NAIFA-Dallas held their Annual Celebration of Achievement Awards Dinner on February 28, 2023. The event brought special recognition to the recipients of the O.C. Jackson Hall of Fame Award, the Mel Meyers Advisor of the Year Award, the John and Erma Connally Advocacy Award, the YAT of the Year award, and the Board Member of the Year. In addition, LILI graduates receiving designations were also recognized during the dinner. 

The 2023 NAIFA-Texas Annual State Conference and Day at the Capitol was held February 21-23, 2023, at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton in Austin, Texas with more than 130 guests in attendance over the three day event. To view the digital program, please click here.

NAIFA-Dallas held a Membership Luncheon on January 26, 2023 with honored guest, NAIFA-Texas President, Rodney Mogen, who conducted their 2023 Board of Directors swearing in ceremony.

The Joint Insurance 101 event NAIFA-Texas hosted with TALHI and IIAT was a huge success! We hosted over 50 Capitol staffers and legislators for breakfast on January 26th at the Texas Capitol. We provided an overview of the life, accident & health, and property & casualty insurance in Texas from both a company and agent perspective. An Insurance 101 Handbook created by all 3 entities was provided to each attendee as a resource. We will be following up and distributing these handbooks to other Capitol offices that were unable to attend. This was a great branding opportunity for NAIFA-Texas! Jason Talley, NAIFA-Texas Government Relations Chair and Elizabeth Hadley, NAIFA-Texas Lobbyist spoke at the event with representatives from TALHI and IIAT. Doug Massey, NAIFA Secretary was also in attendance.

Holly Hoffman

Traci Brown

Register today for the 2023 NAIFA-Texas Annual State Conference and Day at the Capitol in Austin, Texas. Learn more by visiting the conference page!

NAIFA-Texas sponsor, Financial Seminar Services led a webinar on Thursday, October 27, 2022 for Marketing Ideas to Finish 2022! Financial Seminar Services is a premier marketing company in the insurance and financial services industry. They come from the business and understand how important your marketing campaigns are to you and your business’s success.. They use 70+Years’ combined experience to help advisors have more successful marketing campaigns! To view the recording, please click here!

A Message from NAIFA-Texas and TALHI

Texans across the state are more aware of life insurance than they have been for decades. Governor Abbott recently proclaimed September 2022 to be Life Insurance Awareness Month in Texas. 

Watch NAIFA-Texas's advocacy focused webinar with industry leaders including NAIFA-Texas Past President and current NAIFA Trustee, Doug Massey as well as NAIFA-Texas Past President and current NAIFA-Texas National Committeeperson, Jason Talley. We were also joined by NAIFA's Andrew Holt and Stephanie Sheridan. During the webinar, our guest speakers discussed their advocacy stories, how and why they stay engaged in NAIFA, what advocacy looks like across all lines of business (local, state, and national), systematic changes to the industry because of NAIFA's impact, and more!

INFORMATION PUBLISHED ON BELONG.NAIFA.ORG

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INFORMATION PUBLISHED ON LEADERS.NAIFA.ORG

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Registration is now open for National Leadership Conference (NLC) in Washington, D.C. to be held November 13-15 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.  The purpose of NLC is to optimize how we work together as One NAIFA. This is an opportunity for you to learn, grow, and celebrate.

INFORMATION PUBLISHED ON AT.NAIFA.ORG

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Andrew Holt is the Government Relations and Grassroots Manager at the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA). NAIFA works on behalf of its members to promote a favorable regulative environment, provide professional education services, and ensure ethical professional conduct for insurance and financial advisors.

About the LILI Curriculum

INFORMATION PUBLISHED ON AT.NAIFA.ORG

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Whether you're new to political advocacy or a grassroots leader, NAIFA's Get Out the Vote is a great resource for everything you need to know about NAIFA's political advocacy. Find information on polling dates and locations, ballot measures, and your elected officials. Brush up on Government 101 or find the text of individual bills—this site has useful information for everyone.

Information published on apex.naifa.org

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It's the Race to the Top.

Represent NAIFA-Texas by registering today for NAIFA's Apex 2022. NAIFA's Apex is the new sales summit for the #AmericanAdvisor and will be held at The Arizona Biltmore August 17th and 18th, 2022. 

PUBLISHED BY RONAN FRIEND ON AT.NAIFA.ORG

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Join NAIFA-Texas and their efforts to provide assistance to the families of Uvalde, Texas. Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas and First State Bank of Uvalde are two great avenues to help make an impact. Learn more below.

