NAIFA’s LECP Executive Director Carroll Golden joins Angie Hughes on the  Producers XL broadcast: The Long-Term, Angie's Advice for Agents on August 31st, at 11 am eastern to discuss the Washington Care Act.

Meet Taylor Collins, CEBS, CLU^®, RHU, President of Professional Benefits Inc., and a loyal NAIFA member since 2007. Collins is a native of Florida and holds a BA in Risk Management Insurance. Her career path was unclear until she took a risk management insurance class as an elective in college and fell in love with the industry.

Marc Sigmon, NAIFA member and CEO of Marc Sigmon Insurance Agency, is the Leader of NAIFA-CA's San Diego affiliate. Sigmon joined NAIFA California in 2020 and was inspired to take on a bigger role after he attended NAIFA’s annual Congressional Conference. 

"The Congressional Conference was an amazing experience," said Sigmon. "It made me want to get more involved at the state level and I am honored to have the opportunity to represent NAIFA-California as Leader Affiliate, San Diego."

Gilbert Mares, MPA, LUTCF, LILLI, CEO of Gilbert A. Mares and Associates, is a loyal NAIFA member and Past President of NAIFA's Los Angeles affiliate from 2003-2005.

Mares was born in El Paso, Texas, and later moved to Los Angeles when he was four years old. He attended schools in the greater Los Angeles area and earned his undergraduate degree from Cal Poly Pomona University, and developed a passion for Political Science. At the age of 21, Mares had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live and work in Washington, D.C., as a fact-finder at the cabinet level. 

Eva Emperador and her family migrated from the Philippines to the United States in 1981. Her family started out in Sonneville, CA, she moved to various cities over the years, and now resides in Gilroy, CA. Eva began her career as a finance controller for various companies, managing budgets, profits, and loss for organizations in the food, manufacturing, and aerospace industries. After 25 years of success as a financial controller, Eva made the pivot into financial services. After meeting with her financial advisor, she was inspired to change her career path into the financial service industry in 2017.   

Monique Fanfan, a native of Haiti who came to the United States to have her shot at the American dream, began her career in financial services working in a bank. She then went on to work for a financial investment firm out of New York and later she spent 15 years as an accountant.

Blake Gillies, DIA, a loyal NIAFA member since 2012, NAIFA-LA President, and national Young Advisor Team (YAT) Co-Chair, is living his dream of serving in the insurance industry after following in his father’s footsteps. He currently practices with Acacia Financial Group in Metairie, LA, where he specializes in insurance, disability insurance, and income protection products and services designed to meet his client's needs. He also provides disability insurance expertise for the Southern Medical Association.

NAIFA member and CEO of Females and Finance Sheryl Hickerson announced the launch of a new website for the organization.  

Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor our fallen heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice, a day of remembrance for the 1.2 million men and women who answered the Nation’s call and protected the many freedoms that we have as Americans.  

As a U.S. Army veteran with two combat tours and 20 years of active service, this day will always hold special meaning. I was 19 years old when I deployed for my first combat tour to Afghanistan. It was unlike anything I ever experienced — going on convoy missions, to being mortared on our fobs, I was and am always aware of how fortunate I am that I was one to make it back home. 

NAIFA is proud to announce Dan Mangus as our newest contributor, providing content to enhance members’ knowledge in the insurance industry space. 

Dan’s passion for the insurance industry is unmatched. After high school, each day, he spent his time setting appointments for his mother, who worked with Medicare insurance products. In 1982, Dan started his first insurance agency at the age of 18 and immediately began networking for growth.