If you ask Abdullah Rajput what motivates him to excel in financial services, he’ll tell you it’s his clients. “The interaction I have with my clients is my favorite part of my job. Many of my clients have turned into friends, which drives me to provide the best service in the industry.”

NAIFA-MO President Craig Wright, MBA, CFP®, ChFC®, has been a loyal NAIFA member since 2014. A NAIFA Quality Award winner, Wright has dedicated his career to serving the individuals, families, and small businesses that make up Main Street USA.

Entering the financial services industry in 2006, Dave Gannett quickly adapted and enjoyed working with other financial professionals by providing them with various investment vehicles and equipping financial advisors with information that helps benefit their clients. Eventually, he found himself serving as an advisor, focusing on global wealth and investment management.

NAIFA-GWDC Past President Peter Glassman, CFP^®, is a Founding Partner of Wealth Insight Partners and has been a loyal NAIFA member since 1989.

After graduating with a business and marketing degree in 1987, Glassman moved from Connecticut to Washington, D.C., where a family friend suggested he get into the insurance and financial services industry. After learning more he dove into what turned out to be the beginning of a career. Thirty-five years later, Glassman is still dedicated to helping his clients plan for their futures.

For Joshua O’Gara, CLU^®, ChFC^®, CFP^®, Owner and Founder of O'Gara Financial Group, entrepreneurship runs in the family. Both of his parents were small business owners and O’Gara inherited their drive. His entrepreneurial spirit—along with his college studies in economics and his desire to help people—made a career in insurance and financial services a perfect fit. 

For NAIFA-CT President Addison Rosenbluth, CLTC, insurance is part of a family legacy. In 1957, his grandfather founded MERIT Insurance Services, Inc. During his senior year of college, he got an opportunity to travel to California for training. After gaining experience and earning his licenses, he returned to Connecticut and now works alongside his father, Jace Rosenbluth, running the family business.

Sue Kuraja got her start in financial services at an early age. When she immigrated from Croatia with her family as a young child, she translated financial documents for her parents as they learned English. Her ability to conduct business in a foreign language was sought after and she continued to demonstrate financial aptitude early in her career. Twenty years later, she still serves Main Street USA as a representative and advocate for consumers, while maintaining strong relations with corporate clients and enterprises.

For Johnson Byrd, the transition from high school teacher and coach to insurance agent was an easy one. As he points out, both careers require a drive to succeed and a passion for education. So, when he got a job opportunity with Farm Bureau, he decided to take the leap. 

When Michael Herring, CLU^®, ChFC^®, LUTCF, was studying business in college, he expected to build a career in finance, but he decided to change direction when he took a course on insurance. After graduation, he took a job as a claims adjuster and, three years later, became an insurance agent. Now, he works primarily with Nebraska’s farming community. He protects their farmhouses, combines, and tractors; provides liability coverage for the rare chemical spill or animal collision; and is his clients’ first call after a hailstorm.

Nathan James always knew he wanted to make a career helping people, so when a friend introduced him to NAIFA-AK Past President Nathan McKay, he knew he had found the right place. Two years later, he is creating customized strategies to help individuals and families reach their retirement goals as a New York Life Insurance Co. agent.