NAIFA’s Committee on Governance has nominated Christopher L. Gandy, LACP, Founder of the Midwest Legacy Group in Lisle, IL, to be the 2024 NAIFA Secretary. A current member of NAIFA’s Board of Trustees, Gandy has been a loyal NAIFA member since 2003. As incoming Secretary, Gandy will be in line to serve as President-Elect in 2025 and President in 2026.

The Committee has also nominated Stephen Kagawa, FSS, LUTCF, to serve a two-year term on the NAIFA Board of Trustees. Kagawa, a loyal NAIFA member since 1986, is Founder and CEO of the Pacific Bridge Companies in Monrovia, CA. This will be Kagawa’s first time serving as a National Trustee for NAIFA.

Dennis Cuccinelli, LACP, an Independent Financial Representative in Edison, NJ, and a loyal member since 1986, is a current member of the Board of Trustees and is nominated to serve an additional two-year term. This will be Cuccinelli’s fourth term as a Trustee, which is unprecedented in NAIFA history. He has served as NAIFA’s National Membership Chair and is the Trustee Liaison to the Grassroots Committee.

Returning to serve the second year of their two-year terms as Trustee are Carina Hatfield, LUTCF, CLCS, LACP, Owner of Weigner Insurance & Financial Services Inc. in Pottstown, PA, a loyal member since 2005 and Brian J. Haney, CLTC, CFS, CIS, CFBS, LACP, LUTCF, CAE, Founder and CEO of the Haney Company in Silver Spring, MD, a loyal member since 2013. Both Weigner Insurance & Financial Services and The Haney Company are participants in NAIFA’s 100% Agency program. Both have been honored as past NAIFA Young Advisor Team Leaders of the Year.

Thomas M. Cothron, LUTCF, FSCP, Agency Manager at Southern Farm Bureau Insurance in Ocala, FL, a loyal member since 1981, will serve as NAIFA’s 2024 President and be installed, along with his Board of Trustees, on December 4, 2024, at NAIFA’s Belong event which is a black-tie gala to honor NAIFA’s national, state, and local leadership. Douglas B. Massey, LUTCF, CLU, ChFC, FSS, Owner of Doug Massey Financial Services in San Angelo, TX, a loyal member since 1987, will be the 2024 President-Elect. Both Cothron and Massey have served the association in multiple roles including national Trustee, State President, and specialty committee roles throughout their leadership tenure.

Brock T. Jolly, CFP, CLU, LACP, ChFC, CLTC, CASL, RICP, Partner at Veritas Financial LLC/MassMutual Financial Group in McLean, VA, a loyal member since 2001, is nominated to continue to serve as NAIFA’s Treasurer. Bryon A. Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CASL, LACP, President of Bryon Holz & Associates in Brandon, FL, and a loyal member since 1987, will serve as Immediate Past President beginning January 1, 2024.

The NAIFA Governance Committee consists of 12 NAIFA members and is chaired by NAIFA Past President Thomas O. Michel, LACP, CLTC, Managing Director of the Michel Financial Group in Los Angeles, a loyal member since 1986.

“The NAIFA Governance Committee is pleased to nominate strong candidates as Secretary and Trustees to continue to innovate our association while holding true to the values that have kept us relevant for over 130 years,” Michel said. “We had a great group of applicants this year in terms of talent and number and I am thrilled that there is such high interest among members in being part of NAIFA’s leadership. Along with our returning leadership, incoming President Tom Cothron and President-Elect Doug Massey, NAIFA is well positioned to reach our goals outlined in our NAIFA 2025 strategic plan. I am confident that this group of leaders will increase NAIFA’s role in the industry and expand the work that we can undertake.”