Young Advisor Team (YAT)
A Young Advisor Team member is defined as someone 40 years of age or younger, or in their first five years of the business. Career-changers who are older than 40 qualify and some NAIFA members will want to be included in YAT events and consider themselves what we call “YAT at Heart.” While any member can attend and enjoy YAT events, only a true YAT is eligible to qualify for the YAT Leader of the Year Award.
The primary responsibility of the YAT Chair is to serve as a brand ambassador for NAIFA in your community and to your legislators. As a YAT Chair, you will want to work closely with your other Board members—in particular the VP of Membership—to attract new members to NAIFA and get new members involved in advocacy and IFAPAC as soon as possible.
Within NAIFA, there are three levels of YAT teams:
- National YAT Committee
- State YAT Chair
- Local YAT Chair
National YAT Committee
The National YAT Committee is headed up by a National YAT Committee Chair and any YAT member can apply to be considered for National YAT Committee membership. The National YAT Committee is the overall governing body of YATs and hold an all-YAT call on a quarterly basis. The National YAT Committee Chair attends various planning meetings within NAIFA—e.g. strategic planning meetings and the National YAT Committee is often asked to weigh in on specific issues and topics.
The National YAT Committee is responsible for:
- Overall volunteer management of the YAT program.
- Increasing participation in federal advocacy – in particular, participation in Congressional Conference.
- Increasing participation in IFAPAC.
- Selection of the National YAT Leader of the Year Award.
- Ensuring that the voice of young advisors is included in all aspects of NAIFA programs and products.
- Oversight of the Advisor Ambassador and Future Leaders programs.
- Providing content and events targeted to YATs.
- Ensure the National budget includes funds earmarked for YAT events.
- Organize and coordinate YAT events at Congressional Conference and Apex.
- Understanding all programs at NAIFA and promoting participation in other YATs.
State YAT Chair
The role of the State YAT Chair is the same as National, but narrower in scope. The key differentiator for the State YAT Chair is that this person is responsible for ensuring that YATs are participating in the state’s Legislative Day and has representation reflective of the state’s population.
YATs are always focused on member acquisition and retention of other YATs. YATs are an important safety net to ensure that NAIFA members successfully navigate the first few years of their career in financial services.
The State YAT Chair’s responsibilities include:
- Serve as the voice of all YATs at the state level.
- Coordinate Local Chapter YAT Chairs to implement the overall YAT program as outlined in the strategic plan through holding quarterly calls.
- Attend all National all-YAT calls.
- Ensure that the state budget includes resources slated for YAT events.
- Promote YAT participation/representation at State’s Legislative Day.
- Promote YAT participation/representation at NAIFA’s Congressional Conference.
- Promote YAT participation/representation at NAIFA’s Apex Conference.
- Promote YAT participation in IFAPAC.
- Work with your Membership Chair to actively recruit the next generation of advisors to NAIFA.
- Plan recruitment events with your VP of Membership and VP of Programs.
- Work with your leadership to welcome new members into your Chapter, determine their interests and encourage them to get involved (volunteer) in the way they are most comfortable.
- Promote and nominate outstanding YATs for the National YAT Leader of the Year Award.
- Oversee the selection and award of the State YAT Leader of the Year Award.
- Identify and develop YATs in your Chapter to serve as an Advisor Ambassador.
- Educate fellow YATs about volunteer/involvement at the state and national level.
- Identify “Best Practices” and submit ideas to be featured in upcoming all YAT Chairs’ Call.
Local YAT Chair
The Local YAT Chair serves in many of the same capacities, but at the local level. The Local YAT Chair reports into the State Chair and the State Chair into the National YAT Committee. The Local YAT Chair is encouraged to attend all-YAT calls and grow into the State YAT Chair and National YAT Committee positions. The main difference with the Local YAT Chair, is that this position is primarily focused on networking and bringing new YATs into NAIFA. The Local YAT Chair should advocate for some budget or fundraise to create a budget to allow for local activities focused on YATs to occur.
Local YAT Chairs should understand the structure of NAIFA, the programs NAIFA offers and promote participation within all. Local YAT Chairs often serve as the first touchpoint to NAIFA and should serve as a critical voice in the creation of programs and networking events at the local level.
