MDRT
MDRT
MDRT
ROUND TABLE
the
Brian D. Heckert
CLU, Ch FC
MDRT STORE
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contents
PRACTICE
PEOPLE
10 IDEAS
26 IDEAS
11 OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT
28 BUILT ON VALUES
TO CLIENTS
MDRT members are honored with
service award.
14 BRINGING VALUE TO
OLDER CLIENTS
Increase your business by
understanding the financial
concerns of your clients generation.
TO COLONEL
McCurdy focuses on serving
others after surviving helicopter
accident.
19 FEE-BASED FUNDAMENTALS
SMARTPHONE
Follow these steps to implement
safeguards from cyber criminals.
24 FINANCIAL PLANNING
PHILOSOPHY
Morris best practices for a holistic
approach hold true 30 years later.
11
38 CHANGING MINDSETS
36
WEB EXTRAS
mdrt.org
41 Q&A
n MDRT PODCAST
47
To me, a successful sale is never about
just selling; it is always about providing
high-value service to my clients and
helping them solve their own problems.
IN EVERY ISSUE
4 WELCOME
52
IN THE NEWS
IN MEMORIAM
55
TRUE TALES
56
LOOKING BACK
INSIDE MDRT
Laurence Turner, APFS, CFP, Page 38
ANNUAL MEETING
44 EXPERIENCING MDRT
ROUND TABLE
the
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
42 IDEAS
Making the change to fee-based 13 | Spotlight on South Africa 34 | Meet your 2016 leaders 47
Somebody once told me that youve only got to know 5 percent more
than your audience to be an expert. That is probably true, but I believe
to be fair to your clients, youve got to know far more than that.
Brian D. Heckert
cLU, cH Fc
51 MDRT FOUNDATION
28
ON THE COVER
08/07/15
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 3
WELCOME
Global solutions
ROUND TABLE
CONTRIBUTORS
the
EDITOR IN CHIEF:
14
One size doesnt fit
all. Learn how to help
well-off older folks
in BRYCE SANDERS
Bringing value to
older clients. Sanders
is the president of
Perceptive Business
Solutions and author
of Captivating the
Wealthy Investor.
Contact him through
his website
perceptivebusiness.com.
18
Policy delivery is a
chance to set yourself
apart from other advisors. MICHAEL MORROW, CFP, provides
some tangible ways to
create an impressive
delivery program in
After the sale. Morrow is an eight-year
MDRT member from
Thunder Bay, Ontario,
Canada. Contact him
at michael@ideasfor
advisors.com.
PHONE: +1
WEBSITE: www.roundthetable.org
Round the Table (ISSN-0161-7125) is published bimonthly by the
Million Dollar Round Table, 325 West Touhy Avenue, Park Ridge,
Illinois 60068 USA. Subscription rate is included in MDRT membership dues: $20 for nonmembers in the United States, $30 for
nonmembers outside the United States. Periodicals postage paid
at Park Ridge, Illinois, and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER, send address corrections to Round the Table,
325 West Touhy Avenue, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068 USA.
20
20
22
Smartphones and tablets leak your personal
information. ANWAR
VISRAM, who has
more than 20 years of
experience in cybersecurity, shares how
technology exposes
your personal details
to cyber criminals in
3 ways to protect
your smartphone.
Visram is from
Burnaby, British
Columbia, Canada.
Contact him at anwar@
visramsecurity.com.
IN
the
NEWS
MDRT
CALENDAR
Mark your calendar
to include these
important dates:
October 7
MDRT Top of the
Table Annual
Meeting begins in
Naples, Florida
Rogers awarded
November 1
MDRT membership
applications mailed
March 1, 2016
Completed MDRT
membership applications
must be submitted
online or mailed to
MDRT, postmarked on
or before this date,
to avoid $200
additional fee
Leisman receives
Excellence Award
The Boston Estate Planning Council selected William F. Leisman,
CLU, AEP, for its 2015 BEPC Excellence Award, the organizations
highest honor awarded annually. Leisman, a 43-year MDRT
member from Waltham, Massachusetts, has served on the board
of numerous health and education institutions.
Cover stories
James E. Rogers, CLU, CFP, who was the 2008 MDRT
President, appears on the cover of the May 2015
edition of Forum magazine. Rogers is featured in an
article about life after retirement, in which he shares
the ups and downs of leaving the workforce. He is
a 42-year MDRT member from Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada.
Marvin H. Feldman, CLU, ChFC, who was the 2002
MDRT President and is currently president and CEO
of Life Happens, was featured on the cover of the
May 2015 edition of National Underwriter Life & Health
magazine. Feldman is a 41-year MDRT member from
Palm Harbor, Florida.
IN THE NEWS
Service to others
Browne honored
Helping others
Robert H. Petrocelli Jr., a 32-year MDRT member from New
York, New York, has been appointed to serve as first vice
chair of the Board of Directors for Westhab Inc., a nonprofit
provider of affordable housing and social services for homeless and low-income families in the New York metropolitan
area. Petrocelli joined the organizations board in 2009.
Since 1981, Westhab has built 2,500 units of affordable
housing, moved 6,000 homeless families to permanent housing,
placed 4,000 public assistance recipients into employment, and
delivered after-school services to more than 10,000 youth.
