NAILBA Perspectives - January 2016 - (Page 7)

chairman's corner The Year Ahead: Change is Coming GEORGE C. VAN DUSEN IV NAILBA CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD A s is often the case when someone takes over for any position, whether it's Chairperson, CEO, or even Head Coach, the newcomer often talks about having big shoes to fill, and how they hope they can live up to the success of their predecessor. My situation is no different. I am genuinely humbled to follow in the footsteps of the many strong, highly qualified individuals who have served NAILBA as Chairman. Particular thanks goes to David Long, whose leadership this past year has been phenomenal. He has helped guide our Board of Directors and members as a whole in the direction we need to be as we continue to face the changes in our industry. I take pride in the fact that I am in the company of such distinguished leaders, but I am especial- ly proud that both my father and I are included in this list. It was 22 years ago that my dad, George Van Dusen III, served as our 10th Chairman. Of course it's bittersweet that he's not here to witness my personal success and the success of the company he built, but I've come to understand that what he taught me over the years lives on in what I do every day. His outstanding contributions to the insurance industry remain significant, and my sister, Tori Van Dusen-Roos, and I are honored to carry on our longstanding family legacy. There is no doubt that he would be proud of where we are, but he would also urge us to push forward and look to the future, preparing to face whatever challenges and opportunities lie ahead. In my father's remarks to the organization back in 1993, he touched on this and how the insurance industry is an ever changing business. How appropriate that we are still talking about how things are changing, and how we must continually adapt to and embrace these changes. Big things are going on at NAILBA, and neat things have taken place in the last year. First, we had the development of our partnership with AALU. This continues to be an important initiative for both groups, certainly in light of all of the legislation and proposed changes that are coming our way. Having an alliance with an organization that has the professionalism and political advocacy that AALU has is vitally important to NAILBA, and we'll look to continue to build this partnership for many years to come. Another focus last year was on the need to educate our members and we continue to deliver on this need. Last year we devoted a great deal of time and energy to the Department of Labor's proposed fiduciary rule and the potential legislative impact this would have on our industry. We published a number of articles, scheduled webinars for our members, and organized conference calls, all to bring awareness to our members and clarify what the rule is, its importance, how it impacts our members, and what they can do to be supportive in fighting it. (Editor's Note: Please see the feature article on page 10 for more information on this important issue.) Finally, we are continuing to promote the opportunity for our members, to communicate with each other, share ideas, discuss trends in the industry, and talk about the challenges they're facing. To do this, we created NAILBA Network, an open forum where members can pose questions to other members and share their experiences and thoughts around them. NAILBA Network has been a huge success and we are looking forward to continuing to leverage this medium even more in 2016 as an important resource for our members. When I look to the future I see constant change. Change is difficult, but change allows for growth, both personal and professional, so it's important to remember, whether in your agency or as it relates to the association, embracing the opportunity for change is allowing growth to happen. In the near future we will see even greater opportunities to partner with sister associations. Our responsibility to study these opportunities and identify where we can develop stronger relationships with other organizations representing different segments of the industry will not only benefit our membership but our industry as a whole. It gives us all a better overall understanding of the issues faced by our industry and how we might be able to work together to address some of them. As NAILBA looks to bring more value to its members in the future, we will rely on the strength and support of peer organizations and the continued support and involvement of our current members. A quote from Calvin Coolidge hangs in my office, reminding me of the benefit of persistence. He says, "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." I invite all of you, the Board of Directors, Committee Members and volunteers, and hardworking staff to join me as we "Press On" and work together in 2016 to embrace change and turn our challenges into opportunities. www.nailba.org 7 http://www.nailba.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NAILBA Perspectives - January 2016

NAILBA Perspectives - January 2016
Contents
Chairman’s Corner
CEO Insights
Department of Labor Makes Waves with Proposed Fiduciary Rule
NAILBA Charitable Foundation
NAILBA 34 Highlights
Life Happens
Member Profile
Agency Successor Networking Group
Calendar of Events
Index of Advertisers

NAILBA Perspectives - January 2016