Broker World

Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE: GNW) recently announced the launch of its eSuite of new business tools, an end-to-end electronic process designed to simplify and expedite new long term care insurance applications and increase producer efficiency.  This electronic process reduces cycle time from application signature to policy in-force date by 20 days, making the sales process fast, easy and convenient for producers and their clients. This is important with companies these days, everything has to be quick and good quality, from project management office software to financial support planning.

Genworth’s eSuite of new business tools is far more robust than a fillable PDF. It includes:

• eApp, an interactive tool that guides producers through the application, ensuring they answer exactly what is needed before they complete the sale.  Once complete, the producer can rest easy knowing the application is in good order.
• eSignature, which permits clients and producers to electronically sign and submit applications to the home office in real-time, a step that previously took up to eight days.
• eScheduling, which provides producers the ability to schedule underwriting interviews on their clients’ behalf, saving clients another extra step.
• ePolicy delivery, which gives clients the opportunity to review and approve their policy electronically, reducing policy delivery time from weeks to as little as one day.

“The eSuite of new business tools illustrates Genworth’s continued efforts to transform the long term care insurance sales process by providing a new level of speed, accuracy and convenience,” said David O’Leary, president and CEO of Genworth’s US Life Insurance division. “Simplifying and streamlining the policy application process is an important part of our efforts to make long term care insurance more accessible to customers and getting them covered faster.”

Producers already using the eSuite of tools have found it provides a simpler, expedited sales experience that is easy to navigate. It also brings convenience and efficiency to producers who work remotely, or do not live near their clients, through the ability to share screens. 

“Combined with our best-in-class claims service and a redesigned underwriting process, the eSuite of business tools will provide distributors, advisors and consumers a superior, differentiated experience in each step of our relationship,” O’Leary said.

The eSuite tools are available with Genworth’s Privileged Choice® Flex 3 and ElementSM long term care insurance products.

Producers can learn more about Genworth’s eSuite of new business tools at: https://www.genworth.com/sales-center/sales-support/quoting-tools/esuite.html.

As part of the annual Spirit of Giving campaign at Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life^®), employees donated more than $116,000, 45,000 pounds of food and clothing, 3,800 new toys, and 800 gently used books. Donations will benefit five Twin Cities area nonprofit organizations. In addition to contributing items, the nearly 1,800 employees raised donations in a variety of ways including “buying” the opportunity to dress casual, conducting raffles, having a car detailing fundraiser, holding bake sales, and even wrapping gifts. 

“I could not be more proud of the work done by our employees to help our neighbors in need,” said Allianz Life President and CEO Walter White. “They consistently demonstrate their commitment to the community by giving back in amazing ways.”

More than 23,000 pounds of food and $14,800 was delivered to PRISM (People Responding in Social Ministry); The Arc Greater Twin Cities received more than 22,000 pounds of gently used clothing; more than $72,000 went to Second Harvest Heartland, the Upper Midwest’s largest hunger relief organization; and the remainder of the money (more than $28,900) plus 3,800 toys and 87 bikes went to Toys for Tots. More than 800 books also went to People Serving People, Hennepin County’s largest shelter for homeless families.

During the campaign’s 18 years, Allianz Life employees have given more than $922,000 in cash donations, 348,000 pounds of food, and 339,000 pounds of clothing. 

More than half of Americans—55 percent —mistakenly believe health insurance or Medicare will pay for assistance with daily living due to illness or injury for an extended period of time.

A recent survey conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of OneAmerica asked adults how they would pay for assistance with daily living due to illness or injury, either in-home or in a care facility, for an extended period of time (i.e., longer than 90 days). More than half (55 percent) said they’d use Medicare or health insurance, even though, in most cases, neither will pay for long term assistance with daily activities.

