Finseca Awards
Finseca’s Awards celebrate the exceptional agency leaders and individuals whose passion, talent, and expertise drive the financial security profession forward. These prestigious awards recognize those who inspire others and make significant contributions to our industry, embodying the spirit of excellence and innovation that defines our mission.
FORUM 400 Awards
The award’s purpose is to recognize members dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others and their communities through their leadership and involvement. The Humanitarian Award is presented to individuals who recognize the difference between their talents and their character. It has been said, “talents come to us as gifts and character comes to us by choice,” and this is precisely what the Humanitarian Award symbolizes.
The Fast & Furious Sales Ideas session is an open mic forum that allows participants 90 seconds to present an idea in front of their peers, two moderators and a panel of three judges. Named after industry leader and 1994 Forum President, Sidney A. Friedman, the Sid Award was launched at the 2006 Annual Meeting in order to recognize the No. 1 sales idea presented during the Fast & Furious Sales Ideas session.
LAMP Leadership Awards
Inductees to Finseca’s Management Hall of Fame are not only experts at building world-class agencies or firms, they also elevate the financial security profession by serving and educating their communities, championing professional development, and generally advancing the mission and work of the profession.
Hall of Fame Class of 2024
Deb White
Farm Bureau Financial Services
Deb White began her career as an insurance and financial services agent in 1982. She achieved MDRT in her first year in the business and later transitioned into a field leadership role. In 1992, she joined Farm Bureau Financial Services and became a District Manager in 1994. As a District Manager, Deb’s aim is to further develop her district to become one of the leading districts within the company and industry.
Anthony T. Mazzei, Sr.
Guardian
Anthony Mazzei has worked in the financial services industry for more than 40 years. During his career, he has held various roles such as advisor, Managing Director, Senior Home Office Executive, but he has spent most of his time as a General Agent. One of his unique abilities is to empower others and help them discover their unique skills and abilities, which he then aligns with a suitable role.
In Memoriam of Howard Cowan
MassMutual
Howard Cowan was a highly respected figure in the insurance industry who enjoyed mentoring those who followed him. He was considered one of the leading experts in financial planning and insurance services in the country and founded Cowan Financial Group in 1985. Over time, he gained national recognition, winning several awards and delivering lectures throughout the country. Howard was a considerate, charitable person who was devoted to his loved ones.
The First in Class Award recognizes agency leaders or managers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership. Each company is responsible for determining the criteria it will use to select its nominee. Multiple nominees may be eligible for companies that segment distribution by market size or use a benchmark value proposition for their distribution systems.
The Emerging Leader Award recognizes superior managers, such as sales, unit, division, or district managers, who have direct responsibilities for a portion of an agency or firm, including recruiting, launching, and supervising new sales professionals. Each company is responsible for determining the criteria it will use to select its nominee. Nominees should stand out as role models for other managers.
Master Agency Awards are given to an agency head that is an active Finseca member at a firm with at least $7,800,000 USD in commission levels or $15,600,000 USD in premium levels during the previous year.
Highlighted 2024 Master Agency Awardees
North Star Resource Group,
Cetera Wealth Management Group
Phillip C. Richards
Renaissance Financial Corporation,
Cetera Wealth Management Group
J. Gregory Keller
2024 Master Agency Awardees
- Ashford Advisors, Inc.
- Atlanta-Huggins
- Barnum Financial Group
- Baystate Financial
- Blue Ocean Wealth Solutions
- Bluecrest Financial Alliances
- Capital Financial Group
- Capital Strategies
- Capstone California-Nevada
- Capstone Rocky Mountains
- Capstone Utah
- Center for Wealth Preservation
- Certified Financial Services, LLC
- Charter Oak Financial
- Coastal Wealth
- Commonwealth Financial Group
- Consolidated Planning
- Creative Financial Group
- Eastern Pennsylvania
- Equitable Advisors South Florida Branch
- Equitable Texas
- Fifth Avenue Financial
- First Financial Group
- Forest Hills Financial Group
- Fortis Lux Financial
- GoldBook Financial
- Greater Pacific
- Greater Philadelphia
- Karr Barth Associates
- Knights of Columbus
- Lee,Nolan & Koroghlian LLC
- Legacy Wealth Partners
- Magnolia Wealth Strategies
- MassMutual Brooklyn
- MassMutual Carolinas
- MassMutual Central US
- MassMutual Great Lakes
- MassMutual Greater Los Angeles
- MassMutual Greater Richmond
- MassMutual Greater Washington
- MassMutual Idaho
- MassMutual Metro New York
- MassMutual New Jersey-NYC
- MassMutual North Carolina
- MassMutual Northern California
- MassMutual Northwest
- MassMutual Oregon
- MassMutual Perimeter
- MassMutual Pittsburgh
- MassMutual Puerto Rico
- MassMutual South Carolina
- MassMutual Tri State
- National Financial Network
- Northeast Financial Network
- Northwestern Mutual – Eastern Pennsylvania
- Pacific Advisors, LLC
- Peachtree Planning
- Sagient
- Savage and Associates, Inc.
