Rock Planck has been an affiliate member of NAIFA since 2020 and is today helping clients set up financial strategies for their future. With 30 years of experience in the business, Rock was first attracted to the field as a loan officer and reverse mortgage planner due to the belief that mortgage planning should be incorporated into every financial plan (although it often is not). As Rock says, “not enough people really consider the impact that having a mortgage has on their financial picture.” Rock believes in providing knowledge to people, rather than focusing solely on having the lowest costs or rates—he is, as he says, “another tool in their toolbelt.”

Charlie Calderwood, CLU^®, ChFC^®, has been a member of NAIFA since 1977 and today is eagerly helping clients set up financial strategies for their future. Charlie enjoys the freedom and finances that he was able to obtain as an investment advisor, however, he points out that “with the freedom gained, there is an increased requirement for motivation and discipline.” Charlie emphasizes that his self-discipline and willingness to put in the hours required to be successful is what helped build him up as an advisor. Charlie has been working in the insurance and finances field since he completed college at Tulane University, quickly and steadily working his way up until now, where he owns his own very successful RIA firm.

Nicholas MacDonald got into the financial services industry by an uncommon route. After completing his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and political science, he found a financial research firm looking for philosophy majors. He applied and became the office's Asia specialist. Soon, his interest in China led to an international move.

Meet Taylor Collins, CEBS, CLU^®, RHU, President of Professional Benefits Inc., and a loyal NAIFA member since 2007. Collins is a native of Florida and holds a BA in Risk Management Insurance. Her career path was unclear until she took a risk management insurance class as an elective in college and fell in love with the industry.

Marc Sigmon, NAIFA member and CEO of Marc Sigmon Insurance Agency, is the Leader of NAIFA-CA's San Diego affiliate. Sigmon joined NAIFA California in 2020 and was inspired to take on a bigger role after he attended NAIFA’s annual Congressional Conference. 

"The Congressional Conference was an amazing experience," said Sigmon. "It made me want to get more involved at the state level and I am honored to have the opportunity to represent NAIFA-California as Leader Affiliate, San Diego."

Gilbert Mares, MPA, LUTCF, LILLI, CEO of Gilbert A. Mares and Associates, is a loyal NAIFA member and Past President of NAIFA's Los Angeles affiliate from 2003-2005.

Mares was born in El Paso, Texas, and later moved to Los Angeles when he was four years old. He attended schools in the greater Los Angeles area and earned his undergraduate degree from Cal Poly Pomona University, and developed a passion for Political Science. At the age of 21, Mares had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live and work in Washington, D.C., as a fact-finder at the cabinet level. 

Eva Emperador and her family migrated from the Philippines to the United States in 1981. Her family started out in Sonneville, CA, she moved to various cities over the years, and now resides in Gilroy, CA. Eva began her career as a finance controller for various companies, managing budgets, profits, and loss for organizations in the food, manufacturing, and aerospace industries. After 25 years of success as a financial controller, Eva made the pivot into financial services. After meeting with her financial advisor, she was inspired to change her career path into the financial service industry in 2017.   

Monique Fanfan, a native of Haiti who came to the United States to have her shot at the American dream, began her career in financial services working in a bank. She then went on to work for a financial investment firm out of New York and later she spent 15 years as an accountant.

Blake Gillies, DIA, a loyal NIAFA member since 2012, NAIFA-LA President, and national Young Advisor Team (YAT) Co-Chair, is living his dream of serving in the insurance industry after following in his father’s footsteps. He currently practices with Acacia Financial Group in Metairie, LA, where he specializes in insurance, disability insurance, and income protection products and services designed to meet his client's needs. He also provides disability insurance expertise for the Southern Medical Association.

Julie McCormick, CFP^®, is a new NAIFA member who practices with Continuum Planning Partners in Brentwood, TN. Although McCormick has her investment and insurance license, she states that her specialty is financial planning as a whole.

McCormick's introduction into the financial services industry came after her initial plan to become a lawyer fell short. “I actually had no intention of joining the business at all. I was pretty sure I was going to be an attorney,” says McCormick. During her senior year of college, she was interning with a law firm when she quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit. She states, “[I had] to shift gears hard so I didn't really have a good fallback.” It wasn’t until she received a call from a recruiter in Memphis who specialized in wealth management that she felt a sense of direction. “[The recruiter] was so nice and [I decided] I'll just give it a try and I went to the office to kind of get a feel for what they did and was like yes, I see myself here. I can do this!”