You are invited to join NAIFA-Texas and Books Made Easy for a collaborative virtual Book Club this summer! The Book Club is exclusive to current NAIFA-Texas members only. The book club is complimentary following the purchase of our assigned book.

NAIFA's Annual Congressional Conference bolsters NAIFA’s prestige among lawmakers and industry partners and enhances our standing as the leading voice for insurance and financial professionals. Watch for these loyal NAIFA-Texas members at this year's Congressional Conference on May 23-24 in Washington, D.C.! 

Published by Ronan Friend on at.naifa.org

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After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in finance, Next Level Founder and CEO Danny O'Connell moved to Dallas and started his career at an investment firm, but he didn’t find his passion until he was recruited into insurance and employee benefits. Once he found his niche, he never looked back.

NAIFA-Texas Disability Insurance Awareness Webinar Recap

PUBLISHED ON BELONG.NAIFA.ORG

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NAIFA is now accepting nominations and applications for its 2022 awards, recognizing outstanding leadership, performance, and achievement that differentiates NAIFA members from their colleagues in the insurance and financial services industry. NAIFA bestows these annual awards as programs of the Talent Development Center, which recognizes exemplary NAIFA members, promotes professional growth, and encourages a new generation of agents and advisors to join the business.

The 2022 NAIFA-Texas Annual State Conference was held February 23-25, 2022 in Houston, Texas. This multi-day event included educational sessions, networking opportunities, and camaraderie! To start off the final day of NAIFA-Texas State Conference, we held a Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) Panel Discussion for all attendees. The Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) is a six-month leadership development program devoted to advancing personal growth and professional success for NAIFA members.

Published on belong.naifa.org

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Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP, President of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) was a featured speaker Thursday, February 24, in Houston at the 2022 Annual State Conference of NAIFA’s Texas chapter. His remarks at the event reviewed the State of NAIFA and challenged insurance and financial professionals to be the best they can be as producers and as advocates for their businesses, association, and Main Street clients.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN PUBLISHED ON TDC.NAIFA.ORG/NQA

The NAIFA Quality Award provides advisors at any career stage the opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to excellence. This includes:

The NAIFA-Texas Board of Directors and Awards Committee were delighted to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to two deserving recipients during the 2022 NAIFA-Texas Annual State Conference that was held in Houston, Texas February 23-25, 2022. The NAIFA-Texas Awards Committee selected Russell "Rusty" Donohue, CLU, ChFC and Douglas Massey, CLU, ChFC, FSS as the newest recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award. 

The following information has been Published on tdc.naifa.org/lacp

Distinguished Recognition for Experienced Life Insurance
and Financial Professionals

The NAIFA-Texas Board of Directors is proud to announce their chosen recipient of the
2021 NAIFA-Texas YAT Leader of the Year Award, Rick Demko. The NAIFA-Texas YAT Leader of the Year Award recognizes an advisor’s commitment to NAIFA including service on local and state and committees as well as participation in the Leadership in Life Institute (LILI); involvement with state and/or federal legislative efforts; participation in external service work such as charities; and an ability to inspire others.

The NAIFA-Texas Board of Directors and Awards Committee were delighted to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to two deserving recipients during the 2022 NAIFA-Texas Annual State Conference that was held in Houston, Texas February 23-25, 2022. The NAIFA-Texas Awards Committee selected Russell "Rusty" Donohue, CLU, ChFC and Douglas Massey, CLU, ChFC, FSS as the newest recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP, President of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is a featured speaker Thursday, February 24, in Houston at the 2022 Annual State Conference of NAIFA’s Texas chapter. His remarks at the event will review the State of NAIFA and challenge insurance and financial professionals to be the best they can be as producers and as advocates for their businesses, association, and Main Street clients.

NAIFA-Texas is happy to announce 2022 NAIFA-Texas Annual State Conference Virtual Sponsor, Referme IQ. The NAIFA-Texas Annual State Conference (February 23-25, 2022) agenda and registration details can be found here. You don't want to miss this event! For those of you unable to attend, please take a moment to watch this brief message from our sponsor.

NAIFA-Texas is happy to announce and thank the 2022 NAIFA-Texas Annual State Conference Sponsors. We are grateful for all of our sponsors and can't wait to kick things off in just a few short days!

NAIFA-Texas is happy to welcome our newest Platinum Sponsor, Bright HealthCare! Over the coming months we will be sharing all of the great opportunities that Bright HealthCare has to offer for Texas residents. Bright HealthCare believes quality health insurance should be simple, personal, and affordable. They design easy-to-understand plans with benefits you'll actually use! Benefit-packed plans and surprisingly low rates mean you can focus on staying happy and healthy. Please take a moment to visit Bright HealthCare's sponsorship page by clicking the link below!