In the survey of 2,065 U.S. adults age 18 and older,1 those ages 55 and older were more likely than those ages 18-54 to say they’d pay for long term care needs with health insurance and/or Medicare (67 percent vs. 47 percent), while those ages 18-54 were more likely than those ages 55+ to say they’d borrow money for long term care, either from family/friends or with a credit card or loan (36 percent vs. 13 percent).

“The results show more education is needed about preparing for the possibility of significant long term care expenses,” said Chris Coudret, vice president and chief distribution officer, Care Solutions at OneAmerica.

“Most people may realize they will probably need some level of care as they age, whether it’s help in their homes or full-time care in a facility,” Coudret said. “But these results show that most people probably don’t realize how those expenses can affect the plans they’re making for retirement.”

OneAmerica has asset-based long term care solutions which can help protect retirement income from the drain of unexpected expenses. With asset-based long term care protection premiums are guaranteed and policies come with a return-of-premium guarantee in case of cancellation.

For more information and scenarios about how long-term care protection can help protect assets, download “Planning for Every Possibility” at www.oneamerica.com/ltcstudies.

A national leader in the insurance and financial services marketplace for 140 years, the companies of OneAmerica help customers build and protect their financial futures. OneAmerica offers a variety of products and services to serve the financial needs of their policyholders and customers. These products include retirement plan products and recordkeeping services, individual life insurance, annuities, asset-based long term care solutions and employee benefit plan products. Products are issued and underwritten by the companies of OneAmerica and distributed through a nationwide network of employees, agents, brokers and other sources who are committed to providing value to our customers. To learn more about products, services and the companies of OneAmerica, visit www.OneAmerica.com/companies.

1. This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of OneAmerica Financial Partners from August 17-21, 2017, among 2,065 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact tammy.lieber@oneamerica.com.

OneAmerica® is the marketing name for the companies of OneAmerica. Products issued and underwritten by The State Life Insurance Company® (State Life), Indianapolis, IN, a OneAmerica company that offers the Care Solutions product suite. All guarantees are subject to the claims paying ability of State Life.

Not having enough money to pay for care is the greatest fear adults have about aging and their long term care needs, according to a recent consumer survey by Genworth, but only one in five have taken any action toward financing their long term care expenses.

Furthermore, only half of the respondents said they plan to take personal financial responsibility for their own care as they age. The others said they would leave that worry to the government, their children or family, community or faith-based organizations, or had no idea who would provide their care.

“As these findings suggest, many people will not be prepared financially to handle the impact of growing older, which means the burden of caring for them will fall on their families, friends and communities,” said David O’Leary, president and CEO of Genworth’s U.S. Life Insurance division. “That’s why it’s so important for people to talk to their families about who will care for them, educate themselves about the cost of care and develop a plan for how they will pay for it.”

Genworth conducted the survey to gauge consumers’ knowledge about long term care costs and financing options in conjunction with Long Term Care Awareness Month in November. The consumer sentiment study, along with Genworth’s annual Cost of Care Survey, is part of Genworth’s commitment to help people who need care age on their own terms and live their lives the way they want for as long as they live.

Misperceptions about who pays for long term care costs:
“Consumers’ inaction may be partially explained by additional survey findings that showed glaring misunderstanding about what care costs and what costs are covered by various funding sources, including government programs,” O’Leary said.  

• Two out of three adults expect government programs to partially or fully cover the costs of their long term care services, despite the fact that Medicare pays for only limited care and Medicaid has strict financial eligibility requirements. In addition, both programs have come under increasing funding pressure.
• Confusion exists about government programs and what they cover:  45 percent of respondents either confused Medicare for Medicaid or admitted they didn’t know the difference between the two programs.
• About 40 percent underestimated the hourly cost of professional care in the home, which is where most people prefer to receive care, and 52 percent of respondents did not know that this service can be covered by a long term care insurance policy. 
• 62 percent of respondents incorrectly defined what long term care insurance covers.
• 61 percent of respondents did not know that long term care insurance usually provides care coordination services such as personalized care plans and help finding quality care providers as part of the policy benefits.

