NAIFA is pleased to announce that Wall Street Financial, Inc. in Carlinville, Marion, and Bloomington IL, and a location in Memphis, TN, has become a NAIFA 100% Agency. Under the membership program, Wall Street Financial, Inc has enrolled all of its advisors as NAIFA members and enrolled them in NAIFA’s grassroots advocacy programs.

NAIFA has announced that it will hold its 2022 Congressional Congress in-person May 23-24 in Washington, D.C. The event will feature targeted advocacy training with briefings on legislative issues that affect members’ businesses and the clients they serve. Expert presenters will offer best practices for conducting Congressional meetings and tips for developing impactful long-term relationships with legislators.

NAIFA is pleased to announce that its 2022 State Chapter Presidents have taken office as of January 1. State Presidents provide leadership for their states’ advocacy team, drive their states’ grassroots influence, build participation in NAIFA state legislative days and send state representatives to NAIFA’s annual Congressional Conference in Washington, D.C.

Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP, Managing Director and Director of Insurance and Advance Sales, at Fortis Lux Financial, in Melville, NY, (loyal member since 1990) is the 2022 President of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA). Bryon Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CASL, LACP, President of Bryon Holz & Associates in Brandon, FL, (loyal member since 1987) is President-Elect, Thomas M. Cothron, LUTCF, Agency Manager with Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company in Ocala, FL, (loyal member since 1981) is Secretary, and Brock Jolly, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CLTC, CASL, CFBS, of Veritas Financial LLC/MassMutual Financial Group in McLean, VA, (loyal member since 2001) is Treasurer. Thomas O. Michel, LACP, Managing Director of Michel Financial Group in Los Angeles (loyal member since 1986) will continue his service as Immediate Past President.

NAIFA has announced the completion of its 2021 Business Implementation Plan that is phase one of its 2025 Strategic Plan, and the release of its new Business Implementation Plan for 2022. The 2025 Strategic Plan builds on the NAIFA 20/20 plan penned in 2016 that navigated the organization through a complete restructure of its chapters and overhaul of its bylaws.

The winner of NAIFA-CA's Norman G. Levine Distinguished Service Award is Jill M. Judd, LUTCF, FSS, RICP. Judd is a Past President of NAIFA-CA and NAIFA-National. She has been a State Farm Agent serving her community in Capitola, California, for the past 20 years.

On December 6, 2021, NAIFA partner OneAmerica announced strategic leadership changes in its Individual Life and Financial Services (ILFS) line of business aimed at strengthening distribution, recruiting, and business development operations. By building upon its leadership core, the ILFS business is well-positioned to effectively execute on its distribution vision focused on accelerated growth and operational excellence.

New ILFS appointments include: 

• Chris Coudret, vice president, Career and Independent Brokerage 
• Kristin Dorm, vice president, Agency Growth and Development 
• David Junker, vice president, Business Development 

Jeff Levin, vice president, Care Solutions Distribution 

NAIFA is proud to announce Robelynn H. Abadie, CAP™, CHRS, LUTCF, CSA, RFC, RDA™, Founder and Owner of Abadie Financial Services (AFS), LLC, an insurance and financial services agency in Baton Rouge, LA, is the recipient of the 80th annual John Newton Russell Memorial Award. The award is the highest honor accorded by the insurance industry to a living individual who has rendered outstanding services to the institution of life insurance. The selection committee consists of representatives of the nine leading organizations in the life insurance and financial services industry. Abadie received the award at NAIFA’s National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., on December 6.

NAIFA is proud to announce that Robert M. Roach, CLU, ChFC, AEP, Partner at Roach McIntyre & Associates in Columbus, OH, and a Financial Representative with Northwestern Mutual since 1968, is the recipient of the inaugural Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award.

Chad Cooper, MBA, a Financial Advisor with Gateway Insurance & Financial Services in Albuquerque, NM, has been recognized as NAIFA’s 2021 Diversity Champion.

Cooper, a loyal NAIFA member since 2018, began his career in financial services in Albuquerque in 2003, focusing his outreach and prospecting in the city’s small African American community. He saw a need for financial literacy training and worked with his firm to develop a program of monthly seminars on the financial concerns of African Americans. Today, his clients include all segments of Albuquerque’s diverse population, including members of its large Hispanic and Native American populations. He continues to offer a financial literacy program to lower-income residents through the African American Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce (AAGACC) and a grant from the Kellogg Foundation.