The premier association for agents and advisors in the United States encourages diversity, equity, and inclusion in the insurance and financial services industry and promotes financial security for all Americans.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is pleased to announce NAIFA’s 8th Annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Symposium on May 22, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Presented by NAIFA’s Talent Development Center, the Symposium will focus on the importance of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the insurance and financial services industry to provide opportunities for financial security to all Americans. 

NAIFA is proud to announce that Advisorist has joined NAIFA in supporting the Talent Development Center to raise awareness of their respective brands and promote membership and participation in their respective organizations.

Led by CEO Jeremiah Desmarais, Advisorist is a group dedicated to helping insurance and financial advisors generate qualified leads and appointments to help their businesses grow. Under the partnership, Advisorist will feature six NAIFA members in their live weekly Virtual Advisor Power Hour (VAPH) workshops in 2023. NAIFA will promote the VAPH and Advisorist through social media and marketing efforts. 

NAIFA marketing partner InsurTech Express recently launched their new IE Bookshelf to help promote and highlight books written by insurance and financial services professionals.

NAIFA members can have their published books listed on the IE Bookshelf to help differentiate themselves and drive sales. Current books by NAIFA members in the IE Bookshelf library include How Not to Tear Your Family Apart by NAIFA's Executive Director of the Centers of Excellence, Carroll Golden, The K-Method of Roulette by Ken Leibow, and Diversity Means Dollars by Vince Vitiello.

The National African American Insurance Association (NAAIA), a NAIFA advocacy partner, has issued a new report showing that, while insurance and financial services companies have increased diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, many fail to address inequity at a foundational level.

On December 6, NAIFA-National Trustee and Gateway Insurance and Financial Services Vice President Aprilyn Chavez-Geissler will be a featured speaker for the webinar "Beyond Sentiment: The Business Benefits of DEI," presented by Financial Planning magazine. 

The webinar will discuss how recent research can help you craft a strategy for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that is well-defined, driven by company leaders, and connected to business outcomes.

On November 29, Ohio National Vice President of Product Marketing Karl Kreunen will present "Skate Where the Puck is Heading: Indexed Whole Life as Your Product of Choice."

In the webinar, Kreunen will showcase Ohio National’s new Prestige 10 Pay Indexed Whole Life policy and discuss why it makes sense today and in the future. He will also give a demonstration of relevant sales applications for a multi-pay indexed whole life policy.

This month, NAIFA leaders attended the ringing of the Nasdaq opening bell. NAIFA-NM President Chad Cooper, MBA; NAIFA-National Trustee Aprilyn Chavez Geissler, LACP; and NAIFA-CA Past President Shane Westhoelter, AEP, CLU, LUTCF, LTCP, appeared in support of THRIVE, which aims to educate and activate 1 million Black and Latino investors to build wealth.

Join NAIFA's Talent Development Center for the webinar, "Life Settlements: A Product and Industry Update," this Tuesday, October 18 at 12 pm eastern. Ashleigh Hammad and Scott Kirby of Abacus Life as they guide you through a market discussion of the latest pricing, underwriting, and submission trends in the life settlement industry, and how advisors and their clients can benefit from policy valuations and audits. 

The insurance and financial services industry can be intimidating for newcomers. However, with the right knowledge and resources, it is possible to find success in the field.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

The Massachusetts Division of Insurance announced earlier this year that the state insurance licensing exam will now be offered in Spanish. NAIFA's Massachusetts chapter has been working with the Division of Insurance on this initiative and advocated for its adoption.