NAIFA-Texas wishes all of our members and industry professionals a happy and safe holiday season! 2021 was quite a year for NAIFA-Texas and we could not have done it without the support of our members, colleagues, consultants, and families. As 2021 comes to a close, we are extremely grateful for the camaraderie (finally some in-person!) and community being a NAIFA member brings. Can't wait to create new memories in 2022. Cheers!

Board Members and Chapter Leaders of NAIFA-Texas recently attended the NAIFA National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. on December 5-7, 2021. On Monday December 8th, NAIFA-Texas members and leaders attended a full-day of educational sessions centered around leadership coaching, grassroots training, and more! They also enjoyed a delicious lunch that was prepared by former White House Chef Marti Mongiello. Monday was capped off with the Annual Meeting and Belong Awards Dinner. On Tuesday, NAIFA-Texas met members of Congress on Capitol Hill.

NAIFA-Texas sponsor, Principal hosted a panel discussion in November moderated by their very own Senior Regional Managing Director, Phil Pyrz. During the discussion, panelists discussed their experiences with utilizing technology, best business practices, success stories, and the evolution of FP Practices (over the last 10+ years)! Panelists for this event included Bob Markle, Mindy Helfrich, Robbie Schubert, and Chris Richey. 

Members, we are two weeks away from the return of NAIFA-Texas' Quarterly Lobbyist Update! It was been a very eventful interim within the Texas Legislature. Click here for your free registration!

Members, voting is open elect your 2022 NAIFA-Texas Board of Directors! 

 National Family Caregivers Month – celebrated each November -- is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country. 

Redistricting is complete! The redrawn political maps for the Texas House, Texas Senate, and Texas Congressional seats were signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on October 25, 2021. These maps were drafted and passed by the Texas Legislature during the third special session. Members, the Texas Tribune has a tool where you can view any changes to your district and representation!

Members, if your business includes annuity products, then this post is for you!

As a continuation of HB 1777 passed by the 87th Texas Legislature, Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) adopts rules about the forms an agent must provide to a consumer before or when recommending or selling an annuity. Any NAIFA-Texas member who sells annuity products should review this adoption and familiarize themselves with the new required forms. The rules adoption can be found here.

Our Quarterly Lobbyist Update (QLU) returns on Nov. 30th 2021! This exclusive member-only virtual event will break down this very eventful interim of special sessions, quorum breaks, redistricting, and more. NAIFA-Texas Lobbyist, Elizabeth Hadley, of Greenberg Traurig will be touching on these topics and answering your questions. Snag your FREE registration by clicking here!

Thank you to those who were able to attend the 2021 Texas Leaders Round Table Kickoff Event that was held in Houston, Texas earlier this month! We would like to issue a special thank you to our event sponsors, Fairway Mortgage and Joey Ussery with John Hancock. Joey also served as the emcee for this exclusive event. 

Wednesday, November 17th, 2021

12:00 PM (CDT)

Join NAIFA-Texas sponsor, Principal on Wednesday, November 15, 2021 for a panel discussion moderated by their very own Senior Regional Managing Director, Phil Pyrz. During the discussion, panelists will discuss their experiences with utilizing technology, best business practices, success stories, and the evolution of FP Practices (over the last 10+ years)! Panelists for this event include Bob Markle, Mindy Helfrich, Robbie Schubert, and Chris Richey.

The Texas Legislature has one week left in it's third special session. The item on the forefront: redistricting. Redistricting occurs every 10 years after the U.S. Census results are collected and certified. The U.S. Census measures how much the United States population has grown and changed based on various demographics. Then, state legislatures redraw district maps to reflect the census results. The 2020 census reflected that people of color fueled 95% of Texas' population growth.

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) has issued the annual data call to agents writing title insurance in Texas. State law requires title agents to report data that is used to set rates. The data reports are due December 13, 2021. Check the TDI website for reporting instructions and forms. The full bulletin can be found here. 

It's baaaack! The NAIFA-Texas State Conference 2022 will be held in Houston, Texas from February 23-25, 2022. Visit our website for room blocks, event agenda, and more!

Millennials are making more money than any previous generation... so why are they less wealthy?

If you are an agent selling annuities, then this blog post is for you... and your CE credits!

