I’ve known Mike James, or MJ as most of us know him, through nearly every stage of his 35-year career, from his start as an intern to his new role as Chief Growth Officer for North America at Aon and NFP. He also chaired the committee that helped name Finseca.
In his new role, MJ has a broader view of what clients need, and he sees them looking for more value from fewer places.
A business owner does not separate human capital decisions from business risk, personal wealth or retirement. We may organize the work into specialties, but the client experiences one financial life.
MJ’s point is that we don’t need to be experts in everything, but we do need to see the whole picture, know where our advice fits, and work with the right partners.
As we recognize Life Insurance Awareness Month and reflect on the 25th anniversary of September 11, I keep coming back to a story David Buckwald recently shared with us. David lost 51 clients and friends at Cantor Fitzgerald that day. In the months that followed, he helped deliver more than $30 million in death benefits to their families.
One widow told him that because of that protection, her children could still have Christmas, attend summer camp, and remain in their home while the family grieved.
That story is why MJ’s point about seeing the whole picture matters. Our work has to hold up when a family’s life changes without warning.
Together, we are Finseca.
