Moving NAIFA Forward

This has been an eventful year for NAIFA, marked by a host of wins and accomplishments. As a result of your help and support, we:

• Launched a pilot membership program based on an idea presented by NAIFANew York, which encouraged several thousand advisors in participating states to become first-time NAIFA members.

• Brought together more than 800 advisors in Washington, D.C., for our 2016 Congressional Conference, a grassroots lobbying event designed to explain to our legislators how laws and regulations coming out of D.C. can impact our businesses and clients.

• Hired a new CEO, Kevin Mayeux, CAE, who has a strong vision for NAIFA’s future and is dedicated to bolstering NAIFA’s value to members and ensuring that NAIFA remains a pivotal force within the industry.

• Positively influenced the Department of Labor’s final fiduciary rule, which affects advisors and their clients in the retirement-planning space. We remain cautious as we await the practical application of the rule. To help you understand the rule and make sure you are in compliance, we developed a workshop on serving your clients with fiduciary compliance. For more information, contact your State or Local NAIFA Association.

A road map for our future

I also worked with Kevin and your Board of Trustees to finalize and implement NAIFA 20/20, a blueprint for the next five years to ensure that NAIFA is poised to deliver to you the critical career training, professional support and advocacy leadership you need to succeed in insurance and financial services. Every day, new studies indicate consumers are severely ill-prepared for retirement or other potential hardships. This unpreparedness truly has become epidemic. The inability of many consumers to meet, or even understand, the challenges is frightening. Their only real hope, the only place for them to turn for assistance, is insurance and financial advisors.

Just as the American public needs advisors more than ever, so, too, do advisors need NAIFA to help them succeed. Our mission to protect our members’ businesses and help them grow professionally is critical. Without successful advisors, consumers would be alone as they face the myriad financial challenges of modern life.

I am confident that NAIFA 20/20 and the new programs that will be launched in the coming years will give our association the roadmap to build upon our past and grow a strong and prosperous future.

I foresee great success for NAIFA as we leverage our prestige and influence, continue to advocate for positive legislative and regulatory outcomes, and implement a new strategy that will effectively serve the changing needs of our members.

NAIFA has thrived for more than 125 years because it has been able to call on the best and the brightest for the guidance it needs. So while we have much work ahead of us as we continue to strengthen our success, I am confident that together, we will grow a vibrant NAIFA whose members are committed to creating a sound financial future for all Americans.

Thank you for this great privilege of serving as your NAIFA President. It is an honor I will treasure forever.

Jules Gaudreau, Jr., ChFC, CIC, is president of NAIFA and of The Gaudreau Group, which is located in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. Contact him at julesgaudreau2@gmail.com.

NAIFA OFFICERS

President Jules O. Gaudreau, Jr., ChFC, CIC The Gaudreau Group, Inc. julesgaudreau2@gmail.com

President-Elect

Paul R. Dougherty, LUTCF, FSS, HIA State Farm Insurance Companies paul@doughertyagency.com

Secretary Keith M. Gillies, CFP, CLU, ChFC Ameritas kmgillies@aol.com

Treasurer

Matthew S. Tassey, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF Burwell & Burwell mtassey@scribnerinsurance.com

Immediate Past President

Juli Y. McNeely, LUTCF, CFP, CLU McNeely Financial Services, Inc. juli@mcneelyfinancial.com

CEO Kevin Mayeux, CAE

Trustees

David A. Beaty, CLU, ChFC dave@heartlandfinancial.net

Michael O. Brown, LUTCF michaelbrown@financialguide.com

Aprilyn Geissler ageissler@farmersagent.com

Todd G. Grantham, CFP, CLU, ChFC, MSFS todd.grantham@nm.com

Bryon A. Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CASL bryon@bryonholz.com

Brock T. Jolly, CFP, CLU, ChFC bjolly@financialguide.com

Booker Joseph, CLU, ChFC, FLMI Booker joseph@uhc.com

Thomas O. Michel tmichel@michelfinancial.com

Van E. Mueller, LUTCF vmueller@wisconsin.nef.com

Charles M. Olson, CLU, ChFC Charles@ociservices.com

Cammie K. Scott, LUTCF, REBC, RHU cscott@ckharp.com

James J. Van Ham, CFP, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF jimmyv@stgfin.com

NAIFA SERVICE CORPORATION OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

President Kevin Mayeux, CAE

Secretary

Jules Gaudreau, Jr., CIC, ChFC The Gaudreau Group, Inc.

Treasurer

Matthew Tassey, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF Scribner & Scribner mtassey@scribnerinsurance.com

Directors

Brenda Doty, LUTCF, RHU, CLU, CPC The Doty Group, Inc.

Susan Wier, CFP, ChFC, LUTCF First American Trust

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

Laurie A. Adams, CFP, CLU, LUTCF Country Insurance & Financial Services

Brian Ashe, CLU

Brian Ashe and Associates, Ltd.

Frank Bearden, Ph.D., CLU, ChFC

Frank C. Bearden, Ph.D., Consulting

Kevin Faherty, LUTCF Faherty Insurance Services, Inc.

Greg Gagne, ChFC, LUTCF Affinity Investment Group, LLC

Lisa Horowitz, CLU, ChFC

LifeCycles

Michael Lynch MetLife

John Marshall Lee, CLU, CFP, RHU

People Insurance & Investments

John Nichols, MSM, CLU Disability Resource Group Inc.

Ike Trotter, CLU, CASL, ChFC

Ike Trotter Agency, LLC