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. 

In 2002, Lynn Schreder entered the insurance and financial services industry after being laid off from her telecommunications job. She put her problem-solving skills to work and soon found that she loved having a career dedicated to helping people.  

For nearly 50 years, the throughline of Doug Lenhoff's career has been protection. A West Point graduate, Lenhoff spent 15 years in the US Army—including five years in Germany—before making the switch to insurance and financial services. Since then, he’s developed his niche and become an expert in disability insurance. 

Like many, Chad Horsham, LUTCF^®, CLU^®, ChFC^®, RICP^®, got into the insurance and financial services industry through serendipity. In 2004, he ran into his real estate agent while out on a walk with his dog. When she heard he was looking for a new job, she suggested he look into New York Life Insurance Company. Nineteen years later, he’s a financial advisor through Eagle Strategies, LLC, an insurance agent at New York Life, and owns his own agency, Horsham Financial Group.

In 1999, Panos Leledakis was in Greece studying to be a lawyer when he met a manager in the insurance business who convinced him to try financial advising part-time. After six months, he says, he fell in love with the profession and decided to make it his career.