Leaders Blog

As NAIFA President for the 2011-2012 association year, 2025 John Newton Russell Memorial Award recipient  Robert Miller was an early advocate of modernizing NAIFA’s structure and governance. His ideas foreshadowed the highly successful NAIFA 20/20 strategic plan implemented in 2015. He pushed for a more streamlined NAIFA governance structure, a consistent membership model, and uniform branding and messaging across NAIFA’s chapters. He convened a Presidential Blue Ribbon Task Force to explore these issues, and many of the Task Force’s findings contributed to the formulation of the NAIFA 20/20 plan.

This year, the National Leadership Conference and Belong awards gala have been combined with NAIFA's Apex to create an extraordinary three-day event. As always, the NLC and Belong will celebrate NAIFA's leaders and recognize extraordinary members. Please join us and encourage all NAIFA members to come as well so that we may properly honor our 2024 award recipients, including:

• John Newton Russell Memorial Award recipient Matthew Tassey of NAIFA-Maine
•  Terry Headley Lifetime Defender recipient John Ruckel of NAIFA-Texas
• NAIFA Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year Kathleen Owings of NAIFA-Colorado

NAIFA is proud to announce that Matthew S. Tassey, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, is the recipient of the 84^th annual John Newton Russell Memorial Award. The award is the highest honor accorded by the insurance industry to a living individual who has rendered outstanding services to the institution of life insurance. The selection committee consists of representatives of 11 leading organizations in the life insurance and financial services industry. Tassey will be celebrated and formally presented the award at NAIFA’s Apex 2024, National Leadership Conference, and Belong event Sept. 21 at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.

Be sure to attend Apex/The NLC/Belong to congratulate Matt and celebrate his achievement!