Progress!

By Keith Gillies, CFP, CLU, ChFC

Several months ago, as NAIFA began to celebrate an acceleration of its wins and victories, our leadership began signing off on email messages and telephone calls with this simple but powerful word: Progress. As you know, progress is defined as a forward or onward movement toward a destination. I am proud to let you know that NAIFA has moved forward and onward and will continue to do so.

During our Performance + Purpose Conference two years ago, the NAIFA National Council took the first step towards a new NAIFA by amending our by-laws to have our Governance Committee vet candidates for the Board of Trustees and Incoming Secretary and to present those candidates to the Delegate Council for consideration.

With that initiative, we made a commitment to you that the talent pool for your national leadership would expand and would consist of a more diverse board and executive committee. I am proud to report that we have achieved this objective. For the first time in NAIFA’s history, we have back-to-back female secretaries who will rise to lead our organization as your presidents.

In 2014, Jules Gaudreau, our then president-elect, also shared a vision to operate NAIFA as a business. That meant we needed a consistent message and a roadmap. His idea was to impanel a task force to “white board” a new NAIFA, and the seed for NAIFA 20/20 was planted. Gaudreau then appointed a task force, and the result was NAIFA 20/20, our comprehensive five-year strategic plan developed by members and executives to reinvent NAIFA as the vibrant, impactful and indispensable organization that advisors, the industry, and clients need.

Moving forward

As we work to implement NAIFA 20/20, we are experiencing growth in all areas. We’re expanding our services to enhance the professionalism of advisors throughout the country. We’re reaching new markets, having an unparalleled impact on public policy, and deepening our relationships with companies and other industry stakeholders. This July marked the completion of the first phase of NAIFA 20/20. Throughout the year, we held ourselves accountable by reporting our advancement to you and acting with transparency every step of the way.

Phase Two

It is now time to begin Phase Two of NAIFA 20/20. Upon taking office last September, Immediate Past President Paul Dougherty created another task force, The Quality Member Experience Task Force, to begin work on the most critical stage of NAIFA 20/20—the modernization of our By-Laws. Under the leadership of Chair Tom Michel, this QME Task Force, consisting of a cross-section of NAIFA members and executives, examined the challenges and opportunities of our association. Its recommendations represent input from hundreds of stakeholders across the federation, after numerous meetings and extensive feedback. The Task Force’s proposed recommendations will be presented to you during the 2018 NAIFA Congressional Conference in Washington.

These recommendations are critical because our stakeholders agree that NAIFA needs a structure that lessens the burden of bureaucracy and allows us to be more nimble and decisive so we can respond to the industry’s increasing challenges, while embracing new opportunities. Simply put, our current governance structure holds us back.

Also, our members have identified what they believe are the standards for success. Holding each other accountable to standards is not designed to punish anyone for falling short. Rather, where standards are not met, we will work to help each other overcome obstacles and move toward success. Teamwork is essential in ensuring that states, locals, and NAIFA-National meet these standards. Finally, reducing the number of dues structures from 600 to one will simplify operations, reduce administrative costs, and promote cohesion.

Our goal in implementing NAIFA 20/20 is to deliver a quality member experience for all NAIFA members. This will ensure that as the largest industry organization that protects the needs of 75 million American families, we will remain effective in Washington and in every state capitol.

It is my honor to serve as your new president. With your continued support, I am confident we will continue to make progress and take NAIFA to new heights of success.

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Keith M. Gillies, CFP, MBA, is the Managing Principal of Wealth Solutions, LLC and The Pension Center, LLC, and co-founder of United Wealth Advisors Group, LLC, where he serves as Chief Executive Officer. He began his career as a financial advisor in 1981 with a commitment to providing advice and strategies to individuals, professionals and business owners to help them achieve their personal, business and charitable goals.