I Love NAIFA 2023 Edition of Advisor Today

CONTENTS | I LOVE NAIFA 2023

6 Meet 2023 NAIFA President Bryon Holz

NAIFA’s new President asks members to be like 2022 Hard Hat Award winner Dennis Cuccinelli and help more financial professionals experience NAIFA for the first time.

NAIFA-Columbus

NAIFA-Columbus is one of three local chapters in Ohio. The local chapter, based in the state’s capital, finished 2022 in the top 10 local chapters for membership health. One of the reasons for Columbus’ ability to stay healthy has been a return to in-person monthly meetings that continue to focus on delivering on NAIFA’s membership value proposition to advocate, educate, and differentiate.

Columbus is exceptionally good at retaining and honoring members. As has long been the tradition, Columbus was able to return to an in-person celebration in December and award the chapter’s highest honor, the I. David Cohen Lifetime Achievement Award,

to Duane Borcherding. Borcherding is a Past President of NAIFA-Columbus, the Immediate Past President of NAIFAOH, and has served on the National Membership Committee.

The award seeks to recognize members that have gone above and beyond in contributing to the life and health insurance industry, as well as contributing to the NAIFA community.

Borcherding joined the financial services industry at the age of 45 as a career changer and has built successful practices at Northwestern Mutual and New York Life, respectively. A loyal member since 2004, Borcherding participates in IFAPAC and has attended several Congressional

Conferences. Cort Bradbury gave the award on behalf of NAIFA-Columbus and recognized Borcherding as one of the chapter’s best and a leader that all NAIFA members can model.

The chapter thrives by holding a mix of networking and educational lunch events. A strong majority of the chapter plans to attend NAIFA-OH’s State Legislative Day on April 25th.

NAIFA’S ADVISOR TODAY

Kevin Mayeux, CAE, NAIFA CEO kmayeux@naifa.org 703-770-8101

Michael Gerber COO & General Counsel mgerber@naifa.org 703-770-8190

Diane Boyle SVP, Government Relations dboyle@naifa.org 703-770-8252

Suzanne Carawan VP, Marketing & Communications scarawan@naifa.org 703-770-8402

Charmell Davis VP, Member Advancement cdavis@naifa.org 703-770-8225

Erni Davis VP, Finance edavis@naifa.org 703-770-8125

Karla Kirk VP, Growth & Revenue kkirk@naifa.org 703-770-8227

Corey Matthews, CAE VP, Member & Chapter Services cmatthews@naifa.org 703-770-8404

Phu Ngo VP, Technology pngo@naifa.org 703-770-8130

NAIFA NATIONAL LEADERSHIP

President Bryon Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CASL, LACP Bryon Holz & Associates bryon@bryonholz.com

President-Elect Thomas M. Cothron, LUTCF Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company tomcothron@gmail.com

Secretary Douglas B. Massey, CLU, ChFC, FSS Doug Massey Financial Services doug@dougmassey.com

Treasurer Brock Jolly, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CLTC, CASL, CFBS Veritas Financial LLC bjolly@vfwealth.com

Immediate Past President Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP Coastal Wealth lholzberg@mycoastalwealth.com

NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux, CAE kmayeux@naifa.org

Board of Trustees Mark Acre, LUTCF Mark.acre@onesourcegroup.net

Dennis P. Cuccinelli, LACP dennis@dcuccinelli.com

Christopher Gandy, LACP cgandy@midwestlegacyllc.com

Aprilyn Chavez Geissler, LACP aprilyngeissler@gmail.com

Evelyn Gellar, LUTCF, RICP, CLTC egellarwifs@gmail.com

Brian J. Haney, CLTC, CFS, CIS, CFBS, LACP, CAE bhaney@thehaneycompany.com

Carina Hatfield, LUTCF, CLCS, LACP chatfield@weignerinsurance.com

Win Havir, CPCU, CLF, LUTCF, FSS, AIC, LACP Winona.havir@horacemann.com

Danny O’Connell, LACP doconnell@nextlevle.agency

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ADVISOR TODAY EDITORIAL WORKING GROUP

Ike Trotter, CLU, RICP,ChFC Working Group Lead

Laurie Adams, CFP®, CLU, LUTCF, LACP

Brian Ashe, CLU, LACP

Scott Brennan

Chris Gandy, LACP Fred Joyner

ADVISOR TODAY STAFF

Suzanne Carawan

NAIFA VP, Marketing & Communications

Mark Briscoe

NAIFA Senior Editor

Ronan Friend

NAIFA Marketing Manager

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Cover Photo provided by Bryon Holz.

NAIFA’s Advisor Today is published three times annually by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

©2023 National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. All rights reserved.

How Do You Invite Others to Lead?

From the Past President

There are cases where an individual will raise their hand on their own and volunteer to lead, but more often than not, people need to be invited to lead. What I’ve found to be successful in developing leaders is to quickly identify talent gaps in the current leadership team and then look for those skills, qualities, or characteristics needed to create a high-performing team. The next step is to set aside time to really talk one-on-one with the potential leader and to lay out your business case for why their talent is needed and how you envision them plugging into the team and adding to the depth of the team. It’s critical that the individual understands that they have been identified, selected, and now invited to lead. Leadership cannot be a “put a body on it” situation and nor can it be a “you got the job because you left the meeting” situation at NAIFA. Our leaders have true impact on our business and industry at the state and federal levels. Accepting a leadership position is to humbly understand that your peers trust that you are committed to representing their best interests.

From the President

What I try to do is embody the characteristics of leadership each day. I strive to make those around me feel appreciated, recognize their efforts, and approach each project or task with an attitude of gratitude. The ability to volunteer is predicated on the fact that you have established your business practice or have mastered time management early in your business – that you have the bandwidth to willingly give your time, talent, and treasure to a cause bigger than yourself. Volunteer leadership is a noble undertaking and those that answer the call to serve should be applauded for their intentions and activities. When others see that giving is not only acknowledged but held in high regard, the natural response is that people will be more open to volunteering because it is seen as the right and good thing to do. When you create a positive feedback cycle for volunteering, you will see your numbers soar! NAIFA members are overachievers and dogooders by nature; typically, they just need the invitation and the support to start on the path to leadership.

One NAIFA Is Built for Modern Sustainability

When we rebuilt NAIFA starting in 2019 to emphasize the One NAIFA concept, a major goal was to make us a nimbler and more modern association that better serves our diverse membership. Today, we use technology to complement our in-person events and reach an even broader section of NAIFA members. We offer webinars, podcasts, online Centers for Excellence, a print magazine, Zoom meetings, blogs, an online community – you name it! However you want to connect to NAIFA and your

association peers, we’re working to make that happen. Our modernized NAIFA delivers valuable content to you wherever you are and in whatever format you prefer.

