and CEO of The Haney Company, an insurance agency with a mission committed to providing high-quality financial services to its clients. Brian and his father, Allen, combined their independent practices into a full-service multi-line business that offers personalized financial advice and guidance. Brian is also NAIFA’s 2018 Diversity Champion, an author, an association expert, and a financial advisor.

Nathan James always knew he wanted to make a career helping people, so when a friend introduced him to NAIFA-AK Past President Nathan McKay, he knew he had found the right place. Two years later, he is creating customized strategies to help individuals and families reach their retirement goals as a New York Life Insurance Co. agent. 

Kevin Mayeux is the CEO of NAIFA (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors), the premier professional home for agents and advisors. With immense leadership experience in international and domestic organizations for over 20 years, Kevin has been a strong advocate for organizational efficacy that brings exceptional results. He focuses his efforts on helping leaders achieve strategic financial success by sharing his expert opinion and building meaningful relationships with organizations and communities.

Here are three ways people 62 and older (working in tandem with their advisors) can incorporate reverse mortgages into sound retirement plans to potentially improve retirement outcomes.

When it comes to making savings last over a lengthy retirement period, retirees have no shortage of obstacles to contend with: soaring inflation, longer life expectancy, volatile markets, exuberant long-term care costs — the list goes on and on.

NAIFA is proud to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 - October 15. 

NAIFA’s Committee on Governance has nominated Douglas B. Massey, LUTCF, FSS, Owner of Doug Massey Financial Services in San Angelo, TX, to be the 2023 NAIFA Secretary. A current member of NAIFA’s Board of Trustees, Massey has been a loyal NAIFA member since 1987. As incoming Secretary, Massey will be in line to serve as President-Elect in 2024 and President in 2025.

NAIFA is sad to learn that association Past President Dennis R. Merideth, CLU, ChFC, of Tucson, AZ, passed away September 10. He was a loyal NAIFA member since 1971.

In 2007, Julianne Hertel, LACP, was looking for a new career. She talked with several professionals to explore her options but found the perfect fit with New York Life. Now, she helps protect Main Street Americans with comprehensive insurance and financial planning. 

NAIFA-Los Angeles members have worked with local and state elected representatives to get official recognition of September as Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM). The City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, and California State Senate have all issued resolutions or certificates recognizing NAIFA and LIAM.

NAIFA President Lawrence Holzberg, LACP, LUTCF, and President-Elect Byron Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CASL, LACP, are representing NAIFA's Office of the President in upcoming speaking engagements around the country. NAIFA thought leaders offer insights into the state of NAIFA, the financial services industry, and the community of agents and advisors.

NAIFA Members Recognized as Forbes Top Financial Security Professionals 2022

Once again Forbes and SHOOK Research have selected the industry’s premier financial security professionals, answering the question “Would we recommend these professionals to a family member or friend?” The answer this year has resulted in 27 NAIFA members who serve Main Street USA by actively promoting financial literacy in their clients’ best interests and following the NAIFA Code of Ethics. You can view the list of these professionals in Advisor Today. While these professionals clearly support each of the 9 obligations in the NAIFA Code, we can be sure they are reflections of obligations 2 and 5:

Angela White is committed to recruiting diverse talent into the insurance and financial services industry and making sure they have the resources they need to succeed.

Getting Started

After several years in sales, White took a job recruiting agents and fell in love with the industry. She’s motivated by a genuine drive to connect with people and have meaningful conversations. She seeks out underrepresented talent—women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals—and finds ways to set them up for success.

Life insurance is a crucial part of any solid financial plan, but 41% of Americans say they don’t have sufficient life insurance coverage. That's why NAIFA partner Life Happens created Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM) and why NAIFA strongly supports efforts to promote the benefits of life insurance during September and all year long. For agents and advisors, LIAM is the perfect time to meet with your clients to make sure their life insurance coverage meets their needs. 

In the past, I have written about lead generation solutions as well as tracking clients on customer relationship management tools (CRMs) and marketing programs, but there hasn’t been a focus on lead conversions. At an industry conference this year, I learned about Phonexa, the company working to bridge the gap to generate more sales from leads. It’s important that advisors, especially those who run agencies and invest heavily in lead generation through marketing, learn about maximizing those leads.  

