The Q1 State of NAIFA webinar featured NAIFA President Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP, and CEO Kevin Mayeux, CAE, who updated the association’s stakeholders on how NAIFA is serving members and the insurance and financial services industry. They also outlined NAIFA’s progress towards meeting goals established by the NAIFA 2025 Strategic Plan. The program featured a legislative and regulatory update by NAIFA Senior Vice President for Government Relations Diane Boyle.

Holzberg reported on NAIFA’s December National Leadership Conference and introduced the 2022 NAIFA Board of Trustees. He highlighted award winners honored at the NLC’s Belong Event gala, including:

• Advisor Today Four Under 40 Winners: Cal Anderson, CFP, CLU, Joanna Dellosa, LUTCF, FSS, RICP, LACP, CLU, Rebecca Schulter, and Steven Walker, LUTCF
• NAIFA Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year Brian Haney, CLTC, CFBS, CIS, CFS, CAE, LACP
• NAIFA Diversity Champion Chad Cooper, MBA
• Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award recipient Robert M. Roach, CLU, ChFC, AEP
• John Newton Russell Memorial Award recipient Robelynn H. Abadie, CAP, CHRS, LUTCF, CSA, RFC, RDA

The State of NAIFA webinars show NAIFA’s commitment to transparency and the association’s desire to ensure that stakeholders understand what NAIFA is doing and where it is headed. NAIFA members are encouraged to attend to learn how they can get the maximum benefit from their membership. The event is open to all NAIFA members and their colleagues, corporate and association partners, members of the media, the public, and anyone with an interest in NAIFA’s success. The January 26 event is the 13^th in the series of State of NAIFA presentations.

“NAIFA accomplished a great deal in 2021 and we have much more on tap for 2022. It is important that we keep our members, partners, and the media informed on the state of our association,” NAIFA President Holzberg said. “The State of NAIFA events are like our shareholder meetings, where, in a spirit of transparency and open communication, we keep everyone who holds a stake in NAIFA’s success informed. I encourage all NAIFA members to attend or watch the on-demand recording to know where their association is going and how they can get the most value out of their membership.”

Holzberg also lauded NAIFA members for the services they provide Main Street families and businesses in communities across the United States. Through their NAIFA membership, they show their dedication to their profession and commitment to serving the best interests of their clients. “We are NAIFA Nation,” he said, stressing NAIFA’s important role in unifying the industry and country. NAIFA members are at the heart of the U.S. economy, providing opportunities for financial security and success to all Americans.

CEO Kevin Mayeux followed Holzberg with a report on products and services NAIFA has delivered and those planned for the coming year under NAIFA’s 2022 Business Implementation Plan. Upcoming NAIFA offerings include:

• NAIFA’s Congressional Conference, May 23-24
• The 7^th NAIFA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Symposium, May 23
• Continued programming by NAIFA’s Centers for Excellence: The Talent Development Center, Business Performance Center, and Limited and Extended Care Planning Center, as well as the Society of FSP and NAIFA’s Advanced Practice Center and the forthcoming NAIFA Employee Benefits Center
• NAIFA Live: Monthly professional development programming featuring top-level thought leaders available exclusively for NAIFA members

Diane Boyle followed with a rundown of NAIFA’s key advocacy wins from 2021 and a briefing on the state and federal advocacy challenges currently facing financial professionals and the Main Street Americans they serve. She highlighted NAIFA’s success, along with ACLI and other partners, in urging 19 states to adopt consumer protections for annuity customers based on a National Association of Insurance Commissioners model that preserves consumer choice and the ability of producers to serve their clients. NAIFA is the only association advocating in Washington, D.C., and every state capital on behalf of insurance and financial professionals and the consumers they serve.

“NAIFA is committed to transparency, and keeping all of our stakeholders informed is a crucial part of our NAIFA 2025 Strategic Plan,” said CEO Mayeux. “Along with our annual Business Implementation Plans and quarterly dashboard reports to members, the State of NAIFA events allow us as an association to chart our progress, lay out our future vision, and establish accountability.”

The Q1 2022 State of NAIFA and previous State of NAIFA webinars are made available on NAIFA’s website for on-demand viewing.