NAIFA is pleased to announce that Brian Steiner has rejoined NAIFA as the Executive Director of Life Happens, the consumer arm of the association. Steiner previously served as NAIFA’s Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships from 2015-2021 and most recently as President of United Wealth Advisors Group.

Joseph Schreck, CPFA, President at the Piedmont Group in Atlanta, GA, is the NAIFA Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year for 2023.  

NAIFA hosted its inaugural regional conference based on its national conference named Apex –  Apex East – October 24 at its association headquarters building in Arlington, VA. Apex East is a regional spin-off of the Apex conference that was launched in August 2022 and will be held again in Arizona in September 2024.

Advisor Today, the official publication of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), is pleased to announce the winners of its 2023 4 Under 40 awards: Matthew Cloutier, CRC, RFC, of Golden Wealth Solutions (Osaic) in Littleton, CO, loyal member since 2022; Jennifer Lewis of Wise Medicare Insurance Solutions (United Healthcare) in Rolla, MO, loyal member since 2022; Joseph Spinelli, CLU, FICF, LUTCF, of the Jim Spinelli Agency (Knights of Columbus) in Tallahassee, FL, loyal member since 2009; and Mike Paffhausen, of the Paffhausen Insurance Agency (State Farm) in Butte, MT, loyal member since 2015. 

Winona Havir, CPCU, CLF, LUTCF, FSS, LACP, AIC, Executive Vice President, Business Development for Educators Insurance Resources Services, Inc. (The Horace Mann Companies), in Saint Paul, MN, has been recognized as the NAIFA Diversity Champion for 2023. 

NAIFA is proud to announce that John A. Davidson, LUTCF, FSS, President and CEO of Davidson Insurance & Financial Services, Inc., in Moorpark, CA, is the 2023 recipient of NAIFA’s Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award.

NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux, CAE, told the Biden Administration in a meeting that the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) current efforts to revive a fiduciary-only regulation for financial professionals is unnecessary and likely to harm low- and middle-income consumers.

NAIFA’s Committee on Governance has nominated Christopher L. Gandy, LACP, Founder of the Midwest Legacy Group in Lisle, IL, to be the 2024 NAIFA Secretary. A current member of NAIFA’s Board of Trustees, Gandy has been a loyal NAIFA member since 2003. As incoming Secretary, Gandy will be in line to serve as President-Elect in 2025 and President in 2026.

Three best-in-class associations will integrate operations to amplify their impact on advocacy and education for financial service professionals and promote financial wellness for American consumers.

The National Association of Insurance and FinancialAdvisors(NAIFA), the Society of Financial Service Professionals (FSP), and Life Happens announced plans to come together as one organization, pending membership approval. The expanded organization will retain all three brands under the NAIFA umbrella and leverage each organization’s strengths to create a greater impact on the industry, financial service professionals, and consumers. The integrated organization aims to empower financial professionals and consumers through world-class advocacy and education. The merger will take place following a vote of the membership of each organization, expected to be early this fall.

 “NAIFA is excited to formally welcome FSP and Life Happens into our family where we collectively can better leverage our unique talents and resources and do more together. FSP will now be able to provide its top-notch education and training to an even broader base of professionals and Life Happens will continue to be the leader in consumer awareness for the importance of life insurance and other risk protection products,” stated Kevin Mayeux, CAE, Chief Executive Officer of NAIFA. “Being able to work together as one organization will expand our reach in the industry, help us better serve financial professionals, and increase the impact we have on helping all Americans have a secure financial future.”

NAIFA is proud to announce Joseph W. Jordan, inspirational speaker, behavioral finance expert, best-selling author, and one of the founders of the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI), is the recipient of the 82nd 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. Jordan will be celebrated and formally presented the award at NAIFA’s National Leadership Conference and Belong event in Washington, D.C., on December 4.