Meet NAIFA’s New President

Keith Gillies, MBA, CFP, CLU, ChFC, has the leadership skills it takes to move NAIFA forward, thanks to the life lessons he has learned on his journey toward success.

By Ayo Mseka

As a child growing up in Louisiana, Keith Gillies, MBA, CFP, CLU, ChFC, did not have a lot of material things. But he had a grandmother who gave him something that was priceless—the belief that he could become anyone he wanted to be. This motivated the young Gillies to reach for the stars, and today he is President of NAIFA and the CEO of a thriving financial-services firm.

“My grandmother, Amy, was, and is, the most important influence in my life,” Gillies told us when we visited him at his home in New Orleans earlier this year. “She was an amazing woman who motivated me to do good things. Even though she died over 45 years ago, I still think of her often because of the belief she had in me.”

With such a powerful influence in his life, it did not take long for Gillies to excel. He attended Tulane University, where he earned an MBA with honors, as well as the University of New Orleans, where he earned a BA degree. Reflecting his commitment to lifelong learning, he has also earned many industry designations.

After college graduation, Gillies wanted to attend law school but missed the application deadline. So, he decided to “try” the financial-services industry. Thirty-six years later, he is still in the industry and loving every minute of it. He is the managing principal of Wealth Solutions, LLC, and The Pension Center, LLC, as well as co-founder of United Wealth Advisors Group, LLC, where he serves as CEO. He is also a registered representative and investment advisor representative with Ameritas Investment Corp, and a leading representative of the Ameritas Group of Companies. In addition, he is a life and qualifying member of MDRT, with status as a Top of the Table member.

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Gillies’ accomplishments over the years have placed him in elite company. In 1997, he was named the NAIFAGreater New Orleans Member of the Year, and in 2013, was the recipient of the Lester A. Rosen Humanitarian Award for service to his community, profession and the greater Ameritas family. He also won the NAIFALouisiana’s Arthur Abramson Member of the Year Award in 2007, and in 2016, was inducted into the Ameritas Hall of Fame.

The winning edge

When asked for the reasons for his success, Gillies’ response is quick and to the point: “You must have a vision and a carefully articulated plan to carry out that vision,” he said. “This is extremely important.”

Also, in today’s highly regulated world, it is critical for advisors to work together in teams made up of people with complementary skillsets, which will enable them to provide comprehensive services to a wide range of clients. In addition, Gilllies’ firm makes efficient use of systems, processes and technology to more effectively leverage the time and resources of its employees.

To ensure that his practice continues to survive and thrive, Gillies does not forget to do one important thing each day—check to see that his revenue-producing efforts outnumber his volunteer activities. “When I first got involved with NAIFA at the state level,” he explained, “a friend of mine advised me to make sure I do revenueproducing work each day, and I am glad I listened to him. Volunteerism is great, but it can consume you if you are not careful.”

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For newcomers who might be facing career hurdles on their path to success, Gillies’ main piece of advice is for them to join a study group. “When I lost the election for NAIFA Secretary in 2012,” he said, “Ameritas’ CEO Joanne Martin asked me to help put together a program for the company’s young advisors. We created the Ameritas Growth Leaders, a super study group of advisors who have been in the business 10 years or less. Members of this group set goals and hold one another accountable. It has been very successful; in fact, the retention rate for members is about 70 percent.

“People respect what is inspected,” Gillies pointed out. “When your peers hold you accountable, you strive for excellence and try to do what you say you will do.”

Industry newcomers looking to advance their careers must also take the time to create a plan that allows them to have some level of activity. “You can’t be in the office all the time and expect success,” he stressed. “If things are slow, go out and see your clients because good things happen when you do.”

And for those who have spent some time in the business but don’t think they have achieved an appropriate level of success, Gillies suggests they segment their existing client base to provide a higher level of service to their clients, and try to invest some money into their business by acquiring systems, processes and staff that will help them leverage their time and make the most of their resources.

No matter what stage of their career advisors happen to find themselves in, all of them will increase their chances of doing well if they adhere to these maxims that Gillies has lived by all his life:

• Always do what is in the best interest of the client.

• Remember that success is a journey, not a destination; so enjoy the ride.

Gillies spent 16 years instilling this principle in the team of young basketball players he coached when he served as head coach at Saint Joan of Arc – and the strategy paid off. “Although as a coach your goal is to win the game, that should not define your success,” he explained. “For me, the success is in the journey. You may win some games, but you can’t win the last game all the time.”

The NAIFA advantage

NAIFA membership can also accelerate an advisor’s journey toward success, and the sooner advisors join NAIFA, the better it will be for them, Gillies said. For his part, Gillies joined NAIFA his first month in the business in 1981, and the association has been there for him ever since. “NAIFA is critical to my success,” he stressed, “because of the people I have met and the things I have learned over the years. Also, NAIFA protects our clients and our practices.”

