Distribution professionals involved in channel growth, productivity, and reshaping distribution for success. Attendees include heads of distribution, sales, recruiting, compensation, distribution finance, training, marketing support, and product development.
Highlights
This conference brings you the latest information from industry experts, business thought leaders, and topnotch distribution professionals. It examines the vital role that distribution plays among today’s transformative forces and discusses strategies to successfully manage distribution through this extraordinary period of change. Enjoy the freedom to attend any of the breakout sessions across these key distribution channels — agency building, brokerage, independent, multi-line, and direct-to-consumer.
This year, our theme is Bringing Purpose to Life. The pandemic’s massive impact on individuals, families and businesses sparked a great deal of conversation about the need for protection and financial security, emphasizing our industry's purpose. Many industry leaders saw an opportunity to increase the “mindshare” of insurance with consumers by finding ways to simplify the purchase process and enhance individual financial well-being. We saw unprecedented industry progress during the pandemic.
To remain competitive, carriers will need to continuously scan the landscape to identify new consumer trends and to build on the momentum by developing tools and models that not only capture new audiences, but satisfy returning customers.
Former Director, Executive Recruiting at Google, Holistic Leadership Strategist
A proven expert in driving diverse leadership, Ginny Clarke is the former director of executive recruiting at Google, where she led the company’s diversity, non-tech recruiting, and leadership internal mobility teams — finding and hiring senior leaders across the company. She also built a scaled internal mobility program for Google’s senior leaders to advance within the organization, and designed much of the infrastructure that supports their executive recruiting function today.
Prior to Google, Clarke was a partner at Spencer Stuart, the global executive search firm based in Chicago. Drawing upon her breadth and depth of experience, Clarke wrote the book titled Career Mapping: Charting Your Course in the New World of Work, providing a framework that empowers individuals to plot and assess their professional competencies and strategically navigate their careers.
She is now the CEO of Ginny Clarke, LLC, her own talent and leadership consulting business, as well as the host of Fifth Dimensional Leadership, a podcast for leaders, thinkers, and future-makers covering topics like power, personal branding, self-awareness, networking, fear, and career management.
Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer, Northwestern Mutual
Tim Gerend is Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer at Northwestern Mutual where he leads the career distribution, marketing, and strategic communications organizations to bring the company’s value proposition, brand story to life. Gerend also serves as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, which oversees Northwestern Mutual’s strategy, execution and operations.
Gerend joined Northwestern Mutual in 2002 and has held a variety of leadership positions spanning law, field compensation & planning, enterprise compliance and campus planning. Before joining Northwestern Mutual, Gerend was an Associate in the Commercial Litigation Practice Group at Seyfarth Shaw in Chicago.
In addition to his leadership at Northwestern Mutual, Gerend is a thought leader in the financial services industry as well as an advocate of professionalism and high standards for developing the next generation of financial advisors. Gerend is a graduate of Butler University with a B.S. in economics and received his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame.
Leo Tucker began his career with Northwestern Mutual 30 years ago as an advisor in South Florida. Early in his career, he quickly distinguished himself as a leader with a thriving team and was appointed as a Managing Partner. In 2003, Leo and his family moved to Washington, DC and in his time with the firm, it has tripled in both size and production.
Leo is passionate about equity and inclusion in the workplace. In 2020, his DC firm was awarded by Northwestern Mutual for its long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion by receiving the inaugural Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award. In 2021 both Leo and his firm received national recognition by Investment News as industry leaders in diversity, equity and inclusion. Leo also advocates for corporate transparency nationally by serving on Northwestern Mutual’s Sustained Action for Racial Equity task force.
Marketing Thought Leader; Global Marketing Officer, Procter & Gamble (2001-2008); Head of the Jim Stengel Consultancy and Think Tank; Author; Adjunct Professor at Kellogg School of Management
Leading at a time of tremendous growth, Jim Stengel served as global marketing officer of $83B Procter & Gamble, universally respected as one of the world’s most innovative companies. Overseeing 7,000 people and an $8B advertising budget, Stengel led the team that reinvigorated P&G’s marketing culture and firmly established it as one of the world’s most admired brand-building companies. Jim Stengel’s leadership has been recognized numerous times, most notably as Brandweek’s “Grand Marketer of the Year” and when P&G was awarded “Advertiser of the Year” at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. He was also named to Fortune magazine’s first-ever Executive Dream Team list in 2011, and in 2017.