Our new association structure is built for sustainability and to endure. This is reflected in our professional staff. While we retain a strong base of operations at our headquarters in the Washington, D.C., area, members of our staff hail from Iowa, Florida, Ohio, Colorado, Texas, Missouri, and several other states. Like NAIFA’s

From the President-Elect

Ivan Scheier’s definition of volunteering is “doing more than you have to, because you want to, for a cause you consider good” and is at the heart of how I view volunteer leadership. Inviting others to lead means that you are a good example of leadership yourself. My motivation for volunteer service to NAIFA comes from a commitment to our industry and the vital role NAIFA plays in protecting what we do. It’s important to ask volunteers to serve in roles that fit their passions and benefit both them and NAIFA. It’s about more than just time. Once you have matched a volunteer’s passion to work that the association needs done, invite the leader to actively engage. To me, this means active listening, active participation, and active followthrough. It’s important to set aside time and really allow yourself to focus when you commit to lead. One approach I try to practice every day is “wherever you are, be all there.” Invite others to give themselves this gift of focused time for their volunteer activities and the results will follow. Invite others to lead so that they, too, can enjoy the feeling of belonging to a community that cares.

membership, our workforce includes top professionals from every part of the country. We bring together a variety of ideas and depth of talent with a singular focus on serving NAIFA members and making our association as strong and effective as it possibly can be.

One NAIFA is working for you, our members, and we continue refining our association to thrive in 2023 and for many decades to come.

NAIFA President Bryon Holz: First Impressions Make a Lasting Difference for NAIFA Members

As the familiar chorus of Foreigner’s iconic rock anthem “Feels Like the First Time” fades and the lights come up on Bryon Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CASL, LACP – dubbed by InsuranceNewsNet magazine “An Advisor Who Rocks” – Holz tells his audience of NAIFA friends and colleagues: “You never forget your first time!”

The President of Bryon Holz & Associates in Brandon, FL, is brimming with enthusiasm for his profession, his colleagues, his clients, and for NAIFA. Whether he’s describing his first life insurance claim, his first grassroots connection with a lawmaker, or his first NAIFA meeting, his passion for the crucial work NAIFA members do for the American public and the important work NAIFA does for financial professionals shines through.

A nearly 40-year veteran in the industry and a loyal NAIFA member since 1987, Holz was sworn in as NAIFA’s 134th national President at the 2022 National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. Following is an excerpt from his inaugural Presidential address.

You never forget your first time!

I was doing sales training with my primary company at the time, somewhere in the Midwest. By the way, that company no longer exists. But NAIFA does!

A client was trying to reach me. My first life claim. Twin teenage boys. A terrible ATV accident on a country road near their home.

That was the day I learned what we do transcends finances. It’s more than just the money. They didn’t need that child rider on their policy, but they sure appreciated my being there to support them in their time of tragic loss.

My first time roaming the halls of our nation’s Capitol. A chance to meet my member of Congress, apparently a rather important one, who just happened to be the brother of a long-time client. “Bryon, Chuck and Donna told me how much they just love their annuity, and how they get that deposit in their bank account every month. Now let’s talk about those bills you’re interested in.” Yes, you never forget your first Congressional Conference or your first client annuity payout.

Denise was a single schoolteacher. It had been a rough three years of treatment and healing, but now she’s what they call a “survivor.” We first met when we were both young in our careers. “Bryon, I don’t need any insurance. I’m single. Let’s focus on my retirement. No one needs my income.” “Denise, YOU do.” What we did that day helped make sure she only had to focus on her physical and emotional wellbeing, not her financial well-being. You never forget your first disability claim.

“Will YOU invite that friend and colleague to join NAIFA? We need more to experience their first time at a NAIFA meeting.””

I was new on the NAIFA-Tampa board. “Hey Bryon, we need you in Tallahassee next month.” Could I go to the state capital to visit with some big-time politicians? I was just a young insurance guy. We always say that, as NAIFA members, we’re available to help [lawmakers] as resources. A few years later, I can count several state legislators and staff as valued friends and clients, not to mention the countless consumer and industry issues we successfully advocated. You never forget your first Day on the Hill.

My first NAIFA meeting? OK, it was a NALU meeting. I started in the business and joined what was then NALU when I was very young, just out of school.

Everyone had so much more experience than me, yet they never hesitated to share their knowledge and wisdom. This helped me stay in business for nearly four decades, thrive, achieve Top of the Table, and more importantly, help create such an incredible impact on so many families. And today, I count NAIFA members as some of my very closest friends. You never forget your first NAIFA meeting.

He still knows my name – well, most days – but he always recognizes me. He’s in pretty good shape, physically, for an 85-year-old. And the long-term care policy he purchased some 20 years ago ensures he’s in the finest, newest memory unit around. They take great care of him, and he loves it there. You never forget your first long-term care claim, especially if it’s your dad. And if you’re not considering long-term care protection in your practice, I implore you, you need to.

You never forget your first time, do you?

Ours is a truly noble profession, a higher calling to serve others through servant leadership. A true vocation. So, I need your help. Will you help me?

• Will YOU invite that friend and colleague to join NAIFA? We need more to experience their first time at a NAIFA meeting.

• Will YOU help our members be fully engaged and involved? We need more to experience their first time at a state or national meeting.

• Will YOU mentor, inspire, and invite others to lead and serve in various capacities as our future leaders? We need more to experience their first time in chapter leadership roles.

• Will YOU invite others to meet with their elected officials and contribute to IFAPAC? We need more to experience their first time advocating with grassroots and the PAC.

We need more to experience these life-changing “first times” to help ensure not only a stronger NAIFA, but to ensure the very future of our profession. Are you with me? Are we up to the

challenge? I believe we are. But it starts with you, me – each and every one of us.

At NAIFA, you belong. We all belong, and I look forward to building brighter tomorrows together.

By the way, some 30 years later I was humbled to recently help the parents of my first life claim to invest the proceeds from the sale of their long-time family business to fund their retirement. “We trust you, Bryon. You’ve always been there for us.”

The single schoolteacher “survivor”? We’re positioning her assets for a comfortable retirement as well.

My clients who love their annuities? They’ve referred me to their adult children, providing financial security by protecting what’s most important to them: their families.

And my dad. Well, I get to see him nearly every day and thank God every night for the peace that we have, thanks to the miracle of insurance.

Watch the on-demand video of NAIFA President Bryon Holz’s complete inaugural address at belong.naifa.org/nlc-archives-2022.

“Enthusiasm”

Big Legislative Win Shows the Influence of NAIFA’s Grassroots Advocacy

The 117th Congress kept us waiting until nearly the last minute, but just before 2022 came to a close both chambers passed SECURE 2.0 legislation and the RILA Act as part of the 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill. Passage of these bills was among NAIFA’s federal advocacy priorities, and when President Biden signed them into law it was a big win for NAIFA, financial professionals, and consumers.

The RILA Act instructs the Securities and Exchange Commission to remove red tape and streamline the paperwork required for financial institutions to register registered index-linked annuity products (RILAs). The RILA Act makes the process much more straightforward and less burdensome, so it will be easier for advisors to offer clients more lifetime income options.

SECURE 2.0 is a retirement savings reform package that builds on the original SECURE Act enacted in 2019. Among other provisions to encourage retirement planning and provide more flexibility for consumers, the legislation increases the age at which required minimum distributions must begin; provides for the autoenrollment of employees in new 401(k), 403(b), and SIMPLE plans while giving employees the ability to opt-out; provides additional tax credits for small employers contributing to employees’ plans; provides more opportunity for

Federallower-income and part-time workers to prepare for retirement; extends the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) authorization and borrowing authority through September 30, 2023; and allows penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans to pay long-term care insurance premiums under some circumstances.