Suzanne Carawan is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), the premier professional home for agents and advisors. She has more than a decade of experience working in fast-growth tech companies in social networking, events, CRM, and virtualization. She is passionate about establishing and growing technology companies globally and leverages her social and high-tech digital marketing background to provide insightful commentary to audiences worldwide. 

Suzanne holds an MBA in management of global information and high-tech marketing from the Kogod School of Business at American University and an MPH in international health economics and social marketing and research design from Tulane University. She also received her BA in philosophy with minors in biology and government and politics from the University of Maryland. 

Since he started his insurance and financial services career in 2006, Matt Georgopulos, LACP, has done it all—underwriting, futures trading, rock band management, and more.  Now, he specializes in helping families find the right home, auto, and life insurance. 

NAIFA leaders Bryon Holz, ChFC, CLU, LACP, and Stephen Kagawa, FSS, LUTCF, LACP, are presenting at the 2022 MDRT Global Conference in Sydney, Australia. Sharing their industry knowledge and experience with a global audience, Holz is NAIFA’s 2022 President-Elect and Kagawa, NAIFA’s 2020 Diversity Champion, is a member of NAIFA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council.

Each year, Forbes and SHOOK Research select the industry's premier financial security professionals. The Forbes Top Financial Security Professionals list aims to answer the question: “Would we recommend these professionals to a family member or a friend?”

Rather than focusing on performance and profits, Forbes selects candidates based on quantitative factors (including production, assets under management (AUM), and client-related trends and data) and qualitative factors (including adherence to best practices, use of team and team dynamics, and level of community involvement).

This year's Top Financial Security Professionals list includes 27 NAIFA members:

Andrew Holt is the Government Relations and Grassroots Manager at the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA). NAIFA works on behalf of its members to promote a favorable regulative environment, provide professional education services, and ensure ethical professional conduct for insurance and financial advisors.

Andrew spent several years of his career in the political arena, getting his start as an intern for a senate race in South Carolina, where he found his passion for connecting voters with elected officials. This eventually led to his current position at NAIFA, where he influences public and elected officials on legislative priorities, engages volunteers in grassroots efforts, and leads grassroots lobbying efforts at the state level. 

On August 31, join NAIFA-Past President Juli McNeely, LUTCF, CFP, CLU for “Risk Matters,” a Building Relationships Every Week (BREW) webinar from E4 Insurance.  

In this session, McNeely will share insights on how to help your clients evaluate risk and the importance of consistently analyzing risk. A loyal NAIFA member since 1996, McNeely is Past President of NAIFA-WI, a graduate of NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute (LILI), and a Financial Security Advocate.

For HealthMarkets insurance agent Scott Gulledge, it’s all about problem-solving. He knows that health insurance is one of the biggest expenses for families and business owners and he works every day to find the best price for the coverage his clients need. 

On August 24, join LIBRA Senior VP of Business Development Jon Jacobs for a 15-minute industry update.

Jacobs will discuss:

• Major trends in insurance and financial services
• The relationship between the insurance and wealth management industries
• The potential impact of brokerage mergers and acquisitions
• How private equity is affecting the industry 

Tune in on August 24 at 1 pm eastern for this webinar in the Building Relationships Every Week (BREW) series.

NAIFA announces the launch of the Employee and Executive Benefits Center (EBC), the newest of NAIFA’s Centers for Excellence, at NAIFA’s Apex sales summit. The EBC is a community of agents, firms, carriers, and vendors that offers top-notch resources, innovative research, access to industry thought leaders, and opportunities for collaboration in the benefits space.

NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) has received a 2022 Power of Associations Gold Award from ASAE, the Center for Association Leadership. The Power of Associations Awards honor “associations that go above and beyond their everyday mission to undertake initiatives that have far-reaching benefits important to their profession or industry.”

Chris Gandy is the Founder of Midwest Legacy Group LLC, a boutique concierge insurance group for executives, professional athletes, physicians, business owners, and entrepreneurs. It focuses on the client's interests in wealth accumulation, wealth preservation, retirement strategies, insurance, asset protection, and investments.