The Texas Legislature is back for the third special session of 2021. Governor Abbott has tasked the Texas House and Senate to pass legislation relating to COVID-19 mask mandates, transgender student participation in sports, gender-affirming health care for trans youth, property tax relief, bail reform, allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act federal funding, and redistricting. The Texas House and Senate gaveled in this past Monday to start its work.

Warsaw, Indiana, is affectionally known as the “Orthopedic Capital of the World.” Over a century ago, a young chemist started the world’s first orthopedics company in the small Midwestern town. Since then, the industry has ballooned. Today Warsaw, which has a population of just 15,000, hosts numerous companies that focus specifically on designing devices that manage musculoskeletal problems. For employers, this clustering offers the promise of a skilled workforce that understands the industry. Yet it also presents an acute challenge: heated competition for that very labor.

Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM) returns!

Wednesday, September 22, 2021
5:30 p.m. Central Time
The Big Texan Steak Ranch and Brewery
7701 I-40 East, Amarillo, TX 79118

What does our NAIFA-Texas Secretary Treasurer Rodney Mogen and the most
iconic steak in Texas have in common? One is 72 ounces and the other is 7' 2"! Show up at the Big Texan Steakhouse Wednesday, September 22nd, to see who's tougher, the Man or the Steak. Click here to view the event flyer!

Join NAIFA-Texas on Wednesday, September 15th, 2021 for a special webinar focusing on Advanced Planning and just in time for Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM)! We are happy to welcome Tom Love with The Breakaway League and Leland Landes with The Legacy Group as our lead speakers for the event. Both speakers are top producers that have developed simple systems for writing big cases. They believe in being catalysts for their clients to think differently about wealth and taxes. After the presentation, be sure to stick around for a Q&A session! This webinar is free for both NAIFA members and non-members!

On August 26, 2021, NAIFA-Dallas hosted several Texas federal and local legislators and their staffers for their annual legislative luncheon! Staff for State Rep. Carl Sherman (HD-109), State Rep. Rhetta Bowers (HD-113), Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), and Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30). State Senator Angela Paxton (SD-30) and her District Director joined us as well.

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) has issued a guidance of the new and revised annuities courses  state-licensed agents and non-resident agents will be required to take if they are looking to sell annuities on or after January 1, 2022. 

On August 16^th, the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) proposed a rule about the forms an agent must provide to a consumer before or when recommending or selling an annuity. Agents can use the hyperlink above to review the rule and submit comments before September 27, 2021. This rule falls in line with the Texas adoption of NAIC's Best Interest Standard (HB 1777). 

Join NAIFA-Texas on Wednesday, September 15th, 2021 for a special webinar focusing on Advanced Planning and just in time for Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM)! We are happy to welcome Tom Love with The Breakaway League and Leland Landes with The Legacy Group as our lead speakers for the event. Both speakers are top producers that have developed simple systems for writing big cases. They believe in being catalysts for their clients to think differently about wealth and taxes. After the presentation, be sure to stick around for a Q&A session! This webinar is free for both NAIFA members and non-members!

On Saturday, August 7th, the Texas Legislature gaveled in for the second special session of the interim. Texas Democrats broke quorum for the third time to deny the Texas House from passing any business, including the GOP high-priority elections bill. The issues on the Governor's call do not directly impact insurance agents or financial advisors. NAIFA-Texas does not foresee this changing. 

Did you miss the changes #txlege passed this session in relation to agent licensing and certification? Texas Department of Insurance hosted a webinar discussing what agents should be looking out for! View the recording here.

Two weeks until the 2021 Performance + Purpose Virtual Conference! NAIFA has a packed agenda with keynote speakers, industry leaders, and breakout sessions that is promise to inspire and "redefine the lines." It is not too late to register! Click here to reserve your spot. 

Do you want to strengthen your leadership skills? Are you looking for an outlook that will help you grow as a business owner, thus growing your business? How about developing a stronger, more confident sense of self?

The Life and Annuities Committee of the National Association of Insurance Commission (NAIC) has adopted FAQs regarding the February 2020 Best Interest Model brought forth and implemented by the committee. 

Three NAIFA-Texas leaders are featured as part of the breakout session speaker line up for the virtual Performance + Purpose 2021! 

Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) has filed H.R. 4289,  the "Well-Being Insurance for Seniors to be at Home (WISH) Act." The WISH Act would impose a 0.3% payroll tax on workers and 0.3% payroll tax on employers. The monthly benefit would start at $3,6000 and rise with inflation.

The Texas Department of Insurance has issued a bulletin listing major changes to agent licensing provisions during the 87th Legislature. Those include:

The 87th Texas Legislature is back in the Capitol today to start their first special session of the year. (Yes, that means there are more to come!)