Top row (left to right): Allan Mendels, Joyce Baker Brown, Jack Stone, Simon
Gibson, Kirk Klein. Bottom row (left to right): William Burrus, 2015 MDRT
Foundation President Roger Seim, John Milam, Bradford Burwell.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 7
IN THE NEWS
Davidson
honored
Hall of fame
inductee
The North Carolina Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors has named
Richard C. Moldenhauer,
CLU, ChFC, was inducted to
IN MEMORIAM
Rose Beattie, LUTCF
Norman, Oklahoma
Age: 77, MDRT: 39 years
Saroop Kumar
Karachi, Pakistan
Age: 46, MDRT: 11 years
Keiko Matsumoto
Tokyo, Japan
Age: 61, MDRT: 19 years
Brian McCallion
Hervey Bay, Queensland,
Australia
Age: 89, MDRT: 27 years
Richard R. Noack
San Antonio, Texas
Age: 78, MDRT: 4 years
James C. Talley
Spokane, Washington
Age: 82, MDRT: 26 years
in
PRACTICE
Committed to clients 11 | Helping older clients 14 | Tips & Technology 16 | Great policy delivery 18
Fee-based fundamentals 19 | Smartphone safety 22
SAVING GEN X
SANDWICH GENERATION
FEWER FEES
interested in converting
their assets into a
guaranteed lifetime
income stream.
2014 LIMRA annuity sales figures
LIMRA
2014 MDRT
Cost of Doing Business Survey
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 9
A TASTEFUL
MARKETING
STRATEGY
About a month before
clients retire, send
to their office an
enormous gift basket
chock-full of delicious
treats, such as cookies or fruit. Its more
than clients can eat,
so theyll share with
colleagues. The gift
basket now becomes
a conversation starter about who sent it (thats you, their
financial planner!), wealth management and retirement planning. Depending on the number of clients retiring in a given
year, this idea can generate 1020 referrals a year.
Brad Myers, Salt Lake City, Utah, 13-year member
FINANCIAL OXYGEN
I am often asked by prospective clients why they need
basic insurance. Do they need insurance for themselves?
For their families? To answer, I compare it to air travel.
I ask, What is the safety announcement made when
youre on a plane? In the event of an emergency, the oxygen
mask drops. Were asked to put it over our mouth and nose,
to breathe first before we can help others around us.
Similarly, I say, if you dont have the financial oxygen
that is needed to keep your family going, how are you going
to help them, including children, spouses or business partners? Its up to you to put the numbers in. Im here to help
you find that financial oxygen.
Alphonso B. Franco, RHU, RCIS, Victoria, British Columbia,
Canada, 21-year member
STANDARD OF LIVING
Mr. Jones, I am sure you are providing a comfortable
home for your family and that you are enjoying a satisfactory standard of living. I wish that you would take just a
minute, however, to jot down one figure on this piece of
paper. I am not going to look at it. I am not going to ask
you what your income is or how much life insurance you
now own. If you want to tell me those things, I am sure
you will do so if we get into this matter further. But right
now, will you please put down on that piece of paper the
amount of life insurance you own?
Now mark off the last two digits of that figure, and
divide the remaining figure by two. That is the amount of
monthly income your family would have each month from
your life insurance if they invested it at 6 percent annual
interest.
Compare that figure with the amount it takes for them
to live today. If that difference astonishes you, wouldnt it
be wise to spend a few minutes talking about how your
present life insurance could be arranged to give them an
adequate income?
Ronnie K. Muhl, Simons Town, South Africa, 25-year
MDRT member
ILLNESS PROTECTION
Whenever I meet with prospective clients, the most
important thing I offer them is a critical illness rider. I tell
them, Illnesses do not choose who they strike you
could be young or old, rich or poor, single or married,
and it would hit you all the same. When this happens, you
need funds for medical expenses. Why spend your own
hard-earned money when you have already prepared an
emergency fund for a situation like this?
Katrina Louise L. Yap, Cebu City, Philippines, 4-year member
PRACTICE
Outstanding
commitment to clients
MDRT members are honored with service award.
BY ANTOINETTE TUSCANO
PETER VIDOR
A final gift
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 11
PRACTICE
Insurance is the
cornerstone
of financial
planning and
the base to
build financial
independence.
12
Amy McNeely (right) was able to care for her daughter after being
widowed thanks to a policy put in place by Juli McNeely (left).
Protection is paramount
After fulfilling their dream of starting a family, Sam and Amy McNeely wanted more life
insurance coverage than was provided through
Sams employer. They turned to Sams cousin
and eight-year MDRT member Juli McNeely,
LUTCF, CFP, of Spencer, Wisconsin, for a life
insurance policy that would provide adequate
coverage.
When Sam fell ill and suddenly died at age
38 from a dissected aorta, McNeely reminded
Amy of the life insurance policies she and Sam
had purchased. McNeely couldnt take away
the emotional pain of losing Sam, but she knew
his insurance policy would help Sams family
financially. These life insurance policies allowed
Sams wife and young daughter to live their lives
without financial hardship.
Its never easy to lose a client, especially
when it is your own family member, McNeely
said. It is my hope that this real-life story of
our products at work will encourage others to
prepare for a day we all hope never comes. I
personally encourage you each to share this
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 13
PRACTICE
Bringing value
to older clients
BY BRYCE SANDERS
14
Take away a
worry for your
clients, and the
life insurance
proceeds may
be invested
with you.
The surviving spouse may be most comfortable with a monthly paycheck. Immediate
annuities were designed for this purpose. Their
investment portfolio could also be configured to
set aside a years income to be tapped monthly
while the portfolio replaces the shortfall over
time. Help them to set up automatic bill paying
for as many recurring charges as possible (insurance, utilities and so forth). Ask for introductions to their accountant and attorney. You are
all on the same side.
