Thomas O. Michel, LACP, the Managing Director of Michel Financial Group in Los Angeles, is the 2021 President of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA).

Michel served as President-Elect for 2020 and prior to that was NAIFA’s Secretary. He played a leading role on the NAIFA 2025 Strategic Planning Committee. He was also chair of NAIFA’s QME Taskforce which made numerous recommendations regarding NAIFA’s new business model.

“I am humbled, and it is a great honor to serve as NAIFA’s President and to lead this extraordinary association as we chart our course for the next five years,” Michel said. “We are nearing the completion of executing on our NAIFA 20/20 Strategic Plan, which modernized our association to adapt quickly to serve our members and maintain our influence despite the COVID-19 outbreak. Our new strategic plan, which builds on our successes, puts us in a strong position to continue that progress by growing our membership, amplifying the NAIFA brand, and further enhancing the membership experience. I’ve been involved with NAIFA a long time and have never been more enthused about our future and look forward to a very successful year for NAIFA.”

Michel has been a loyal NAIFA member since 1986. He has a wide range of experience in the business as an agent, pension wholesaler, and an award-winning agency manager. He formed the Michel Financial Group with his wife, Kimberly A. Michel, creating Ohio National’s first general agency in California. Together they have more than 70 years of experience in the insurance and financial services industry as well as more than 70 years of combined NAIFA membership.

Michel served as the 80th President of NAIFA’s California chapter and was a two-term President of NAIFA-Los Angeles. He is a sought-after public speaker, promoting the insurance industry's most notable contributions to society. He has had opportunities to meet and discuss policy with over 100 legislators in his career, including Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris; congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle, including Speakers of the House Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner; chairs of the House Ways and Means and House Financial Services Committees; Governors; state Insurance Commissioners; and prominent Mayors.

“Political advocacy is at our core and just one of NAIFA’s leading strengths, and it’s something I am passionate about,” Michel added. “As we see hopeful signs our country may soon exit this terrible pandemic, our leaders will be faced with budget deficits even more staggering than anticipated. NAIFA has to be at the forefront of educating lawmakers about everything our industry does, telling them how we contribute to our clients’ financial wellness and bolster the economy. The products, services, and advice we provide are critical to the financial security of American families and small businesses, and it is vital that we ensure policymakers understand the role of agents and advisors.”

In addition to advocating for the industry, Michel plans to be active during his presidency extolling the virtues of NAIFA and spreading the word about the importance of membership.

“It is critical that we share everything NAIFA has to offer – the friendships, networking, professional development, business support and protection, and more. The entire community of insurance and financial professionals needs to know what we do and what we offer,” Michel said. “NAIFA has been essential to my own success and the success of so many of my friends and colleagues. Everyone in the insurance and financial services business who is driven to be the best they can be for themselves, their professional colleagues, and their clients really needs to be an actively engaged NAIFA member.”