Generational Differences

• Baby Boomers, who are closest to the age at which people typically begin needing long term care services, are the least likely to think they will be among the 70 percent of people who turn 65 today that will require long term care services at some point1 (52 percent compared to 64 percent for Millennials and 65 percent for Generation X).
• Gen X is the most fearful about lacking the money to pay for long term care, but is the most likely not to have taken any action towards paying for future long term care expenses.
• Millennials are most likely to have taken action towards paying for future long term care expenses, which may be tied to another finding revealed in the study—that they are the most likely not to expect the government to cover any part of their long term care services. 

“People are never too young to begin preparing for how to pay for long term care costs, which are often overlooked as a major retirement expense and can quickly wipe out a person’s savings,” O’Leary said. “Understanding the costs is a good first step, followed by a conversation with a financial professional about potential funding options that will protect assets against long term care costs—and provide the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ll be able to receive the care you need how and where you wish to receive it.”

Genworth’s companion Long Term Care Consumer Sentiment Study was conducted in collaboration with J&K Solutions, LLC. The data from this omnibus study was collected from online surveys conducted in July and September 2017. In each case, a demographically representative sample of 1,200 adults ages 18 and older across the United States were surveyed, providing a 95 percent confidence level plus or minus three percent.  The sample followed the framework of the U.S. Census data for age, gender, and region. 

Genworth Financial, Inc., is a Fortune 500 insurance holding company committed to helping families achieve the dream of homeownership and address the financial challenges of aging through its leadership positions in mortgage insurance and long term care insurance. Headquartered in Richmond, VA, Genworth traces its roots back to 1871 and became a public company in 2004. For more information, visit www.genworth.com. 

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services https://longtermcare.acl.gov/, October 10, 2017.

Seeking to better meet customer needs, leading Medicare supplement provider Mutual of Omaha recently introduced two new options to provide individuals a more holistic approach to health care coverage: Dental and vision insurance.

The dental policy options—Mutual Dental Preferred and Mutual Dental Protection—offer differing coverage levels, deductible and premium amounts so customers can select the best fit. Dental coverage is available to individuals ages 19-99, and the vision insurance is available as an optional rider to a dental policy.

When developing the new products, Mutual of Omaha surveyed current and potential customers to assess their needs and learn what types of dental and vision plans they would find valuable. The company used their input to fine-tune the plans.

“The dental and vision coverage options we introduced this month are a direct result of what our customers told us would serve them well,” said Jeff Ganow, Mutual of Omaha vice president and actuary. “Customers have counted on us as a Medicare supplement provider for more than 50 years. We hope these products can help round out coverage for our customers’ additional health care needs.”

As of Oct. 7, Mutual of Omaha’s dental and vision products are available for customers to purchase through licensed agents and brokers in 23 states. For more information, visit www.mutualofomaha.com/dental-insurance.

Founded in 1909, Mutual of Omaha is a full-service, multi-line organization providing insurance, banking and financial products for individuals, businesses and groups throughout the United States. For more information about Mutual of Omaha, visit www.mutualofomaha.com. 

Although most Americans still share concerns about retirement—including nearly two-thirds (63 percent) who fear running out of money in retirement more than death—baby boomers are finally showing signs of optimism about their retirement readiness, according to the new Generations Ahead Study* from Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life®). More than seven in 10 boomers (72 percent) said they feel financially prepared for retirement, an increase of almost 15 percent from 2010. In addition, less than one-third of boomers (32 percent) said uncertainty about their financial future makes it difficult to know when they can stop working, an improvement from 2010 when half (50 percent) said they were unsure about when they could retire, if ever.

Allianz Life’s study of 3,000 Americans – including 1,000 baby boomers (ages 52-70), 1,000 Gen Xers (ages 37-51) and 1,000 millennials (ages 20-36) – also found that fewer boomers today think it is “impossible” to determine retirement expenses (50 percent, down from 60 percent in 2014) and fewer believe they lack the tools to figure out the retirement puzzle (36 percent, down from 46 percent in 2014).