Governor Abbott called the legislature back to Austin to address certain legislative priorities that did failed to pass or were not addressed during the regular session. The call items for what the Texas House and Senate must pass can be found here. Items include banning the teaching of critical race theory in public schools, election and voting protocols, social media censorship, bail reform, and more. 

NAIFA-Texas will be monitoring the special session and providing updates to our membership.

Advancing the Standard of Leadership Thinking

About the LILI Curriculum

The NAIFA Leadership in Life Institute is a six-month in-person program offered exclusively to NAIFA members who are committed to growing intellectually and professionally through deep introspection and discussion. The intense curriculum creates a unique learning environment that encourages participants to bring out the best in themselves and apply what is learned across every aspect of their lives.

July's Member Spotlight is on NAIFA-Texas Past President and NAIFA Pineywoods of East Texas member, Les Littleton, CLU, LUTCF!

The event this year is focused on creating an interactive experience for participants. The conference will include break-out sessions for book signings with speakers, gamification, and TED-talk style sessions to allow attendees to "choose their own adventure" to spice up their Zoom experience and deliver top-notch training to help you expand your book of business.

Roger Clemens with NAIFA-Houston Leadership: (left-right): Kyle Lindner (2019 President),  Brian Monk (President-Elect). Roger Clemens, Betsy Assad (President), Rick Demko (2020 President).

The strategic partnership between NAIFA and Insperity kicked off on Thursday, June 17, when NAIFA-Houston members were invited to Constellation Field for batting practice with seven-time Cy Young award winner Roger Clemens.

During an informal reception and meet and greet, Roger "Rocket" Clemens welcomed attendees and shared his personal story of success before engaging in a casual Q&A.  Then everyone was invited down to the field to pick up a bat and Roger took the pitcher’s mound.  Several attendees took the opportunity to bring their gloves and play the outfield!

On June 8th, NAIFA-Texas members participated in the comeback of our Quarterly Lobbyist Updates. NAIFA-Texas lobbyist, Elizabeth Hadley, delivered a very comprehensive breakdown of bills our association had been working on, as well as, other big ticket priorities (COVID-19 relief, ERCOT reform, health care expansion, broadband expansion, voting integrity, etc.) for Speaker Dade Phelan, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, and Governor Greg Abbott. 

In 2010, the National Association for Fixed Annuities (NAFA) designated June as National Annuity Awareness Month (NAAM) to help educate Americans on the important role of annuities as part of a secure retirement savings plan. Annuities can be an integral part of your clients’ long-term retirement planning strategy, providing direction to help them overcome unnecessary risks and important optional benefits that help them to protect their financial future.

During the 87th Legislative Session, NAIFA-Texas played a key role in passing HB 1777.  This piece of legislation will require agent and insurers to follow a "Best Interest" standard for annuity products. To act in the best interest of the consumer, the agent is required to satisfy four obligations – the care, disclosure, conflict of interest, and documentation obligations. HB 1777 will harmonize the standard of care for annuities across regulatory platforms.

NAIFA-Texas is very excited this bill passed in time for Annuity Awareness Month. Click here to read more about annuities! 

Mark your calendars for Texas Leaders Roundtable's Kickoff Event on Thursday, October 21, 2021. This will be an in-person event in Houston, Texas!

Join NAIFA-Texas sponsor, Principal Financial Group, on June 16th as they present a leadership directed virtual discussion panel! 

Legislation signed recently by Governor Greg Abbott enhances protections for Texas consumers seeking lifetime income through annuities. Championed by House Insurance Committee Chairman Dr. Tom Oliverson and Senate Business & Commerce Chairman Kelly Hancock, the new law enhances the standards financial professionals must follow while preserving consumers’ ability to access the tools they need for a secure retirement.

The 87th Texas Legislative Session is over... for now. This session has been anything but ordinary. However, that did not stop NAIFA-Texas from making our presence known, both inside the Capitol, as well as, virtually.  Members- Find out how our legislative priorities stacked up next Tuesday, June 8th at 10 AM as our lobbyist, Elizabeth Hadley, provides a legislative review and an outlook of what is to come! Click here to register for this exclusive member-only virtual event!

This month, our member spotlight is on Brent Hill - one of the newest members of the NAIFA-Texas Board of Directors! Brent recently celebrated this 5 year NAIFA-anniversary which aligned perfectly with him being our member spotlight. We sat down with Brent and learned about his journey with NAIFA, his expectations upon starting out, and how he has grown with leadership opportunities.