SECURE 2.0 and lifetime income products were among the main points of discussion during more than 150 meetings NAIFA members had with members of Congress during NAIFA’s November National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. The retirement legislation was also the subject of many congressional meetings NAIFA members had at the 2022 NAIFA Congressional Conference Day on the Hill. NAIFA advocates have had additional meetings with lawmakers and sent letters urging the passage of SECURE 2.0 and the RILA Act.

“With this bipartisan legislation, Congress makes it easier for Americans to prepare for retirement and gives them greater access to innovative annuity products that guarantee lifetime income while offering some protections from market volatility,” 2022 NAIFA President Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP, said at the time the legislation passed. “SECURE 2.0 will also make it easier for more companies to offer retirement plans for their employees. Preparing for a secure retirement is a vital part of any financial plan and receiving a guaranteed lifetime income can be an important part of that plan for many consumers. It’s great to see strong advocacy efforts by NAIFA, our members, and our advocacy partners pay off with a great win for consumers.”

When everyone participates, NAIFA’s grassroots advocacy is highly influential. Members of Congress understand that NAIFA members provide expertise on insurance, financial services, and policies that affect the financial security of Main Street Americans. The Congressional Conference, being held May 22-23 in Washington, D.C., this year, is our best opportunity to have a maximum impact. Every NAIFA member should plan to attend!

May 22-23 | Washington, D.C.

Congressional Conference is NAIFA’s signature advocacy event. We gather in our nation’s capital for advocacy training, issue briefings, and presentations by political experts and members of Congress. The highlight is the May 23 Day on the Hill. You need to be a part of this – the largest D.C. grassroots fly-in by an insurance and financial services association. You’ll meet in small groups with your elected officials and their staff members to make a positive difference for your business, industry, and clients. Don’t miss out! Register for the Congressional Conference at conference.naifa.org/2023.

Interstate

NAIFA, along with the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) and other advocacy partners, has been a strong supporter of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation. With Massachusetts coming on board in December, our advocacy efforts have been successful in 30 states that have adopted the model.

NAIFA helped the NAIC craft the model when it was first drafted 2020 so that it provides strong consumer protections that require advisors to work in the best interests of consumers but does not create burdens that would prevent financial professionals from serving Main Street clients.

NAIFA is actively involved with interstate organizations like the NAIC

and the National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL), attending their meetings and providing testimony and comments. NAIFA is also a proud member of two NCOIL organizations, the Industry Education Council and NCOIL’s Corporate & Institutional Partners.

Both NAIC and NCOIL establish model laws and rules that are used across the country, impacting producers’ business practices and the financial well-being of consumers.

NAIFA’s involvement in these groups allows the opportunity to provide insurance commissioners and legislators with input from the NAIFA community before proposals for such models are made.

Become a Financial Security Advocate!

Learn to be the best grassroots advocate you can be. Build relationships with lawmakers, influence important policy decisions, and fully participate in the political process. NAIFA’s newly revised FSA academy teaches you how. Earn your FSA badge by completing the training. Learn how at advocacy.naifa.org/grassroots.

StateNAIFA is the most influential advocacy association for insurance and financial professionals in state capitals across the country. State laws and regulations have as much impact on NAIFA members’ businesses and clients as federal policies. Our chapters put a lot of effort into state advocacy and those efforts work on behalf of agents and advisors as well as their clients and communities. It is important for NAIFA members to be a resource for their state lawmakers and regulators.

In December, Chris Bor, LUTCF, CLU, ChFC, a loyal NAIFA member since 1998 and Past President of NAIFA-WA, testified at a hearing of the Washington State Senate Business, Financial Services & Trade Committee on the use of life insurance, annuities, and policy riders in long-term care planning. He gave an overview of a wide variety of LTC planning options and discussed the value of agents and advisors to consumers.

His testimony informed state Senators of the important work that NAIFA members are doing and how state laws

affect the ability of agents and advisors to provide clients with long-term care solutions.

Not every NAIFA member can testify before their legislature, but everyone can participate in state advocacy. Many

chapters hold state Legislative Days and other advocacy events. A roundup of these is available on NAIFA’s website at advocacy.naifa.org/statelegislativedays Check with your state chapter for other ways to get involved.

NAIFA Live Celebrates Five Years in 2023: What to Expect in the Year to Come

NAIFA Live launched in January 2019 as part of the rebirth of NAIFA. Originally designed to fulfill one of NAIFA’s primary promises of the restructure—Quality Member Experience (QME)—the series was envisioned to be a hybrid event model. Members would meet both in person and virtually while sharing in a common meeting featuring a topquality speaker that NAIFA could obtain if resources were pooled but would be outof-reach for a chapter to afford by itself. Additionally, the shared experience would allow NAIFA to diminish the importance of state geographic lines, zip code-based local chapter assignments, or time zones and instead, allow every NAIFA member to understand that membership starts with belonging to NAIFA Nation as a whole in an effort to promote the philosophical concept of One NAIFA.

The Rise of Watch Parties Pre-COVID

During 2019, NAIFA Live began to grow and expand its viewership through the hosting of local watch parties that allowed NAIFA members to gather and invite prospects to join them for the event. Over its inaugural year, the number of people participating progressively grew, and 2020 was set to be a banner year for NAIFA Live with a group of amazing speakers and watch parties that had been planned to celebrate NAIFA’s 130th Anniversary. Unfortunately, COVID hit in March 2020 and NAIFA Live lost its in-person component. Due to its already-established virtual component, it was able to carry on without missing a beat. Not surprisingly, NAIFA Live’s attendance grew during COVID as members looked to Zoom to stay connected. The pandemic

forever changed NAIFA by truly showing that where you live does not dictate how you participate and why you belong to NAIFA. If anything, NAIFA Live finally became a near-monthly fixture where members gathered to receive inspiration and get a deep-dive into sales & marketing techniques that affect top-line growth.

Increased Participation and Return to Meeting In-Person

We ended 2022 with a 44% increase in registrations for NAIFA Live. With the pandemic subsiding and more chapters meeting in person, watch parties began to form once again. With home offices and agency/firm offices more technically equipped than in prior years, NAIFA Live saw increased participation in both live and on-demand formats. Additionally, after several years of trying out different

topics, it became clear that what members most want are speakers who focus on mental performance coaching, sales techniques, or how to better market your business. For 2023, we expect more watch parties to develop and become a regular meet-up spot—especially with so many new affiliates being formed. We love to recognize and promote members when they get together, so please snap pics and send them to naifalive@naifa.org so that we can include them in our social media posts and blogs!

Utilizing NAIFA Live to Spur Membership Growth and Reward Member Loyalty

2023 marks NAIFA Live’s fifth year in existence and we are ready for its best year yet! This year we return to celebrating watch parties full force through recognition of those firms/ agencies that host them, as well as special rewards for watching NAIFA Live either on the day or on-demand during the month it airs. Additionally, we are bringing back the prospective member component by offering every member the ability to invite prospects to the event so that they can experience the type of education NAIFA provides. We hope that every member will ask their guest to join and cite your name as the referring member so that we can reward and recognize our Top Membership Recruiters each month during NAIFA Live, at the National Leadership Conference, and during February’s “I Love NAIFA Month” when we will reveal yearly totals.

