For Michael Schutza, TPCP®, financial services isn’t a job. It’s a responsibility. One shaped by lived experience, service, and a deep belief that the right guidance, given at the right moment, can change the trajectory of a family’s life.

Michael is a Financial Planner at Totus Wealth Management and holds the Tax Planning Certified Professional® (TPCP®) designation. He works primarily with families, business owners, and real estate investors, focusing on proactive planning that integrates advanced tax strategies, retirement income decisions, and real-world wealth management. But his “why” goes far deeper than credentials or years in the business.

NAIFA's Carroll Golden recently shared a striking insight that should give every financial professional pause. According to new Pew Research, Americans are three times more likely to say they would prefer to live in the past rather than the future. Only 14% chose the future.

Gilbert Mares, MPA, LUTCF, LILI, is profiled in the November issue of California Broker magazine, where he credits his decades of active service and leadership within NAIFA as the foundation of his professional success. In the feature, Mares explains that NAIFA has been central to every stage of his career, from his early days in the business to his longtime role as an educator, advocate, and mentor in the financial service community.

For more than three decades, Ellie Mills, ChFC, CLU, LUTCF, has built her career and reputation on compassion, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to helping others secure their financial futures. A loyal NAIFA member since 1992 and owner of Ellie Mills Insurance Agency, Inc. in Miami, Florida, Mills found her calling in the insurance industry through personal tragedy and triumph.

NAIFA is reimagining its flagship event for 2026 with the launch of Protectors Vegas, a bold new experience created in partnership with Connectiv, the live-event studio known for producing InsureTech Connect, Medicarians, and other powerhouse industry gatherings. The event will take place November 9–11, 2026, at The Venetian in Las Vegas, bringing together top minds in insurance, financial advising, and annuities for an immersive, high-energy conference unlike anything the profession has seen. See coverage in InsuranceNewsNet and watch the video.

For Matthew Crocker, founder of Crocker Financial LLC in Kent, Ohio, the financial services profession is more than a career—it’s a calling.

Matthew’s journey began in college, when a risk management class first opened his eyes to the world of insurance. Years later, that spark turned into a profession, inspired in part by personal experience. “Having had to rely on the GoFundMe method for a family member, I wanted to make sure others didn’t need to feel the same shame I did,” he shared. “This industry gives me the opportunity to make a visible difference in people’s lives, and that’s what attracted me most.”

The life insurance profession is facing a pivotal moment. Over the next 10 years, more than 110,000 financial professionals are expected to retire. That represents about 38% of the industry’s workforce and over 41% of the assets they manage.

NAIFA is proud to recognize Mike LaPorte as the recipient of the Q2 IFAPAC Hard Hat Award, honoring his outstanding commitment to NAIFA’s advocacy mission and his tireless support for the Insurance and Financial Advisors Political Action Committee (IFAPAC).

When Jane Ahrens transitioned from a 25-year career teaching Health Education to working in Medicare sales, she didn’t just start a new chapter—she found her calling. What began in 2008 as a solo effort to help clients understand their health insurance options has since grown into a thriving business with a team of more than 160 independent agents trained and mentored under her leadership. Her peers now affectionately call her “Mother Medicare.”

NAIFA has appointed Bobby Johnson, Chief Distribution Officer of Midland National Life® Insurance Company, to the Industry Leadership Board (ILB).