After a little hiatus due to our virtual Day at the Capitol event earlier this year and the 87th legislative session kicking into high gear, the Quarterly Lobbyist Update series is back! This session was unlike any other due to the impacts of COVID-19 and an unpredictable winter storm (just to name a few), and it certainly was not boring. 

NAIFA-Texas has been hard at work ensuring that the Texas legislature adopts the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) model for a “Best Interest” standard for annuity products this legislative session. Partnering with Texas Association of Life and Health Insurers (TAHLI), we have met with multiple offices and other stakeholders to ensure clarity and support from those within the Texas Capitol. State Rep. Tom Oliverson, M.D. (R-Cypress), chair of the Texas House Insurance Committee is the bill's author.

On March 23, 2021, Jason Talley, NAIFA-Texas Past President, represented NAIFA-Texas by testifying in support of HB 1777 before the Texas House Insurance Committee. This bill passed unanimously out of committee and passed in the Texas House 144-1. Once it reached the Texas Senate, it was referred to the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce. Due to a time constraint before the first bill filing deadline of the session in early March, there was no Senate companion bill nor a Senate author. NAIFA-Texas and TALHI were able to get Chairman Kelly Hancock (R-Fort Worth) to carry this bill in his own committee. On May 13, 2021, this bill was heard in a formal hearing where NAIFA-Texas submitted written testimony in support. There was no opposition.

Less than a week until the 2021 (virtual) Congressional Conference! This year's event is FREE for both members and non-members.

As of today, there at 18 days until the last day of the 87th legislative session here in Austin, TX-- or "Sine Die."

We are exactly two weeks away from the 2021 (virtual) Congressional Conference! This year's event is FREE for both members and non-members. Need some reasons to register? See what NAIFA-Texas President Danny O'Connell has to say below!

NAIFA-Texas member Rick Demko is life insurance expert with Centric Advisors who holds the LACP certification, served as President of NAIFA Houston, won NAIFA's Four Under 40 Award, and recently shared his insights on COVID-19's impact on life insurance underwriting with Best's Review magazine. Talk about differentiating yourself! #NAIFAproud https://hubs.li/H0MH_820

In honor of Disability Insurance Awareness Month (#DIAM), join NAIFA Amarillo for a luncheon featuring guest speaker and NAIFA-Dallas member, Mike Evans on May 11th! Mike has over 40 years of experience in the life and health industry and is currently Brokerage Sales Manager at The DI Center. A native of Lubbock, Texas and graduate of Texas Tech University, Mike began his DI specialization in 1987 when he opened Paul Revere’s West Texas Brokerage Office. Click here to register!

Join NAIFA Fort Worth for a golf tournament benefitting Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Tarrant County on Monday, May 24th from 8 AM-1PM! This event is open to members and non-members, so grab your colleagues and indulge in a day of golf, networking, and more at Hawks Creek Golf Club. Click here for more information and registration.

The following post was written by Dr. Rodney Mogen, DBA, Founder of SolveUrPuzzles and NAIFA-Texas Secretary Treasurer. To view additional information from Life Happens about Disability Insurance Awareness Month, please click here.

May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month (DIAM). What does disability awareness mean to you? Awareness might mean different things to different people. As an adviser, disability insurance is not often talked about. When compared to life insurance, or even long-term care, individual disability insurance and subsequent products are not discussed or presented to clients as much as they should. Awareness comes in three parts: educating ourselves, educating our clients, and being able to understand the companies and their languages.

NAIFA has expanded the Leadership In Life Institute (LILI) Program to an online experience! NAIFA-Texas encourages our members to consider embarking on this 6 month personal and professional development program that has impacted so many in our chapter! Here is the list of LILI alumni from NAIFA-Texas.

Texas Leaders Roundtable (TLRT) has made a return!  This elite program brings together NAIFA members from around the state to network, share sales ideas and attend exclusive events designed just for TLRT members. Membership is based on production, years of experience and NAIFA membership. Click here for additional information!

The following post was written by Dr. Rodney Mogen, DBA, Founder of SolveUrPuzzles and NAIFA-Texas Secretary Treasurer.

NAIFA Fort Worth will be hosting their annual Awards Luncheon on Thursday, April 29th from 11:30 AM-1:30 PM!  The Edward F. Tate Jr., ChFC, CLT, LUTCF Career Service Award will presented to NAIFA Fort Worth IFAPAC Director, Brett Ruddell, for his outstanding service as an insurance agent and financial advisor. This event is a great opportunity to learn more about NAIFA Fort Worth and network some of the best in the industry! The Awards Luncheon is open to both members and non-members. Click here for more information.

