LEADERSHIP

Tom Cothron, LUTCF, FSCP, entered the business in 1979 and joined NAIFA in 1981. In 1986, he was appointed as an Agency Manager for Southern Farm Bureau and manages a multi-line agency in Ocala, FL. He has been named Agency Manager of the Year several times and has also been chosen to receive Florida Farm Bureau’s Team Player Award on multiple occasions.

Cothron served as a NAIFA local chapter President in Ocala, FL in 1995 and 2002, as NAIFA-Florida president in 2008-2009, and served on NAIFA’s national board of Trustees from 2011-2015. In 2007 he was asked to serve on the “NAIFA In The 21^st Century” (NAIFA 21) strategic planning task force and after rotating off the national board in 2015 was asked to serve as a member of the “NAIFA 2020” strategic planning group. He was the 2011 recipient of NAIFA-Florida’s highest award as Advisor of the Year being named as the recipient of the “C.G. Snead/J.F. Bryan, III Memorial Award for Outstanding Service”. He has served as a LUTCF moderator and is a graduate of NAIFA’s Leadership In Life Institute.

Cothron serves as a NAIFA Key Contact for several state and federal lawmakers from Florida and his favorite activities include travel with his wife of 30 years, Susie, and any time spent with their 4 children and 6 grandchildren.

Douglas Massey, LUTCF, CLU, ChFC, CRES, FSS, is a registered representative with OFG Financial Services, Inc., where he has been since 1992. His practice specialties include retirement planning and life insurance. His company’s focus is on near-retirees and retirees. It also does a significant amount of business in the non-profit and 403(b) market.

A NAIFA member since 1987, Massey has served as Chair of the IFAPAC Committee, was on the NAIFA-TX board of directors from 2008-2014, and was President of NAIFA-TX from 2012-2013.

He has attended every NAIFA Congressional Conference since the meeting’s inception and has attended every NAIFA-TX Legislative Day since 1991. He is one of the key contacts for Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and Rep. Michael Conaway.

Massey is an IFAPAC Defender (monthly contributor), as well as a contributor at several events each year. Over the years, he has recruited and sponsored many NAIFA members and has encouraged past members. He has moderated LUTCF and FSS classes and is a Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) graduate.

Christopher L. Gandy, LACP, is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Midwest Legacy Group (OneAmerica) in Lisle, IL. He has served as President of NAIFA’s Chicagoland chapter and has been a NAIFA member since 2003. He 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.

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 a speaker at NAIFA’s Performance+Purpose annual conference and published in Advisors Magazine, GQ, Advisor Today, and InsuranceNewsNet among other publications.

Gandy is also an active volunteer in the community. He serves on the Board of the Chicago Concussion Coalition, which strives to make amateur sports safer for children, and on the Board of Directors of the Urban League. He is part of the United Way’s Young Community Leaders and volunteers for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization.

Brock Jolly is a Financial Advisor with Veritas Financial, LLC, and the founder of The College Funding Coach^®. He started his career in 2000 on a mission to help as many families as possible with their financial success. Inopportunely, his career launch coincided with the dot-com bubble burst. Rest assured, it was not entirely his fault. Over the years, Brock’s practice has evolved, but he always remembers those lessons he learned early on in his career.

In 2002, Brock created The College Funding Coach^®, which teaches parents strategies for saving and paying for college without jeopardizing their own retirement savings through a unique workshop entitled, “Little-Known Secrets of Paying for College.” What started as a small adult education class in the Washington, D.C. suburbs has spread to a national platform that teaches several hundred workshops each year to audiences of up to a few thousand parents, all of whom are desperate for this critically important and valuable information.

In 2014, Brock partnered with Gerald Radican to form Veritas Financial. “We merged two very different practices to help a broader set of clients with a deeper set of solutions,” Brock explains. He excitedly adds, “Veritas Financial allows us to build something that is much bigger than the sum of our practices and allows our clients to truly benefit from the synergies of partnership.”

A sought-after financial advisor and student of the industry, Brock has deep knowledge and resources in all aspects of financial planning. He graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2000. Brock is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP^®), and holds many other industry designations, including Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC^®), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU^®), Certified Family Business Specialist (CFBS^®) and Retirement Income Certified Professional^® (RICP^®).

Brock has been featured in numerous media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, PBS, Fox News, The Motley Fool, Federal News Radio’s “Blueprint for Wealth,” and Real Estate Radio Washington, where Brock provides the “Word on Wealth.” He has been quoted in industry publications such as Investment News, The National Underwriter, Insurance Newsnet, Think Advisor and Life Insurance Selling.