Throughout his active career, Stengel experienced firsthand how strategic partnerships and a “people first” management style can reignite operations. From his lauded tenure with the powerhouse company to his think tank and consultancy, Stengel has amassed a breadth of experience that led him to write several books, including Grow: How Ideals Power Growth and Profit at the World’s Greatest Companies and his most recent release, Unleashing the Innovators: How Mature Companies Find New Life with Startups.
Justin started as a Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual in October of 2009. Off the heels of a historic recession, he chose to build a from scratch financial planning practice in a new city. The start had true challenges, and at one point, it looked like Justin was not going to make it. With the help of his local leaders, he was able to rebuild from a slow start to a thriving high-volume planning practice. Along with his planning practice, he is the owner/CEO of Systems on Purpose, where he teaches financial advisors how to franchise operational design in the advisory practice.
Director and Private Wealth Advisor, Bison Wealth, LLC
Chad Hunter is a Director, and Private Wealth Advisor within QTR Family Wealth in Orlando. Chad provides in-depth advice and guidance to wealth creators and their families, helping them deploy their wealth more intentionally and strategically. A veteran Advisor, he is closely attuned to the distinctive issues that ultra-high-net-worth clients encounter, adapting his approach to the particular circumstances of each relationship.
Clients look to Chad for assistance in streamlining complex balance sheets while enacting a more unified approach to multiple aspects of their financial lives: pre- and post-liquidity event strategies, business succession strategies, long-term planning, tailored investment management, trust and estate planning services, and access to structured lending through partnered banks. Having guided a number of entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives through significant inflection points in their wealth, Chad is adept in sharing best practices for an accomplished clientele. He has particular depth in helping clients lay out methodical steps toward monetizing their businesses, ultimately striving to make work optional for the clients he serves.
Facilitators: ESTELLE BLOCKOMS, MSM, CLF, FSS, LUTCF Life Distribution Director American Family
DARRELL POLK External Life Distribution Manager American Family
Whether continuing the conversations from last year's Distribution Conference or joining for the first time in 2023, attendees of this session will have an opportunity to meet and engage with each other in small groups to discuss their company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, and the strategies driving successful results. Join this interactive discussion specifically focused on inclusive recruiting and onboarding practices to share with and learn from others.
SHELLY HABECKER Vice President, Life and Health Products Swiss Re
LAI-SAHN HACKETT Corporate Vice President LIMRA and LOMA
Industry solutions have traditionally been focused on the affluent and mass-affluent markets. Recently, there has been a more prolific desire to understand how to best serve these markets by identifying their needs and preferences. Attend this session to learn why underserved markets are important and how to best reach them with valuable solutions. A panel of those practicing this work will share their findings, then small groups will discuss solutions and best practices for reaching these markets.
Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer, Northwestern Mutual
Leo C. Tucker Jr., CLU, CLF
Managing Parnter, Northwestern Mutual DC
As society moves forward from the pandemic, individuals are rethinking and reprioritizing their lives with a focus on security, personal values and living the lives they truly want. This has the potential to be the golden age of financial advice — a moment when the industry can expand its reach and scope and help millions more people live financially secure lives. But to make this vision a reality, we must come together to meet an immense challenge: dramatically growing the advisor population to meet rising demand for financial planning among clients in traditional and underserved markets. Tim Gerend is responsible for the growth and success of more than 20,000 advisors, representatives, leaders and staff. Tim will lay out his vision for how the industry can work together toward a common purpose of drawing talented, diverse, service-oriented, and mission-driven individuals into the industry to create better outcomes for clients and a brighter future for the industry.
With special guest Leo C. Tucker Jr., CLU, CLF, Managing Partner, Northwestern Mutual DC
Marketing Thought Leader; Global Marketing Officer, Procter & Gamble (2001-2008); Head of the Jim Stengel Consultancy and Think Tank; Author; Adjunct Professor at Kellogg School of Management
“Opening up an organization to activating on purpose moves the needle like nothing else,” Stengel explains. Through his efforts at Procter & Gamble, where he helped transform the culture to a consumer-centric model, Stengel helped pioneer a new ideals-driven framework that helps businesses identify their purpose and use it to make a difference in the lives of the people they serve. In this story-rich session, Stengel takes the audience through anecdotes from his book, “Grow: How Ideals Power Growth and Profit at the World’s Greatest Companies.” Based on a unique ten-year study involving 50,000 brands, “Grow” shows how the world’s 50 best businesses have a cause and effect relationship between financial performance and their ability to connect with fundamental human emotions and values. Passionate and powerful, Stengel offers insight and guidance on how businesses and organizations can lead with purpose and inspire it in others.