You have worked with your client for years and
have rapport. You are capable of helping to solve
this problem. They may not have thought of you
in this context before, but now you can be part of
the solution and remove a serious worry. RTT
Demographics Traits
n Urbanicity: Urban
n Income: Wealthy
n Income-producing assets: Elite
n Age ranges: 45-64
n Presence of kids: Family mix
n Homeownership: Mostly owners
n Employment levels: Management
n Education levels: Graduate plus
nE
thnic diversity: White, black,
Asian, Hispanic, mix
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 15
Organize digitally
Are you feeling disorganized? Do you wish you had an online
binder for everything you bring with you when meeting with
clients? OneNote on Surface Pro 3, a Microsoft tablet, makes it easy.
1. Simply purchase the tablet, which comes in several varieties.
The 12-inch model is $900 at microsoftstore.com.
2. Use the software to load all the forms you use for your fact
finders, meetings and appointments. You can duplicate them for each
client.
3. Go to the meetings, take notes, create a todo list and write notes for staff. Now you can
have everything at your fingertips with less
clutter.
Minh Duc Vo, Houston, Texas, 4-year member
On a winning streak
Momentum in our lives is very important, and our customers, family and
friends want to be around a positive me versus some other version of
me. One way to keep positive is to track your wins and your anticipated
successes.
The WinStreak app allows you to enter
your wins for the day and your anticipated wins for tomorrow. I usually try
to enter at least three wins for the day.
These wins could be closing on a case,
completing a task, celebrating the win of
a colleague, or spending time with family and friends. Cognitively recognizing
these wins for the day and potential wins
for tomorrow changes your mindset, and
you are more often the person you want
to be. If you want to share your wins, the
app allows you to easily do this electronically by text message, social media or
email. One of your wins today could be
downloading this free app.
Peter Hill, ChFC
Des Moines, Iowa, 19-year member
16
7 travel must-haves
Before you head off on your next business trip, consider placing a few items in
your bag that will make life a little easier and technology management a bit less
frustrating.
1. A small bag for all your tech gear. Consider Eagle Creek (eaglecreek.com)
packers and organizer bags, or some other brand of fabric zippered bag to keep
all your tech together. This can make losing things less likely, and its easier to
grab everything you need quickly.
2. Flat USB cables. These flat little cables roll up neatly and dont get tangled
like their round counterparts.
3. Outlet multiplier or surge brick. In case your hotel only has one outlet to
set up your iPad or computer, consider bringing your own. Travel surge strips/
bricks are lightweight, affordable, easy to pack and give you two to four extra
outlets.
4. Extras. Whether you are a die-hard Android or a devoted Apple fan, consider carrying an extra charging cable for the other team. The client, friend or
stranger in need will appreciate you greatly.
5. Dual USB high-capacity charger. Some devices need more juice to charge.
First-generation USB chargers only put out 0.5 amps; the next generation of
these put out 1 amp. However, today most tablets need 2.1, and some phones can
handle the increased output for faster charging. A dual 4.2 amp charger has two
2.1 USB outputs so you can rapidly charge a tablet and phone at the same time.
Limefuel, available at limefuel.com, makes just such a device.
6. Headphones. When you need them, you need them, and a spare pair is
cheap.
7. Small wallet. Pack a small, spare wallet with cash, an extra credit card and
ID, plus a copy of your passport if you are traveling internationally. It only takes
losing your wallet or purse once to appreciate this.
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 17
PRACTICE
18
Put the policy in a high-quality wallet, handcrafted case or customized folder to create high
impact. Include any extra documents that provide guidance about the policy as well as advice
for the future. When used, these documents will
remind the client of your delivery.
Use the time you deliver the policy as an opportunity to lay out your client service standards. Discuss what they can expect from a communication
perspective and how often you want to meet with
them. Its important to strategize the next step.
Fee-based fundamentals
Heres how to incorporate fees into your practice.
BY DAVID BRAITHWAITE, DIP PFS, AND MICHELLE L. BENDER, CFP
ARTBOX/AGE FOTOSTOCK
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 19
PRACTICE
like a revolution.
In many countries, advisors have been forced
by regulation into making the change after commissions were banned for certain product areas.
Some countries also made advisors enhance their
qualifications.
What has happened in those countries? There
has not been doom and gloom (although that was
how it was first imagined) but instead thriving
businesses, in which people are viewed as professionals working within their chosen profession.
Lets move away from working in an industry. We are better than that after all, we are
members of MDRT The Premier Association of
Financial Professionals.
Baby steps
1.
2.
20
3.
Believe in yourself
4.
5.
LISTEN AND
LEARN
Still unsure about
making the switch to
a fee-based practice?
Hear more from
members, including
Braithwaite, who have
made the transition
and seen their practices flourish as a result
in the MDRT Podcast.
Visit mdrt.org/podcast
to see if this is right
for you.
6.
7.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 21
PRACTICE
ways to
protect your
smartphone
D
Cybercrime has
soared
to one of
the top four
types of
economic
crimes
globally.
22
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 23
PRACTICE
Robert Carlson
(leaning on table)
talked with Richard
Morris (front chair)
about financial
planning.
