Members Blog

Labor Day is just around the corner and marks the unofficial end of the summer. But before you trade in your tank tops for flannels, here are some ways you can get involved and stay engaged as you head into September.

NAIFA is working with a graduate studies team at Georgetown University to undertake a study on our membership. The pro bono agreement will result in a paper and all contributors/participants will be thanked in the paper and presentation that will be given to NAIFA's National Membership Committee and provided to the Board of Trustees. If you're willing to give 5-7 minutes to complete this survey and/or want to be interviewed by the study leaders, your name will be included in the study to acknowledge your contribution. Thank you in advance for your time and commitment to improving NAIFA!

You can see our team in the picture above as we met today to talk about the project which will conclude in November 2024. To get to know our pro bono consulting team, here are their bios: 

Marvin Jones, MPA, CFAAMA

 Marvin Jones is a retired U.S. Navy Captain with over 41 years of active duty service. He served 11 years as an enlisted member in the U.S. Air Force before accepting a commission as a naval officer in the Navy Medical Service Corps, completing 30 years as a hospital administrator. Throughout his military career, he served in key leadership roles at Navy military treatment facilities and naval commands around the globe. Most notably, he was the Commanding Officer for Naval Health Clinic Charleston, South Carolina, and subsequently served as Commanding Officer/Base Commander for Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB), Maryland, the home of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the nation’s flagship military hospital.

As Base Commander for NSAB, Marv led the delivery of comprehensive installation support services for over 17,000 employees, patients, patrons and daily visitors while enabling mission success for 43 tenant commands and organizations situated on the base. He oversaw the planning and initial activities that set the stage for $750M in health facility construction and renovations, which increased support for Wounded Warriors and facilitated specialized treatment on the installation’s world class medical campus.

One of his most impactful military assignments was as Chief Diversity Officer for Navy Medicine. In this role, he operationalized and oversaw the enterprise’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy planning initiatives, and led DEI workshops for 40,000+ military and civilian healthcare professionals at Navy Medicine facilities geographically dispersed around the world.

Marv remains actively engaged in the healthcare administration field and most recently served as a senior healthcare consultant for the Defense Health Agency. He is also an ICF-trained executive coach, working largely with emerging and senior leaders. In addition to role as President/CEO of TDIF Solutions, he is a VP/Senior Consultant for the nationally-recognized Diversity Training Group, and is a senior Organization Development/DEI practitioner and leadership coach with Truclusion Consulting.

Marv is a Commissioner for the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Pathways to Excellence, and serves on the Advisory Committee for the Veterans Health and Wellness Foundation. He is also a board member for the Elimination of Prejudice Foundation and a senior mentor for the National Naval Officer Association.

Not going to Apex and experiencing some FOMO? Or maybe you are going to Apex and want a sneak peek of what you can expect. Join Marques Ogden on Wednesday, September 4th at 9 am. Named one of the top 10 business speakers in North America in December 2023 by New York Tech, Marques provides NAIFA members an exclusive opportunity to connect with him each month. Join him for Wake Up Wednesdays on the first Wednesday of each month at 9 am eastern. Marques's sessions focus on being performance-driven, emotionally resilient, and leveraging discipline to accomplish more. He refers to this as the "pursuit of the unbreakable mindset." Through these sessions, Marques is committed to equipping participants with the knowledge they need to thrive. 

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is thrilled to announce that Kathleen Owings has been named the 2024 Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year. This award celebrates outstanding leadership, dedication, and impact within the financial advisory industry, recognizing individuals who exemplify the highest standards of excellence.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is pleased to announce the inaugural class of the NAIFA Hall of Fame to recognize and celebrate members whose extraordinary service and contributions represent the legacy of the most accomplished, impactful, and inspirational members of the NAIFA family. The NAIFA Board of Trustees authorized the creation of the Hall of Fame earlier this year.

“The inaugural members of NAIFA's Hall of Fame not only exemplified leadership within the financial services industry but also steadfast support for NAIFA's mission,” said NAIFA President Tom Cothron, LUTCF, FSCP. “Their unwavering dedication and commitment to NAIFA and the industry were instrumental in advancing policies and shaping the landscape of financial security in America. Their contributions have played significant roles ensuring that families across the nation can achieve their financial goals with confidence.”

Inductees to the Hall of Fame must be members of NAIFA at the time of nomination and induction except in the case of former members who have reached the age of 65 and are retired. Posthumous nominations and inductions are considered.

Members of the inaugural class are:

We've got 20 people who are ready to rumble this fall over their college football pick'ems. Do you think you can beat Diane Boyle, John Carroll, Devon Dardin, Barry Finn, Tamare Fleury, Andrew Holt, Booker Joseph, Stephen Kagawa, Thomas Littleton, Deborah Marcum, Bronwyn Martin, Doug Massey, Dick Porter, Leonard Raskin, John D. Richardson, William Rowell, Gary Ruden, Zach Russell, Cody Schoonover, or Chad Tredway? There's still time! The league will start next week!

Changing the Lens with RQI 

"The advisory profession has long viewed traditional metrics like production, assets under management (AUM), client satisfaction, loyalty, and retention rates as accurate indicators of successful client relationships. While these metrics offer some insight, they overlook the deeper underlying fundamentals. In today’s rapidly changing financial world, advisors need a more holistic approach to fully grasp their impact on clients and the value of their client relationships.

It is hard to believe that November 5th will be here before we know it! NAIFA offers everything you need to ensure you, your clients, and their adult children are prepared and informed this fall. Our Get Out the Vote site equips NAIFA members with voting information and resources. Here are 3 easy things you can do to prepare for the upcoming election.

Do you love football? Did you play football? If you do, then we want to hear from you! We are such a dynamic membership society that is full of pride and passion--we look for every way we can to connect us together, lift each other up, and have fun together.

Football offers us a fun way to bring light to the serious work that our Government Relations team undertakes every day at the state,  interstate, and federal levels. As we gear up for the IFAPAC College Football Challenge, we want to get to know how you feel about football. Take this fun 1-minute survey on your relationship to football and we'll post the results (and who played where) in the coming weeks. Just another fun way to get to know each other within the NAIFA Family.

Congratulations to loyal member Mike Struebing, CLU, LACP, LUTCF, RICP, and his wife Peg on their 50th wedding anniversary! Family and friends gathered to celebrate this milestone with the Struebings a few weeks ago.