2016 January/February NAIFA CEO Message

It’s an exciting time at NAIFA. There’s much to show that the lead professional association for insurance and financial advisors is finely tuned to meet the needs of advisors and the industry. A few things on the horizon:

First, NAIFA is in the final stages of adopting a comprehensive strategic plan, known as NAIFA 20/20. This plan, developed by a diverse cross-section of NAIFA leaders from throughout the federation, has undergone two rounds of feedback from NAIFA’s internal and external stakeholders to create a strong blueprint to guide NAIFA in the months and years ahead. The plan, at its core, is quite simple: 

• Provide NAIFA associations with the tools and flexibility to nimbly respond to the needs of the advisor community,
• Deliver compelling member value, and
• Bolster our standing as the premiere voice of the profession before policymakers and regulators at the state and federal levels.

As the NAIFA Board moves to adopt the plan in February, the professional staff has already begun developing comprehensive strategies, tactics, and annual performance metrics to keep us on task to achieve the plan’s goals and outcomes. NAIFA 20/20 will position us as the robust, relevant, and impactful association our industry needs.

Second, we continue to work tirelessly to represent advisors and the industry in Washington, D.C. and in state capitals around the country. Our strong efforts to educate policymakers on the ill-effects of the proposed Department of Labor fiduciary rule, to remind them of the value of helping Americans develop a sound financial plan for their futures, and to deliver a consistently effective presence in the halls of Congress and with regulators, produce results: 

• NAIFA’s powerful grassroots network educates policymakers in D.C. and at home. In May and December, we hold legislative training and fly-ins, and the largest Hill visit in our industry.
• NAIFA leaders testify before Congress, discuss important matters in the media, and work behind the scenes to protect our members, and the industry, on a daily basis.
• NAIFA hosts the largest political action committee in the industry, and the 12^th largest PAC in the United States, because our members want to ensure that policymakers understand the value the advisor community provides to society.
• And, we’ve formed the NAIFA Capital 50 Fund to assist state associations with state level advocacy programs to deliver our message in state legislatures around the country.

Third, we are in the midst of strengthening our professional development offerings: 

• NAIFA launched a comprehensive research study to look at the training and professional development needs of the advisor community and determine which training programs NAIFA is best positioned to deliver.
• We’re working with subject matter experts to develop an advisor “Skill Builder” series in response to this unmet need. We will provide training on time-sensitive topics to help members be better prepared as society and the regulatory landscape changes.
• We’re developing a comprehensive career map program, where advisors can see the core competencies needed to be successful on their career path, and where to go to gain those skills.
• We are exploring new credential and designation programs for advisors who master the fundamentals needed to provide their clients with the guidance needed to help them plan their financial futures.

Fourth, our multimedia consumer awareness and empowerment campaign has begun, aimed at helping consumers understand the value a trusted advisor can add to help them plan for the future. The consumer website, www.AdvisorsYouCanTrust.org has gone live and helps advisors utilize the tools and resources available to help them communicate the value NAIFA members bring to their clients as trusted advisors.

Fifth, we are thinking innovatively about how we can best serve our members and deliver unparalleled value. Fundamental changes have come to NAIFA’s governance process and our annual meeting is undergoing forward-looking changes as demanded by our membership. We are exploring new membership models to introduce new advisors to the benefits of NAIFA membership, as well as to retain seasoned NAIFA members preparing for retirement. We have developed a professional and unified approach to soliciting support for NAIFA activities and our membership from corporate partners and others, aimed at building a stronger, more impactful NAIFA to meet the current and emerging needs of the industry and its field force.

For more than 125 years, NAIFA has been the strong, resilient voice of insurance and financial advisors. We are working to re-engineer ourselves to be even more impactful in the future, adapting our business processes and our services to meet our members’ emerging needs. As the professional association of choice, that is our obligation and our responsibility. And we are stepping up to the plate to make it happen – today and tomorrow.

Thanks for your continued support of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. Join me in spreading the word that NAIFA’s best days are the days ahead. 

Best regards,

Kevin M. Mayeux, CAE
Chief Executive Officer