The NAIFA Governance Committee consists of 12 NAIFA members and is chaired by NAIFA Past President Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP, Brokerage Director at Coastal Wealth in Boynton Beach, FL, a loyal member since 1990.

“The NAIFA Governance Committee has nominated a very strong group of candidates for NAIFA’s Secretary, Treasurer, and Trustee positions,” Holzberg said. “The large number and extraordinary quality of the applicants this year made the nominating decisions particularly difficult. It is a testament to the strength of NAIFA that so many highly talented members want to volunteer their time and talents to ensure the continued success of our association. I sincerely hope they all continue their dedicated support of NAIFA and will continue to offer their leadership and services when occasions arise. On behalf of the Governance Committee, I would like to whole-heartedly congratulate Secretary candidate John Wheeler, Treasurer candidate Paul Dougherty, and Trustee candidates R. Jan Pinney and John D. Richardson. You have the complete confidence and full support of the committee, and we look forward to your strong leadership.”

Douglas B. Massey, LUTCF, FSS, CLU, ChFC, Owner of Doug Massey Financial Services in San Angelo, TX, a loyal member since 1987, will serve as NAIFA’s 2025 President. 

Douglas Massey is a registered representative with OFG Financial Services, Inc., where he has been since 1992. His practice specialties include retirement planning and life insurance. His company’s focus is on near-retirees and retirees. It also does a significant amount of business in the non-profit and 403(b) market.

A NAIFA member since 1987, Massey has served as Chair of the IFAPAC Committee, was on the NAIFA-TX board of directors from 2008-2014 and was President of NAIFA-TX from 2012-2013.

He has attended every NAIFA Congressional Conference since the meeting’s inception and has attended every NAIFA-TX Legislative Day since 1991. He is one of the key contacts for Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and Rep. Michael Conaway.

Massey is an IFAPAC Defender (monthly contributor), as well as a contributor at several events each year. Over the years, he has recruited and sponsored many NAIFA members and has encouraged past members. He has moderated LUTCF and FSS classes and is a Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) graduate.

NAIFA’s Committee on Governance has nominated John Wheeler, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CRPC, LACP, CLTC, LUTCF, Executive Senior Partner at Totus Wealth Management LLC in Houston, Texas, to be the 2025 NAIFA Secretary. Wheeler, who currently serves on NAIFA’s National Government Relations and IFAPAC Committees, is a past NAIFA-National Trustee and Past President of NAIFA-Illinois. He has been a loyal NAIFA member since 1973. As incoming Secretary, Wheeler will be in line to serve as President-Elect in 2026 and President in 2027.

The Committee has also nominated R. Jan Pinney, CLU, ChFC, CPCU, Chairman & CEO of the Pinney Insurance Center in Roseville, CA, and John D. Richardson, RICP, LACP, a Financial Planner with Capital Planning Group in Brentwood, TN, to each serve a two-year term on the NAIFA Board of Trustees. Pinney, a loyal NAIFA member since 1971, is a Past President of NAIFA-California and a Past Board Member of Life Happens. Richardson, a loyal member since 2003, was NAIFA’s Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year for 2018 and is Past President of NAIFA-Tennessee.

Paul Dougherty, LUTCF, FSS, LACP, HIA, an Agent with State Farm in Hyattsville, MD, is nominated to serve as NAIFA’s National Treasurer. He has been a loyal member since 1999 and is a NAIFA-National Past President and past member of Life Happens Board of Trustees.

Returning to serve the second year of their two-year terms as Trustee are Dennis Cuccinelli, LACP, a Financial Representative of Certified Financial Services in Edison, NJ, a loyal member since 1986, and Stephen Kagawa, FSS, LUTCF, Founder and CEO of the Pacific Bridge Companies in Monrovia, CA, a loyal member since 1986.

Also returning as Trustees in 2025 are Jesse Dogillo, CFP, CLU, ChFC, AEP, Founder of Bay Area Financial Advisers in Sunnyvale, CA, a loyal member since 2022; Ernest Guerriero, CLU, ChFC, CEBS, CPCU, CPC, CMS, AIF, RICP, CPFA, Head of Business Sponsored Retirement Plans at Guardian Life Insurance Company in New York, NY, a loyal member since 2022; Barb Pietrangelo, CFP, CLU, ChFC, a Financial Planner with Prudential Financial in Ada, MI, a loyal member since 1992; and Andrew Rinn, JD, CFP, CLU, ChFC, Assistant Vice President-Advanced Strategies with Sammons Financial in Lincoln. NE, a loyal member since 2018.

Douglas B. Massey, LUTCF, FSS, CLU, ChFC, Owner of Doug Massey Financial Services in San Angelo, TX, a loyal member since 1987, will serve as NAIFA’s 2025 President. Christopher Gandy, LACP, Founder of Midwest Legacy Group in Lisle, IL, will be the 2025 President-Elect. Both Massey and Gandy have served the association in multiple roles including national Trustee, State President, and specialty committee roles throughout their leadership tenure.

Thomas M. Cothron, LUTCF, FSCP, Agency Manager at Southern Farm Bureau Insurance in Ocala, FL, a loyal member since 1981, will serve as Immediate Past President beginning January 1, 2025.

The NAIFA Governance Committee consists of 12 NAIFA members and is chaired by NAIFA Past President Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP, Brokerage Director at Coastal Wealth in Boynton Beach, FL, a loyal member since 1990.

“The NAIFA Governance Committee has nominated a very strong group of candidates for NAIFA’s Secretary, Treasurer, and Trustee positions,” Holzberg said. “The large number and extraordinary quality of the applicants this year made the nominating decisions particularly difficult. It is a testament to the strength of NAIFA that so many highly talented members want to volunteer their time and talents to ensure the continued success of our association. I sincerely hope they all continue their dedicated support of NAIFA and will continue to offer their leadership and services when occasions arise. On behalf of the Governance Committee, I would like to whole-heartedly congratulate Secretary candidate John Wheeler, Treasurer candidate Paul Dougherty, and Trustee candidates R. Jan Pinney and John D. Richardson. You have the complete confidence and full support of the committee, and we look forward to your strong leadership.”

NAIFA and NAIFA-Texas are proud to announce that John M. Ruckel, LUTCF, a Financial Professional with MassMutual and owner of Ruckel Insurance and Financial Group in Nacogdoches, Texas, is the 2024 recipient of NAIFA’s Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award.

Ruckel, a loyal member since 1969, was NAIFA’s National President in 1999-2000. He had previously served on NAIFA’s National Board of Trustees and as NAIFA-Texas’s President in 1987-1988. He was also President of NAIFA-Pineywoods of East Texas and a member of the LIFE Foundation (Life Happens) Board of Directors.