Robert A. Miller, M.S., M.A., of New York City and Vero Beach, Florida, a retired Managing Partner at Miller-Pomerantz Insurance and Financial Services in New York City and NAIFA Past President, has been selected as the 2025 John Newton Russell Memorial Award recipient. The award is the highest honor accorded by the insurance industry to a living individual who has rendered outstanding services to the institution of life insurance. Miller will be celebrated and formally presented the award at NAIFA’s Belong Dinner, October 14 in Arlington, Virginia.

NAIFA President Doug Massey, LUTCF, CLU, ChFC, CRES, FSS, has announced the appointment of Kathleen Bilderback, Counsel in the Business Practice Group with Sandberg, Phoenix & von Gontard P.C., to serve on the NAIFA Board of Trustees.

NAIFA 2025 President Doug Massey, LUTCF, FSS, CLU, ChFC, has come a long way since he joined NAIFA, then known as NALU, in 1987. He first attended a local luncheon in San Angelo, Texas, as a guest. It was a nice steakhouse, Massey admits, but he was reluctant and didn’t really see the association’s appeal. 

NAIFA’s Committee on Governance has nominated John Wheeler, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CRPC, LACP, CLTC, LUTCF, Executive Senior Partner at Totus Wealth Management LLC in Houston, Texas, to be the 2025 NAIFA Secretary. Wheeler, who currently serves on NAIFA’s National Government Relations and IFAPAC Committees, is a past NAIFA-National Trustee and Past President of NAIFA-Illinois. He has been a loyal NAIFA member since 1973. As incoming Secretary, Wheeler will be in line to serve as President-Elect in 2026 and President in 2027.

NAIFA is saddened by the news that association Past President Robert B. Hughes, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, LIC, recently passed away. A Senior Agent with Principal Financial Group in East Lansing, Michigan, before he retired, Hughes first became a NAIFA member in 1962 and served as national President for the 1983-1984 term. He was the President of NAIFA-Michigan in 1977-1978.

NAIFA is proud to announce the formation of its Industry Leadership Board (ILB) comprised of distinguished leaders within the insurance and financial services sector. This inaugural board brings together a select group of financial professionals dedicated to helping NAIFA members succeed in their businesses and serve their clients.

NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux, CAE, was named one of the “Top 10 Most Influential People in Insurance” by CIO Views magazine.

Among his achievements cited by the magazine is Mayeux’s leadership of NAIFA’s transformation into a modern, forward-looking association. Under his guidance, NAIFA has revamped its bylaws and unified as One NAIFA with a strong national presence and revitalized state chapters working together with local chapters to best serve the needs of financial professionals and consumers. He managed this transformation began in 2019 while navigating additional challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

NAIFA has formally elected its officers and Board of Trustees at its annual business meeting as part of the National Leadership Conference and Belong awards celebration in Washington, D.C.

Joseph Schreck, CPFA, President at the Piedmont Group in Atlanta, GA, is the NAIFA Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year for 2023.  

NAIFA's Chapter Excellence Award (CEA) was launched this year to recognize the success of those Chapters that have excelled in providing a quality member experience to their members, as determined by their Chapter Agreement Compliance, their Chapter Health Rating, and membership growth. Congratulations to this year's Chapter Excellence Award winners!