1939
1983
As they planned the 1983 MDRT Annual Meeting, with the theme Reach Out
for Tomorrow, MDRTs leaders thought about how to help their fellow members
grow. One of their answers was to provide role models. After all, isnt this what
we have been doing for 56 years? then-President Jack B. Turner, CLU, ChFC, of
Clarksville, Tennessee, told attendees. When you really stop to think about it,
isnt that how we all grew by our identification with fellow members who had
traveled a road before us?
The task force identified role models to represent five practice types in a session called Survival in the Financial Planning Era. Richard S. Morris, CLU, ChFC,
of Colorado Springs, Colorado, who had been an MDRT member since 1966,
shared his experiences of transitioning to a financial planning practice a topic
many producers are still seeking today, three decades later.
One of the best ways for us to sort out our own future is to examine, microscopically, what others who have made the move are doing and what it took to
get there, Turner said.
Robert E. Carlson, Ph.D., former head of research at LIMRA, interviewed each
of the identified role models during the session.
24
A new client
must come in as
a total fee-based
circumstance.
Its sort of like a
doctor who cant
operate until
he has really
reviewed the
whole patient
profile.
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 25
FAST
AND GOOD
We should have a sense of
self-value in what we do and
pride that it is unique. We
should present ourselves as
specialists and experts, not
salespeople. Therefore, our clients must appreciate that we
are no different than anything
else of top quality you get
what you pay for. I explain that
we have three components
to our service: we can be fast,
FIND A CONNECTION
In starting and building relationships with clients, we know
we need to connect on a more personal level. I usually
meet with my clients and prospects in their office first.
When I get in, I make sure to casually look around.
Im looking so I can get to know the prospect a little better.
First, I understand better what is important to them. For example, Ill see a picture of the family, so I know there are kids,
dogs, etc. I can ask about them without the typical Do you
have kids? Its better to go right to: How old are your kids?
When was this picture taken? Looks like youre on vacation
do you enjoy traveling? What are your favorite spots?
From there I find out so much of what is important, and
we can have a conversation that is less like a fact-finder and
more like two friends.
Im also looking at things like diplomas, sports memorabilia and awards to give me more things to talk about in
our meeting, and plenty of excuses to email or call later.
Adam Steven Blumberg, CFP, CLU, Houston, Texas, 5-year
member
AUTO-RESPOND
FILL UP THE TANK
For a 100-mile round trip in your car, would you fill your gas
tank completely? Fill it halfway? Or pump $20 and cross your
fingers? In my car, I could do the round trip almost twice on a
half-tank. With a full tank, I might be able to complete the trip
four times. However, with $20 of gas, one false move construction, traffic, the GPS sending me in the wrong direction
and Ive got a big problem. So which one would you choose?
Audiences choose either a half-tank or a full tank every time.
Make the connection to life insurance:
Full tank whole life
Half tank universal life
$20 term insurance
So, if you would either fill the tank or put in half, would it
make sense to fund your life insurance using any other system?
David L. Alarid, Newport Beach, California, 27-year member
26
prospects/clients know
we are busy, and thats
a good thing. 2) More
importantly, it gives us
permission to not respond right away thus
we can stay focused on
our meetings and not
become distracted by
email developments that
are certain to take us off
track.
Gregory B. Gagne,
ChFC, Exeter, New
Hampshire, 16-year
member
our
PEOPLE
BEGINNINGS
RESCUE
SOUTH AFRICA
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 27
Built on values
MDRT President Heckerts steady, principled approach
to building success will sustain MDRTs relevance.
BY KATHRYN FURTAW KEUNEKE, CAE
same values guided him as he entered the financial services profession, driven by the need to support his young
family. The principles arent new, explained the 27-year
MDRT member from Nashville, Illinois. The values that
guided Heckert in raising his four children and establishing a practice from the ground up are the same ones that
have been at the heart of MDRT since 1927.
The similarities between his own personal and business
values, and those of the Round Table, inspired Heckerts
I am MDRT Annual Meeting speech in June in New
Orleans, Louisiana.
28
LEROY KOETZ
Heckert and his wife Mary (facing page) met in elementary school. Photos
this page, left to right: Heckerts Financial Solutions Midwest team; Heckert
with his wife and three of their children; Heckerts oldest son and his family.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 29
wealth. And because he handpicked each of them, his clients reside as far south as Kentucky and
as far north as Wisconsin. Heckerts business, Financial Solutions
Midwest, began as a small office
focusing only on life insurance,
but has become a full-service
financial planning firm with multiple offices.
To grow his business, Heckert
has merged with six other producers. All of the relationships began
with MDRT one through volunteer work, another from a lunch
MDRTS FUTURE
Heckert and Barczewski, his
business partner.
While Heckert has been strategically building his own business, he has
also had a role in MDRTs strategic planning process. For the last three
years, MDRTs Executive Committee has worked through a process to
establish a wide-ranging yet focused plan to ensure the Round Tables
relevance in the future.
Heckert described the thoroughness of the strategic planning process,
explaining that it came directly from MDRTs membership at large. We
conducted meetings, we held focus groups, we brought in members,
he said. We interviewed them from all over the world to find out whats
important about MDRT, and we used that as our starting point.
Five principles emerged to guide the process:
1. Organizational independence. MDRT will maintain its independence while helping those who partner with us to grow and prosper.
2.Highest standard of excellence. We will be the premier organization for financial professionals around the world.
3. V
alue and self-worth to the member. Our programs will focus on
making all of us better and increase the value of being a member.
4. Member connectivity. Networking is a significant member benefit,
and MDRT will expand these networking opportunities.
5. Ethics. Everything we do as an organization will be of the highest
ethical standards.
