Rodrigo Menendez, MBA, CRPC, LACP, has been a NAIFA member since 2011. He began his career with State Farm in 2011, taking over a book of business from a retiring 30-year veteran of the insurance industry. He was recruited by a family friend who was looking for Spanish-speaking agents.  

Early on, Menendez could tell it was the right fit for him. The most important thing in Menendez’s work, he says, is helping people. He builds relationships with his clients and their families that last years. “Being able to provide them some sense of relief, financially, in a situation when they’re grieving - I think that's one of the reasons we focus on life insurance so much in my agency,” he explains. 

Join us in congratulating Christopher L. Gandy and Brian Haney, winners of this year’s ThinkAdvisor LUMINARIES Award in Diversity and Inclusion.

Shane Grau is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of families and small business owners in his community.

Grau got into insurance and financial services at a young age. He moved from Mayetta, KS to Topeka in his early 20s and worked in sales for a short time. However, after losing his father to a heart attack and helping his mother form her financial plan after a terminal illness diagnosis, he realized the need for better financial literacy in his community. He highlights the difference between his prior career in sales and his current work in financial services. “I knew that I wanted to work for myself, or at least companies that represent what’s in the best interest of people they’re helping,” he explains. “I wanted to be a resource for friends, family members, and community in helping them through the same type of process that I dealt with, with my own parents.”

Patricia (Trish) May is a third-generation NAIFA member and the Young Advisor Team (YAT) Chair for NAIFA-PA. May and her sister, Carina Hatfield, followed in the footsteps of their father and grandfather and now run Weigner Insurance.

As a child, May thought the world of insurance was boring. With her father in the office and her mother raising the children at home, on Take Your Child to Work Day, May chose to stay home and help her mother clean rather than spend time at her father’s office. However, May’s opinion changed in adulthood, as she realized the importance of insurance and financial planning. 

What’s the next big frontier in financial planning? 

EveryIncome founder and CEO Ted Mekonnen answers this question and many others on The 401k Study Group podcast. Mekonnen and host Chuck Hammond discuss the role EveryIncome can play in any financial strategy.   

This week’s Q4 State of NAIFA meeting featured NAIFA President Tom Michel, CEO Kevin Mayeux, and AVP of Government Relations Judi Carsrud.  

Michel gave an up-beat overview of the year so far and NAIFA’s plans for the future. He also highlighted the upcoming National Leadership Conference on December 6-7, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

Mardi Woods is dedicated to promoting financial literacy in her community, from her work with youth organizations to her insurance and financial practice at New York Life. She is an Agent with New York Life Insurance Company and a Registered Representative with NYLIFE Securities LLC (member FINRA/SIPC), a Licensed Insurance Agency and a New York Life company.

Woods entered the insurance and financial services industry in 2018. After spending time in the corporate world and taking time to raise her family, Woods wanted to find a career she could retire from. She was looking into several options when a friend at New York Life encouraged her to apply.

Gerald Wodkins loves helping people.

Wodkins started in the insurance industry in 2000 in Macon, GA. Young and newly married, he took a job at a Geico call center to help support his growing family. He was dedicated to helping his clients get the best coverage for their unique situations. He recalls, "I always prided myself on taking the opportunity to really dive deep and help people to really look at the whole picture.” Wodkins worked with Geico for 15 years before taking a brief break from insurance. In August 2021, Wodkins began working with American National. He now offers an array of insurance products and services and plans to focus on helping small businesses.

Stephanie Tulley is all about helping others reach their full potential.

Tulley, like many, got into the insurance industry inadvertently, but she soon grew to love her work. Starting as a receptionist at a State Farm agency in 2015, she soon moved to sales, management, and consulting. Now, she manages one of the top State Farm agencies in the Tampa Bay area and runs her own consultancy agency, The Insurance Advisory, to edify other insurance professionals and help them move forward in their careers.

A new survey indicates that individuals’ thinking around retirement has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While older Americans plan to stay in the workforce longer due to the pandemic, some young professionals plan to retire earlier.