Professional Showcase Sessions

The Society is pleased to offer this value-added component to the Forum program. The Professional Showcase sessions are 50-minute presentations by some of the leading product and service providers in the financial services industry. The presentations will focus on emerging issues and applications that financial professionals need to understand and incorporate into their businesses.

All sessions will carry 1 PACE and CPE credit. Other CE credit may be provided by the speaker's company.

Detailed Session Descriptions

PS 101

Presented by: Conventry
Rich Morris

Title: The Secondary Market for Life Insurance—Current Trends, New Applications

Presentation: This session examines the trends that are driving the secondary market's continued growth and provides an overview of the five most common applications being used by advisors today. The presentation will specifically discuss term settlements, policy replacement strategies, SWAPP — Death Benefit Options (with and without a cash settlement) and settlements for smaller face policies, using several case examples to illustrate the concepts being presented. In addition, the seminar will discuss factors that determine a policy's value and strategies for educating others about the opportunities presented by the market.

Speaker bio: Rich Morris is a Director, National Accounts for Coventry, the creator and leader of the secondary market for life insurance. Mr. Morris is responsible for developing and strengthening key relationships by providing marketing and educational support to Coventry's insurance distribution. Prior to joining Coventry, Mr. Morris was with Global Affiliates, Inc. as a Senior Account Manager. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Mr. Morris holds his Series 7, Series 63 and PA life licenses.

< Back to Top

PS 102

Presented by: Billion Dollar Mentoring
Mark Gremler, RFC

Title: Aligning Yourself with Attorneys and CPAs: Making You the Center of Influence

Presentation: Learn how to increase your referral business tenfold with reciprocal referrals from CPAs and attorneys. This session will focus on creating alliances with centers of influence; the tools to help you in your networking efforts; reasons why an attorney is important to your practice; and how to protect your business.

Speaker bio: Mark Gremler, RFC, is owner and CEO of Billion Dollar Mentoring and Gremler Financial Group. As a practicing financial planner, Mark and his team handle hundreds of millions of dollars in both fee-based and commission-based business. He is a widely-known financial professional who works as a financial radio show host, author, financial services mentor, and lecturer. Mark has advised some of the largest insurance and financial service companies on how their agents and brokers can run a more successful business and better serve their clients. He has received numerous industry awards and has conducted seminars on financial topics around the world.

< Back to Top

PS 103

Presented by: Aviva USA
Chuck Van Devander, JD, LL.M, CLU, ChFC

Title: New Uses for Life Insurance Open New Doors

Presentation: Break the mold and start talking to your clients about life insurance in a new way. Come hear how indexed universal life not only benefits your clients while they are alive, but learn a new way to find those ever elusive funds to pay the premiums. Sub-topic: Indexed life insurance as an asset class.

Speaker bio: Chuck Van Devander, JD, LL.M, CLU, ChFC, is a senior vice president of Aviva USA and the head of Aviva's Distribution Services Group, which includes Advanced Markets, Training, Sales Development and Sales Support teams for all of Aviva's life insurance and annuity business in the United States. Prior to joining Aviva in April, 2007, Chuck spent five years leading the Advanced Markets efforts for New York Life. He has a diverse insurance background and has in-depth experience in advanced marketing, illustration systems, product development, administration, claims, legal and compliance. He is an accomplished speaker and has presented to numerous legal, banking, accounting, small business and insurance organizations.

< Back to Top

PS 104

Presented by: Capitas Financial
Dennis M. Axman, CLU, ChFC, AEP, CFP

Title: Maximizing Relationships Among the Planning Disciplines

Presentation: Understand the multi-discipline planning relationships necessary to work effectively in advanced markets. Create a planning team to foster ongoing relationships in order to provide the best possible service to clients.

Speaker bio: Dennis M. Axman, CLU, ChFC, AEP, CFP, spent 39 years with Prudential and built his practice primarily in the estate and business planning areas, building many multi-discipline relationships. He sold his practice in 2006 through a practice transfer. Dennis then joined Capitas Financial in March 2009, re-establishing his financial service business with institutional and independent advisors.

< Back to Top

PS 105

Presented by:

Title: TBD

Presentation: Coming soon.

Speaker bio: Coming soon.

< Back to Top

PS 201

Presented by: Thrive Income Distribution System

Title: The Great Retirement Challenge and Providing Solutions with No Regrets

Presentation: This session will focus on what is new for retirement income planning. Learn how to position the least amount of a client's portfolio to guarantee inflation adjusted income for a lifetime, with tax efficiency you may not have thought possible; all the while growing your client's portfolio to maximize their legacy at the same time. We will stretch your mind and explore cutting edge products that can create a symphony of music in retirement that will be sweet to the retiree's ears. You will learn fresh ideas that will be a new twist for retirement income planning and legacy growth. The presentation will include learning how to provide contractually guaranteed income without the dependence of market risk, "sequence of returns risk" or the effect of the "volatility." It may well be one of the most powerful retirement income concepts you've never heard of. In retirement will your client's survive…or Thrive®?