We took three years and boiled it down into five core principles,
Heckert explained. From there, the strategic plan helps us build programs. It tells us what not to do as much as it tells us what to do.
Though the strategic plan is not complete it is ever-evolving the
30
very technology-friendly, he
said. A large touchscreen monitor
allows Heckert to make presentations virtually for clients in their
homes or any of his offices, even
if hes several hours away or
even continents away, traveling on
MDRT business.
My clients appreciate it because they just want to hear the
message and the solutions they
dont necessarily have to meet me
face to face, he said.
Though hes still in the business
growth phase, Heckert has a suc-
VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
Step beyond the pages of Round
the Table and hear Heckert share what
has helped him become MDRT President
in the newest episode of the MDRT
Podcast. Heckert followed a unique
path, coming from the small town of
Nashville, Illinois, to reaching the top
of his profession. How did he do it?
Visit mdrt.org/podcast to find out.
planning stage is winding down, and the implementation stage is heating up. During the last year, several strategies commenced to improve
the way the organization operates to be able to offer members a more
personalized experience.
A technology focus provided a redesigned mdrt.org that includes
more content and the ability for members to customize the offerings,
as well as a multiyear plan for implementation of a state-of-the-art
database.
A new strategy for MDRTs content offerings is underway, which
has resulted in the MDRT Podcast series and new videos found in
the Resource Zone on mdrt.org. For those who want to know how to
discuss MDRT with their clients, resources have been developed to help
members position themselves in their communities.
Work is being done to enhance MDRTs Mentoring Program and
create other professional development resources. Meanwhile, members will have more opportunities to meet locally to connect and share
ideas.
Im most proud that during the next year, well stop talking about
this strategic plan as something that will come, Heckert said, and it
will just become part of who we are.
Heckert believes MDRT members shared
values will ensure the organizations
continued relevance.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 31
PEOPLE
South
Africa
Regulation
that helps
Kleyn looks forward to elevated
professionalism in South Africa.
BY SCOTT ROGERS
I always
believed if you
do what you
love, the rest
will follow.
Kobus Kleyn
32
CONTACT:
Kobus Kleyn
kobus.kleyn@
liblink.co.za
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 33
PEOPLE
Global goals
Chang draws on her international
knowledge to achieve success.
BY ELIZABETH FUHRMAN
34
One way Chang has done this is by bringing value to her clients. Her clients come from
companies like Apple, Google, IBM, Microsoft,
Facebook and Twitter. They are all very knowledgeable, so Chang felt she was not in a position
to teach them statistics or finance. Instead, she
focused on social networking and established the
San Francisco IT Startup Club.
The clubs goal is to provide a forum about
every two months for entrepreneurs of Silicon
Valley. Chang acts as the clubs organizer and
invites experts and successful business owners
to share their experiences on interesting topics
with club members. For example, one networking event featured an executive of Facebook
speaking about team building. Club members, at
first amazed that Chang simply delivered such
a notable speaker, became even more impressed
when they found out the speaker was also
Changs client.
The club members are enjoying their time
because they are not only learning the club
provides a venue for them to socialize and build
up personal networks, she explained. Being an
entrepreneur myself, I understand our members needs. All members like the idea of coming
together to pursue a common dream. I never sell
any insurance products in this club. I only focus
on building my own visibility. Even though insurance was never a topic for discussion, as time
went by, I could get business from many club
members, and my club members regarded me as
their trusted advisor.
Chang became a member of MDRT her first
year in the industry, reaching Court of the Table
in her second year and Top of the Table in her
third, fourth, fifth and sixth years. She also has
won awards, such as the International Platinum
Award in Financial Service, and achieved top
agent from National Life Group for 2014 and
2015. In addition, she served on the 2015 MDRT
U.S. Tax Planning Committee.
Chang has worked hard to share her knowledge
with the general public as well. She is the producer, editor and host of a finance and insurance
program on San Francisco Bay area-based Chinese
radio and television stations. She interviews
professionals in the financial industry, such as
lawyers, CPAs and actuaries. Her radio show features a call-in period where she dispenses advice
to listeners.
Chang is also an international conference
speaker in Australia, Korea, Switzerland, Spain
and France. She spoke at the 2014 MDRT Annual
Meeting.
Chang makes sure to spend time giving back
when shes not working. Each year, she organizes
golf charity events to benefit leukemia research
at Stanford Universitys Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital.
I took up multiple roles to improve my image
as an insurance and financial expert, Chang said.
If I only played one role, not all clients could
appreciate my work. When I work with high-end
clients, I feel that they want to know me from
different angles to assess my capabilities before
entrusting me with their business. You can only
have notability by doing a lot of value-added
social work and community service.
On top of developing her professional knowledge and setting a broad approach, Chang said
she pays special attention to details and hard
work.
I resort to perseverance to reach my goal,
Chang said. I aspire to become a leader in the
insurance business, not only in North America or
Asia, but globally. RTT
CONTACT:
Liru Chang
jenny.ewealth@
gmail.com
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 35
PEOPLE
BY LIZ DECARLO
36
Military honors
Recently, the Canadian government took note of
McCurdys efforts with the military and awarded her the designation of honorary colonel. Her
mission in that role is to connect the community
with the military.
Its a privilege to be asked. They normally
give it to someone whos famous or well-recognized in the military, she said. The vetting that
you go through with the government and the
minister of defense is a very, very big deal.
McCurdys work as honorary colonel involves meeting with senior officers to serve as a
sounding board and confidential ear, along with
educating community members and organizations about the military.
