On the evening of Tuesday, February 11, 2025, NAIFA-Texas held it's Centennial Celebration and Awards Gala at the Austin Club. The NAIFA-Texas Awards program recognizes highly qualified members that have been identified and recommended by their peers for exhibiting leadership qualities, character, significant contributions to the insurance and financial industries, and meet or exceed the required qualifications for the award in which they are being recommended. During the program, we honored the following recipients:

• 2024 Young Advisor Team (YAT) Leader of the Year Award Recipient - Derek True, DIA, DHP of The DI Center and NAIFA-Dallas.
• 2024 Tom Currey Local Leader of the Year Award Recipient - Mark Jones of Remington Insurance Group and NAIFA Houston.
• 2024 Bruce Murray Tall Texan Award Recipient - NAIFA-Texas Past President, Hollie Gandy Donohue of Safe Money Solutions and NAIFA-Amarillo Area
• 2024 John M. Ruckel Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient - T. Leslie "Les" Littleton of T. Leslie Littleton Insurance Agency and NAIFA Pineywoods of East Texas

The NAIFA-Texas Centennial State Conference was held February 10-12, 2025, at the Omni Austin Downtown hotel in Austin, Texas. With more than 160 guests in attendance, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Texas Chapter celebrated its founding and 100 year anniversary.

To view the digital program, please click here.

NAIFA-Texas is excited to welcome the following new members. We look forward to their involvement and are honored for them to join our great network of financial professionals!

NAIFA Pineywoods of East Texas was honored to have U.S. Congressman Nathaniel Moran speak during their October 2024 membership luncheon meeting this past week. Congressman Moran discussed a 'Summary of Financial Services Legislation on Capital Hill".

Other notable guests in attendance included Congressman Moran's Senior Advisor, Jalam Lewis, the East Texas District Director for Senator John Cornyn, Sara Butler, the District Representative for Congressman Pete Sessions, Melinda Kartye, a Senior Staffer for State Senator Bryan Hughes, Reece DeWoody, State Representative Cody Harris, State Representative-Elect Daniel Alders, as well as Representatives for State Senator Robert Nichols' office.

On January 19^th, NAIFA Pineywoods of East Texas (NAIFA-POET) held a Membership Luncheon at the Hollytree Country Club in Tyler, Texas where Texas Insurance Commissioner Cassie Brown was the guest speaker. Commissioner Brown provided members and guests with an “Insurance Market and TDI Update” during the event where close to 50 people were in attendance. The 2024 Board of Directors were also sworn in during this luncheon where NAIFA-Texas President Jim Thompson presided over the ceremony. Keith Hilliard will be serving as the 2024 Pineywoods Chapter President with David Webb serving as President-Elect, John Ruckel serving as Secretary-Treasurer, Brett Weisenburn serving as the Immediate Past President, Debbie Gary serving as a Director and the Diversity Advisor Team (DAT) Chair, Les Littleton serving as a Director and the IFAPAC Chair, Barry Dobbs serving as a Director, and Damon Ruckel serving as a Director and Advocacy Chair.