NAIFA-MT Past President Mike “Montana Mike” Paffhausen grew up in the insurance industry. His father had a long career as an insurance agent and agency manager and, when the time came to choose a career, Paffhausen chose to make a difference in his community by opening his own State Farm agency.

Iris Nance, LUTCF, got into the insurance and financial services industry because of a postcard.  In 1997, she was working as a Real Estate Finance Credit Analyst at a local bank after more than 10  years as a Bank Examiner with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).  While exploring other career opportunities that would allow quality time with her twin daughters, she received a postcard in the mail from Farmers Insurance, and the rest is history.

After 17 years of working with animals in pet shops, shelters, and zoos, Christian Kalinowski decided it was time for a change. He considered a sales career in a few different sectors before finally settling on insurance and financial services. He wanted to help educate people on a topic he didn’t learn much about growing up—personal finance. So, in 2021, he joined Dipaola Financial Group as a financial service professional.  

When Aaron Gose, WMCP®, FSCP®, started his career as an engineer, he could tell there was something missing. He loved problem-solving but found he was more curious about how projects were funded rather than how they were designed and built.

For New York Life Agent Vesela Nikay, life insurance is personal. When she was 13 years old, she lost her father to cancer. Her family had to move from their home and Nikay had to move to a new school and make new friends. Protecting families from experiences like hers is why she chose a career in the insurance and financial industry. “I'm very, very passionate about life insurance, and that's what keeps me going,” she says. “If I can protect one more family today and save one more child's future, that's what motivates me.”

As a music professor for over 20 years, Jill Van Nostrand never imagined a career in insurance and financial services. However, when a family member developed a serious illness, she learned all she could about financial planning. In helping her family navigate the financial strain, she realized she could help others in her community in the same way. In 2018, she became a financial advisor with NAIFA Financial Security Champion Certified Financial Services.

Throughout his career, Todd Gottshall has dedicated himself to helping people. After working as a corrections officer and in property management, he wanted to find a career that would allow him to spend more time with his family and found the right fit at NAIFA 100% Agency Weigner Insurance and Financial Services.  

Craig Garofolo always knew he wanted to be in the insurance and financial services industry. He had the right skill set—it was just a matter of finding the right place. After several years in sales and marketing positions, he found the right opportunity with Guardian in 2011 and started his financial services career. Since then, he has worked with and learned from many of the top professionals in the industry.  

Ameritas Regional Vice President David Murphy decided to go into the insurance and financial services industry while in college. As a quarterback for Holy Cross football team in Worcester, MA, he became interested when the upperclassmen captain of the team went into the industry, but that’s not the only reason he wanted to be a financial services professional. He recalls stretching on the field one day and saying to a teammate, “Your dad’s at practice every day at 3:00, on the sidelines in a three-piece suit and driving a Mercedes. What does he do?” When his friend responded, “He’s in the insurance business,” Murphy paused and replied, “I think that’s what I’m going to do.”

22-year-old Laura Fazzini discovered her passion for helping people at an early age. She grew up watching her father, David Fazzini, LUTCF, co-founder of Premier Planning Group and a loyal NAIFA member since 1991, serving his community and grow his practice. Fazzini had the same desire to make a difference in her community, so she spent her summers during college interning for three companies, gaining valuable experience in several different areas of insurance and financial services. When she graduated, she chose to join her father at Premier Planning Group and has been learning and growing in the industry ever since.