She also fundraises for special projects for
military families, which include sending care
packages to deployed soldiers and helping military spouses with educational and career opportunities. Her to-do list includes financial planning
seminars for military personnel and families.
Shes also thrilled to support the local military
base, home to the 442nd squadron that rescued
her from the helicopter crash.
At the same time, McCurdy hopes to continue
building her practice, with the goal of doubling
it in the next five years. I ask my clients, Would
you buy your business back and, if not, what do
you need to do so you would? she said. I always
try to keep my business current and in shape.
McCurdy advises new financial advisors to be
patient as they grow their own businesses. You
have to think of the first five years as building
your business, developing your clientele. It
doesnt happen overnight. From that fifth to
sixth year, you experience a quantum leap, she
said. Just remember, most go through this challenge. It takes time and perseverance. Challenges always come your way but facing it with
strength and resilience will pay off. RTT
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
CONTACT:
Diane McCurdy
diane@
mccurdyfinancial.com
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 37
PEOPLE
Changing
mindsets
Turner teaches clients about the
value of life insurance.
BY ELIZABETH FUHRMAN
L
I love the
chance to find
and teach people who have
a great need
for it but dont
know it.
38
ILLUSTRATION WORKS/CORBIS
CONTACT:
Laurence Turner
[email protected]
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 39
Be educated.
Be informed.
Be powerful.
MDRT
STORE
40
QA
&
PEOPLE
Trusting
relationships
will lead you
to a better
closing ratio.
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 41
COLD CALLS
After four years in sales,
I realized I had no one
left to sell to. I found
out that no matter how
much I tried, the number
of people I could meet on
a daily basis was limited,
and I also had to manage
my clients, analyze stock portfolios and work on contracts. I
tried cold-calling new prospects, but I found it took time away
from my other responsibilities, and the high rate of rejection
negatively affected my confidence. So I came up with this
idea. I hired a full-time secretary to cold call for me. For the
past year, I have not cold-called a single person. My secretary
gives me a list of prospects who have shown interest to her,
and then I talk to them. The whole process is now an efficient
system. My secretary also manages my schedule from Monday
to Sunday. If I tell her to give me three appointments a day,
she will work out the schedule. It has freed me up to follow
my own schedule and meet existing clients. If you let your
secretary make cold calls for you, you can save your time for
other things and keep your confidence level high.
Joon Hong Park, Seoul, South Korea, 4-year member
HUMAN CAPITAL
Everyone is priceless, both to themselves and their
families. When we look at a persons net worth, the
most important asset on the balance sheet thats often
overlooked is their human capital. It is based on how
much the family would have to raise to assume the same
standard of living in the absence of the breadwinner. That
is the financial value to their family. It represents their
lifetime earnings ability.
Insuring this value is the primary purpose of life insurance. It does not insure life; it insures income. Its what
they are worth that should be replaced. When we talk
about life, we talk about the value of their life to people
who depend on them. Tell your prospect: Transfer the
risk of loss from your family, who cannot afford to take
the impact, to a company who can.
Cristine T. Tan, RFC, LUTCF, Quezon, Philippines, 3-year
member
42
inside
MDRT
MACAU MOVES UP
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 43
INSIDE MDRT
Experiencing MDRT
Conference offers attendees motivation and education.
BY LIZ DECARLO
We have
speakers who
have achieved
extraordinary
things.
Alessandro Forte
44
he 2016 MDRT Experience and Global Conference in Hong Kong promises an incredible blend of motivation,
practice management and sales ideas, Whole
Person concepts and some captivating imagery
which will live long in the memory, said Alessandro M. Forte, Dip PFS, 2016 Divisional Vice
President of the Experience Meeting.
The meeting, open to both MDRT members
and nonmembers, will take place January 28 to
30. The meeting content is developed by MDRT
members from around the globe and features
Main Platform presentations, where inspiring
messages, best business practices and insight
into MDRT are shared. In addition, during Focus
Sessions and ConneXion Zone sessions, speakers
provide more in-depth content created to meet
the specific needs of attendees.
We have speakers who have achieved extraordinary things, those who remind us to never lose sight
of what an amazing job we do, and those who
through the sheer power of their message compel attendees to take action, said Forte, a 17-year
REGISTER NOW
Find more information and register for the
meeting at mdrt.org.
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 45
MDRT STORE
Insignia Collection
As a member you can display your commitment to
excellence with the MDRT logo. The Insignia Collection
offers one-of-a-kind branded merchandise to
commemorate your membership in style.
Visit mdrtstore.org to view the complete collection.
46
2016
INSIDE MDRT
PRESIDENT
Brian D. Heckert, CLU, ChFC, of Nashville, Illinois, is a
27-year MDRT member with seven Court of the Table
and eight Top of the Table honors. He is a Legion of
Honor Excalibur Knight of the MDRT Foundation and
a member of its Inner Circle Society. Heckert is the
founder and managing member of Financial Solutions Midwest LLC, a financial planning firm focused
on creative retirement plan design and income distribution planning. His Round Table volunteerism includes speaking at the MDRT
Annual Meeting and MDRT Experience meeting, as well as service on multiple
MDRT committees and task forces. He served on the MDRT Foundation Board
of Trustees for three years and was Divisional Vice President three times.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 47
INSIDE MDRT
SECOND VICE
PRESIDENT
James Douglas Pittman,
CLU, CFP, of Portland,
Oregon, is a 41-year
MDRT member with 15
Court of the Table and
four Top of the Table
qualifications. He is also
a Diamond Knight of the MDRT Foundation and
has served on its Board of Trustees. Pittman is
founder and president of Insurance Consulting Services Inc., an affiliate firm of M Benefit Solutions.
