2013 October/November President's Message

Greeting from your President

I think it is appropriate that I thank our outgoing National Committeeman Ralph Van Winkle for his outstanding service these past several years. He also did a fine job, along with our Executive Linda in putting together a delegation of 18 to attend the NAIFA National Conference in San Antonio Texas late this past month. Our national leadership once again proved themselves worthy of our praise in a wonderful experience including program speakers, workshops and NAIFA business. The controversial item of business was the proposed $25 increase in dues to help fund the fly in to Washington DC next May. This past April’s fly in was highly successful so the plan is to do it again next May. Please consider attending this opportunity to visit with your Congressional Representative and Senators to educate them of the work we do to serve our clients with the products we have.

If you attended the Financial Services Forum last month thank you. If you did not you missed some great speakers and opportunity to network and join in fellowship. John Nichols is your President Elect who chaired this event. He and his team were exceptional in picking the speakers as well as the location, right on the water.

Looking forward, we as your leadership need your help to make our Washington State National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors successful and profitable. As you are aware, our membership both state and national has been declining for many years. The decline has slowed which is good but we need to turn the tide and begin to increase our ranks consistently beginning right now.  I know you are all busy serving your clients and making a living. I also know you all live and work near or drive by other insurance agents and financial advisors on a daily basis. I challenge you to stop by one each week to share NAIFA and ask them to join. Please ask them to join on a monthly bank draw and help them complete the online application or the paper right then. It is no different than approaching prospective clients – some say no and some say yes – just keep asking.   Please read our new National Committeeman Al Zalewski’s article referring to a new member contest. Actually it is a reward rather than a contest.

I want you all to know that you have a qualified and dedicated team of servants leading your state NAIFA. Your officers, regional vice presidents, committee chairs and local presidents make up your state board of directors. Each and every one of them is volunteering their time and talent to serve you and to help keep this wonderful profession we have thriving. Keep paying your dues, bring in a new member or keep a member from lapsing, and get involved. We are all in this together.

Sincerely,

Kevin