We’re proud to recognize NAIFA member Cheryl Canzanella, CLU, ChSNC, LUTCF, winner of two NAIFA 2022 Q2 awards. Canzanella won the Grand Prize in NAIFA’s Q2 Referral Contest, recruiting 17 new members. She was also honored as NAIFA’s Q2 Membership Hardhat Winner, given to a member who “lays it on the line” for NAIFA membership. 

NAIFA is sad to learn that NAIFA-Indiana Past President George "Andy" Beutter, LUTCF, FSS, LACP, passed away on July 2 in South Bend, IN. Well-loved by his community, Beutter’s passion was protecting families. He treated his clients like family and was known for his kindness, optimism, and passion for life. 

Beutter became a loyal member of NAIFA (then the National Association of Life Underwriters) in 1990. He served in many roles with NAIFA-IN, including as President from 2011-2012, Trustee, Treasurer, and member of the Government Relations Board and Committee and the State Executive Committee.

In 2012, Michael Case was working in sales and looking for a new career. In the process of administering his father’s estate, he was working with several financial service professionals and found their work intriguing. After a few conversations with the managing director at Northwestern Mutual, he decided to join Northwestern Mutual as a financial advisor.

Total U.S. life insurance new annualized premium increased 17% in the first quarter of 2022, representing the fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit premium growth, according to LIMRA’s First Quarter 2022 U.S. Retail Life Insurance Sales Survey.

“Nearly half of life insurers reported premium gains in the first quarter but the majority of the growth came from the top 10 carriers. Nine of the top 10 reported double-digit growth. Combined, their sales increased 32% from last year,” said John Carroll, senior vice president, head of insurance and annuities, LIMRA and LOMA. “While the overall number of policies sold was lower than the record sales set in first quarter 2021, policy sales matched pre-pandemic levels.”

For Nicholas Lamanna, serving his hardworking clients is a passion both inside and outside of the office.

Getting Started

When Nicholas Lamanna graduated from Old Dominion University, he moved just outside of Manhattan to become a standup comic. He was waiting tables during the day and performing at night but knew he needed to make more money. He didn’t know the first thing about finance, but a hiring manager at a Midtown investment bank decided to take a chance on him. After a year as a stockbroker, Lamanna decided to pursue a master’s degree in finance and started his career at Northwestern Mutual not long after.

A financial advisor with Guided Path Financial Services and Retirement Planning, Heather Lindsley, LUTCF, RICP, LACP¹, serves her community in Green Bay, WI, by building meaningful connections.

What It’s All About

Lindsley came to insurance and financial services at the suggestion of a friend, but she didn’t take the leap right away. She had young children at the time, but once they were old enough for school, she decided to give it a try. 

When Joshua Ruble graduated from college, he didn’t plan on a career in insurance. However, when a friend suggested a Risk Management Advisor role in Dallas, he quickly took the opportunity and relocated from Oregon.

Examples of Following the Code

NAIFA Foundation for Financial Security

The first example of ethical behavior comes from a decision by NAIFA to form the NAIFA Foundation for Financial Security, which is intended to grow the number of ethical financial services professionals to better serve American households and small businesses.

The Foundation is intended to increase the number of practicing advisors and will advance financial literacy and promote financial security among all Americans, with an emphasis on traditionally underserved and underrepresented populations. To this end, NAIFA returned for NAIFA's 7^th Annual Diversity Symposium on May 23, 2022. 

When Ryan Ballesteros¹ was studying Forensic Psychology at Walden University, he didn’t imagine a career helping protect families as a life insurance agent, much less becoming a Partner at New York Life. However, when his son’s mother was pregnant with their first child, Ballesteros saw the power of life insurance. His son’s grandfather passed away, leaving a death benefit to take care of his wife and six children. Ballesteros was able to pay off debt, start a savings account for his son and purchase life insurance for himself.

Around the same time, Ballesteros reached the top of his career path. He considered his New York Life agent and wondered, “What would it be like if I was walking in their shoes?” That’s when he decided to become a financial professional with New York Life, to make a real difference in the lives of families like his own.

Join us on July 8, 2022, at 11 am eastern for the webinar "Retirement Risks in a Post-COVID World."

Financial services speaker and bestselling author Joseph Jordan will identify the challenges facing the insurance and financial services industry after the COVID-19 pandemic ends and address the six retirement risks consumers should consider:

• Longevity – Risk of Outliving Assets
• Market and Interest Rate Risk
• Withdrawal Rate Risk
• Sequence of Return Risk
• Purchasing Power/Inflation Risk
• Health Risks