NAIFA-Texas is proud to be strong advocates for our industry. We are always looking for innovative ways to grow our grassroots army. This legislative session we have enlisted the help of OneClickPolitics to help us run online campaigns relating to our legislative priorities. To learn more about our campaigns and get involved, please click here!

Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared April as Financial Literacy Month in Texas. View the proclamation here.

NAIFA-Texas has been working hard this legislative session to ensure personal financial literacy is part of the Texas public high school curriculum. If you have not done so already, please click here to ask your representatives and senators to support SB 1063! 

NIAFA-Houston will be hosting a networking happy hour at Topgolf on Thursday, April 29th! This event is open to both members and non-members. Feel free to bring peers, mentors, or colleagues to meet and mingle with some of the best in the industry!   Registration information can be found here. 

Don't get to register for our April 14th panel-- "Building Your Business in a Virtual World," moderated by Former NAIFA San Antonio President, Michael Aguirre. Join NAIFA-Texas for an interactive, dynamic virtual panel of NAIFA-Texas members who know to true meaning of reinventing themselves in a virtual world. Register TODAY!

NAIFA-Texas is very excited to announce our new partnership with Kaplan Financial Education! This new member benefit will give current members an exclusive discount on insurance licensing, continuing education, and securities licensing courses! Sign up for an account with your email address associated with your NAIFA-Texas membership to unlock all this and more with Kaplan. Click here to learn more!

This month's member spotlight is on Jim Hutson out of NAIFA-Amarillo Affiliate! Jim is the founder and owner of The Jim Hutson Agency, LLC and has been a member of NAIFA since 2010. He currently serves as the Tri-City Sales Forum Director for NAIFA-Amarillo! After a very successful 29 year career as a high school band director, Jim found his next career move in financial services. Jim has always had a love for music and helping people which has paved the path to where he is today. 

For the full interview with Jim Hutson, please click here!

NAIFA Amarillo Affiliate will be hosting a State of the State Luncheon on April 13, 2021 with NAIFA-Texas President Danny O'Connell as the guest speaker. Danny will be sharing the vision the 2021 Board of Directors has for NAIFA-Texas and discuss what the future holds!

For more information, please click here!

NAIFA recently announced that Congressional Conference 2021 will be happening virtually this year! This event is an amazing tradition that has engaged our members for as long as anyone can remember. Last year, of course, Congressional Conference was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, out of an abundance of caution, NAIFA members in Texas and across the country will have the convenience of participating from the comfort of their home or office! We can still make an impact virtually. We did so for our virtual Day at the Capitol 2021 😁

For more information, please click here!

NAIFA-Houston presents Drew Briggs with The American College of Financial Services will lead this informational session about all the changes The American College has made and how user-friendly getting a designation is. Drew will be discussing the new college-wide RICP virtual sessions for 2021 and the changes to the CLU® and ChFC® test grades that now give a 30% participation grade for completing the course work. This is a positive change for people who have test anxiety since part of the coursework now counts towards their final grade.

Register for free by clicking here!

Adapting is key when keeping your business thriving. Join NAIFA-Texas for an interactive, dynamic virtual panel about how to best market yourself in today's normal. Former NAIFA San Antonio President, Michael Aguirre, will be moderating a panel of NAIFA-Texas members who know to true meaning of reinventing themselves in a virtual world. Register TODAY!

NAIFA-Texas is excited to announce our upcoming virtual event, Building Your Business in the Virtual World on Wednesday April 14th! Our elite panelists come with vast expertise in the fields of finance, disability, and P&C.  Michael Aguirre, former NAIFA-Texas Board Member and former San Antonio President, will be moderating this discussion. This event is open to members and non-members!

Registration and additional event information can be found here. 

NAIFA-Fort Worth is hosting their virtual chapter meeting on Thursday, March 25, 2021 featuring Adam Outland of Southwestern Consulting. Adam will be conducting a sales training workshop titled, "Grow Your Sales Immediately." Learn how to overcome call reluctance, shorten your sales cycle, and more!

For free registration and additional information, please click here.

NAIFA-Dallas is hosting their Chapter Luncheon on Thursday, March 25, 2021! John Norman CLU, ChFC, of Penn Mutual Wealth Strategies will be the guest speaker from 11:30 AM-1 PM at Maggiano's at Willow Bend. His workshop will be focused on Special Needs Estate Planning.

This Luncheon will be followed by an opportunity for CE credit from 1:15 - 2:15 PM!

