Advocacy in action blog

NAIFA is proud to announce that John M. Ruckel, LUTCF, a Financial Professional with MassMutual and owner of Ruckel Insurance and Financial Group in Nacogdoches, Texas, is the 2024 recipient of NAIFA’s Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award.

On August 18, 1966, NAIFA formed the Insurance and Financial Advisors Political Action Committee (IFAPAC) as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. Then known as LUPAC, it was created "to engage in voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns, compile voting records of individual members of Congress, and implement nonpartisan courses designed to stimulate citizen involvement in politics," according to NAIFA's magazine at the time. The PAC also solicited "contributions to aid selected Congressional candidates," the publication said.

Last month, NAIFA-NC signed up 10 new contributors to NAIFA's political action committee, IFAPAC, in one day. Congratulations to these individuals who joined the ranks of NAIFA members working together to advocate for the individuals, families, and small businesses that make up Main Street USA, and a special thank you to NAIFA-NC IFAPAC Chair Elie Aharon, LACP, LUTCF.

NAIFA is proud to announce that Robert A. Miller, M.S., M.A., Partner at Miller-Pomerantz Insurance and Financial Services in New York City, is the recipient of NAIFA’s Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award.

Miller, a loyal member since 1983, was NAIFA’s national President for the 2011-2012 term. He had previously served as President of the NAIFA-New York state chapter and NAIFA-New York City. He was elected to the NAIFA Board of Trustees in 2005 and has served as trustee liaison to the CEO Outreach Program, the Young Advisor Team, and the Corporate Partnerships Program. He also served as chair of the NAIFA Governance Committee and was a member of the NAIFA Finance Committee.

The inaugural Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award will recognize a current NAIFA member who shows exemplary service to their profession, colleagues, and clients through their political advocacy and contributions to IFAPAC.

The deadline to nominate a NAIFA member for the award is Sept. 30.

NAIFA has announced the inaugural Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award, which will recognize a current NAIFA member who shows exemplary service to their profession, colleagues, and clients through their political advocacy and contributions to IFAPAC.

It’s not just luck that makes NAIFA the leading political advocacy association for insurance and financial professionals in the United States. It takes hard work, a dedicated and informed membership and strong leadership throughout our association chapters. Today’s NAIFA Leadership Blueprint training focused on advocacy to ensure that chapter volunteer leaders have the training and resources they need to empower their states’ NAIFA members and build on NAIFA’s advocacy strength.