Brock has been recognized as a top performer within the industry. He is a perennial qualifier for the Million Dollar Round Table’s “Top of the Table,” as well as MassMutual’s “Leaders Club,” “Blue Chip Council,” and “Top of the Council” honors. In 2011, he was named the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year. From 2012 to 2014, he served as the chairman of NAIFA’s Investment Committee, where he worked closely with NAIFA leadership to manage the association’s reserve account. In 2014, he was elected by his peers to serve as a National Trustee for NAIFA—the youngest trustee ever elected. In 2015, Brock was awarded the Legacy Award by the Washington, D.C. Helping Hands Society in recognition for his longstanding service to the organization, the financial services industry, the highest standards of professional conduct, and unselfish community service. He currently serves as the National Treasurer for NAIFA.

In his spare time, Brock enjoys traveling, distance running, SCUBA diving and playing ice hockey. He lives in Arlington, Virginia with his wife, Lauren, their children Bryson and Olivia, and their adopted Goldendoodle, Wally.

Bryon Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CASL, LACP, President of Bryon Holz & Associates, an Investment Advisor Representative, Registered Principal of SagePoint Financial -Building Brighter Tomorrow Since 1983. www.BryonHolz.com

Bryon and his team of associates in Tampa Bay, Florida have been building brighter tomorrows for their clients since 1983, specializing in asset protection, income planning, and wealth conservation strategies.  Their firm's approach to financial services is based on the principle that the customer’s needs should always come first.

A business graduate and Presidential Scholar of the University of Tampa and graduate of the Professional Management Institute in Insurance Marketing Management at Purdue University, Bryon has complimented his industry education with numerous designations, certifications, and credentials.

Holz has served in leadership on various professional boards including as state and local president, two-time national trustee, and current National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) President.  He was additionally feted with both his local and state association’s distinguished service awards, and honored to be both a graduate and two-time moderator of NAIFA’s prestigious Leadership in Life Institute (LILI).

A life, qualifying, and Top of the Table member of the Million Dollar Round Table, Bryon is a long-time supporter of the MDRT Foundation and has served on numerous MDRT and MDRT Foundation committees.  A regular industry columnist and speaker, he was thrilled to be a featured presenter at three MDRT Annual Meetings.

Holz believes in serving his community and actively supports numerous civic and charitable causes including Instruments of Change, Epilepsy Services Foundation, Scouting, and the Nativity Food Bank among many others.

An avid traveler, photographer, and social media user, Bryon’s passions include his faith, family, profession, and especially music. Bryon Holz ROCKS! He supports diversity, equity, and inclusion in his profession and is a supporting member of Women in Financial Services.

As NAIFA’s Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Mayeux, CAE, oversees the headquarters and national staff and manages relationships with life, health and financial service companies, other industry organizations, legislators, and regulators. Mayeux supports NAIFA’s Board of Trustees and committees and coordinates efforts with NAIFA’s 90 state and local chapters. As CEO, he led an effort to modernize NAIFA’s operations through the development and implementation of a bold new strategic plan, NAIFA 20/20.

Prior to becoming NAIFA’s CEO, Mayeux served as the Executive Vice President, Chief Officer for North American Operations, and General Counsel for the Institute of Internal Auditors Global Headquarters in Orlando, Fla. In this role, Kevin supervised the core membership services offered to all 75,000 IIA members in North America in 158 chapters throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean islands. Kevin further served as General Counsel, guiding the IIA’s intellectual property protection, affiliation agreements and legal interests around the world. He is a Certified Association Executive and holds a Certificate in Risk Management Assurance.

Mayeux has served as an association management professional for more than 25 years, including serving as the executive director of a statewide trade association in Tallahassee and CEO of an international individual membership society in Indianapolis. He also practiced law in Central Florida. He has held leadership positions on both the state and national level within the association management community, including being named Indiana’s association executive of the year, serving as president of the Indiana Society of Association Executives, and serving on the board of directors for the Florida Society of Association Executives. Mayeux received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and took Masters in Political Science and Public Administration courses concurrent with his Juris Doctorate at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he served as Student Body President. Kevin continues to serve his alma mater as a member of its national alumni board.

Dennis Cuccinelli, LACP began his with New England Financial (NEF) where he was a conference qualifier for numerous years as a producer, Business Specialist, Brokerage Manager, and DI Specialist. He participated on three producer/home office joint committees. Currently, he is a self-employed employee benefits consultant. He has managed the employee benefits division of general agencies associated with New England Financial and PennMutual.

