When Bailey Baker was recruited to work at State Farm by a family friend, she had no idea what she was getting into. So, she did her research. Looking for a career she could retire from, she interviewed State Farm agents and others in the industry, to see if insurance was a good fit. What she found was her calling: helping people protect their lives and livelihoods.

Baker and her team offer a wide array of products, from home and auto insurance to life insurance to pet insurance, and her clients are just as varied. "We have a pretty big range: all generations, all areas. Texas is our client, basically,” she says.

For Michael (Mike) Emmert, serving clients means learning everything there is to know about the products and services he provides.

Emmert has been in the insurance and financial services industry for four and a half years, but he previously had a long career in pharmaceutical sales. He has always strived to learn the intricacies of his industry and develop extensive product knowledge, and he brought that passion and attention to detail to his career in insurance and financial services.

Robert Quinlan, MBA, LUTCF, LACP, has been in the insurance and financial services industry for over 35 years and plans to stay for many, many more.

A Family Tradition

Quinlan is the second in a three-generation tradition of military service. After college, he followed in the footsteps of his mother, who served as a U.S. Army Captain in World War II. Quinlan served three years as an active-duty Field Artillery Officer. His daughter, NAIFA-CO Past President and West Point graduate Kathleen Owings, also served as a U.S. Army Captain, earning the Bronze Star Medal for her service in Iraq.

Frank Seneco has been a member of NAIFA since 1990 and today works with affluent clients addressing a variety of financial concerns from creating family dynasties to eliminating taxes on their investment portfolios. His office is based in Connecticut; however, he assists clients from around the world, helping them reach their financial goals.

Loyal member Robin Landers, CLU^®, has been a member of NAIFA since 1984 and is based in Florida. She grew up in the business—her parents owned a brokerage agency—and vowed to never work in the insurance field. With a degree in advertising, and some challenging circumstances, she ultimately ended up joining her family in their insurance business. After working with her family for a few years, she received an offer to double her salary and returned to the TPA that had employed her as a sixteen-year-old file clerk. Years later, when her parents were ready to retire, she and a partner opened Landers-Stein & Associates, the next generation of that original agency’s legacy.

Brett Rettenmund is a career insurance professional with a heart for serving others. 

Rettenmund began his career at Aflac just after graduating from college. He was interested in becoming a financial planner and was encouraged to enter the insurance industry. His goal was to build a book of business and gain experience before transitioning to financial planning. He joined Aflac because of their dedication to helping their clients. “I've served Aflac for over 20 years, and I love the culture of the company.” He continues, “I love what we do to help people financially, at a time they need it most. That's why I would say I'm exceptionally happy in my profession.” 

Swapan Munshi, LACP, is a principal with Council Financial & Insurance Services in San Francisco and a member of NAIFA California. Born in the United States to parents who immigrated from India, Munshi grew up watching his father develop and maintain a successful financial services practice by building great relationships with his clients. But Munshi’s father never tried to bring him into the business. Instead, he encouraged him to chart his own path. Munshi found his purpose and initial career helping people through difficult times as a mental health care professional working with individuals in Veterans Administration hospitals and the state prison system.

Shane Grau is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of families and small business owners in his community.

Grau got into insurance and financial services at a young age. He moved from Mayetta, KS to Topeka in his early 20s and worked in sales for a short time. However, after losing his father to a heart attack and helping his mother form her financial plan after a terminal illness diagnosis, he realized the need for better financial literacy in his community. He highlights the difference between his prior career in sales and his current work in financial services. “I knew that I wanted to work for myself, or at least companies that represent what’s in the best interest of people they’re helping,” he explains. “I wanted to be a resource for friends, family members, and community in helping them through the same type of process that I dealt with, with my own parents.”

Patricia (Trish) May is a third-generation NAIFA member and the Young Advisor Team (YAT) Chair for NAIFA-PA. May and her sister, Carina Hatfield, followed in the footsteps of their father and grandfather and now run Weigner Insurance.

As a child, May thought the world of insurance was boring. With her father in the office and her mother raising the children at home, on Take Your Child to Work Day, May chose to stay home and help her mother clean rather than spend time at her father’s office. However, May’s opinion changed in adulthood, as she realized the importance of insurance and financial planning. 

Mardi Woods is dedicated to promoting financial literacy in her community, from her work with youth organizations to her insurance and financial practice at New York Life. She is an Agent with New York Life Insurance Company and a Registered Representative with NYLIFE Securities LLC (member FINRA/SIPC), a Licensed Insurance Agency and a New York Life company.

Woods entered the insurance and financial services industry in 2018. After spending time in the corporate world and taking time to raise her family, Woods wanted to find a career she could retire from. She was looking into several options when a friend at New York Life encouraged her to apply.