In 2009, he was honored with the prestigious Bud
Horn award from the Oregon Association of Insurance and Financial Planners. He is the past president of the Estate Planning Council of Portland
and the Portland Chapter of CLU and ChFC. His
MDRT experience includes serving four times as
Divisional Vice President and nine times as Chair.
Divisional Vice
Presidents and Chairs
Divisional
Vice President
Todd D. Hruby, LUTCF
Divisional
Vice President
Sarah J. Kaelberer,
CFP, ChFC
Main Platform and
Special Sessions
Chair
Ian Green
Focus Sessions Chair
Aaron Lee Hammer,
LUTCF
ConneXion Zone
Chair
Caroline Kheng, ChFC
48
Business
Development
Annual Meeting
Program Development
SECRETARY
Ross Vanderwolf, CFP,
of Fortitude Valley,
Queensland, Australia, is
a 28-year MDRT member
with nine Court of the
Table and five Top of the
Table qualifications. He
is also a Diamond Knight
of the MDRT Foundation. Vanderwolf, a 33-year
industry veteran, is managing director of Rothgard
Financial Partners, a full-service financial planning
practice. He is a three-time nominee for Australias
Association of Financial Advisers Adviser of the
Year. In addition, he was awarded AXA Financial
Advice Networks State Adviser of the Year in
2002 and 2007, and National Adviser of the Year
in 2007.
Annual Meeting
Program General
Arrangements
Member
Enhancement
Committee Chair
Anthony G. Engrassia,
LUTCF, ChFC
Member Logistics
Committee Chair
David Pritchard,
Dip PFS
Member Services
Committee Chair
Rino V. Cipparrone,
CFP, CLU
Divisional
Vice President
Roy Hall
Protection
Committee Chair
William Marvin
Richardson, CLU, CFP
Retirement Planning
Committee Chair
Jay M. DeFinis, CLTC
Financial Planning
Committee Chair
Simon D. Lister,
Dip PFS
Client Relations
Finance
Membership
Productivity
Divisional Vice
President
Arlyn Tiong Tan, MBA
Divisional
Vice President
Clifford P. Ryan, CLU,
ChFC
Divisional
Vice President
Michael P. Austin, CFP,
ChFC
Divisional
Vice President
Peter Hill, ChFC
Divisional
Vice President
William J. Rossi, CFP,
ChFC
Protection Committee
Chair
Glory Xavier
Guided Development
Retirement Planning
Committee Chair
Cristine T. Tan, RFC,
LUTCF
Mentoring Resources
Committee Chair
Chan Hyun Baek
Experience Meeting
Divisional
Vice President
Alessandro M. Forte,
Dip PFS
Program Development
Committee Chair
Alessandro M. Forte,
Dip PFS
Host Country
Committee Chair
Stanley Tse Lap Yee
PGA Committee Chair
Wong So Ping, FChFP,
MBA
Practice Management
Mentoring Resources
Committee Chair
Travis D. Manning, CFP,
CLU
Technology
Committee Chair
Timothy Daniel
Clairmont, CFP, MSFS
Resource Zone
Committee Chair
Daniel Turnwald, FIC,
FICF
Special Projects
Divisional
Vice President
Niti Sharma, LUTCF
Client Experience
Committee Chair
Kenichi Ibuki
Business Practices
Committee Chair
Mathew Thomas
Fogarty, CFP, Dip FP
Divisional
Vice President
Hamilton P.B. Poynor,
CLU, AEP
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 49
INSIDE MDRT
Zone 1: Canada
Aurora L. Tancock,
FLMI, CFP
St. Catharines, Ontario,
Canada
[email protected]
Zone 8: USA
Ryan J. Pinney
Roseville, California
rpinney@
pinneyinsurance.com
Zone 13: Oceania
Ross Gordon Hultgren
Geelong West,
Victoria, Australia
[email protected]
REGION B
Region Chair
Saad Anthony Baksh, BSc
Marabella, Trinidad and
Tobago
saadanthonybaksh@
gmail.com
50
Zone 9: Caribbean
Meila Annalee McKitty,
LUTCF, FSS
Kingston, Jamaica
meila_mckitty@
sagicor.com
Zone 11: Latin America
Herman Colin
Estado de Mexico,
Mexico
[email protected]
REGION C
Asvin Chauhan, Dip FA,
MIFS
Coventry, England
[email protected]
Zone 10: Europe
Adrian P. Baker,
Dip PFS
Bristol, England
[email protected]
Zone 12: Middle East
and Africa
Cherian Panavila John,
MBA, FAIQ(CII)
Abu Dhabi, United
Arab Emirates
[email protected]
Division 2
REGION D
Kyo Wook Son, CFP
Seoul, Korea
[email protected]
Zone 5: Japan
Tamami Okuyama
Tokyo, Japan
tamami.okuyama@
gib-life.co.jp
Zone 6: Korea
Sung Man Park
Seoul, Korea
[email protected]
REGION E
Pei-hua Tsai
Taipei City, Taiwan
peggy590504@
yahoo.com.tw
Zone 2: China
Wu Zheng Yu
Beijing, China
[email protected]
Zone 3: Hong Kong
and Macau
Leung Mo Ling Annie
Causeway Bay, Hong
Kong
annie-ml.leung@
aia.com.hk
Zone 7: Taiwan
Chia Fang Hsieh
Taipei, Taiwan
chiafang_hsieh@
yahoo.com.tw
REGION F
Rovelita M. Chuaunsu
Manila, Philippines
[email protected]
Durkin elected
MDRT Foundation President
BY FIONA ODUMOSU-WATKINS
arly
in his
career,
James V.