GREG WINSPER Vice President, Field Training & Leadership Development National Life Group
SARAH SCHNEIDER, CLU, ChFC, CFP, Moderator Vice President, Distribution Services & President/CEO Northwestern Mutual Investment Services
Have you heard? Teaming is taking off. Learn from a panel of distribution leaders on how their organizations are generating growth through advisor teams. Hear insights into best practices beginning early in advisor journeys as teams are initially formed, as new members are added, and through team succession and monetization. The panel will also discuss what can go wrong and pitfalls to avoid.
PATRICK STOKES Financial Services Advisor/Owner Horace Mann Insurance
JODY WILSON, Moderator Regional Vice President COUNTRY Financial
Join this moderated panel discussion for a behind-the-scenes look into how three successful multi-line agents from different companies are growing their businesses. Panelists will share their own personal experiences in the field such as how they staff their agencies, what types of marketing campaigns are currently working best, what technologies are they relying on, and how they are best connecting with and meeting the needs of today’s customers.
JACKSON ODE Vice President, Sales and Distribution Sammons Financial Group
MARK WUTT, CLU, ChFC, RMA, RICP, Moderator Vice President, Sales and Distribution Illinois Mutual
Wholesaler team constructs and strategies are evolving quickly due to new working environments driven by the pandemic. Join a panel of industry experts who will discuss common challenges and offer solutions on topics such as balancing workload, CRM usage, communication, and roles of internal versus external wholesalers. The panel will also share opportunities and best practices around team engagement.
DAVID ROSENBLUTH Senior Vice President, Direct To Consumer Marketing Gerber Life
VALERIE AIELLO, Moderator Assistant Vice President, Marketing and Partnerships Fidelity Life
While DTC life insurance sales have struggled to materialize in recent years, there is potential for this market to grow. This panel will discuss common challenges and opportunities in the marketplace and explore topics such as how businesses can deepen "the funnel" through data and analytics and embedded insurance through partnerships to grow in the space.
ELIZABETH ODEGAARD Director, New FA Training & Development Thrivent
TIM WILSON Director of Teaming Thrivent
TERRI KINSELLA, Moderator Vice President, Sales Development & Learning Prudential
This creative, interactive workshop challenges you to reimagine and build the high-performing advisor onboarding program you’ve always wanted to have in your firm. If you could start over from scratch with no limitations, how would you incorporate best practices and lessons learned to build your ideal onboarding model? You will walk away from this workshop with key foundational ingredients for a future-state prototype that you can aspire to and build towards long after you leave the room.
COOPER CARVER, SCLA Director of Education and Development American National HEATHER DOUGHERTY, CLU, FSCP Financial Sales Director, Allstate Financial
Even before the pandemic, instances of mental illness were on the rise. Mental health impacts all of us, including financial services sales professionals and our clients. Join us for this panel discussion that promises to explore the resiliency of mental fitness, share practical tools to improve mental health, and break the stigma of talking about this topic in our industry.
MATT CANTERBURY Senior Vice President, Senior Distribution Officer Columbus Life
LUKE COSME, Moderator Senior Vice President, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Mutual Trust Life
It is possible that we are at the beginning of long-term rising interest rates many advisors and sales professionals have never before experienced. Advisors and customers alike may not understand the implications of rising rates on life insurance product pricing and availability. Join this panel of industry experts for a breakdown of how we can best manage customer expectations and support our businesses in this tumultuous environment.
JASON LEA Chief Executive Officer Brokers' Service Marketing Group
BRIAN BULAKITES, Moderator National Sales Manager, Broad Market Pacific Life
Mergers and acquisitions have drastically increased within the brokerage environment in recent years, and will continue to do so in the future. Join this session to hear from a panel of BGAs who contemplated a merger/acquisition. They will discuss why they did or did not move forward and how they see M&A having an impact on growth opportunities.
