The Young Advisor Team of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is proud to announce the launch of a new Future Leaders program for students interested in careers in the financial services industry. The new program is under the oversight of NAIFA National’s Young Advisor Team Committee, chaired by Blake Gillies, DIA, Brokerage Director, Acacia Financial Group.
The new Future Leaders program expands the offerings of NAIFA’s Talent Development Center of Excellence, launched in Q2 2020. The Talent Development Center is a new initiative of NAIFA to create a content and event hub focused on topics of personal and professional performance during every stage of the advisor business lifecycle. In addition to the Young Advisor Team, which focuses on programs for advisors under the age of 40 or with less than 5 years in the business, The Talent Development Center also houses NAIFA’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion work and award programs.
“The Young Advisor Team has been hard at work this year amplifying our message to new advisors as to the value of belonging to your professional association,” stated Gillies. “It just makes sense that we should expand our reach to now include students who are interested in coming into the business and teach them the tremendous role NAIFA plays in advocacy in the financial services industry.”
The University of Illinois was the first educational institution to sign onto the program and has included attending NAIFA’s Performance + Purpose professional development conference as part of its Finance curriculum for the current semester. Students from Kansas State University, Texas A&M University and George Mason University will also participate. The program is open to any college student, and colleges and universities are invited as well.
The new program will begin the morning of October 6 with a short program featuring top NAIFA members. Christopher Gandy, University of Illinois alumnus, NAIFA-Chicagoland President and founder of Midwest Legacy Group, will kick off the program in a session entitled “The Power to Provide Financial Security.” Next, will be a panel discussion of Young Advisor Team members representing different roles in the financial services industry: Cheryl Canzanella, LUTCF, (2019 Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year) and Brokerage Director at MassMutual, Becky Brothers, Regional Marketing Strategist at Principal Financial Group, Derek Scheetz, Financial Advisor at Lifetime Financial Growth and Isaac Amaya, Annuity Sales Manager at The Pinnacle Group. Delvin Joyce, CLU, ChFC, Managing Director at Prudential and member of NAIFA’s Board of Trustees, will focus on “The Power of Mindset,” and Brian Haney, CLTC, CFS, CFBS, CIS, LACP, CAE, Vice President of The Haney Company will conclude the program with a session focused on how membership in NAIFA elevates your personal brand and differentiates you in a competitive landscape.