THE NEWSLETTER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL ADVISORS - OMAHA • APRIL 2011

EVENT DETAILSDate:

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Time:Buffet Opens: 11 a.m.

Program: 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Location:Champions Run Country Club

13800 Eagle Run Drive • Omaha, NE

Speakers:Chris Insinger

Heritage Financial Services

Tanya PatznerState Farm Insurance

Nick Ramaekers, LUTCF P.J. Ramaekers & Associates

Dan Scholz, CLU, ChFCAmeritas Life Insurance Corp.

Topic:“Sizzling Sales Ideas fromNAIFA-Omaha All-Stars”

Cost:NAIFA-Omaha Members – No Charge

Guests – $20 (Payable at the Door)

April 21 Professional Development LuncheonOrientation Meeting for

New and Prospective Members

Our April 21 luncheon program willbring you new ideas and timeless tips tofine-tune prospecting techniques, grab theattention of clients and prospects, closemore sales, and boost your bottom line.

Some of our association’s top producerswill provide you with profitable ideas andproven strategies. The panel will include:• Chris Insinger joined Heritage Finan-cial Services in 1999 after being associatedwith Fowler Life and Health Insurance fornine years. She holds securities registra-tions, Series 6, 63, and 65 and is workingto achieve her 7. Chris served as a pastboard member of NAIFA-Omaha and isan 11-year Life and Qualifying Memberof the Million Dollar Round Table. She isan investment advisor representative andregistered representative of Securian Fi-nancial Services, Inc.• Tanya Patzner is a second generationState Farm agent and has been with StateFarm since 1993. She is a 2008 “40 Un-der 40” Award Recipient from theMidlands Business Journal, a past boardmember with Junior Achievement, andcurrently is serving as a valuable memberof our NAIFA-Omaha membership com-mittee.• Nick Ramaekers, LUTCF, CFS of P.J.Ramaekers & Associates has worked in theindustry since 1994. In 1996 and 1997,he was named “agent of the year” as a topproducer at United Life Insurance. He isa member of MDRT (15 consecutiveyears) and was named to the MDRTCourt of the Table in 2008.• Dan Scholz, CLU, ChFC has been aNAIFA-Omaha member since 1976 andwas our 1998 Agent of the Year. He pe-rennially ranks among the top 10 AmeritasLife Insurance Company agents nation-wide, has qualified for all company tripseach year since 1977, and is a 32-year Lifeand Qualifying Member of MDRT. Hehas qualified for Court of the Table.

To make this meeting a success, we wantto hear from you! If there are specific is-sues, questions, challenges, etc. that youwould like to have our panel address,please let us know by e-mailing ExecutiveVP Joe Pittman at naifa@cam-omaha.com.

Prior to the luncheon meeting on April21, NAIFA-Omaha will hold an Orien-tation Meeting for new and prospectivemembers (and their mentors) from 10:30to 11:15 a.m. at Champions Run Coun-try Club.

NAIFA-Omaha Board members willconduct the meeting. They will provideattendees with information about NAIFAmember benefits and helpful tips on howto build a successful career in insuranceand financial services.

We didn’t have a winner at the March meeting, sowe’ve added another $25 to the jackpot and will tryagain on April 21. ALL current NAIFA-Omaha mem-bers are eligible to win this drawing, whichconcludes our monthly membership luncheon.But you must be present to win!

Cash Jackpot Up to $450!

Reservations are now being accepted forthe annual NAIFA-Omaha “Client Appre-ciation” Golf Classic. This year’s event isMonday, June 20 and will be held at OakHills Country Club, 12325 Golfing GreenDrive.

The event will get under way with ashotgun start at Noon. The cost is just$100 per person — or $400 per foursomeand includes a delicious barbeque dinneronce play is completed. AFTER JUNE 1,the cost goes up to $110 per person or$440 per foursome.

To register, download the registrationform from our website atwww.naifanet.com/omaha.

This fun event is a great way for you totreat some key clients or friends to a dayat the golf course. Anyone and everyonecan participate — co-workers, office staff,friends, and family are all welcome!

We also have many opportunities forsponsorship available. Information onsponsorship benefits is included in thebrochure. For more information contactgolf committee chairman Joe Miller, CLULUTCF at 402-934-7887 Ext 401 orjoe.miller@american-national.com.

NAIFA-Omaha Golf Classic Set forJune 20 at Oak Hills Country Club

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A Message From NAIFA-Omaha President Mark Scott, LUTCF, FSS

Springtime is Finally Here!

When spring rolls around, the NAIFA-Omaha fiscal year is winding down. Eventhough our 2010-11 year is coming to a closeon June 30, there are loads of activities com-ing in a short amount of time and I wantedto incorporate a quick reminder. We hopeto see everyone at the luncheon on April 21featuring an “All-Star” line-up of NAIFA-Omaha members!

The NAIFA-NAHU Joint Conference set for May 11-13at LaVista’s Embassy Suites is packedwith educational opportunities, in-cluding Ethics continuingeducation, practice managementideas, sales ideas, plenty of networking opportunities, and awhole lot of motivational sessions. You won’t find a bettervalue than this conference.

For all the golfers (and hackers like me) there’s the NAIFA-Omaha Annual Golf Outing on Monday, June 20 at OakHills Country Club. Another event coming soon is theNAIFA-Omaha Night at the Storm Chasers on June 10.This is the first year for the Storm Chasers in their newstadium and we’re excited to be part of their inaugural year!

Don’t miss out on these great opportunities!

THE ADVISOR PAGE 3

Name Company Sponsored ByAkil Davis Farm Bureau Josh Blecha

Financial ServicesScott Girvan Farm Bureau Paul Jensen

Financial ServicesRodney Goben Principal Financial Mike Struebing

GroupPhillip Guenette Farm Bureau Mike Struebing

Financial ServicesJeffrey Hardy Principal Financial Ruth Wassinger

GroupJared Lahman Curnes Financial Paula Harris

GroupKyle Lake Shelter Insurance Josh BlechaAngie Lintz State Farm Cara ColvertJohn Marasco Continuum Financial Josh BlechaDavid Morar Farmers Ins. Group Tim IversonJohn Niemann State Farm Tim SimmonsMonica Rodriguez State Farm Tim SimmonsBrook Schumacher Farm Bureau Sherry Leriger

Financial ServicesAndy Slattery Modern Woodmen of AmericaAlan Sorensen John Hancock Nate LarsenMerle Spaulding First Command Todd Gaswick

Financial ServicesJames Treece Premier Insurance Joe Miller

PartnersTyler White Northwestern Mutual Mike TewsLisa Williams Heritage Financial Mark Scott

Services

Name CompanyJoe Barker Continuum FinancialCharlotte Beardmore State FarmBrian Biggerstaff Prudential FinancialFrank Bisarek Farmers Insurance GroupJim Blazek Blazek & AssociatesJeff Chisham State FarmTimothy Connor Physicians Mutual Ins. Co.Charles Cook PrudentialBarbara Cook Curnes Financial GroupNathan Fichter Retirement Solutions GroupRandy Fields Heritage Financial ServicesKeith Frederick Humana Insurance Co.Jack Hawk AAA Life Insurance Co.Ron Hill Principal Financial GroupMichael Kidd Farmers Insurance GroupRon Lee Mutual of OmahaAndrea Maleki State FarmDewey Meyer Mutual of OmahaSandra Miles Farm Bureau Financial Services

THE ADVISOR PAGE 4

NAIFA-OMAHA MEMBERSHIP UPDATEWELCOME! THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS HAVE RECENTLY JOINED NAIFA

THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS HAVE RECENTLY RENEWED THEIR MEMBERSHIPS

Name CompanyJulie Null Shelter InsuranceLisa Obermeyer Continuum FinancialRoger Olson Physicians MutualTeresa Pursley AflacShawn Rediger McGill, Rediger & Simmons LLCSteve Rohrig Mutual of OmahaWesley Siebert Continuum FinancialA.J. Skar Mutual of OmahaLisa Skinner Transamerica Brokerage Svcs.Thomasina Skipper State FarmAnthony Skrdlant Mutual of OmahaGary Stanek Lincoln Financial AdvisorsKen Stevens Curnes Financial GroupRonald Stortz Stortz Financial GroupMike Sufficool AXA AdvisorsJames Taylor Farmers Insurance GroupMichael Varney Farmers Insurance Group

Just a reminder — if you have an April 1 renewal date andhave not yet renewed, your membership renewal is now pastdue and your membership has officially lapsed! It’s easy to re-new online — just go to www.naifa.org. If you have anyquestions or concerns about your membership status, pleasecontact Joe Pittman at the NAIFA-Omaha office, managedby Creative Association Management, at (402) 397-0280.

Since the National Membership Month contest began onFeb. 22, more than 900 new members have joined the NAIFATeam nationwide — including more than 20 new NAIFA-Omaha members! Thank you All-Stars and welcome newNAIFA members!

To make this a truly winning season to remember, we’re tak-ing the contest into extra innings through April 18. Now is thetime to sign up your draft picks and become an All-Star!

As a reminder:• Each current NAIFA member who recruits three to five newmembers between Feb. 22, 2011, and April 18, 2011, will re-ceive a check from NAIFA for $100 in May 2011.• Each current NAIFA member who recruits six or more newmembers between Feb. 22, 2011, and April 18, 2011, will re-ceive a check from NAIFA for $300 in May 2011.

Don’t forget to visit the NAIFA Membership Month websitefor tips, testimonials and tools on drafting new recruits. Seecomplete rules at www.naifamembershipmonth.com/rules.html.

For more information contact NAIFA-Omaha membershipchairman Rich Mangiameli at (402) 398-5068 orrmangiameli@jcmcgill.com.

NAIFA Membership Drive: Extra Innings!

THE ADVISOR PAGE 5

I plan to attend the following event(s) on Thursday, April 21 (Check One or Both Events):_____ New Member Orientation Session (Free to All Members and Guests)_____ NAIFA-Omaha Luncheon (NAIFA-Omaha Members – FREE; Guests – $20)

YOUR NAME __________________________________________________________________

YOUR GUEST(S)NAME COMPANY

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

CONFIRMATION OF ATTENDANCE

NAIFA-OMAHA LUNCHEON AND NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION SESSION

LOCATION: CHAMPIONS RUN COUNTRY CLUB, 13800 Eagle Run Drive

NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION: 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.BUFFET LINE OPEN: 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

PROGRAM: 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.

You can confirm your attendance via one of the following ways:• Complete this form and fax it to NAIFA-Omaha at 397-0283

(no cover page necessary)• Mail to NAIFA-Omaha at P.O. Box 24133, Omaha, NE 68124• Call the NAIFA-Omaha/Creative Association Management office at 397-0280.

Simply leave a voicemail message if no one is available to take your call.• Send an e-mail to the NAIFA-Omaha office at naifa@cam-omaha.com

To confirm your attendance at one or both of these events,please advise us by NOON on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20

NAIFA-Omaha Members – FREE; Non-Members – $20

Thursday, April 21

THE ADVISOR PAGE 6

On March 27 dur-ing the Spring NAICmeeting, NAIFAPresident TerryHeadley (of HeadleyFinancial Group inOmaha) explained tostate insurance regu-lators the urgent need to remove agentcommissions from the medical loss ratio(MLR) provision of the health care reformlaw.

Headley’s testimony focused on threemain points:1. Producers’ services are needed by con-

sumers throughout theprocess; notjust at the point of sale;

2. We’re small businesses and need to befairly compensated in order to con-tinue providing service;

3. The new requirements are adverselyimpacting consumers’ access to pro-fessionally-licensed and trained insur-ance producers, without an alternative

means of ensuring that consumersreceive personalized assistance.

A number of NAIC’s new commission-ers expressed concern about moving tooquickly on the issue. There were 20 newcommissioners in attendance who are un-familiar with the issue.

The NAIC Professional Health Insur-ance Advisors Task Force delayed actionto allow the NAIC staff to provide sub-stantial data that it will use to decidewhether to support the request to endorseH.R. 1206, the “Access to ProfessionalHealth Insurance Advisors Act of 2011.”The NAIFA-backed legislation was intro-duced on March 17 by Reps. Mike Rogers(R-MI) and John Barrow (D-GA).

NAIC support will prove to be especiallyhelpful in the Senate where SenatorsFranken (D-MN) and Rockefeller (D-WV) have expressed opposition to the bill.

NAIFA remains hopeful that the NAICwill ultimately endorse the legislation.

NAIFA will also conduct a survey of ourmembers to assist the NAIC with theirdata collection. Please watch for the briefsurvey in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, we will continue tobuild support for swift Congressional ac-tion to modify this well-intentionedprovision that is having disastrous effectson consumer services provided by licensedprofessionals.

Your response to the recent GovAlert hasresulted in double the number of spon-sors for this corrective legislation. If youhave not contacted your Representative,please do so today.

For more information, go to the “Ad-vocacy” page of the NAIFA Nationalwebsite at www.naifa.org.

Headley Urges NAIC to Endorse MLR Fix

THE ADVISOR PAGE 7

April21 Membership Luncheon

May11-13 NAIFA/NAHU Joint Conference

at LaVista Embassy Suites

June2 Membership Luncheon10 NAIFA Night at the Omaha Storm Chasers20 NAIFA-Omaha Golf Classic

at Oak Hills Country Club

UPCOMING EVENTS

All luncheons will be at Champions Run Country Club,13800 Eagle Run Drive.

Watch for more information on these and other eventscoming soon!

THE ADVISOR PAGE 8

The deadline to apply for the 2011 NAIFAQuality Award has been extended to May 1. Youcan apply online today at www.naifa.org.

For 65 years, NAIFA’s Industry Awards Programhas recognized excellence among insurance advi-sors. The new NAIFA Quality Award updates the traditionalindustry award program to provide opportunities for all NAIFAmembers, regardless of practice specialty, to demonstrate to yourclients and peers your commitment to quality.

The NAIFA Quality Award recognizes advisors in any careerstage and in any practice specialty for your commitment toexceptional:• Professionalism through education and earned industry

designations,• Production measured by performance metrics customized

for each practice specialty,• Adherence to the NAIFA Code of Ethics, and• Service to your industry association.

Applicants have the option of meeting separate criteria ineach practice specialty of Life Insurance & Annuities, Finan-cial Advising & Investments, Health Insurance & EmployeeBenefits, or Multiline Sales. Applicants also may combine pro-duction from multiple practice specialties as part of the award’smultiplier bonus system.

Questions? Please contact Matt Burruss, Program Manager,Professional Development & Education at mburruss@naifa.org.

The next CLU/ChFC/CFP® class to be offered will beHS321– Income Taxation.

This course examines the federal income tax system withparticular reference to the taxation of individuals. Covers suchconcepts as gross income, exclusions from gross income, de-ductions, tax credits, capital gains and losses, taxation of lifeinsurance and annuities, and income taxation of partners, part-nerships, corporations, and shareholders.

• CFP® & ChFC — Required;CLU — Elective

• 21 CE credits for Nebraska• 36 CE credits for Iowa — $36.00

CE reporting fee for Iowa

This is a Horizons Course, so the class will consist of text-book material as well as a DVD presentation at each class. Wewill meet every Wednesday morning from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.in the Nebraska General Office of New York Life (located atapprox. 144th and Dodge St. in Omaha).

Classes will begin on May 11. This will be a 12-week coursewith an independent final exam to be taken in the third quar-ter of 2011.

The course itself, including the testing, is $599. There is alsoa $25 S&H fee for your books, which are sent directly to theaddress you have specified on the enrollment form. CE creditsare free in Nebraska and $36 in Iowa. Credit card informationis preferred for payment. If paid by check, The American Col-

CLU – ChFC - CFP® Class Being Offered - HS321: Income Taxationlege requires the check to clear the bank before they will shipyour books and this holds up the process considerably.

Please feel free to forward this information to any other in-terested parties. If you have any questions or concerns, pleasecontact Carrie McIntosh at (712) 642-9447 orcmmcintosh@ft.newyorklife.com.

NAIFA Quality Award Deadline Extended!

Brokerage Services, Inc.

Put UsOn Your

Staff

Neal A. Thomas, CLU, ChFC(402) 483.4138 • (800) 798.1155

Lincoln

Lisa Skinner (402) 456.7330(888) 334.0526 Herman

Omaha

• How do I protect my business againstadverse legislation?

• How does a PAC protect my businessinterests?

• Why is it important to belong to the PAC?• How does the PAC work in the best interest of your clients

and consumers?

Join us for a pre-meeting on Thursday April 21 at 10:30a.m. at Champions Run Country Club.

We will view a short video on the importance of politicalaction and why it is needed, followed by a short Q&A session.

“Every person owes a part of their time and money to the businessor industry in which they are engaged. No person has a moral rightto withhold their support from an organization that is striving toimprove conditions within their sphere.”—Theodore Roosevelt

April 21 Informational Meeting for Your PAC

THE ADVISOR PAGE 9

Photo Montage From the NAIFA-Omaha March Meeting

From top left to right: New Members David Morar of Farmers; Judy Tolliver of New York Life; Craig Fabrikant of AXAAdvisors; Kelli Sears of Brokerage Services/Transamerica; Speaker Jeffrey Pirruccello of McGrath North; Mark Nasser of theOmaha Storm Chasers; Ruth Wassinger of Principal; Guest Jeff Hardy of Principal; Garrett Karthauser of Principal; VariousMembers.

NAIFA-Omaha HeadquartersP.O. Box 24133

Omaha, NE 68124

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Make Plans to Attend the 2011 NAIFA/NAHU Joint ConferenceInspiration ... Ideas ... Solutions

• Learn from some of the finest mindsin the financial services industry

• Re-energize with motivational andinspirational presentations

• Exchange ideas with the state’s mostsuccessful insurance and financialadvisors

Featured Speakers:

Don Yaeger — award-winninginspirational speaker and noted businessleadership coach: “What Makes theGreat Ones Great?”

Kip Gregory — communications andtechnology guru to the financial servicesindustry: “Simple Strategies forMaximizing Productivity.”

Embassy Suites • LaVista, Nebraska

Tom Hegna — Vice-President,New York Life Insurance Company“Powerful Language and SimpleSolutions to Bring Your Clients aGuaranteed Retirement”

Stacy Allison — the first Americanwoman to climb Mt. Everest: “Beyond theLimits: Lessons Learned from Everest”

Carl Pelini — Husker Football Coach “Coffee With the Coach”

For Additional InformationPlus Registration Details,

Visit Our Website:www.nejointconference.com