2008 Convention and Leadership Training
Team Texas Forum '08
May 2-3, 2008
Austin Airport Hilton
TLRT Roundup & NAIFA-Texas Annual Meeting
July 24-26, 2008
Inn of the Hills
Kerrville, TX |
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Become a part of the NAIFA-Texas political network by becoming a Key Contact for your lawmaker. Key contacts:
-Deliver PAC checks to candidate fundraisers;
-Respond to Action Alerts during the legislative session; and
- Answer questions from lawmakers regarding insurance and regulatory issues.
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Join TLRT Today!
Texas Leaders Round Table is Texas' own honor organization, committed to highlighting the accomplishments of Texas insurance agents and financial advisors who excel in representing their companies and clients.
Registration for TLRT membership is open until March 31. Members of TLRT receive substantial savings at the July TLRT Roundup.
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Advocacy in Action
Advocacy: AG Opinion Requested
on Administration of 403(b) Plans
The practice of certain companies to offer third party administration(TPA) services at a nominal or reduced fee, well below the market rate charged by independent TPAs for the same services, is the focus of a request (RQ-0653-GA) for an opinion to Attorney General Greg Abbott.
Texas law prohibits certain practices by educational institutions offering 403(b) plans to employees including "[the acceptance of] any benefit from a company or from an agent or affiliate of a company that offers qualified investment products..." See Section 9 (a)(6), Article 6228a-5, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes. "Specifically," asks State Rep. Vicki Truitt, chair of the House Committee on Pensions and Investments, "does an educational institution violate [the law] if the institution contracts with a TPA [that is owned by or otherwise affiliated with a company] and the TPA provides its services for free, for a nominal fee, or at a reduced rate?"
NAIFA-Texas CEO/CLO Des Taylor is conferring with interested parties to decide how best for NAIFA-Texas to weigh in with General Abbott on the merits of the legal questions at issue.
Update: TDI Rules for Replacement of Life
Insurance Policies and Annuities Filed
Texas Department of Insurance has filed with the Office of the Secretary of State the adoption order for rules relating to the replacement of certain life insurance policies and annuity contracts. The rules were published in the Texas Register on December 21, 2007.
A copy of the rules may be accessed from TDI's Web site at http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/rules/2007/documents/3.9501-3.9506.pdf. |
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NAIFA-Texas News
Out with the old, in with the new: 2008 Brings Relocation of NAIFA-Texas Headquarters
 On December 31, 2007, the close of sale was completed on NAIFA-Texas headquarters, located just south of downtown Austin on Interstate 35. Earlier this month, the NAIFA-Texas board of directors approved a site for relocation in the heart of Austin's legislative, regulatory and financial district at the intersection of 6th Street and Congress Avenue.
515 Congress Avenue, the new headquarters of NAIFA-Texas, is a 26-story high rise office building. Housing some of Austin's top lawyers, lobbyists and other professionals, 515 Congress is just six blocks from the Texas State Capitol Building and four blocks from the Texas Department of Insurance. Additionally, the building is several blocks away from the Headliners and Austin Clubs, favorite venues for Texas' decision makers and lobbyists. Other insurance related associations including the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas and the Texas Association of Life and Health Insurers make their headquarters within five or six blocks of 515 Congress.
"The board's decision to relocate at 515 Congress is a reiteration of our commitment to be a major player in the legislative and regulatory process affecting insurance agents and financial advisors," said NAIFA-Texas President Alan Carl, RHU, RECB.
With a lease contract being finalized, NAIFA-Texas is expected to move its operations in April.
Listen and Learn Tour Makes Texas Stop
NAIFA CEO John Healy, CAE will be in Texas this week as part of his national "Listen and Learn" tour. Healy, who took the reigns of NAIFA leadership after the retirement of David Woods in September, is using his tour to visit with NAIFA members across the country.
Healy will make stops in Dallas and Houston, visiting one-on-one with selected leaders in each city and spending time with the board members of NAIFA-Dallas and NAIFA-Houston.
Five Texans to Attend Joint NAIFA-AALU Seminar
Five Texans are among the 25-plus NAIFA members selected to participate in the first ever Joint NAIFA and AALU IMPACT educational seminar on Thursday and Friday, February 7-8, in New Orleans. Lane Boozer of NAIFA-Texoma, Alyson Guest of NAIFA-Houston, Scott Wollenberg of NAIFA-Houston, Karen Easterling of NAIFA-Austin and Christi Daughenbaugh of NAIFA-Dallas will participate in an intensive two-day training meeting which will teach them how best to interact with members of the state and federal legislatures. The ultimate goal is to demonstrate to lawmakers that insurance agents and financial advisors have a stake in and care about the changes made to the nation's tax code and regulations governing the products and services that NAIFA members present to their clients.