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“NAIFA is critical to my success because of the people I have met and the things I have learned over the years. Also, NAIFA protects our clients and our practices.”--Keith Gillies, MBA, CFP, CLU, ChFC

NAIFA provides countless tools and resources that members can use to move ahead, he added. “If you just take advantage of the wide array of NAIFA benefits, you will be successful and the money you earn from the extra business you gain will be more than enough to offset your membership dues.”

But to get the most from what NAIFA offers, members must get involved in the association and stay engaged, he said. The most successful in the business are those who are involved in their professional association and are engaged in the political/legislative process.

“For example,” he pointed out, “if you attend a function hosted for an elected official, you will have an opportunity to meet other NAIFA members who are successful and who will notice that you are engaged and involved. You can call on those folks to help you with your career, if and when the need arises,” he said.

Balancing work and life

Although Gillies has come a long way from his humble beginnings by working hard, he knows the importance of slowing down and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. So despite his demanding work schedule, he makes sure he spends quality time with his family—his wife, Cindy, and children, Blake, Misty, Lindsay, Amy—named after his beloved grandmother—and Keagan. “I try not to miss any of their activities and schedule my work around those activities,” he said.

During our visit to New Orleans, this dedication to family was in full force at a baseball game we attended, in which his son, Keagan, was playing. Gillies followed the game closely, cheered Keegan’s team on several times, and beamed with pride when they won.

He also enjoys reading, playing golf, taking early-morning walks, and traveling with friends and family.

For several years, his family and his firm have also supported Miracle League, an organization whose vision is to provide any disabled child, regardless of the level of his or her disability, the opportunity to play league sports and enjoy being part of a team sport.

“It is important for people who have earned some level of success to give back to the community because our business is all about helping people with their goals and dreams,” Gillies said. “You can’t give away money. When you do it out of your heart, it all comes back to you.”

Turning setbacks into comebacks

As it is with almost anyone who is traveling toward success, Gillies has had his share of roadblocks. For instance, he was hit with one of the biggest business challenges of his career when Hurricane Katrina hit the east coast of Louisiana in 2005, and three weeks later, Hurricane Rita made landfall on the west coast of Louisiana.

“Imagine all of your clients live and work from the Louisiana/Mississippi coast through Houston,” he said. “New Orleans is flooded, roads are closed, there is no phone service, the internet does not work, and the bridges are all out. There is nothing.”

But Gillies did not allow this catastrophe to derail his plans for success. Instead, he managed to make “something out of nothing” by using his down time to create a planning program for annual reviews with his clients. “In business school, they often teach you to think outside the box,” he said, “but sometimes, the answer is actually inside the box. This is what we determined as we went through this exercise at the end of 2005.”

The review program he and his staff implemented was very successful, and during the next two months, they held 123 client meetings—almost all of them in the office. “Katrina forced me to change my practice and focus much more on providing value,” he said. “From that disaster in 2005, my practice has really thrived.”

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Keith Gillies at a Glance

• Recipient of numerous awards, including the NAIFA-Greater New Orleans Member of the Year in 1997 and the Lester Rosen Humanitarian Award for service to his community, profession and the greater Ameritas family

• Past president of NAIFA-Greater New Orleans and NAIFA-Louisiana

• Life and qualifying MDRT member, with Top of the Table status

• Winner of the NAIFA-Louisiana’s Arthur Abramson Member of the Year Award

• Inducted into the Ameritas Hall of Fame

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Leading NAIFA

Katrina is now long gone, but the importance of providing more value to those he serves has stayed with Gillies and has been a top item on his NAIFA agenda since assuming the association’s highest office.

“The Office of the Presidency will continue to improve the NAIFA member experience,” he told us. “We must continue to drive the organization with a focus on providing quality experience for our members. Whatever we need to do to create a valuable and consistent experience for our members, we must do. If we do, membership will increase, because we will be providing value for our members’ investment in their association.”

Over the next several months, the Office of the Presidency also plans to:

• Continue to diversify NAIFA’s revenue stream so that the association remains financially viable, vibrant and relevant for many years to come.

• Continue to seek ways to improve the way the association tells its story. “The value is there, but we need to improve the way we tell our story because it is an outstanding story,” he said.

Finally, continue the wonderful job the association has been doing in protecting the industry. “We must be forever vigilant in fighting for a business climate that protects our members, their businesses and the clients they serve,” he said.

Living his best life

Gillies takes over the reins of NAIFA at a good point in his life. After 36 years in the business, he considers himself truly blessed. Because he loves what he does for a living, he does not see it as work; in fact, he says he has not worked in a couple of decades.

“Every morning when I wake up, I am happy to go to work with some amazing people,” he said. “I have not only found some level of financial success, I have also been blessed with the opportunity to work with people I admire and respect, and with people who need the products and services we provide. What an amazing career!”

In addition, he has a family he adores, and is proud to belong to a profession that empowers him to do two things that are near and dear to his heart: give back to his community, and serve an association that has given him so much.

“I want to thank members for giving me the privilege of leading NAIFA,” he said. “It is a responsibility I take very seriously and for which I will be forever grateful. With your help and support, we will continue to build on our successes and make NAIFA more than we ever imagined.”