NAIFA Live’s On-Demand Archives have been updated to ensure that members access the content first. All NAIFA Live sessions will be available solely to members for one month following the initial airing and then available to the general public on NAIFA’s YouTube channel. If you haven’t accessed NAIFA’s YouTube channel before, then please find us at youtube.com/naifa and subscribe to the channel so you can get updates on all NAIFA Live programs going forward. If you have any questions about NAIFA Live for membership, please contact your chapter’s Membership Chair. Have a suggestion for a speaker or a topic? Email us at naifalive@ naifa.org.

“Together”

What to Expect for 2023

As for speakers, 2023 is shaping up to be our best year yet! We have a special four-part series sponsored by Penn Mutual that features legendary Howard Sharfman, loyal member since 2018, of NFP Insurance Solutions, who will moderate four panels throughout the year composed of a mix of innovative leaders in the financial services industry. This year’s NAIFA Live will be produced for ten months, skipping May for Congressional Conference and December for the National Leadership Conference. Aside from those months, the program will air on the third Thursday of the month at 2 pm eastern. To learn more and download your invitation to send to members, please visit live.naifa.org.

Host Your Own Watch Party

Hosting a NAIFA Live watch party is a great way to energize NAIFA members and recruit new members. NAIFA-MN Executive Director Julie Phillips helped organize the first watch parties in 2019 and shares her advice: Don’t overthink it. You don’t need to make reservations at a fancy restaurant. Order pizza or bring a sack lunch, instead. All you need is a place to gather, a TV to watch the stream on, and an audience to watch. Just be sure to check your technology in advance. Make sure your camera and speakers are working properly and that you can connect to Zoom so your watch party goes off without a hitch.

Add your name to the list of chapters hosting NAIFA Live watch parties this year: NAIFA-MN | NAIFA-ND | NAIFA-NJ | NAIFA-WI | NAIFA-Dallas

Only NAIFA Producers Are Listed!

NAIFA members who are producers are listed on financialsecurity.org, which we market directly to consumers. Listings elevate consumers' awareness of NAIFA members when they search for an agent or advisor who abides by a Code of Ethics as all NAIFA members do.

Your profile under "Find an Advisor" is based on the information you input on our private social network, NAIFAConnect. Update your bio, add your headshot, and personalize your story so consumers choose you! Update

Harry Hoopis Is the 81st John Newton Russell Memorial Award Recipient

John Newton Russel Memorial Award recipient John O. Todd founded the agency that Harry Hoopis, CLU, ChFC, eventually took over and hired Hoopis at age 30 as his general agent. In a meeting early in their relationship, Todd suggested that young Hoopis set a monumental career goal – winning the John Newton Russell Memorial Award for himself.

“Honestly, at age 30, just starting out in my own agency, I was more worried about making it to year two,” Hoopis said. “Especially since my first recruiting class of three new agents all failed in the first 90 days. John Newton Russell wasn’t going on my to-do list just yet.”

But times have changed. Capping an astonishingly successful career, the CEO of the Hoopis Performance Network and a renowned entrepreneur, leader, and speaker is the 81st recipient of the 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.

Over his 40-year career, Hoopis built one of the largest and most successful financial services firms in the world in Chicago. He has been honored with Northwestern Mutual’s prestigious Dennis Tamcsin Career Achievement Award, was awarded the Master Agency Award every year since its inception, received the Robert Templin Award for his many contributions to management development, and is the recipient of NAIFA-Chicago’s Leadership in Life Award.

“Harry’s decades of service in insurance and financial services and his indisputable standing as an icon in our industry make him exceptionally worthy of this prestigious honor,” said NAIFA Past President Jill M. Judd, LUTCF, FSS, RICP,

Chair of the 2022 award committee. “The committee considered many qualified nominees for the award, but Harry stood out for the enduring positive impact he has had on so many of his fellow insurance and financial professionals.”

Hoopis is still an active member of two of the industry’s most elite study groups, the LIMRA Research Agencies Group and the General Agents Symposium. He is also the principal author of The Essentials of Management Development and author of the best-selling The Road to the Bountiful Life: Achieving Success in Financial Services. He is the creator of the “Firm Foundations” seminar series and developer of the “Fixed Activity Commitment System.”

Hoopis has led his organization in efforts to give back to the community through the Hoopis Financial Group Foundation. The foundation has raised several hundreds of thousands of dollars for local and national charities. Hoopis has been recognized by the Cystic Fibrosis Association for his outstanding contributions to the organization.

Reflecting on his success in the industry, Hoopis acknowledges the part NAIFA has played.

“I required all my advisors to be members of NAIFA. We were a 100% Agency every year of my 35 years as a general agent,” he said. “It seemed to me, if there’s an association as valuable as NAIFA, which helps our profession, you should be a part of it.”

“If there’s an association as valuable as NAIFA, which helps our profession, you should be a part of it.”

Celebrate I Love NAIFA Month

February is NAIFA’s third annual I Love NAIFA Month. This is our time to shine and brag about our members and all of the great work they are doing to ensure Americans are financially secure. This month-long campaign showcases everything there is to love about our association and supports our 2023 goal to grow our membership. From Advocacy to Zoom webinars, NAIFA’s got something for every producer during every stage of their career. Throughout the month, we encourage you to get involved and help us take NAIFA Nation viral in February.

Here are six easy ways for you to participate and show your love of NAIFA:

1. Follow NAIFA on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. To find our social media channels, simply go to the bottom of belong.naifa.org and click the social media icons. These will take you directly to our channels. Repost our content throughout February to increase awareness of who we are, what we do, and the programs and benefits we offer. Unsure how to repost? Contact your chapter Membership Chair who will provide the link to our social media resource page.

2. Tear out the I love NAIFA graphic on the opposite page, take a selfie, and post it on your social media channels. Don’t forget to use #NAIFAproud in your caption. We will pick up your posts and share them throughout our channels as well. BONUS: Download the Facebook frame from the I Love NAIFA kit and add it to your Facebook profile. (Watch your email for links to access the full I Love NAIFA kit.)

3. Check out all there is to love about NAIFA membership and discover how to leverage NAIFA’s partners to grow your practice and save you money. We put together a debrief on all of the benefits of belonging to NAIFA. Watch this informative session at: belong.naifa.org/ benefits

4. Invite a non-member to NAIFA Live. This year we’re running a special offer to allow non-members to participate in one NAIFA Live and experience first-hand what is so special about our association. The pull-out card in this issue has more information on how to share the NAIFA Live experience with others.

5. Refer a new member to NAIFA. I Love NAIFA Month is a great time for new members to get involved with NAIFA, as we showcase all there is to love about the association. As a bonus, both you and the new member will receive special gifts. When you refer a new member in Q1, you will receive a complimentary I Love NAIFA t-shirt that matches the ad on the opposite page. The new member will receive a copy of the latest book from 2022 NAIFA Trustee Jamie Hopkins and Ron Carson, Find Your Financial Freedom: Financial Planning for Life on Purpose See the pull-out card for more information.

Not sure how to refer a member and ensure that you get credit? Each NAIFA member has a unique referral code they can use to get credit for signing up new members. Contact your chapter Membership Chair for more information and how to access your code.

6. Show us what you love about NAIFA Nation throughout the year. Expressing your love for your association does not have to stop on February 28th. Use the I Love NAIFA graphics in our media kit to share NAIFA’s different products and

programs that are near and dear to your heart. Did you just receive your LUTCF? Write a post on social media using the I Love LUTCF graphic. Was there a great webinar from the Limited and Extended Care Planning Center? Use the I Love LECP graphic and tell your network about what you learned. There’s no such thing as too much love when it comes to NAIFA.