Speaker bio: Garth Bernard, MAAA, MMath is an actuary and former insurance industry senior executive. He is a nationally recognized expert in the area of retirement income solutions and annuities. He has written several white-papers and articles on both subjects and is often quoted in national and industry media. He has been a frequent speaker and participant at retirement industry conferences and serves on numerous retirement industry committees. He holds a Masters degree in Mathematics. Mr. Bernard is President and COO of Thrive Income Distribution System, LLC, Principal of Retirement Income Solutions Enterprise, and President and CEO of Sharper Financial Group. He also serves on the Advisory Board of New York Life's Retirement Income Center.

Curtis Cloke, CLTC, LUTCF, is a Financial Advisor located in Burlington, Iowa where he has served his clients since 1987. He was recognized in 2009 as a top five finalist for Senior Advisor of the Year by Senior Markets Advisor Magazine. Curtis is a three time past president of his local NAIFA chapter, qualifying member of Top of The Table with MDRT and member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals. A specialist in retirement income distribution and estate planning services, Curtis is also a recognized speaker and trainer in these areas. He is a leader in both the financial services industry and his community, serving on many boards and committees. In 1999, he began to develop a retirement income process for his clients that is now available to financial advisors nationwide: Thrive Income Distribution System®.

John Warren, CLU, ChFC, is vice president of Symetra Financial's Agency Distribution and is responsible for the company's sales through general agencies and independent marketing organizations. Prior to this role, Warren held the position of vice president of Marketing. He has been with Symetra Financial since 2005. Prior to joining Symetra, Warren was vice president of marketing for KMG America, Inc., an insurance company specializing in Worksite and Stop Loss insurance products. He has also served as an assistant vice president, Worksite and Bank, for AIG. Warren earned his bachelor of science degree in economics and marketing from Clemson University, and his masters of business administration from the University of Mississippi. He also has his Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant designations.

< Back to Top

PS 202

Presented by: CalSurance
Ross Jordan, CPCU

Title: Society of Financial Service Professionals Errors and Omissions Program

Presentation: This session is an overview of the Society's Errors and Omissions (E&O) liability insurance program. It will cover risk management topics and loss control techniques to prevent or limit professional liability.

Speaker bio: Ross Jordan is a 1990 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He began his insurance career working as a Lincoln National Life representative. Mr. Jordan joined Aon's Affinity Insurance Services as a senior underwriter on the National Association of Life Underwriter Professional Liability Program where he was responsible for the administration of insurance agents and broker dealer sponsored programs, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Professional Liability Program (NAIFA) and Affinity's insurance agents programs. In 2007, he joined Lockton Affinity as a vice president and a producer. Mr. Jordan joined CalSurance in September 2008 as a producer responsible for the Southeast United States.

< Back to Top

PS 203

Presented by: Exceptional Risk Advisors
Michael Engelhart
Sean McNiff

Title: The Emperor's New Clothes: Are Your Clients Exposed to Risk When They Think that They are Fully Covered?

Presentation: This session explains how using the "Lloyd's Market" can open doors to establish unprecedented capabilities in writing high limit insurance policies. As Lloyd's of London general managing underwriters, Exceptional Risk Advisors designs innovative insurance programs for elite advisors working with corporate clients, closely held businesses, and ultra-high income earners. Topics covered include:

• Key Person Disability: Limits to $125,000,000
• Disability Income: Limits to $500,000 per month
• Buy/Sell Disability: Limits to $125,000,000
• Business Overhead Expense: Limits to $500,000 per month
• Short Term Specialty Life: AUTOBIND limits to $50,000,000
• Accidental Death: Limits to $100,000,000
• Entertainment & Professional Sports Lines

Speaker bio: Michael Engelhart leads business development at Exceptional Risk Advisors in Mahwah, New Jersey. As an entrepreneur and business owner with executive management experience in both public and private entitles, Michael uses his 25 years of experience to help advisors build their business with specialty insurance products for high profile and ultra-high income earners.

Sean McNiff is a product specialist and business development advisor for Exceptional Risk Advisors. He has been with Exceptional Risk Advisors since the foundation of the organization in 2006 and is responsible for the development of cutting edge educational programs to assist advisors in understanding how to leverage to the "Lloyd's Market" to meet their clients' unmet urgent needs and thereby build the overall practice.

< Back to Top