“The Generations Ahead Study highlights encouraging news for boomers and proves that, with proper focus and engagement, anyone can turn around a poor savings situation and start building for a successful retirement,” said Paul Kelash, vice president of Consumer Insights for Allianz Life. “Whether taking lessons from the past or forging a new path, the key for each generation is to recognize that a solid retirement plan doesn’t happen by chance, but rather with a clear process and defined actions.”

A new frugality has taken hold with baby boomers that is leading to a stronger sense of financial preparedness and confidence than seen in previous Allianz Life studies. With 64 percent of boomers noting themselves as “savers” rather than “spenders,” and 61 percent saying they always know exactly how much money is in their accounts, the formerly free-spending boomers of the “Me” generation have embraced the financial habits of their Depression-era parents —so much so that a full quarter of boomers now describe themselves as “penny pinchers.”

These traits have more boomers thinking seriously about saving for retirement, with nearly two-thirds (65 percent) saying they see it as a basic necessity like food or housing (versus 58 percent millennials and 53 percent Gen X). This new frugal mindset has also contributed positively to their bottom line, with boomers having the highest median amount in retirement savings among all three generations at $175,000, and a full third of boomers saying they have $250,000 or more earmarked for life after work.

Millennials Surpassing Gen X in Retirement Readiness
Interestingly, the other generation finding the most savings success is not the next in line. While Generation X continues to struggle with saving and spending, millennials—although not without their own unique financial challenges—seem better positioned for retirement than their closest predecessors. Median retirement savings for Gen X is only $35,000, the same median amount as millennials, despite Gen Xers being much closer to retirement. As a result, millennials more closely mirror boomers in feeling prepared for retirement (74 percent millennials, 72 percent boomers) and having confidence their income will last a lifetime (76 percent millennials, 67 percent boomers)—while Gen Xers are clearly feeling more vulnerable (63 percent and 58 percent, respectively).

Despite the strong positive attitudes millennials have on being prepared for retirement, they also exhibit some worrying behaviors. While boomers are proud of their newfound saver status, millennials like to spend, with the majority (63 percent) claiming to be “spenders” and nearly one in five (17 percent) admitting they spend money “as soon as I get it” (versus only six percent of boomers). Half of all millennials also say they spend more on going out than they do on rent or mortgage (versus 16 percent of boomers).

New Strategies, Lessons Learned
Despite these financial challenges, new savings strategies and a desire to avoid repeating the mistakes their parents made have had a positive effect on millennials’ retirement readiness. Although largely eschewed by boomers, millennials have embraced online apps to help manage money and/or track spending (70 percent versus 24 percent of boomers). And where technology fails, more millennials are happy to use traditional money management methods like a notebook or planner to manage expenses (63 percent versus 28 percent of boomers). Millennials are also more than twice as likely as boomers to set up “tricks,” such as setting up different accounts for different goals, to get themselves to save money (71 percent versus 32 percent of boomers).

Millennials’ more proactive approach with money management is driven by a belief that their parents made financial mistakes and they can do better. Two-thirds (66 percent) of millennials say they are “much better with money” than their parents were and a similar amount (65 percent) say they are uncomfortable with debt because they saw their parents struggle with it. The end result: Millennials have the most confidence of any generation that they’ll be able to fund their life goals (78 percent versus 67 percent boomers and 64 percent Gen X) with one quarter even feeling “extremely confident” they’ll be successful. “Although generations share similar hopes and fears for the future, the fact that they all approach retirement in different ways is testament to the need for more tailored planning that can address both the positives and negatives inherent in each group,” concluded Kelash.

For more information on the Generations Ahead Study, visit www.AllianzLife.com/GenerationsAhead. 

Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, one of FORTUNE’s 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2017, has been keeping its promises since 1896. Today, it carries on that tradition, helping Americans achieve their retirement income and protection goals with a variety of annuities and life insurance products. In 2015, Allianz Life provided a total of $2.6 billion in benefit payments that supported policyholders’ financial objectives. As a leading provider of fixed index annuities, Allianz Life is part of Allianz SE, a global leader in the financial services industry with 142,000 employees in more than 70 countries worldwide. More than 85 million private and corporate customers rely on Allianz knowledge, global reach, and capital strength to help them make the most of financial opportunities.

*The Allianz Generations Ahead Study was conducted by Larson Research + Strategy via online survey in May, 2017 with 3,006 U.S. adults ages 20-70 with a minimum household income of $30K+ and was commissioned by Allianz Life.

For the 70 percent of people older than 65 who the experts say will need long term care at some point in their lives, the costs just notched up again.

According to the Genworth 2017 Cost of Care Survey released recently, the annual median cost of long term care services increased an average of 4.5 percent from 2016 to 2017, the second-highest year-over-year increase for nursing homes and home care since the study began in 2004 and nearly three times the 1.7 percent U.S. rate of inflation.

Although the national median cost of receiving care rose considerably across all care options during the last 12 months, the increase was most pronounced for home health aides:

• Home health aide services, up 6.17 percent to $21.50/hour.
• Homemaker services, up 4.75 percent to $21/hour.
• Adult day health care services, up 2.94 percent to $70/day.
• Assisted living facilities, up 3.36 percent to $123/day or $3,750/month.
• Semi-private room nursing home care, up 4.44 percent to $235/day or $7,148/month.
• Private room nursing home care, up 5.50 percent to $267/day or $8,121/month.

“The purpose of the study is to raise awareness about the cost of aging and help start the conversation about planning for long term care,” said David O’Leary, president and CEO of Genworth’s US Life Division. “We know that most people prefer to begin receiving long term care in their homes and the good news is that home care is still more affordable than nursing home care.”

Labor shortage, tighter Medicare rules contribute to rising care costs
After remaining flat for some time, the cost of care at home has been escalating over the past two to three years.  “That’s due to an increase in labor costs, caused by a shortage of caregivers, increases in minimum wages in some states, and new health insurance and overtime requirements on the part of some providers,” said Noreen Guanci, CEO and co-founder of Long Term Solutions, which provides care coordination services and nurse assessments for Genworth long term care insurance claimants.  

Nursing home costs are increasing due to a combination of higher labor costs and tightened Medicare rules, which have resulted in shortened hospital stays and sicker patients being sent to rehab nursing homes for shorter stays, where costs have risen to cover those chronic medical conditions, she said.

Labor costs also figure into the rising cost of assisted living facilities. Room and board also has increased to accommodate residents who are sicker, but not sick enough to require nursing home care, and the luxurious accommodations that private payers demand, she said.

Most consumers assume the government will pay for care
In a companion consumer sentiment survey conducted in conjunction with the 2017 Cost of Care Survey, two-thirds of respondents said they expect government programs to cover all or part of their long term care costs. But those consumers may be surprised to learn the facts about these government programs.

Medicaid, the largest payor of long term care costs, has strict income and functionality requirements. Medicare will pay for limited nursing home care following a three-day hospital stay, but only if the patient has been formally admitted to a Medicare-certified nursing facility as an in-patient and not for observation, as is increasingly the case.  Medicare also does not pay for home care, if skilled nursing care is not needed.

“Our population is aging, living longer, and not prepared,” O’Leary said. “At Genworth we are focused on this issue every day and know first-hand how aging impacts families. Our hope is that people will take the first step by checking out our Cost of Care website or app to start the conversation about planning for their own long term care needs.”

