Christopher L. Gandy, a member of the 2021 National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) Board of Trustees and the president of NAIFA’s Chicagoland chapter, spoke on behalf of NAIFA at a National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) meeting of the NAIC’s Special Committee on Race and Insurance.

Gandy spoke about the need for insurance and financial products and services, as well as financial literacy education, in diverse communities. He discussed the industry’s need for greater diversity in the ranks of insurance and financial services professionals to reach underserved communities.

"Wouldn't it make sense for insurance companies from top down to look like their constituencies and the public they serve?" Gandy told the Commissioners and other attendees.

He also spoke about the work of NAIFA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. "NAIFA seeks to change the insurance industry change from the inside out and make diversity, equity, inclusion, and acceptance part of our DNA," he said.

Gandy entered the insurance and financial services industry in 1999 after playing professional basketball for the Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs as well as in L’Hermaine, France. He has been a NAIFA member since 2003. Gandy serves on NAIFA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force and is a member of the NAIFA 2025 Strategic Planning Committee. He is a highly sought after speaker for industry events and has been featured in such publications as Advisors Magazine, GQ, and InsuranceNewsNet.

“I would like to thank Commissioners Marlene Caride of New Jersey and Mark Afable of Wisconsin for inviting me to speak at this meeting,” Gandy said. “It is crucial that policymakers and leaders within the insurance industry understand and address disparities and inequities that impact the financial wellbeing of all Americans, particularly those in diverse communities that have been traditionally underserved.”