Is your chapter doing something special and unique to celebrate I Love NAIFA month? Let us know so we can highlight what you’ve done. Share your stories and photos with us at marketing@naifa.org.

Top 10 Member Recruiters in 2022

Huge shout out to our top recruiters from 2022. Will you be among them in 2023?

1. Elizabeth Angeles, Northridge, CA, Loyal member since 2015

2. Bryon Holz, Brandon, FL, Loyal member since 1987

3. Cheryl Canzanella, Jacksonville, FL, Loyal member since 2010

4. Sherrie Coburn, Aliquippa, PA, Loyal member since 2021

5. Adam Sachs, Needham Heights, MA, Loyal member since 1994

6. Adriana Parker, Corpus Christi, TX, Loyal member since 2020

7. Chris Gandy, Lisle, IL, Loyal member since 2003

8. Justin Garofalo, Atlanta, GA, Loyal member since 2020

9. Brian Cooper, Lincolnton, NC, Loyal member since 1998

10. Brian Haney, Silver Spring, MD, Loyal member since 2013

February is I Love NAIFA month! Show your love for NAIFA by taking a photo of yourself with the graphic on the page and posting it to your social media channels. Remember to use the hashtag #NAIFAproud

NAIFA’s LECP Offers Great Value at No Cost

FREE! We all love free! We appreciate every derivative of the word free–freedom, freely, free-for-all.

The Limited and Extended Care Planning Center (LECP) is a FREE CENTER for NAIFA members. It’s at the center of all things that relate to the physical, psychological, and financial impacts that extended care products, options, and legislation have on both individual and business plans. It also covers a range of protections that agents and advisors can put in place for clients.

Solely supported by center sponsors, this hub offers trusted information and thought leadership to members who recognize the far-reaching impact that advance and immediate planning for longevity and care needs have on today’s multigenerational clientele. As clients trust you to be their resource, NAIFA members trust the LECP to be their resource.

The breadth of resources has grown over the years. Products have evolved. The Center network covers:

• The myriad of riders that life and annuity products offer.

• Updated reverse mortgage information for home ownership which represents $11 trillion in available funding.

• Life settlement products that speak to M&A, business succession planning, and lifestyle changes.

• New financial security apps.

• Practical sales tips from broker general agencies and field distribution.

• Major carrier product innovation, market insights, and trends.

• Short-term and affordable solutions.

• End-to-end worksite programs.

• The role Medicare and Medicaid play in planning.

• Technology transformations.

• Generational conversations about extended care and aging.

• Far-reaching legislative issues.

The LECP in Action

A couple of years ago, members let us know that the publicly funded LTC legislation in the State of Washington impacts their resident and remote working clients. With only a few exceptions, the legislation currently requires Washington workers to contribute $0.58 per $100 of all earnings, beginning July 1, 2023. Those who owned stand-alone, hybrid, or group private LTC coverage on or before November 1, 2021, were exempt.

The LECP responded by creating The Legislative Working Group. Comprised of carriers, broker general agencies, actuaries, members, NAIFA’s government relations staff, consultants, and agent-owned businesses, this group examines the impact on each employed individual, their family, the unemployed, disabled, nearretiree, and employers.

After many interesting discussions, NAIFA formulated a position to recommend to the Government Relations Committee, and ultimately to the Board of Trustees. Upon approval, NAIFA worked closely with other associations to influence a better outcome with proposed modifications to the Washington Cares Act.

Simultaneously, LWG members began to look at other states considering similar legislation. NAIFA’s government relations staff employs a tool, unique to NAIFA, that flags state documents relating to longterm care. Currently, there are some 15 states with legislative proposals, studies, or initiatives. Of major interest to the group are the five options that the California Task Force has submitted to Oliver Wyman for actuarial review. The group reviewed the document and its impact on our own businesses, our clients, their businesses, states, and federal

finances. Every state is somewhat unique in its approach, but all are concerned about the mounting and unsustainable costs of health care, Medicare services, and Medicaid budgets. Some states, such as Hawaii, have legislation in place to provide support for working caregivers.

The caregiver crisis is another topic affecting all five generations now employed and building their financial future. In many cases, caregiving and the costs of care interfere with those plans. Articles and presentations at the Center focus on impacts to caregivers’ physical, psychological, and financial well-being.

The Executive Director of LECP, Carroll Golden, has written two books–one for advisors, and one for their clients. Written as a story, we follow a multigenerational family as they struggle to find acceptable options to help the main character care for her parents without destroying her lifestyle and retirement. The book outlines a three-step formula to not only start the conversation, but to continue the conversation and discover insurance, non-insurance, and government-supported planning options suitable to each generation.

How Not to Tear Your Family Apart is available at www.thecaringconversation. com. The consumer version, How Not to Pull Your Family Apart: A Practical Guide to Caregiving and Financial Security, will be available by advance copy. To avoid hurtful, unwanted consequences, advanced planning is a must. Networking is an inexpensive way to grow your business while fulfilling your fiduciary responsibility to clients. LECP is your informative, 24/7 network center.

The Center will continue to expand as new sponsors see value in working with our members. Reach out to cgolden@ naifa.org. Your ideas, needs, interests, and questions are how we will continue to grow. Ask yourself: Is your strategy out of date? Do you want to expand your business or better serve clients and prospects? Tap into all the Center at lecp.naifa.org has to offer.

NAIFA’s Business Performance Center Announces the Coaches Circle

The Business Performance Center (BPC) is proud to announce a new program for 2023 called the Coaches Circle. While many business coaches have been NAIFA members throughout the years, this is the first time we’ve pulled together the top coaches in the association into one program to provide additional benefits to members, as well as to invite top coaches in the industry to join NAIFA and contribute to the program. Each coach within the Coaches Circle will provide thought leadership to NAIFA members via webinars and blog articles and serve as subject matter experts overseeing the work of the BPC.

The founding coaches of the Coaches Circle are Deirdre Van Nest of Crazy Good Talks, Joe Templin of JRRT One Ring, and Kari Gillenwater. All three are frequent industry speakers, regularly consult for

organizations within the industry, and have their own private practice of coaching clients. Coaches that are part of the Business Performance Center’s coaching program have pledged to not only provide education to all members but to work one-on-one with members with special members-only coaching plans. The first set of Coaches Circle webinars kicked off in January and you can easily spot them by looking for the Coaches Circle logo. Additionally, each coach will have their own page within the NAIFA Member Portal website to allow members to easily access Coaches’ content and connect directly.

The BPC focuses on providing members with the knowledge, products, and services needed to optimally run your practice. Each sponsor of the Center, each Coach, and contributing members are vetted to ensure that the know-how being

provided is of top quality and delivered with the intention to raise the production output and client services delivery quality to the highest levels possible. The BPC has a blog to which all members can subscribe that delivers content and invitations to thought leadership events. To subscribe to the blog, go to bpc.naifa.org/blog and select how often you want to receive updates and to what email address.

Advisor Today’s Expanded Brand

Advisor Today is much more than a magazine. It is a multimedia platform that brings you content and information in whatever format you prefer.

