CEO COLUMN
Time to make your voice heard
The decision to merge is now in the hands of NAILBA membership .
Dan LaBert , CEO NAILBA DLaBert @ nailba . org
Many of the merger discussions focused on relevance to the profession and how the merger can : Drive growth Increase synergies Create a unified voice while decreasing competition
On January 1 , 2022 , NAILBA and Finseca announced an intent to merge . After 12 months of discussion , the NAILBA Board Directors voted unanimously in favor of this historic action . Since that time , there has been focus on three major benefits to this merger .
# 1 Increasing professional development
Given the wildly successful NAILBA Case Manager Certification program , the best-in-class leadership training brought to Finseca via GAMA , and the future concepts for professional development ( new certifications , Case Manager 2.0 , etc .), this merger can provide a significant upgrade to all brokerage membership .
# 2 Enhancing the annual meeting Most already know the NAILBA Annual Meeting as the largest gathering of independent life brokerage agencies . From member agency principals and staff , to insurance and financial carrier executives , and senior leadership teams from more than 100 + sponsors and exhibitors who provide BGA technologies and services , NAILBA ’ s Annual Meeting is where the brokerage industry meets . It is where relationships are built . It is where business gets done ! So how does a merger improve an already best-in-class annual meeting ?
Many agency owners can definitely understand the benefit of shared services . Heck , just look at the M & A space . NAILBA will be able to leverage internal marketing and communications , event planning services , service agreements and new partner relationships .
Externally , the attendees will still be able to enjoy headliner keynote speakers — 4-Star military generals , Fortune 500 corporate executives , award-winning media personalities , sports legends , along with management and leadership experts in workshops and presentations . The brokerage community will also continue to learn from the best and brightest from across the profession and beyond !
# 3 Bigger seat at the table
Of course , I am referring to the ongoing legislative and regulatory threats that continue to threaten this noble profession . Earlier this year , NAILBA leadership was invited for the first time in recent years to sit down with the American Council of Life Insurers Board of Directors ( ACLI ), to discuss public policy supporting the industry and the families relying on life insurers ’ products for their peace of mind .
Driving momentum
While there are other significant reasons this intent to merge came to fruition , it was the above three reasons that drove the momentum . To ensure membership understood these reasons , NAILBA and Finseca conducted numerous public and private listening tours in the first quarter of 2022 . The feedback was spectacular .
In the membership ’ s hands
These are exciting times for the profession . The decision to merge is now in the hands of NAILBA membership . To be eligible to vote , agencies were to join or renew 2022 NAILBA membership by April 15 , 2022 . One vote per agency .
The vote will be open from April 18 , 2022 to May 20 , 2022 . We encourage all NAILBA member agencies to make their voices heard so that we can carry on the mission of financial security for all .
4 Perspectives Q2 2022