Sandra McKeever, AIF, the President and CEO of Asia Pacific Financial Management Group and a loyal NAIFA member since 2014, has been named Chairperson of the University of Guam Board of Regents. She is a Past President of NAIFA-Marianas and also a former board member of the Guam Chamber of Commerce.

NAIFA is saddened by the recent passing of Anne Rigney, JD, CLU, ChFC, who served as the General Counsel at the Society of Financial Service Professionals (FSP) and as the Managing Editor of the Journal of Financial Service Professionals, one of the oldest and most prestigious publications in the financial planning field.

NAIFA's Apex East is nearly sold out. You need to act now before you miss out on this amazing event. 

The one-day schedule includes multiple networking breaks where you can build relationships with leading financial, estate planning law, accounting, technology, and performance coaching professionals. This is a pure-play sales summit that will give you ideas and connections to help you grow your business.

Rith Nou, a proud NAIFA member since 2017, has seen the American Dream from both sides: as an immigrant who worked hard to find business success and as an advisor helping others achieve their financial goals.

In the current issue of InsuranceNewsNet magazine, Nou explains, "Our profession pays you well and also allows you to give back in a way that makes you feel aligned. It really has helped me achieve my American dream, but I’m not finished. This profession offers new inspiration and challenges every day."

Richard (Rick) Demko is a licensed life insurance agent who speaks nationally to associations, consumers, and producer groups regarding proper life insurance planning strategies. He holds the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP), Life Underwriting Training Council Fellowship (LUTCF), Life and Annuity Certified Professional (LACP), and is currently challenging the CFP. Rick was Texas’ fourth Advisor Today national 4 Under 40 recipient, inaugural Texas Young Advisor of the Year, past NAIFA Houston President, and current State Director. 

NAIFA has not been sitting idle as the Department of Labor made moves to propose a new fiduciary rule. In anticipation of the rulemaking, NAIFA helped the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) draft a resolution that opposes the DOL's new fiduciary rule as unnecessary and likely harmful to consumers. The resolution, which NCOIL adopted in July after NAIFA testified at the Conference's 2023 Summer Meeting, states: "NCOIL urges the DOL to refrain from further rulemaking that would revive all or parts of the 2016 Fiduciary Rule" and "...urges state legislators and other interested stakeholders to join in opposition to any further rulemaking by DOL reviving the 2016 Fiduciary Rule."

NAIFA Nation is saddened to learn that David J. Reedy, a Past President of NAIFA-New York, has passed away. Reedy joined NAIFA in 1978 and was also a Past President of NAIFA-Buffalo. He was a longtime member of Buffalo Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals and the Million Dollar Round Table.

NAIFA encourages everyone to vote. Our elected officials make decisions that impact everyone's financial security, so it is important for everyone who is eligible to participate in selecting who they are.

NAIFA encourages all insurance and financial professionals to vote in local, state, and federal elections and to encourage others to follow their example. Approximately 63 million Americans who are eligible are not even registered to vote. Encouraging your colleagues, team, and clients to register is a great first step and a way to show your dedication to participating in the democratic process.

Every salesperson has wrestled with the age-old question, “What’s the best way to get referrals?” Depending on how you’ve been trained, you might have a few different ways to answer. Many say “ask” or “ask the right way" or “make sure you’re planting referral seeds along the way to make it easier for someone to provide them to you” but I beg to differ. I have always found that the best way to get referrals is to be referrable. To me, there is only one way to be referrable in our industry: by creating a superior client experience that fosters stark raving fans.