The Advisor Today Blog – Multiple posts each week provide more stories than can fit in the print magazine. The blog has profiles of successful NAIFA members, updates on what’s going on in your association and industry, and regular columns by NAIFA members who are successful professionals and industry thought leaders. Be sure to subscribe to receive weekly or monthly email updates. Learn more at: at.naifa.org.

The Advisor Today Podcast – NAIFA Trustee Chris Gandy and VP of Marketing and Communications Suzanne Carawan interview high-performing NAIFA members who share the secrets of their success. Hear from NAIFA members like Brian Ashe, Brian Haney, Paul Dougherty, Carroll Golden, Jeff Levin, Jamie Hopkins, and Adam Sachs to learn what makes them tick. Learn more at: at.naifa.org/podcast

The Advisor Today Webinar Series – These webinars are presented by top producers and NAIFA educational partners. They provide tips and insights you can use to grow your business and bolster your professional success. Learn more at: at.naifa.org/webinars.

NAIFA Renews Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in 2023

Gandy, LACP, was named Diversity Champion of the Year. His efforts in 2022 included serving as Co-Chair for NAIFA’s DEI Council and participating in the panel “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Producer Licensing” at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) 2022 Insurance Summit.

In addition to the national award, NAIFA chapters are beginning to recognize outstanding diversity advocates within their membership by recognizing Diversity Champions at the state and local levels. We encourage more chapters to follow their lead.

Nominations for NAIFA-National’s 2023 Diversity Champion of the Year are now open.

Women’s Financial Security Fly-In

In 2023, NAIFA Nation will continue to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the insurance and financial services industry as a part of the NAIFA 2025 strategic plan. We will continue to recruit diverse members and leaders, be active participants in community DEI efforts, ensure the members at our events reflect the clients and communities we serve, and highlight NAIFA’s leadership and influence in advocating for the financial security of all Americans. We’re excited to renew our efforts with our annual Diversity Symposium and our Diversity Champion of the Year award and to announce our first-ever Women’s Financial Security Fly-In.

8th Annual Diversity Symposium

On May 22, 2023, NAIFA will hold the 8th Annual Diversity Symposium in conjunction with our annual Congressional Conference in Washington, D.C. First held in 2017, the Diversity Symposium

provides participants with a forum to discuss strategies for creating and promoting diversity in the financial services industry. It also serves as a resource for insurance and financial professionals in NAIFA’s mission to provide financial security for Main Street USA. The Diversity Symposium is open to all, and attendees are encouraged to stay for the Congressional Conference on May 22-23, immediately following the symposium.

Diversity Champion of the Year

NAIFA’s Diversity Champion of the Year award recognizes exceptional efforts to promote the full and equal participation of diverse people within the insurance and financial advising profession. Diversity Champions work to advance DEI not only within NAIFA, but also within the broader insurance and financial services industry.

In 2022, NAIFA Trustee and Midwest Legacy Group, LLC, Founder, Christopher

We’re proud to present a new opportunity for women in 2023. The first annual Women’s Financial Security Fly-In will be March 28-29 in Washington, D.C. The invite-only event is being co-hosted with NAIFA’s advocacy partner, Women in Insurance and Financial Services (WIFS), and supported by Guardian, Northwestern Mutual, Ameritas, and New York Life. Selected attendees will come to Washington, D.C. for a special event that includes talks by congressional leaders, issue debriefs, and going to the Hill to attend meetings with elected leaders.

Chris Gandy Is a Diversity Champion With a Long Reach

Being one of the leading spokespeople on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the insurance and financial services industry on behalf of NAIFA can be a tall order, but it’s one that that 6-foot-10-inch Chris Gandy, LACP, fills aptly. The former college basketball star who played professionally for the Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, and in Europe found his calling as a financial professional in 1999.

He received NAIFA’s 2022 Diversity Champion award at the National Leadership Conference and Belong awards celebration in November in Washington, D.C.

Gandy is the Founder of Midwest Legacy Group (OneAmerica) in Lisle, IL, and has been a loyal NAIFA member since 2003. He is a Past President of NAIFA-Chilcagoland and currently serves on NAIFA’s national Board of Trustees. A renowned thought leader in the insurance and financial services industry, Gandy has been a featured speaker on diversity in the industry and financial planning topics at industry events, including NAIFA’s National Leadership Conference and annual Diversity Symposia, the Intercompany Long-Term Care Insurance Conference, and NAIFA state chapter events. He has spoken at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Insurance Summit and testified before the NAIC’s Special Committee on Race and Insurance promoting the need for greater diversity in the industry and NAIFA’s goal of ensuring financial security for all Americans.

In one of his numerous presentations on DEI, Gandy told attendees at the NAIC meeting on Race and Insurance, “It is crucial that policymakers and leaders within the insurance industry understand

and address disparities and inequities that impact the financial well-being of all Americans, particularly those in diverse communities that have been traditionally underserved.”

Gandy was a member of the NAIFA 2025 Strategic Planning Committee, which developed the NAIFA 2025 strategic plan with a goal of increasing DEI in the association and industry. Encouraging diversity among agents, advisors, managers, and executives opens the financial services profession to a greater number of individuals and strengthens the industry. It helps with recruiting the next generation of advisors and opens new markets with the goal of providing opportunities for financial security to all Americans.

“Is it fair to say that our industry should look like the people we represent, the clients we serve?” Gandy asked during a NAIFA Live event. “Isn’t that what the industry was built on? Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?”

Gandy co-hosts NAIFA’s Advisor Today podcast series, interviewing highly successful NAIFA members about their careers and the state of the insurance

and financial services industry. He has delivered NAIFA webinars on diversity topics as well as ways agents and advisors can increase their production. His presentation, “Tools for Success: Becoming the 1%,” is featured in NAIFA’s Future Leaders program that encourages and educates college students pursuing careers in insurance and financial services.

Gandy has been featured in numerous industry and national publications, including Advisors Magazine, Advisor Today, InsuranceNewsNet, ThinkAdvisor, and GQ. In 2021, he received a ThinkAdvisor LUMINARIES Award in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion category.

As a NAIFA Diversity Champion, Gandy sets a great example and epitomizes how the industry is stronger when it is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

Did you know the NAIFA Foundation for Financial Security sponsors a diversity scholarship? Learn more at foundation.naifa.org.

YAT’s 2022 Red Coat is NAIFA-Florida’s Jeff Chernoff

Like many of his NAIFA colleagues, Jeff Chernoff, M.S., LUTCF, LACP, came to the financial services profession after making a significant career change. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Florida and his master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Dakota. He then worked for several years in higher education at the University of North Dakota, Ferris State, and Virginia Tech before returning to his native Tampa and turning his sights to financial services.

It is a choice he has found very rewarding. Since the transition, his professional success has taken off and he has emerged as a leader in the industry. Chernoff was named NAIFA’s 2022 Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year at the National Leadership Conference and Belong awards celebration in Washington, D.C., in November. He received the coveted red jacket from last year’s winner, Brian Haney, CLTC, CFS, CIS, CFBS, LACP, CAE, and was joined on stage by all of the recent YAT Leaders of the Year.