Genworth’s annual Cost of Care Survey is one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind, covering more than 47,000 long term care providers nationwide who complete surveys for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day health facilities and home care providers. The survey includes 440 regions which include all Metropolitan Statistical Areas defined by the 2015 Office of Management and Budget. Genworth annually surveys the cost of long term care across the U.S. to help Americans plan for the potential cost associated with the various types of long term care available in their preferred location and setting. The survey also provides state-specific cost of care data for all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and comparison to the national median. CareScout®, part of the Genworth Financial family of companies, has conducted the survey since 2004. Located in Waltham, MA, CareScout has specialized in helping families find long term care providers nationwide since 1997. Genworth’s 2017 Cost of Care Survey was conducted during May and June 2017.

Genworth’s companion Long Term Care Consumer Sentiment Study was conducted in collaboration with J&K Solutions, LLC. The data from this omnibus study was collected from an online survey from Sept. 1-4, 2017.  A demographically representative sample of 1,200 adults ages 18 and older across the United States were surveyed, providing a 95 percent confidence level plus or minus three percent.  The sample followed the framework of the U.S. Census data for age, gender, and region. 

Genworth Financial, Inc., is a Fortune 500 insurance holding company committed to helping families achieve the dream of homeownership and address the financial challenges of aging through its leadership positions in mortgage insurance and long term care insurance. Headquartered in Richmond, VA, Genworth traces its roots back to 1871 and became a public company in 2004. For more information, visit www.genworth.com.

Dixon Wells announced the addition of Christopher Soniat to its leadership team.  As senior vice president of sales, marketing and operations for Dixon Wells, he will have direct supervision over those areas of the company.

Soniat’s experience focuses concentration on change planning and implementation, organizational health management, and logistic execution within a growing revenue base. He previously served as regional sales director at Pan-American Life, COO at Harrison James Group, executive director of BRAMCO, and vice president, business development for Highland Capital Brokerage.

Founded in 2009, Dixon Wells (DW) represents the union of five organizations with a combined total of more than a 125 years’ combined experience. This depth of knowledge offers a unique blend of high tech and high touch service to independent financial advisors and insurance brokers. The firm is led by Bill Conwell (Birmingham, AL), Steven Grice (Charlotte, NC), Ray Hunt (Columbia, SC), Robert Flack (Nashville, TN) and Dave Kopelcheck (Columbus, OH), all of which are nationally known and respected in the life insurance and financial services landscape. 

For more information about Dixon Wells, visit www.dixonwells.com.

Mutual of Omaha has completed the realignment of its strategic business units with key customer segments, and has announced leadership of its newly created strategic business units.

Stephen Abels has been promoted to executive vice president of Income and Wealth Planning Solutions, a new business unit addressing the needs of consumers seeking to protect their income and pass wealth on to their families.  In this role, Abels oversees several product lines, including permanent and term life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities and supplemental health products.  He also oversees the company’s underwriting division as well as the agency sales distribution and life brokerage sales distribution.

Abels joined Mutual in 1998 as a senior actuarial assistant.  Since that time, he has had various responsibilities, most recently serving as senior vice president of Individual Pre-Retirement Solutions. 

Abels earned a bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C. and is a Fellow in the Society of Actuaries and a member of both the American Academy of Actuaries and International Actuarial Association.  He also participates as a member of the Disability Insurance Committee for the American Council of Life Insurers.

Scott Ault has been promoted to executive vice president, Workplace Solutions, a new business unit that focuses on solutions for employer groups seeking ancillary benefit plans to attract and retain employees.  In this role, Ault oversees insurance product lines including group life, disability, dental, critical illness and accident insurance.

Ault joined Mutual in April 2004 as a regional vice president.  He was promoted to vice president of group insurance sales in 2005 and most recently served as senior vice president, Benefit Solutions, a position he held since 2006.

Ault received his bachelor’s degree in Risk Management and Insurance from the University of Georgia.  He also served as a Team Leader in Recon, the U.S. Marine Corps’ Special Forces unit.

Stephanie Pritchett has been named chief marketing officer and executive vice president, Departing Well Solutions.  In this role, she leads Mutual’s Enterprise Marketing Division and has assumed responsibility for a new Departing Well Solutions business unit, which addresses traditional life insurance customers’ final expense needs.  Pritchett also has responsibility for the direct to consumer distribution channel supporting the life and health lines of business.

