Members Blog

Congratulations to Dick Porter for his second win this week in the IFAPAC College Football Pick 'ems! Mr. Porter was the winner of the latest round of Pick ‘Em with 20 points, beating out the second-place winners John Carroll (OK) and John D. Richardson (TN) by one point.

The Chapter Excellence Award (CEA) was launched last year to recognize the success of those Chapters who have excelled in providing a quality member experience to their members, as determined by their Chapter Agreement Compliance, their Chapter Health Rating and membership growth. Congratulations to this year's Chapter Excellence Award winners! 

Congratulations to Lori Gubash, FIC, CLTC, for completing the Financial Security Advocate Academy, the final piece she needed to become a member of the Triangle Team! As the newest member of the Triangle Team, she'll be among the first attendees at the Welcome Reception during Apex. That's because all Triangle Team members get early access before the rest of the attendees. Just one way to thank our most engaged members!

The College Football season has finally arrived! The IFAPAC Pick 'Em competition is warming up. While last week's games may not have been nail-biters, we saw some upset among Florida, Florida State, and LSU fans... and we also have a tie for our first-week winners!  Congratulations Dick Porter and John Carroll on the week one victory! You've got IFAPAC swag heading your way.

Scott Dorminy is the Top Recruiter for the Month of August 2024! Straight outta Russellville, Arkansas, Scott is part of the Farmers network and runs an agency of his own name. A member since 2015, Scott is a true man of NAIFA action. 

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: