NAILBA Perspectives - July 2017 - 7

chairman's corner

JAMES SOREBO

NAILBA is currently experiencing a time of transition, a situation
that presents us with both challenges and opportunities. The three
transitional events I am referring to are the retirement of NAILBA's
Chief Executive Officer Jack Chiasson, the implementation of the
new three-year strategic plan, and our participation in the Industry
Alignment Group of Concerned Carriers and Associations (IAG).

NAILBA CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Hail and farewell,
Jack Chiasson, CAE
Jack Chiasson announced his retirement effective May 31, 2017 after
13 years working for our association.
He never considered his work here as
just a job, describing his position as
"the highlight of my career." Working
with NAILBA's outstanding staff and
dedicated volunteer leaders was for
him a fitting end to a long career of
employment with varied associations
in different industries.
For the past thirteen years Jack
has done a great job at NAILBA,
first serving as Director of Meetings
and Conventions before advancing
to the CEO role in 2007. We will all
remember him for his selfless contributions and significant accomplishments achieved while at the same
time managing an outstanding staff
dedicated to our leading insurance
association. We offer him our thanks
and appreciation as he heads off to
a new life in New Mexico. Be sure
to offer your good wishes to Jack
during our 2017 Annual Meeting
November 16-18 in Hollywood, FL.
The Executive Committee of the
Board of Directors has organized a
Search Committee to select a new
CEO in accordance with the NAILBA
Succession Plan adopted in 2015.
The Search Committee will work
with an executive search firm to find
just the right person for the job.

Deputy CEO Susan Klemmer is ably
serving as Interim CEO until the new
CEO joins the staff.
NAILBA's New Strategic Plan
After months of collecting data
from our members and studying our
association with the help of consultant Tecker International, NAILBA's
Board-with the help of an outside consultant, and incorporating
feedback from member surveys-
developed a new three-year strategic plan in March. Designed to point
the best way forward in the current insurance and economic environment, the plan identifies NAILBA
as essential to the future success of
independent distribution.
An array of objectives to be initiated during the next three years
to support NAILBA's goals have been
assigned high, medium, and low priorities with the intention of starting
all of the high priority tasks within the next fiscal year. These goals
cover the areas of BGA education,
IMO alignment, the annual meeting, membership growth, and carrier
relationships. Visit www.nailba.org
(About/Strategic Plan) to learn the
strategic plan's details.
Implementing the plan is not a
top down management or staff-run
enterprise. The help of all of
NAILBA's members will be needed
to make it a reality. Assistance from

committee members and NAILBA
members whose firms belong to
IMOs will be especially appreciated.
Read the plan, think of how you
might be able to help support a plan
objective, and contact me or the
NAILBA staff (chairman@nailba.org
or info@nailba.org) to volunteer
your services.
The IAG
Since 2016, a group of life insurance industry associations, including NAILBA, and insurance carriers have been working to find a way
to improve our industry's political
advocacy, training and education,
and promotion. The other member
associations involved are AALU, the
National Association of Insurance
and Financial Advisors (NAIFA),
GAMA, Women in Insurance and
Financial Services (WIFS), Forum
400, the Society of Financial Service
Professionals, the American College,
and Life Happens.
Called the Industry Alignment
Group of Concerned Carriers and
Associations or IAG, its goal is to
identify and enhance the strengths
of each association and find ways
everyone can work together so the
industry speaks with one voice
when talking with elected state and
federal government leaders, insurance carriers, and government regulators. The group consists of about

20 people, including leaders of the
member associations and the managers of distribution or the political
affairs representatives of carriers
Northwestern Mutual, Mass Mutual,
Guardian, New York Life, and Principal Financial Group. Chaired by
Warren May of Principal Financial,
the IAG meets several times a year
either in person or by conference
call. I represent NAILBA on the IAG.
At the meeting held in May 2017,
the group's members made a unanimous decision to continue the
alignment process and to prepare
Statement of Collaboration all IAG
members agreed to sign. Look for
this joint statement in all of our
regular communications outlets
(NAILBA Now, NAILBA Network,
websites) later this summer.
Your place
The article beginning on page 10 on
The Future of NAILBA will give you
more details about the strategic plan
and the IAG. Think of ways you can
help NAILBA implement the strategic
plan now and how you can help the
IAG move forward with its alignment
efforts when they call for volunteers.
These are not easy tasks, but I know
we are up to these challenges and
can make the most of these opportunities. Independent distribution is
depending on us.
www.nailba.org 7

http://www.nailba.org http://www.nailba.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NAILBA Perspectives - July 2017