NAIFA has announced that it will hold its 2022 Congressional Congress in-person May 23-24 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.

NAIFA is pleased to announce that its 2022 State Chapter Presidents have taken office as of January 1. State Presidents provide leadership for their states’ advocacy team, drive their states’ grassroots influence, build participation in NAIFA state legislative days and send state representatives to NAIFA’s annual Congressional Conference in Washington, D.C.

Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP, Managing Director and Director of Insurance and Advance Sales, at Fortis Lux Financial, in Melville, NY, (loyal member since 1990) is the 2022 President of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA). Bryon Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CASL, LACP, President of Bryon Holz & Associates in Brandon, FL, (loyal member since 1987) is President-Elect, Thomas M. Cothron, LUTCF, Agency Manager with Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company in Ocala, FL, (loyal member since 1981) is Secretary, and Brock Jolly, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CLTC, CASL, CFBS, of Veritas Financial LLC/MassMutual Financial Group in McLean, VA, (loyal member since 2001) is Treasurer. Thomas O. Michel, LACP, Managing Director of Michel Financial Group in Los Angeles (loyal member since 1986) will continue his service as Immediate Past President.

NAIFA has announced the completion of its 2021 Business Implementation Plan that is phase one of its 2025 Strategic Plan, and the release of its new Business Implementation Plan for 2022. The 2025 Strategic Plan builds on the NAIFA 20/20 plan penned in 2016 that navigated the organization through a complete restructure of its chapters and overhaul of its bylaws.

The winner of NAIFA-CA's Norman G. Levine Distinguished Service Award is Jill M. Judd, LUTCF, FSS, RICP. Judd is a Past President of NAIFA-CA and NAIFA-National. She has been a State Farm Agent serving her community in Capitola, California, for the past 20 years.

Congratulations to Richard "Rick" Stamm on his retirement after 48 years in the financial services industry. Stamm has been a financial representative with Northwestern Mutual since 1974 and a loyal NAIFA member since 1978. His passion and commitment to his community in Brookfield, Wisconsin, is an inspiration to all of us.

Join us on January 11, 2022, at 1 pm eastern for "Financial Technology that Builds Long-Term Relationships for Long-Term Care," a special webinar presented by Carefull co-founder Todd Rovak and product strategy lead Michael Rubel.

Rovak and Rubel will discuss the challenge of client engagement and how Carefull's technology can help overcome it. The webinar will also feature a Q&A with NAIFA-National President-Elect Bryon Holz speaking on his own experience with long-term care insurance and how it has affected his family.

Apply today to take the LACP exam during January! The final deadline is December 15, 2021. NAIFA members receive a $200 discount on the application. There is a $50 late sign-up fee, but NAIFA members can use the code Late50 for a $50 discount when applying.

NAIFA-NY’s Don Lippencott, a loyal member since 1985 and a New York Life financial professional, told the Wall Street Journal that 23 of his clients passed away in 2020, approximately double the total for a typical year. Not only did COVID-19 increase the death rate among his clients, but pandemic-related restrictions prevented him from delivering death-benefit checks in person as he has done in the past. “It was gut wrenching and excruciating,” he told the Journal.

NAIFA is proud to announce Robelynn H. Abadie, CAP™, CHRS, LUTCF, CSA, RFC, RDA™, Founder and Owner of Abadie Financial Services (AFS), LLC, an insurance and financial services agency in Baton Rouge, LA, is the recipient of the 80th 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. Abadie received the award at NAIFA’s National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., on December 6.