"Everything You Want to Know about DI But Didn't Know to Ask," will be sponsored by the DI Center and moderated by Mike Evans, CLU ChFC LUTCF.

For more information, please click here!

NAIFA’s Texas chapter (NAIFA-TX) held a successful legislative event last week, with several dozen participants. The annual Day at the Capitol was planned as a hybrid event, with both in-person and virtual attendees. However, the lingering effects of recent winter storms required NAIFA-TX to quickly shift to an all-virtual event.

This month’s member spotlight is on Kelli Simms out of Dallas! She is currently serving on the NAIFA-Dallas Board of Directors as the Director of Government Relations. Kelli demonstrated a deep understanding of the importance of personal financial literacy and a passion for advocacy. She grew up in between New Orleans, LA and Dallas, TX and attended the University of New Orleans. She owns her own firm, InsureSolve, PLLC, a financial services advisory practice solving retirement and income planning issues. Her firm also offers education consulting services with in-house certified instructors teaching Financial Literacy coursework.

Read the Q&A below to get to know Kelli more!

NAIFA has expanded access to the NAIFA Family Response Fund to benefit members of the association impacted by deadly winter storms in Texas. Officials in Texas and media reports indicate the extreme weather and associated utility outages have resulted in significant property losses and fatalities.

NAIFA-Texas has a new website! AND a new domain name. Moving forward, we will be directing members and non-members to this new page: tx.naifa.org

This month’s member spotlight is on Betsy Assad, CLTC, NAIFA-Houston 2021 President!

The 87th Legislative Session is upon us! What has happened so far? Glad you asked!

Happy New Year, members! We hope you had a relaxing holiday season. NAIFA-Texas has a few things up its sleeve as we embark on 2021 and slam the book that is 2020 shut (with force).

2020 has been quite the year to say the least. Despite these unprecedented times, we are grateful to each of our members for making this year another successful one. Make sure to check out our 2020 Video Yearbook!

Back in February, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) adopted amendments to the NAIC Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation. NAIFA National describes these amendments as consisting of, “enhanced consumer protections and other revisions, and the revised NAIC Model requires producers and insurers to act in the best interest of annuity purchasers and to not put their own financial interests ahead of the consumers’ interest.” This amended model affects financial professionals working with annuities.

Phew! It has been quite the ride over the past few weeks.

We are officially one week from Election Day.

Every month we will be spotlight books that have impacted our members and have played a part in how they have built their businesses. Below are this month's recommended reads! Click here to view last month's blog post of book recommendations.

It is safe to say that COVID-19 has thrown the world as we know it for a loop. With the rising number of COVID-19 cases, one cannot help but think about what would happen to their loved ones if something were to happen to them. It has also forced us to have conversations we did not think we would have. One of which being life insurance and another being what today’s post is about: Estate Planning.

It is still Life Insurance Awareness Month! Earlier this month we talked about the mission behind LIAM and provided resources to learn more about life insurance and its benefits. With the presence of COVID-19, more and more individuals are learning about life insurance. However, there are still some myths out there that are causing confusion.

In this industry, the desire to learn and keep learning is imperative. We asked some of our NAIFA-Texas members what books have impacted them the most. Each month we will be featuring a new list of recommended reads!

Today marks the beginning of Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM)! Each year, during the month of September, the industry bands together in support and promotion of life insurance awareness. The American Optometric Association describes LIAM as, “an observance dedicated to educating Americans about the importance of including life insurance in their financial plans and helping them find the coverage they need.” NAIFA-Texas is proud to be a part of this movement!

At the start of 2020, NAIFA-Texas was looking forward to a calendar of regional events and live meetings all around our state. But then, we all know what happened: Priorities and lives were directly impacted by COVID-19.

Primaries. Check. Runoffs. Check. What now?

Over the past decade and then some, we have seen a bigger push for diversity and inclusion (D&I). From big corporations to small businesses, employers are seeing the value of diversity. Millennials have hopped on this trend with really considering a company’s D&I resources and programs before accepting employment. In short, this has become a top priority for millennials, who will be the largest and most diverse generation breaking into the work force.

We are very excited to bring you our first member feature on the NAIFA-Texas blog! Charlie Matejowsky has been with Van Dyke Rankin Financial Services in Brenham, Texas for his 38 year career, and a NAIFA member for 34 of those years. He also was the NAIFA-Texas Lifetime Achievement Award recipient at our 2020 State Conference. We sat down with Charlie to ask him how he has adapted his business model during the COVID-19 pandemic and how Zoom has played an integral role in maintaining his business approach.