- Skylight Financial Group
- Spectrum Financial Group
- Strategic Financial Group
- Strategic Financial Partners
- Strategies for Wealth
- Summit Risk Management
- Synergy Wealth Solutions
- The Bulfinch Group
- The Piedmont Group
- Thompson Financial Group
- Touchstone Wealth
- uFinancial Group
- Vision Financial Group
- Wealth Advisory Group LLC
- WestPoint Financial Group
The Master Multiline Award is given to an agency head that is an active Finseca member with an agency or firm that achieved at least $300,000 USD in gross life and annuity premiums and at least $10,000,000 USD in gross property and casualty premiums during the previous year.
NEW!
The Master Fraternal Award is given to an agency head who is a Finseca member with an agency or society that achieved at least $1,000,000 USD in gross life insurance premiums with $3,000,000 USD in total premiums during the previous year.
The International Management Award recognizes the achievements of first-line managers
(heads of agencies or firms). All qualifiers must be active Finseca members and must personally supervise full-time career agents, advisors, or sales representatives in the agency or firm.
International Management Awardees
- Brian K. Bortz
- Bruce W. Davison
- John W Breedlove III, CLU
- Brian K Lee
The Frontline Leader Award recognizes frontline managers, such as unit, division, or district managers who have direct responsibility for a portion of an agency or firm. All qualifiers must be current Finseca members.
Frontline Leader Awardees
- Andrew Beers
- Beau M. Jackson
- Bennett L. Sperber
- Brian Souder
- Christopher Schultz
- Colton L. Fremont
- Corey Greene
- Dakota Brizendine
- David K. Schwartz
- Dennis Gorski
- Derek DeSanto
- Dominic Johnson
- Gary Tsoumas
- Hector Romo
- Jack Hettiger
- Jason B. Page
- Jeanie A. Miller
- Jonathan Samuel Philbrook
- Jorge Benavente
- Josh Farris
- Josh Plank
- Kevin Callison
- Kraigg Knary
- Kris L. Bosley
- Kristina L. Ribali
- Larry Friedman
- Matt Milburn
- Michael Girasole
- Michael Lacey
- Michael Sacher
- Michael Truly
- Mike Reed
- Nicholas A. Sztapka
- Nilesh Patel
- Patrick Murray
- Paul Colasante
- Paul Tokarz
- Rick A. Erickson
- Ron Bradley
- Russell Auyeung
- Ryan Kelley
- Scott W. Thistle
- Shane Bauman
- Steven Eaton
- Steven Eaton
- Steven R. Bradley
- Thomas Freeman
- Timothy K. Graham
- Walter T. Bowden Jr.
- Wayne Coleman, Jr.
The Community Impact Leadership Award honors financial security firms/ agencies that are having a tangible, measurable effect on their clients and their communities. That impact might be the result of a number of activities, such as lives secured, charitable efforts or DE&I initiatives that promote doing well by doing good.
2024 Community Impact
North Star has a charitable foundation that supports various causes such as research for neurodegenerative diseases. They also provide matching gifts for team members who support their designated charities. North Star is engaged in community-building efforts such as partnerships with Rondo Community Land Trust to support housing affordability and economic growth. The company prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion through initiatives like providing monthly educational articles and participating in the BestPrep eMentor program. They offer paid volunteer time off and support various charitable organizations such as Lead2Change and the Jeremiah Program. These organizations focus on empowering underserved communities. North Star has also created the Black & Brown Run Around event in the Milwaukee area in partnership with Lead2Change. The event aims to unite the black and brown communities, support minority-owned businesses, and give back to a charity that aligns with their mission: financial security for all.
2024 Community Impact Awardees
- Baystate Financial
- Commonwealth Financial Group
- Pacific Advisors, LLC
- Wealth Strategies
When you ask the iconic leaders of the financial security profession about how they grew successful businesses and teams, almost all mention the help of mentors and peers. The Finseca Futures program is designed to provide access to networks and training that leaders need to thrive in the early years (0-5 years in leadership) of their career. (This program requires a fee.)
Leadership Award Sponsors
Advanced Markets Award
Peter W. Mullin, a co-founder of the M Financial Group, was a visionary leader who reimagined our entire industry with thoughtful guidance and commitment to innovation and excellence while steadfastly remaining faithful to his core principles.
