NAIFA Members are Extraordinary

By Mark Briscoe

NAIFA members’ personal brands, more often than not, reflect the brand of their professional association – a brand that projects strength, success and value. That is particularly true for three NAIFA standouts who have risen through the ranks, as demonstrated by their professional success, awards, achievements and leadership.

Whether it’s through recognition by NAIFA’s awards programs, feature roles in NAIFA signature events or media channels, or the LACP certification or LUTCF designation, NAIFA offers a myriad of ways for members to differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace.

and financial services industry success in the United States, as well as internationally. The practice he founded connects financial advisors from multiple disciplines to serve the needs of multinational individuals and families. He helps ethnic communities and first-generation Americans migrating from Asia acclimate financially to their lives in the United States.

Kagawa, a loyal NAIFA member since 1986, is the 2020 NAIFA Diversity Champion, a distinction that reflects and amplifies his brand in a very personal way.

“Knowing and appreciating that our cultures, customs, food, languages, regulations and communities differ from one country to another, but at the heart of the matter, we’re much the same. We care for those who depend on us and for those we love, and we want more for our children, our business and ourselves,” Kagawa said. “Financially preparing those who enter our country to successfully build their lives and find joy and fulfillment in their newfound American homes while recognizing and addressing those footprints left behind represents our response to the globalization of financial services.”

Pottstown, Pennsylvania. She is NAIFA’s 2020 Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year.

Diversity Champion

Stephen Kagawa, CEO and Chairman of the Board of The Pacific Bridge Companies, stands out for his insurance

A member of NAIFA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council, Kagawa has been a popular speaker on ethnic diversity marketing, holistic financial advisory practices and multinational wealth management at NAIFA’s Performance + Purpose conference and other industry events.

A loyal NAIFA member since 2005, Hatfield is the President of NAIFAPennsylvania and has served several terms on the state board of directors. She served on the NAIFA-Pennsylvania Strategic Planning Committee and chaired the state Young Advisors Team and Membership Committee. She was the President of the NAIFA-Tri-County local chapter from 2009 to 2011. Hatfield’s drive to succeed and to serve her fellow NAIFA members is relentless.

A graduate of NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute (LILI), Hatfield has also been a LILI class moderator. She serves as a NAIFA Ambassador, providing guidance to the next generation of insurance and financial advisors and encouraging them to become NAIFA members.

“I am ready and willing to do my part in helping to advance NAIFA, our industry and financial security for the American families and businesses that we serve,” Hatfield said. “I am forever, had a problem standing out from the crowd. His stature is only enhanced by his background as a college basketball star at the University of Illinois and a professional career that included stops in the NBA.

As a financial professional, Gandy has achieved great success as the founder of Midwest Legacy Group and as a loyal NAIFA member since 2003. He was President of the NAIFA-Chicagoland chapter and serves on NAIFA’s DEI Council. He was an important member of the NAIFA 2025 Strategic Planning Committee and is currently on NAIFA’s national Board of Trustees.

Gandy is highly regarded as an expert on DEI issues in the insurance and financial services industry, frequently speaking to industry audiences, including at NAIFA events. His presentations as part of NAIFA’s webinar series and at NAIFA’s Diversity Symposia, NAIFA Live premier monthly meeting, and Performance + Purpose conference have proven as popular as they are powerful and insightful. Gandy advocates for greater diversity in the insurance and financial services profession, including leadership positions, so that the industry can better provide financial security for all.

“Is it fair to say that our industry should look like the people we represent, the clients we serve?” Gandy asked. “Isn’t that what the industry was built on? Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?”

Along with members like Stephen Kagawa and Carina Hatfield, Gandy exemplifies the NAIFA standards of strength, success and value, as well as service and volunteerism. They demonstrate the character and attributes that make NAIFA members the best insurance and financial services professionals in the country. And with NAIFA’s help, they constantly differentiate themselves from the crowd.