His path to being enshrined as the newest of NAIFA’s fabled “Red Coats” began in 2010, when Chernoff joined his family’s insurance and financial services practice, Insurance and Trust in Tampa, FL, as an administrator and customer service representative. He quickly learned the ropes of the industry and began preparing for his licensing exams. Less than a year later, he was a full-time Insurance Advisor. He has been a loyal NAIFA member ever since. Today, Chernoff is a highly successful Vice President at Insurance and Trust, a full-service independent insurance agency serving individuals and families in the Tampa area. His focus at the firm is providing property and casualty, life,

disability income, and long-term care insurance policies for individuals and families.

“My family always taught me, don’t just join something for the sake of joining something” Chernoff said. “When you become a member of an organization, you make a commitment to it. That is what I have done with NAIFA, and my clients, company, and family are all better for it!”

While his professional success burgeoned, Chernoff emerged as a leader within NAIFA and in the industry. He is the 2023 President of NAIFA-FL and Past President of NAIFA-Tampa Bay. He is a graduate of NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) and has remained active in the program, serving as a moderator of classes in Florida. He was honored

by NAIFA-Tampa Bay and received that chapter’s Dick Cimino Distinguished Service Award in 2018 for his strong support of the chapter’s membership endeavors and public service projects.

As NAIFA-FL’s IFAPAC Chair, he oversaw the growth of the state chapter’s political action committee in both dollars raised and number of contributors. Chernoff currently serves at the national level on NAIFA’s Young Advisor Team Working Group.

“NAIFA’s Young Advisor Team is critical to our industry and to the young professionals it helps to give a leg up in their careers,” Chernoff said. “I love being a part of this community and am really honored to join NAIFA’s Red Coats.”

Chernoff’s leadership activities extend beyond NAIFA. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Tampa Bay Chamber and is a graduate of its Leadership Tampa program. He was Chair, Vice Chair, and Sponsorship Chair of the Chamber’s Emerge Tampa Bay initiative.

He is an accomplished speaker who is regularly sought out to provide workshops and seminars in the areas of Insurance Needs of the Business Owner, the Value of Life Insurance, Why Long-Term Care is Important, and Identifying Common Gaps in Insurance Coverage.

“When you become a member of an organization, you make a commitment to it.”

Four for the Ages

Advisor Today’s 4 Under 40 award recognizes NAIFA members making great contributions to the success of their clients, communities, industry, and NAIFA. The 2022 winners:

Matthew Daley, MBA, FSCP, LACP, LUTCF

Matthew C. Daley got his life insurance license at 18. He worked in the insurance industry for several years, but struggled with drug and alcohol addiction and, at 24, checked himself into a rehab facility.

Going to rehab was a turning point in Daley’s life. He worked tirelessly and, in 2015, opened The Daley Agency through American National. In his first few years in the industry, Daley says he quit once a week. Each time, he decided to give it one more day. “It took me 20 years to become an overnight success,” he says.

In the years to come, Daley hopes to continue expanding his agency and gaining knowledge. A firm believer in lifelong learning, he earned his LUTCF and LACP designations through NAIFA and strives to earn a new designation each year.

Scott Blake, MBA

Scott Blake founded Blake Wealth Partners with Northwestern Mutual in 2016 and describes his agency as “modern wealth management for the motivated.” His clients are aspirational millennials who are actively working toward building generational wealth and planning for charitable giving.

President of NAIFA-Columbus, Blake believes that advocacy is not just in the best interest of Main Street Americans but also producers’ businesses and the industry as a whole.

“One of the areas of our economy that is being lost in the political spectrum at the federal and state level is who’s looking

out for the small business owner. NAIFA is the protection mechanism of small business owners in our line of work,” he says.

In the coming years, Blake plans to grow his practice, attract top talent, and continue having a national impact while spending more time with clients in person. He plans to maintain close relationships, taking them from the day they become a client to the day they retire and beyond.

Eric Bottolfsen, MBA

Eric Bottolfsen knew from an early age that he wanted a career in financial services. When he played Monopoly as a kid, he insisted on being the banker. In high school, he loved his finance classes and read old issues of the Wall Street Journal in his free time.

When he earned his bachelor’s degree in finance in 2008, Bottolfsen was eager to start his career, but the financial crisis made for a less-than-favorable job market. Undeterred, he began waiting tables, with one peculiar uniform piece—a t-shirt with his resume on the back. His unorthodox marketing ploy paid off when a financial executive spotted him.

In 2017, GoldBook Financial CEO Victor Goldman, CLTC, asked him to join GoldBook as a Vice President to help grow their brokerage business. Bottolfsen joined NAIFA to make contacts in the industry and eventually joined the boards of NAIFA-Phoenix and NAIFA-AZ. In the coming years, Bottolfsen plans to grow

his team, fine-tune his process, and grow his practice to reach more people.

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Brett Moore, CFP®

Brett L. Moore grew up in the financial services business. His father, William C. Moore, CFP®, founded W.C. Moore Financial Services, and Moore remembers spending hours at his dad’s office, stuffing financial papers into plastic sheets and helping out any way he could.

After he graduated from college, Moore went to work for his father’s agency while playing professional baseball. From his father, Moore learned the value of doing right by people. Through baseball, he synthesized his own style of play from working with several different coaches. With these formative experiences, Moore crafted his own philosophy—work hard, do what’s best for your client, and always be open to new ideas and ways to improve.

In December of 2021, he opened RBM Wealth Management Group with J. Ryan Bickel, CPFA™, APMA®. At RBM, he builds trust and gains loyal clients by creating a free financial plan for anyone who walks through his door. As RBM Wealth Management Group continues to grow, Moore plans to bring in more partners and more young agents, and—eventually—open more offices to continue serving Main Street USA.

NAIFA’s LILI Promotes Three R’s in 2023

Recruit (more LILI students)

Retain (LILI graduates as LILI moderators) Reinforce (live the LILI legacy by graduates becoming NAIFA leaders)

These were the themes shared by Davin Bell, Chair of the Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) Working Group, and Winona Havir, NAIFA Board Liaison to the LILI Working Group. As committed LILI graduates, Bell and Havir understand the life-transforming experience that is LILI and want as many NAIFA members as possible to benefit from it.

Since 2000, LILI has been creating NAIFA leaders. The Institute was recognized in 2022 as a recipient of the Gold Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). LILI’s success is in its unique curriculum and peer-to-peer interaction with highly motivated NAIFA members. In fact, 70% of LILI graduates surveyed reported a measurable increase in the growth of their business.

LILI is a six-month program offered exclusively to NAIFA members who are committed to growing intellectually and professionally through deep introspection and discussion. The intense curriculum creates a unique learning environment that encourages participants to bring out the best in themselves and apply what they learn across every aspect of their lives.

Throughout the six months, LILI students will be challenged and inspired. The monthly sessions include:

Session 1 – Identifying One’s Self: Participants will get to know one another, assess their own strengths, and learn what makes a leader constituents want to follow.

Session 2 – Mastering One’s Self: Participants will explore leadership fundamentals as participants analyze their own vision and mission.

Session 3 – Developing One’s Self: Participants will develop a business plan and apply the self-mastery skills learned in Session Two.

Session 4 – Developing the Leaders Around You: Participants will explore team building and learn to work with others effectively.

Session 5 – Someday All This Will Be… Whose? Participants will move from independence to interdependence. This session’s topics will cover how to empower others through mentoring and collaboration.

Session 6 – The Journey Begins: The final session will focus on reflection on personal strengths and weaknesses, conflict resolution, and pursuing excellence in all aspects of life.