Chris played professionally for the Chicago Bulls, the San Antonio Spurs, and in L'Hermaine, France, after playing for the Fighting Illini at the University of Illinois. After the NBA, Chris worked as a Representative for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, the APEX Consulting Group LLC, and was the Senior Vice President of Sales at MassMutual Chicago.

When Ryan Mulholland was young, his father told him that he should sell insurance. But it would take years of hard work—and no small amount of serendipity—for him to begin his career as an insurance agent. Now in his second year as a State Farm agent, he loves his work because he helps protect families every day. 

Congratulations to the NAIFA members who earned the Life and Annuity Certified Professional (LACP) certification during the July testing window.

• Julianne Hertel, LACP, (loyal member since 2009), financial advisor and founder at Dream Big Wealth Strategies, LLC, in Worcester, MA

• Robert Edgin, LACP, (loyal member since 2004), insurance agent and registered representative at American National in Colorado Springs, CO

• Matthew Georgopulos, LACP, (loyal member since 2022), insurance agent at Muir Insurance Group in Lake Zurich, IL

On August 24, tune in for "Helping Middle-Income Families Protect Their Financial Future," a LinkedIn Live event presented by NAIFA partners LIMRA and the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI).

Hear insights into Americans' perception of life insurance from a panel of industry experts: Susan Neely, President and CEO of ACLI; David Levenson, President and CEO of LIMRA and LOMA; and Alison Salka, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and head of LIMRA research.

Chris Gandy is the Founder of Midwest Legacy Group LLC, a boutique concierge insurance group for executives, professional athletes, physicians, business owners, and entrepreneurs. It focuses on the client's interests in the areas of wealth accumulation, wealth preservation, retirement strategies, insurance, asset protection, and investments.

Chris played professionally for the Chicago Bulls, the San Antonio Spurs, and in L'Hermaine, France after playing for the Fighting Illini at the University of Illinois. After the NBA, Chris worked as a Representative for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, the APEX Consulting Group LLC, and was the Senior Vice President of Sales at MassMutual Chicago.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is proud to announce its participation in The American College of Financial Services' sixteenth annual Conference of African American Financial Professionals. The event is being held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. this week and is attended by many NAIFA members and association partners.

NAIFA is a benefactor this year and provided a scholarship to Mitrick "TJ" Johnson, a rising senior at Alabama A&M University. The HBCU institution is a traditional 1890 land grant university established the same year as NAIFA and greatly expanded the efforts of its 1879 founder, Dr. William Hooper Councill, into creating a sustainable institution focused on teaching, research, and public service. 

As a college student, Christine Pikutis-Musuneggi, CPRC, CLTC, LACP, planned to study architecture. Her plans changed, however, when her family inherited a third-generation business and needed a financial planner to work with insurance agents, attorneys, accountants, and the other professionals required to run a business. So, Pikutis-Musuneggi changed her major to business management and became a financial planner. 

In a competitive job market, businesses are looking to financial professionals for benefits to help them attract and keep talent. Nonqualified benefits, like deferred compensation plans, may be a good solution to appeal to executives looking for pre-tax opportunities beyond IRAs and 401(k) plans to accumulate greater wealth for retirement. Knowing the ins and outs of these products may help you practice stand out and appeal to a larger pool of business clients.

NAIFA’s Advisor Today magazine has launched a new Podcast series featuring outstanding NAIFA members and partners sharing their stories and answering questions about their own professional success. Their insights will offer practical ideas and inspire agents and advisors to reach their own levels of peak performance. Industry thought leaders featured on Advisor Today podcasts have a deep understanding of the insurance and financial services industry and what it takes to thrive in the profession.

On August 10, 2022, tune in for "DEI Success: From Making a Great Hire to Serving a Wider Audience."

Presented by InsuranceNewsNet, this special webinar will feature two NAIFA members: Kristen Hall Eskew, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at OneDigital, and Toni L. Gonzales, MBA, LACP, Vice President of Sales at Ohio National Financial Services and Vice President of Women in Insurance and Financial Services (WIFS).