Facilitators: DAKEN VANDERBURG Head of Wealth Management, Investment Management MassMutual
TODD COOPER, CIMA Senior Vice President, Institutional Business Development LPL Financial
RICHARD GASKELL, CLU, FICF Vice President, Agent Compliance and Special Advisor Knights of Columbus
How are companies that offer both wealth management and insurance solutions enabling a unified and accomplished experience? What are the challenges and opportunities for creating a more holistic approach for financial professionals and end-customers? Hear from a range of those in the marketplace on strategies to remain competitive and innovative as this convergence evolves. Engage with your peers in an interactive, moderated experience to examine how to maintain the ideal equilibrium for your practice.
Whether a college graduate or career changer, the prospect of living on a commission-based income can be daunting for someone new to the field. While financing helps, traditional approaches alone don't address the diverse financial needs of new FPs. Join this roundtable to collaborate with peers in defining goals, brainstorming new approaches and diverse strategies, and aligning financing plans with other critical success factors.
Changes to Customer expectations have accelerated due to the pandemic. Digital transformation initiatives are allowing carriers and distributors to provide solutions to meet these changing consumer needs. In this panel discussion, we will:
Learn about consumer preferences and how they want to shop for insurance and financial solutions
Hear from industry experts about human center design within the insurance space
Former Director, Executive Recruiting at Google, Holistic Leadership Strategist
Whisperings about the future of work have developed into full-fledged conversations. Still, we haven’t yet arrived at a consensus on what exactly the future of work entails and how leaders can position their organizations and their people for success during such a transformative period in the workplace and beyond. Bringing a holistic perspective from inside some of the world’s leading organizations, Ginny shares her sought-after insights and wisdom on the ways conscious, effective leaders can get the best out of their people and, in turn, create high-performing teams for the future. In this talk, she outlines the importance of beginning with organizational health when guiding your workforce into the future — paying special attention to how to assess, attract, and hire the best talent, and establish a culture rooted in accountability, trust, integrity, and inclusion. Ginny goes beyond ideas and, instead, offers leaders practical tactics and processes for optimizing talent, resources, productivity, and profitability to create a disruption-proof workplace that is equipped for the long run.
JANICE ADVANI, CLU, ChFC VP, Field Learning & Development New York Life
MEG VECCHI, CLU Head of Practice Development Guardian
Regardless of the structure of your career distribution model, developing strong field leaders is a linchpin to sustainable growth. In this session, you will hear two companies compare their distinct models. They will share how they are identifying, training, and developing their emerging talent to equip them with the leadership skills needed for today.
T.J. DOAN Assistant Vice President, Assistant Chief Underwriter Pacific Life
JOEL LARSON Vice President, Chief Underwriter Prudential Financial
ZACH PUGH Chief Underwriter Legal and General America
KELLY STONE Vice President, Underwriting Operations Protective Life
PETE CHRISOS, Moderator Vice President, National Account Manager Protective Life
Recent years have pushed underwriting in more creative directions to meet the needs of carriers, distribution partners, and consumers. Join us for a panel discussion with three senior underwriters as they share their perspective on why and how we came together as an industry with today’s advancements. You'll then have the opportunity to participate in an interactive “underwrite this” activity.
ANDREW SULLIVAN Client Director, Life/Group/Retirement Lead Unqork
KEITH GOLEMBIEWSKI, FLMI, FFSI, Moderator Senior Director Strategic Initiatives LIMRA and LOMA
Tech savvy consumers are looking for an omni-channel experience when and where they want to be met. By empowering agents with digital capabilities, they can meet customer expectations and drive towards improving the insurance coverage gap. This panel will discuss the latest digital trends in the insurance space, strategies for empowering their agents, and future innovations on the horizon.
ALISON SALKA, Ph.D. Senior Vice President and Director of Research LIMRA and LOMA
Based on LIMRA research, this session will address key trends that affect how distribution is evolving. From the economy and changing consumer needs to technology and business models, join us to see the latest research and what it means for your business.