Up to 50 NAIFA Advisors Political Involvement Committee (APIC) contacts per year for the next five years will have a chance to enroll in the IMPACT program, which is considered one of the most sophisticated in the industry. NAIFA's grassroots strength can only increase as a result of the IMPACT "graduates" rededicating themselves to the cause of educating their members of Congress on the fundamentals of the broad and complicated economic spectrum in which they work.
In recent times, several legislators have advocated tax reform ideas that could adversely impact the portfolios of financially responsible consumers. NAIFA members must continue to stay ahead of the curve by making sure that their elected representatives know the potential impact that regulatory changes could have on the U.S. savings rate and other areas should the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee and U.S. Senate Finance Committee start tinkering with the tax code.
For more information please visit the IFAPAC section of NAIFA's website at www.naifa.org/ifapac
NAIFA-Texas Remembers
J. Oliver Jackson died Dec. 26, 2007 in Abilene. He was 87. Oliver was senior vice president and director of marketing for American Founders Life Insurance Company in Austin for 20 years. He had previously managed their agency in Lubbock. He was a strong personal supporter of TALU and was instrumental in the company participating in TALU activities and events.
J. Cullum Thompson died in Dallas on October 9, 2007. He was 83. Cullum was another good friend and association supporter. He was president of United Fidelity Insurance Company and founded M. Cullum Thompson & Associates in 1983 before joining the company leadership.
Mark Tolle died on September 20, 2007 in Dallas. He was 76. Mark was an agent and a member of TALU and TLRT. He was a TLRT Roundup speaker.
Jimmy Tallent died on January 7 in Tyler, Texas. A 50 year member of TALU/NAIFA-Texas, Tallent entered the insurance industry after his graduation from Stephen F. Austin University and under the advisement of State Senator Lloyd Bentson.
Robert Sneed, former TALU General Counsel and recipient of the TLRT Outstanding Achievement Award died January 13 in Austin.
Sneed was a distinguished Austin attorney who represented TALU until 1967. In his professional and always honorable style, he resigned after the 1967 legislative session due to a possible conflict of interest with an organization of insurance companies he also represented. He continued to hold a high regard for agents and for TALU.
Sneed's integrity was above reproach. He was an expert in zoning, land title and insurance law and authored major sections of the Insurance Code. He was instrumental in helping TALU pass the Association Group Bill in 1961 and the Unauthorized Insurers Regulatory Act and License Renewal Bill in 1967.
Sneed was recognized by TLRT in 1990 when he was honored for his outstanding contributions to the insurance industry in Texas with the TLRT Outstanding Achievement Award. Obituary Contributed by former TALU CEO Ken Tooley
LILI Profile: Eddie Tate, ChFC, CLU, LUTCF of NAIFA-Fort Worth
Photo: Eddie Tate (far right) accepts the Jack E. Bobo Award for NAIFA Fort Worth. Also pictured (from right to left): Charles Booth, David Woods and Ray Griffith.
Q. What interested you in the LILI Program?
A. Participation in the LILI program is a way to improve my knowledge and skills in leadership which will result in becoming a better member of NAIFA, as the success of NAIFA is vital to every licensed agent in the country. Also important is the opportunity to work with other successful people in my industry, sharing ideas and developing new relationships resulting in giving me a broader insight into what we do.
Q. What are your expectations of the program?
A. LILI will enable me to be a better agent for my clients, a better father and husband for my family and overall, a better member of the community. This is what interested me in the LILI program.
Q. How are you currently involved in your local?
A. Currently I am National Committeeperson for Fort Worth and attend every luncheon and board meeting, work with several of the committees and attend state and national conventions representing my local. I enjoy mentoring new members and working with membership recruitment and the political action and political involvement committees and will support my local association in any way I can be of service.
Q. What is the greatest asset that you bring to the LILI program?
A. As mentioned in my answer to question 6 of the LILI candidate application, my greatest asset to bring to the LILI program is life and leadership experience (successes as well as failures) and how to handle and learn from both.
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