To honor his legacy, the annual Peter W. Mullin Visionary Leadership Award will be granted to an individual who: demonstrates exemplary and courageous leadership skills, inspires others, embraces philanthropy, and demonstrates loyalty, integrity, innovation, and commitment to excellence.
2024 Award Winner
David J. Downey
The Downey Group, Inc.
David J. Downey has over 40 years experience as a life insurance producer. A native of Canton, Illinois, he became an agent for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company in 1962, while still an undergraduate. He received his Bachelor of Science in 1963 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and his Juris Doctorate degree in 1966 from the University of Illinois College of Law.
After admission to the Illinois Bar in 1966, Mr. Downey received his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) designation the same year and decided to continue his career in life insurance. He has served as national President of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (1984) and as Chair for the Top of the Table Advisory Board in 1980.
The Downey Group, Inc. became a member of the M Financial Group in 1983. Mr. Downey served as a member of the Board of Directors of M Financial Holdings and of M Life Insurance Company, a reinsurance company. He has spoken at annual meetings of the Million Dollar Round Table and Top of the Table.
Mr. Downey is a life member of the University of Illinois Foundation Board. Formerly, he served on the board of First Busey Corporation, the board of The Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette, Inc., was a member of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, the University of Illinois Athletic Board, the University of Illinois College of Business Board of Overseers, and a University of Illinois Adjunct Professor of Finance. While a student at the University of Illinois, Mr. Downey was a star basketball player, and as part of the 100th Anniversary of Illinois Basketball Celebration was chosen as a member of the All Century Team. In addition to being selected by his teammates as Illinois’ Most Valuable Player three consecutive years, he was named All Big 10 and All American and won the Big 10 Conference Medal of Honor for Proficiency in Scholarship and Athletics. He still holds the single game scoring record – 53 points – set in 1963 when he led the basketball team to a Big Ten Championship. In 2018, Dave was inducted into the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame.
Independent Distribution Awards
NAILBA’s “ID Twenty” Awards recognize 20 insurance professionals annually who have made important contributions to the insurance community. Honoring independent distribution’s most courageous innovators and visionaries, the 2024 ID Twenty award ceremony will take place at NAILBA 43. Anyone from the independent distribution community is eligible: business leaders, techies, marketers, or operations professionals within BGAs, carriers, or vendor companies. Nominate an exceptional peer or colleague today!
2024 Award Winners
- Chuck Anderson, Diversified Brokerage Services
- Michael Babikian, First Financial Resources
- Toni Sova-Corfee, GRAIL
- Michelle Dauphinais, John Hancock
- Mike Driscoll, Coastal Insurance
- Chad Druvenga, CBS Brokerage
- Mitchell Fisher, The Marketing Alliance
- Susan Ghalili, Pacific Life
- David Grant, InsMark
- Rob Haynie, Life Insurance Settlement
- Amy Kniseley, Highland Capital Brokerage
- Gary Kuchera, Coventry
- Mike Martini, Crump
- Laura Murach, LIMRA
- Ramona Neal, Living Benefit Review
- Ashley Paulsen, Simplicity
- Delphine Soucie, MassMutual
- Lori Walker, Diversified Brokerage Services
- Jason Wellman, Allianz
- Tony Wilson, One Resource Group
The Douglas Mooers Award for Excellence is NAILBA’s’ most coveted and prestigious award. Named after NAILBA’s Founding Chairman, H. Douglas Mooers, the Mooers Award was established in May of 1986. This annual award honors excellence in brokerage and is bestowed upon the individual most committed to furthering brokerage and independent life brokerage as a distribution system.
Nominees may include present or former NAILBA member principals, exhibitor company executives, members of NAILBA peer groups or other insurance industry groups, and concerned members of the insurance press. Nominees are dedicated insurance professionals with superior career accomplishments as well as outstanding records of service to the community. Mooers Award recipients are this country’s peer-recognized leaders of brokerage.
2024 Award Winner
Steven J. Katz
Premier Brokerage Services, a Gallagher Company
Steve Katz has over 45 years of experience in life insurance brokerage, his career has been marked by entrepreneurial vision and a passion for innovation. He began as a career agent before transitioning to the wholesale sector, where he built a brokerage division from the ground up. His expertise in impaired risk and the affluent marketplace set the stage for him to establish his own agency, which thrived for 25 years before being successfully acquired.
Known as one of the most “exceptional motivators on the planet,” Steve has shared his wealth of knowledge with countless professionals, inspiring collaboration and mentorship. His public speaking engagements and hands-on guidance have empowered aspiring entrepreneurs and young insurance professionals, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.
The Kathy Deren Excellence in Life Insurance Underwriting Award is to celebrate exceptional talent within our industry for underwriting. By recognizing those who meet high standards of performance and integrity, we reinforce the importance of our collective commitment to quality underwriting practices.
