Leaders Blog

NAIFA 2026 Chapter Presidents, Presidents-Elect, Membership Chairs, Advocacy Chairs, IFAPAC Chairs, Grassroots Chairs, and Chapter Executives should plan on attending the 2025 National Leadership Conference on October 14, in Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

We’re excited to share that NAIFA is getting ready to launch a new 6-part onboarding email series designed to welcome and engage new members. This upcoming national initiative will ensure that every member receives consistent, timely communication that highlights the value of their NAIFA membership and connects them to their Chapter from the start.

Once launched, new members will begin receiving the onboarding series on the Monday or Thursday immediately following their join date, depending on when they joined. This first message will kick off a sequence of emails delivered over the following weeks and months, providing consistent touchpoints to keep members engaged and connected as they settle into their NAIFA membership.

If you have not yet signed up for the Q2 State of NAIFA webinar, taking place tomorrow at 12 pm Eastern, it's not too late. The State of NAIFA provides and overview of what's going on at NAIFA and where we are headed as an association. It provides important information every NAIFA leader should have. The State of NAIFA is open to all interested parties, and we strongly encourage NAIFA members to register as well.

There is still time to register for the 2025 Q1 State of NAIFA webinar, Thursday, January 23 at 12 noon eastern. Meet new NAIFA President Doug Massey and hear from NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux and Senior Vice President for Government Relations Diane Boyle.

Thank you to everyone who attended NAIFA's 2024 Apex, National Leadership Conference, and Belong awards gala. We honed our leadership skills, benefited top-notch motivational speakers and professional development presenters, and networked with some of the top professionals in the business. Review the awards and leadership recordings, browse our photographs, and read the press clipping on our conference recap site. If you attended Apex/NLC you can add your own photos to share with NAIFA Nation.

Don't miss out on Apex and the National Leadership Conference, Sept. 19-21 at the Arizona Biltmore. Register today and book your hotel before Aug. 12.

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’s Committee on Governance has nominated John Wheeler, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CRPC, LACP, CLTC, LUTCF, Executive Senior Partner at Totus Wealth Management LLC in Houston, Texas, to be the 2025 NAIFA Secretary. Wheeler, who currently serves on NAIFA’s National Government Relations and IFAPAC Committees, is a past NAIFA-National Trustee and Past President of NAIFA-Illinois. He has been a loyal NAIFA member since 1973. As incoming Secretary, Wheeler will be in line to serve as President-Elect in 2026 and President in 2027.

Join us for a special mid-summer meeting on Wednesday, July 31st at 12 pm eastern to focus on membership. With three Supreme Court decisions affecting our business, the DOL fiduciary-only rule, and the upcoming expiration of certain elements of the Tax and Jobs Cut Act, the time is now to expand our base so that we are prepared to welcome in new leaders at the state and federal levels, as well as take action when necessary. 

You've likely heard Van Mueller say, "There has never been a better day to be an insurance agent,"  but what you'll walk away saying is, "There has never been a better day to belong to NAIFA."  

What We'll Cover:

• Membership Referral Program and What's in it for YOU
• Summer Membership Challenge and What's in it for YOU
• Rewards and Awards for Top Recruiters
• Member-to-Member Programs that Deliver 10X on your Dues Investment
• New Membership Benefits that Help You Prospect

Do you know someone who is passionate about NAIFA, but isn't in a formal leadership role (or might be ready to dip their toe in the water, but needs to start small?) Invite them to attend this session & ask them to be part of our Brand Ambassador Team!

Passion for people is what has powered NAIFA since 1890, and it's on all of us to ensure that we keep NAIFA strong!

As part of the merger of NAIFA and FSP, and the expansion of the NAIFA family, the NAIFA Board of Trustees amended the NAIFA Bylaws, on December 3, 2023. The amendments to the NAIFA Bylaws include (i) revisions to the definitions of active and associate member, to better reflect the enhanced multi-disciplinary nature of NAIFA’s membership and to further establish NAIFA as the leading professional association for all insurance and financial advisors. (Article V, Sections 2, 3); and (ii) retention of the provision for the Executive Committee, consistent with nonprofit corporation best practices (Article VII, Section 9).