LILI graduates gain creative and effective methods to execute a business plan, tools to enhance their practice, improved professional and personal relationships, and increased understanding of self. NAIFA members who have not yet participated in the Leadership in Life Institute are encouraged to make 2023 their year.

The LILI curriculum draws on the writings of Stephen Covey, John Maxwell, and Jim Collins. For 2023, the book The Go Giver by Bob Burg has been added to the LILI curriculum. This ground-breaking work introduces the concept of servant leadership to the LILI curriculum. The added dynamic provided by Burg explores both why we lead and the synergistic relationship between giving and receiving in business and in life.

Classes are forming throughout the United States and online classes are available for those members who are not in proximity to an in-person class. To enroll and to learn more, visit tdc.naifa.org/lili. You will be asked to choose a state-specific class or the online option. You may also contact us at lili@naifa.org or 703-770-8230.

Thank You NAIFA Partners!

NAIFA would like to thank all our advocacy, affinity, corporate, education, and marketing partners for

supporting our legislative work, the five Centers for Excellence, flagship events, and membership development. In addition, partners provide invaluable thought leadership, resources, and exclusive opportunities to NAIFA members.

To learn more about NAIFA partners and to see what discounts, business solutions, materials, and more are available to you visit the member portal.

Robert Miller Reaches for the Stars as NAIFA’s 2022 Terry Headley Lifetime Defender

Robert Miller, M.A., M.S., came to the insurance and financial services industry from the world of academia, and it wasn’t always smooth sailing. As a struggling agent early in his career, he questioned whether he would make it.

Around that time, a trio of industry legends–Stanley Liss, Ben Silver, and Ben Feldman–invited him to lunch in Manhattan. They were long-time family friends. At that lunch, these highly successful producers made Miller promise that once he became a success himself, he would give back to the industry that had offered them so much and would do so for him as well.

Fulfilling His Promise

Great success did come to Miller, a Partner at Miller-Pomerantz Insurance and Financial Services in New York City, and “I’ve spent my entire career honoring a promise I made at that lunch,” he said. His volunteerism and giving in support of NAIFA’s advocacy efforts led to his being named the 2022 recipient of NAIFA’s Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award.

“There is no greater defender that I’ve ever met through NAIFA than Robert Miller. He alone convinced me to convince my company that we needed to support NAIFA,” said George Nichols III, President and CEO of The American College and formerly an executive with New York Life, who introduced Miller at NAIFA’s National Leadership Conference and Belong awards celebration.

A Top NAIFA Advocate

A loyal NAIFA member since 1983, Miller was NAIFA’s national President for

the 2011-2012 term. He had previously served as President of the NAIFA-NY state chapter and NAIFA-New York City.

He is recognized, along with award namesake Terry K. Headley, LUTCF, LIC, FSS, as an IFAPAC Co-Commander-inChief based on his lifetime contributions to NAIFA’s political action committee. He regularly attends NAIFA’s Congressional

Conference and other advocacy events, representing the interests of his industry colleagues and consumers with elected and appointed officials. He is a recipient of the NAIFA-NY Ben Brewster Government Relations Award.

As association President, he led NAIFA’s efforts to oppose an overly restrictive Department of Labor fiduciary rule for financial professionals and to educate the Securities and Exchange Commission as it shaped regulation requiring advisors to act in clients’ best interests. “I don’t want anyone to think that NAIFA is against good, intelligent regulation,” he told InvestmentNews at the time. “We’re not against protecting the consumer. But it’s a balancing act.”

A Lifelong Volunteer Miller’s commitment to NAIFA’s advocacy continued after his term as President and continues to this day. It’s something he encourages every financial professional to do.

NAIFA advocacy “helps to preserve our products for our clients and protect our industry for future generations,” he said. “It is a selfless act of volunteerism. And as a human endeavor, serving others is as beautiful and incandescent as sitting on a nice white sandy beach, gazing out at the horizon, and seeing the sky as a firmament kissing the stars. … Reach for the stars. Support NAIFA and give to the PAC.”

“There is no greater defender that I’ve ever met through NAIFA than Robert Miller.”

State of NAIFA 2023

“NAIFA Belongs to You!”

What Is the “State of NAIFA”?

Starting with the rebirth of NAIFA on January 1, 2019, NAIFA has held a quarterly webinar called the “State of NAIFA” to give an overview of NAIFA’s progress, new programs being offered, and recent advocacy wins in statehouses and on the Hill. The webinar is open to members, prospective members, the media, and partners so that NAIFA operates with the highest transparency in delivering status updates to our various stakeholders. Each quarterly webinar includes an address from the President, the CEO, and the head of Government Relations so that the information is consistent over time.

Why Are the Webinars Important?

The webinars are a direct output from the annual Business Implementation Plan, or BIP as we call it for short. The BIP is created by the NAIFA headquarters staff and submitted for approval by the National Board of Trustees along with the budget. These two documents are voted on, debated, and approved and govern all the activities of NAIFA for the coming year. The BIP, itself, is a direct output from the overarching five-year plan. In 2023, we enter into our third year of the 2025 Strategic Plan. All of the documents—

the 2025 Strategic Plan and the annual BIPs—can be found on our public website at belong.naifa.org/2025 so that all members can download, read, and review the documents of the association. Should you have questions or comments or want further discussion, all members can directly submit questions to naifa2025@ naifa.org. NAIFA reports its progress through visual dashboards that are delivered to all volunteer leaders, i.e. those members that hold a volunteer board role at the chapter level and/or sit on a national committee or working group. These governing documents and our reporting mechanisms on them ensure that your membership fees are being put to good use and give you a direct opportunity to provide feedback on the association.

2023 State of NAIFA Webinars

The Q1 2023 State of NAIFA held on January 10, 2023, was our 17th State of NAIFA and had over 700 registrants. Since we began the series in 2019, we have steadily seen an increase in registrants with 2022 showing a 40% increase YOY as compared to 2021. The growth of leaders and members consuming this content is critical to our overall health as an association because NAIFA belongs to you! We are only as strong as our

members that voluntarily choose to belong to and participate in their professional association. Leaders are laser-focused on membership and the member experience in 2023. Attendance at the 2023 State of NAIFA Webinars is a great way to get to know what is happening at the macro level of the organization. All webinars are recorded and available on demand. You can find all archived webinars at belong. naifa.org/state-of-naifa-on-demand

Join Us!

Upcoming State of NAIFA webinars will be:

Q2 2023: April 4

Q3 2023: July 11

Q4 2023: October 3

Hear directly from President Bryon Holz, CEO Kevin Mayeux, and SVP of Government Relations Diane Boyle during each quarterly State of NAIFA. Register under the Events tab on either the Members Portal or the public website at belong.naifa. org/events.

Are You Making the Most of Your Membership?

Explore All of the Benefits of Belonging

During I Love NAIFA Month, we'll be sharing all there is to love about being a member of your association. Through our social media campaign and special events throughout the month, discover all that NAIFA has to offer.

Scan the QR code to familarize yourself with tools and resournces to make the most of your membeship. Watch our video, The Benefits of Belonging.

Familiarize yourself with NAIFA's Centers of Excellence

Explore tools and resources for a thriving practice

Leverage NAIFA partners to increase top-line growth