NAIFA was sad to learn of the passing on August 7 of NAIFA Past President Rice E. Brown III, CLU, ChFC, MSFS, of Canyon City, Colorado. Brown was a NAIFA member for 63 years and served as national President of the association (then known as NALU) for the 1982-1983 association year. Before and after his term in national office, he held multiple NAIFA leadership roles, including serving as the President of four separate local associations. He also was President of NAIFA-Kansas and Treasurer of NAIFA-Colorado.

As NAIFA-National President, Brown testified before Congress against a national health insurance proposal, the inappropriate intrusion of the FTC into the life insurance industry, and the costly expansion of Social Security. He was passionate about education, having taught English and American History at the high school level before entering the insurance and financial services profession. He taught hundreds of hours of CE courses and served as a mentor to many of his fellow agents and advisors.

Brown earned the NAIFA Quality Award for 50+ years and was a MDRT Lifetime member. He was named Citizen of the Year for Laguna Niguel, California, in 1987 and Rotarian of the Year in 2018 in Colorado. Brown was an active Rotarian and served in many leadership positions including as a Bank Board member, President of his local YMCA, and on the Board of his church.

NAIFA sends our deepest condolences to his wife, Jan, and his three children, Teresa Brown, Coy (Sharon) Tuck, and Kelly Tuck, as well as to his grandchildren, great grandchildren, and his friends and colleagues. A full obituary for Rice E. Brown III is available online.