He is the author of a whitepaper that helps employers consider non-traditional approaches to providing health insurance to their employees which includes methods the employer, employer, and brokers can use to drive down the cost of health insurance.  

Cuccinelli uses his knowledge and experience working within the employee benefits industry to help consumers, insurance producers, and employers better understand the health insurance products they utilize for themselves, sell to their clients, and offer their employees.

He is the former Chairperson of the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Commissioner’s Producer Advisory Board.

Cuccinelli is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial (NAIFA) Board of Trustees. His primary responsibility is heading up new membership recruitment for NAIFA.

Cuccinelli is a past-president of NAIFA-NJ. He has served on NAIFA’s Government Relations Committee, APIC Committee, and IFAPAC Committee.  

He was a member of the 20/20 Task Force Working Group 1 and chairperson of Working Group B during NAIFA’s QME process.

He has promoted increased responsibility amongst insurance producers in New Jersey via changes in the New Jersey Insurance Regulations and is the catalyst of a bill that became law in 2011. He has testified before the New Jersey Assembly Banking and Insurance Committee in support of stronger producer compliance regulations.

He has testified on behalf of NAIFA members and their clients before the NJ Bureau of Securities multiple times.

Cuccinelli received the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education’s realLIFEstories Award which was published in Newsweek Magazine. He is the recipient of the Central Jersey Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors’ Life Underwriter of the Year award and the New Jersey Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Underwriter of the Year Award.

He is a recipient of New England Financials' Edward E. Phillips Outstanding Citizenship Award and a similar award from MetLife.

Cuccinelli is an avid SCUBA diver and has coached pee-wee to high school football.

Jesse Gerard Dogillo, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP®, founder of Bay Area Financial Advisers, provides private client financial, wealth and estate planning consulting and counseling to individuals and small business owners. Securities transactions are through McClurg Capital Corp – members FINRA/SIPC. He has over 35 years’ experience in the financial services industry.

The son of a US Army veteran, Jesse also works to promote financial literacy to our US military service members and their families by providing unbiased, solution- focused, personal financial counseling, education and readiness services.

In 2020, Jesse was reappointed by the California Insurance Commissioner to an additional three-year term to serve in his administration as a member of the Curriculum Board. In 2023, he was elected Chairperson. The board oversees the development of education for agents, brokers, and those seeking professional designations. The board also develops standards for providers and instructors of pre-licensing and continuing education courses, programs, and seminars. He also enjoys teaching, and was an instructor at UC Santa Cruz, Silicon Valley Campus, in their Certificate Program in Personal Financial Planning.

Jesse has extensive industry leadership experience which include The Society of Financial Service Professionals (FSP), where he served as the 95th national board president (2023-2024). In 2024, the organization merged with the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), Jesse is currently serving as national trustee (2024-2027). The Santa Clara County Estate Planning Council as past president, and AAIFPA Nor Cal, as past national board member.

Jesse’s hobbies include sabre fencing where he was the California state champion and silver medalist in the national Vet-40 division, sailing on the San Francisco Bay and ocean, golf, and bocce ball – 3-time club team champion.

Ernie Guerriero is the Head of Business Sponsored Retirement Center for Guardian Life Insurance Company of America where he works with the Business Resource Center assisting the Advanced Market team area with case design and sales. Ernie is a technical resource providing sales support for advisors and affiliated professionals with Qualified and Non-Qualified Plans. These duties include activities for the field support units within the Advanced Marketing and Qualified Plan areas.

Ernie also has held positions as Vice President for several major life insurance companies. His main responsibilities were overseeing the departments providing sales, marketing, and technical support to the field, focusing on qualified retirement plans. Ernie also assisted CPA firms in practice management in integrating their tax preparation business to financial services and acting as a technical resource.  

Ernie is recognized for his expertise in the retirement planning industry. He has published articles in trade publications including the Journal of Financial Services Professionals and the New York University Review of Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation. He has appeared on The Wealth Channel and is a speaker at professional industry group meetings on Qualified Plan design for closely held business owners. He has taught for various colleges on employee benefits and also has been interviewed and quoted in Money Marketing UK on the Department of Labor Best Interest Rule.

A past national President of the Society of Financial Services Professionals, Ernie is actively involved in the retirement committees of LIMRA and FINSECA. He is a moderator on prospecting, retirement, financial, and estate planning courses through The American College, in Pennsylvania, and on its Advisory Committee for professional development courses.

