Adriana Parker, CLTC, is a financial services professional and community leader on a mission to educate and serve the people of Corpus Christi, Texas.

Parker moved from Mexico to the United States 11 years ago to pursue her American dream. She began learning about life insurance after a friend passed away in a car accident. She saw how difficult it was for her friend’s parents and decided to look into life insurance. She found that many people haven’t received adequate financial education, so she made it her mission to help her community by becoming a financial advisor. “Even if you have a degree, you don't know how you prepare for your future,” she begins. “So, I see myself like a community service leader. I like to educate my clients and my community.”

Caring Is Key

The most important qualities for a financial or insurance professional, Parker believes, are authenticity and compassion. To be successful, she says, you need to care about your clients. So, she is dedicated to educating herself to better serve her clients. “Every day, you need to learn something,” she says. “Every day, you need to acquire some nuggets of information to be better and help your clients and your family.” 

Parker talks about a pivotal moment in her career, delivering her first death claim check. She saw the impact she had on the family and was inspired to learn all she could so she could help more people. “When you’re a kid, you want to think you're a superhero," she begins. “I think that this career helps you to do just that - to be a superhero for someone.”

A Part of the Community

Parker works primarily with the immigrant population in Corpus Christi. She serves over 200 clients from several countries and embraces the opportunity to learn about other cultures through her work. She is also the founder of Latina Leaders, an organization that helps promote and empower female professionals in the Latin American community. “We try to create awareness about finance, emotions, and health in women,” she begins. “Unfortunately, in our community, those types of topics are not very commonly discussed.” Latina Leaders hosts networking events featuring female community leaders, such as Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales, telling their stories of overcoming challenges and achieving success. 

An active member of the United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, Parker is passionate about supporting small businesses and was named the Chamber Champion of the Month in July 2020. She has also been a featured speaker with other area non-profit organizations, such as Face to Face, which provides support for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease. 

The Value of NAIFA Membership

Joining NAIFA, Parker says, gave her access to a huge amount of useful information. She explains that seminars, NAIFA's online portal, and discounts on designations are all part of maximizing your membership. She treats each client with compassion, as if they were her own family. “If you don't care in this career, you are in the wrong business," she says. “By becoming a NAIFA member, you show you care about your clients.”

Outside of the Office

In her spare time, Parker enjoys reading fiction and non-fiction alike. One of her favorite authors is Andres Oppenheimer, who examines the differences between the political and educational systems of North and South America. Parker notes that American culture encourages taking a risk to achieve success, which was a key factor in her decision to emigrate from Mexico. She also likes to read romantic novels that explore the psychology of how people think about and experience their emotions.

When she’s not reading, Parker makes homemade gifts and repairs antiques. She loves learning the history behind the items she restores. “When we die, we don't have anything in our hands, only the experience of life,” she says. “So, I like to hear their stories.” 

Thank you, Adriana, for your service to our industry and association. We’re #NAIFAproud to call you one of our own.