RON ROVNER, Moderator Assistant Vice President, Member Relations & Sales LIMRA and LOMA
Justin Bassell, CLU, RICP, ChFC
Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual
Chad Hunter, CFP, CIMA, CPFA
Director and Private Wealth Advisor, Bison Wealth, LLC
Tony Lopez, ChFC, AIC
Agent, State Farm
The life insurance business has undergone tremendous transformation over the past three years. We have witnessed a revolution in the way that insurance is bought, sold, marketed and underwritten. Home office personnel and wholesalers are operating in a new hybrid world. But what about the salespeople? Agents and producers have also needed to pivot to new ways of prospecting and selling. What do they think and how do they feel about all of this change? How have these changes affected their business and what do they need from their carrier partners to succeed into the next decade? During this session, a panel of three producers representing Career, Brokerage and Multi-Line distribution carriers will discuss what they are looking for from their carrier partners and will share their vision on how we can better navigate the seemingly endless choppy waters and grow our business together.
11:15 am
ADJOURN
Registration
Early Registration Fee (by 2/1/23): Member: $1,450 Nonmember: $2,650
Standard Registration Fee (after 2/1/23): Member: $1,650 Nonmember: $2,850
LIMRA|LOMA Canadian members — please email customer.service@limra.com for special registration instructions.
Group Registration Discount:
Take advantage of our group rates to ensure your team's knowledge stays relevant and up-to-date amid the changing trends and directions in the industry.
We are pleased to offer two group registration options that you can secure by contacting customer.service@limra.com.
5–9 — Registrants from the same company will receive a $150 discount per person when using the quantity discount promo code provided.
10+ — Companies may purchase 10 or more registrations and receive a 20% discount on the total registration fee. A single payment is required along with the total number of registrants. We will provide a special company link/code for your organization to distribute to the group.
Note: Discounts may not be combined with any other discount offer. We cannot combine existing individual registrations into group registrations.
Cancellation Policy
In the event that a scheduled meeting or event is cancelled by LIMRA for any reason, LIMRA shall refund any conference registration fees that have been paid by the registrant. Under no circumstances, however, shall LIMRA be liable to the registrant for any other expenses including, but not limited to, airfare and hotel expenses incurred by the registrant.
All cancellations must be received in writing. Email customer.service@limra.com. Cancellations received before February 8, 2023, will be refunded, less a $75 processing fee. Cancellations received from February 8, 2023 to February 22, 2023 will be refunded, less a $375 processing and administrative fee. No refunds will be issued after February 22, 2023.
2023 COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols
Please check this page regularly for health and safety updates. Updated: [3/8/2023]
LIMRA and LOMA and LIC are committed to health and safety. We request that all conference and event attendees follow any and all applicable COVID-19 restrictions, rules, and safety requirements at the event that are either required by applicable law, rule or ordinance, or the event location. We thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation during these unprecedented times.
On-Site at the Event
Adhere to social distance protocols.
Wash hands frequently throughout the meeting.
Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
Comply with any protocol signage displayed.
Self-monitor and report any symptoms to meeting organizers immediately.
If you are having symptoms and need to seek medical attention, there will be a list of service options available.
If you test POSITIVE for COVID:
Notify the meeting organizer and if you choose to remain at the conference, self-quarantine in your room for at least three days, or until you receive a NEGATIVE test result.
Once you test NEGATIVE, you may return to the conference. Please wear a mask for the duration of the conference.
Report your status to the convening team so the proper contact tracing interview can be conducted.
Post Event
Notify event organizer if you test positive for COVID-19 up to 14 days after returning home.
Hotel / Venue
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
One Grand Cypress Boulevard Orlando, FL, USA, 32836
Call-in Reservations: 1-800-233-1234 (mention the LIMRA Distribution Conference)
Make your reservations by February 1 to receive the group rate of $259 single/double plus $15.00 hotel service fee (plus applicable sales taxes). Requests after February 1 will be accepted based on space availability. Please note that hotel rates will go up after February 1, or when the meeting room block sells out, whichever comes first. Make your reservations early to be able to take advantage of our discount rates.
Please contact our Event Planner, Amanda Cristina, if you need assistance with reservations.
If you receive any unsolicited or suspicious email or phone call about a hotel booking in conjunction with this meeting, our advice is not to click on it, but delete the email immediately. In the case of a phone call, never give out your credit card information. Our designated conference hotels will not call you unless you contact them first.
Become a Sponsor or Exhibitor
The Distribution Conference connects industry experts, business thought leaders, and top-notch distribution professionals to examine the vital role distribution pays among today’s transformative forces and discuss strategies to successfully manage distribution.
Join the conversation by securing a sponsorship or exhibiting at the conference.