Ernie currently holds various professional designations: CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter), ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant), CEBS (Certified Employee Benefits Specialist), CPCU (Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter), CPC (Certified Pension Consultant), CMS (Compensation Management Specialist), AIF (Accredited Investment Fiduciary), RICP (Retirement Income Certified Professional), CPFA (Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor) and is registered Series 7, 63 and 65.

Brian J. Haney, CLTC, CFS, CIS, CFBS, LACP, CAE, Founder and CEO of the Haney Company in Silver Spring, MD, has been a loyal NAIFA member since 2013.

Haney is a member of NAIFA-Greater Washington, D.C., and has served on the chapter’s Board for more than seven years. He has been the NAIFA-GWDC Young Advisor Team (YAT) Chair and a Past President of the chapter. He has chaired several other NAIFA-GWDC committees and served on the Board of NAIFA-MD. He is a 2015 graduate of NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) and has served as a LILI Moderator. 

Haney served on the national YAT Committee and is a member of NAIFA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. He was NAIFA’s first Life and Annuity Certified Professional (LACP) Chair and served as a subject-matter expert, developing exam questions and criteria for the certification. He is a highly regarded speaker and has presented at NAIFA’s annual conference, has been a featured guest on NAIFA Live, and participates as a presenter in NAIFA’s Advisor Ambassador program. 

Haney’s many awards and acknowledgments include: West Financial Group New Agent of the Year, MassMutual Life Insurance Company Rising Leader, MassMutual Life Insurance Company Leaders Qualifier, 2017 NAIFA’s Advisor Today Four Under 40 recipient, 2018 NAIFA National Diversity Champion, NAIFA Quality Award recipient each year since 2013, MDRT Qualifier since 2009, MDRT Court of the Table Qualifier since 2014, MDRT Top of the Table Qualifier since 2015, 2019 Washington Business Journal 40 Under 40 winner, and 2021 YAT Leader of the Year.

Carina Hatfield, LUTCF, CLCS, LACP, Owner of Weigner Insurance & Financial Services Inc. in Pottstown, PA, has been a loyal NAIFA member since 2005.

She has more than 15 years in the insurance and financial services industry and is a Past President of the NAIFA-Pennsylvania chapter, where she also served on the state Board of Directors. She served on the NAIFA-Pennsylvania Strategic Planning Committee, chaired the state Young Advisors Team and Membership Committee, and was the President of the NAIFA-Tri-County local chapter from 2009 to 2011.

Hatfield served on NAIFA’s national Young Advisors Team Committee and is the YAT liaison to the Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) Subcommittee. She was NAIFA's 2020 national YAT Leader of the Year. She is a LILI graduate and has been a class moderator. She organized a return of the LILI program to Pennsylvania after an absence of several years. She also serves as a NAIFA Ambassador, providing guidance to the next generation of insurance and financial advisors and encouraging them to become NAIFA members.

As the Assistant Vice President of Advanced Strategies at Sammons Financial Group, Andrew leads a group of highly skilled and credentialed individuals. The team provides a single source of contact for advisors to successfully position their clients complex and challenging wealth management cases.

The team’s proficiency includes the full spectrum of advanced planning resources coupled with thought leader expertise in advanced business, estate and retirement planning. His own expertise includes wealth preservation, estate planning, business planning and executive benefits. He consults with insurance professionals and client’s tax advisors when appropriate to facilitate sales opportunities.

Andrew is a frequent speaker and has authored articles in Life Insurance Selling, Senior Market Advisor, National Underwriter, AALU and Journal of Financial Service Professionals. His speaking experience includes Forum 400, Clinic for Advanced Professionals, AALU and LIMRA Advanced Sales Forum. He also is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Financial Service Professionals.

Prior to joining SFG, Andrew was the VP of Advanced Solutions & Design at Ameritas. He also held roles at MetLife, Principal Financial Group and Mutual of Omaha where he specialized in business and estate planning.

Andrew obtained his B.S. from Midland University and received honors as an Academic and Athletic All-American. He was inducted into the NAIA Athletic Hall of Fame in May of 2007.

He obtained his Juris Doctorate(JD) from Drake University Law School in Des Moines, Iowa, where he was a member of the Dean’s List. After passing the Iowa Bar exam, Andrew served as an Assistant County Attorney and Iowa Assistant Attorney General before beginning his career in Advanced Markets. He has also served as the Chapter President of the Des Moines Society of Financial Service Professionals and the President Elect of the National Board for the Society of Financial Service Professionals.

Professional designations and licenses: JD, CFP, CLU, ChFC, Series 6, 7, 66, 26, 63.