Pritchett joined the company in September 2015 from The Hartford Financial Services Group, where she was chief marketing and strategy officer.  She also has held senior executive marketing positions at USAA and Washington Mutual Bank.

Pritchett earned her bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College and an MBA from Babson College.  She is a board member of Girls, Inc. and a member of the Operating Committee for Mutual of Omaha Mortgage.

Stacy Scholtz has been named Executive Vice President and chief administrative officer.  She has assumed oversight of Emerging and Strategic Solutions, a new strategic business unit that focuses on developing new and existing solutions in retirement plans and special risk for customer-segmented business units.  Scholtz also oversees Corporate Operations.

Scholtz joined Mutual of Omaha in 1991 and has served as an officer in various areas throughout the business.  Prior to her current position, she served as executive vice president of Corporate Operations.

Scholtz received her bachelor’s degree from Creighton University and her master’s degree in public health from the University of Minnesota.

Scholtz is a member of the board of directors for four Mutual of Omaha affiliate companies:  Companion Life Insurance Company, Mutual of Omaha Marketing Corporation, Omaha Indemnity and United World Life Insurance Company.

Mutual of Omaha is a full-service, multi-line organization providing insurance, banking and financial products for individuals, businesses and groups throughout the United States.  For more information about Mutual of Omaha, visit www.mutualofomaha.com. 

The National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies (NAILBA) is pleased to announce that after a nationwide search, Dan LaBert, former executive director of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) has been named as the organization’s new chief executive officer. LaBert will oversee the daily operations of NAILBA, and work with the Board of Directors to continue implementation of the association’s strategic plan while creating new membership experiences and value.

 “I am truly honored to be selected for this position, and I look forward to serving the needs of independent wholesale life brokerage agencies, and helping lead the way in protecting their interests,” said LaBert.

“On behalf of the board and the search committee, I can’t begin to tell you how excited we are to have Dan LaBert as the new NAILBA chief executive.  We have an exciting time facing us as an organization, and having the right leader at the helm was our goal as a board and selection committee.  We believe Dan has the leadership qualities we are looking for to lead NAILBA for many years to come,” said NAILBA Chairman Jim Sorebo.

Prior to joining NACBA (3,500 members), LaBert served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (22,000 members), where he led a 51-person team and managed a $10 million budget. LaBert is also the founding executive director for the Brewers of Pennsylvania, the state’s official beer guild. His early career experiences includes multiple positions with the Leadership Institute, a nationwide nonprofit and nonpartisan leadership training organization.

Like many NAILBA members, LaBert is an entrepreneur. In 2015, he formed FWA Consultants, a keynote speakers’ bureau and consulting agency for some of the country’s finest retired military leaders. The United States Secretary of Defense, General James Mattis, describes LaBert as a “hard charger with excellent leadership skills.”

 LaBert was named to the Fastcase 50 list (2015) which highlights entrepreneurs, innovators, and trailblazers—people who have charted a new course for the delivery of legal service. He received the Eastern Pennsylvania Business Journal Executive Spotlight Award in 2011 and Top 20 Under 40 Executives in 2010.

Prior to transferring to Pennsylvania State University where he earned a B.S. in political science, LaBert attended the University of Buffalo for three years on a full athletic scholarship in football. He served on the Board of Directors for Penn State Alumni Association—Atlanta, the Board of Governors for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, the executive committee of the Lehigh Valley Consortium of Professional Associations, and the Board of Directors for The First Tee of the Lehigh Valley.

LaBert can be reached at the NAILBA office, beginning November 6, at 703.383.3066 or dlabert@nailba.org. 

The National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies (NAILBA) is the premiere insurance industry organization promoting financial security and consumer choice through the use of independent brokerage distribution. For more information visit www.nailba.org.