Durkin, CFP,
CLU, realized
one of the most
important traits
you need for
business success
is a good attitude. Like many members, I struggled to be
successful during my first year in the business,
said Durkin, a 29-year MDRT member from
Vienna, Virginia. When I began to change my
attitude, thats when success came. Durkin
will employ this same positive attitude in his
role as 2016 President of the MDRT Foundation
to bring a clear vision for growth, impact and
organizational success.
Born and raised in Alexandria, Virginia,
Durkin attributes some of his most important
values to his parents. My father was extremely
patient, and my mother was loyal traits I try to
live by in my own life.
Durkin met his wife, Margot, in high school.
They have two children, Tim, 39, and Meredith, 34.
Durkin attended Marquette University in Wisconsin to study engineering, but quickly realized
it was not his calling. After serving in the U.S.
Army during the Vietnam War, Durkin enrolled
in George Washington University, where he
obtained his Bachelors of Arts in American literature in 1973.
Durkin went to work for Lincoln Financial,
and this year will celebrate 41 years with the
company.
MOVING FORWARD
Learn more about
the MDRT Foundations
organizational priorities at
mdrtfoundation.org.
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 51
GRANT UPDATE
Alex
Sheen
52
t the 2013 MDRT Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the MDRT Foundation
partnered with Free The Children, a charitable organization that empowers youth to support
economic development programs in their communities and developing countries worldwide.
As a result of generous donations from MDRT
members, the Foundation awarded a $100,000
grant to support Free The Childrens Adopt a Village
program, a community-based initiative that supports children and adults in developing countries
Education in China
Guang Ming is a rural community in
China that faces poverty and a lack of
educational opportunities for children.
Located in the mountainous region of
Sichuan, Guang Mings nearest school
was a more-than-two-hour walk away,
and many young children had dropped
out of school to do farming work.
Solution: To invest in the educational
future of this community, the MDRT
Foundation grant helped fund the cost
of building a school with classrooms,
teacher offices, toilets, a dining hall and
a kitchen. Today, distance and treacherous travel are no longer obstacles for
students who attend this local school.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 53
CONTRIBUTORS
John D. Aakre, CLU, CLTC, Olympia, Washington
Glenda Miro Antonio, Cebu City, Philippines
Guy E. Baker, MSFS, CLU, Irvine, California
Michelle L. Bender, CFP, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Adam Steven Blumberg, CFP, CLU, Houston, Texas
David Braithwaite, Dip PFS, Tonbridge, England
Richard John Campbell, CFP, Morphett Vale, South Australia, Australia
David M. Ethell, LUTCF, Camarillo, Texas
John L. Gilfoil, CLU, CFP, Springfield, Massachusetts
Peter Hill, ChFC, Des Moines, Iowa
Ken Ibuki, Nagoya, Japan
Robert B. Joki, CLU, ChFC, Mountlake Terrace, Washington
Bryna A. Kanarek, RICP, ChFC, Chicago, Illinois
Deddy Karyanto, CFP, QWP, Bandung, Indonesia
Alan Craig Kifer, CFP, LUTCF, Scottsdale, Arizona
Thomas F. Levasseur, CLU, CLTC, Dover, New Hampshire
Angus Donald McQueen, Dip CII, Dip PFS, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Susan Meity, CFP, AEPP, Jakarta Barat, Indonesia
Mike Morrow, CFP, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Lucas J. Noble, CFP, ChFC, Danvers, Massachusetts
Scott S. Paterick, CLU, ChFC, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
William Marvin Richardson III, CLU, CFP, San Francisco, California
Anthony Joseph Truino, Stamford, Connecticut
Michael Yen Pon Wan, FChFP, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Submit your suggestions and contributions to [email protected].
54
TRUE TALES
CONTACT:
Theodore Rusinoff
[email protected]
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 55
looking
BACK
Fast track
MDRT leaders in 1987 recognized the need to begin developing the next generation of financial
advisors and created the Fast Track to Productivity Institute, with 1987 President Wilmer S. Poynor
III, CLU, ChFC, of Birmingham, Alabama.
The programs aim was to create sessions that would introduce promising young producers to the
proven work habits of successful advisors. Students were selected and sponsored by MDRT members
who recognized their need to have well-trained professionals join their operation.
The intensive, week-long training program was held on the Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, campus of The
American College. Students praised the MDRT member instructors, including the late Thomas J. Wolff,
CLU, ChFC, of Manchester, Connecticut, and the late O. Alfred Granum, CLU, of Oak Brook, Illinois.
The program was considered a success by the Chair of the Professional Development Committee,
Leonard A. Goodman Jr., CLU, of El Paso, Texas. All the students were positive, enthusiastic and
motivated, he said in 1988. Also, it was wonderful to see the commitment of MDRT members. They
shared their time and knowledge with students during the program.
Today, MDRTs Mentoring Program continues the tradition of pairing established MDRT members
with aspiring members. The senior advisors provide counseling, guidance and encouragement to help
the newer advisor achieve MDRT membership. Learn more at mdrt.org in the Membership section. RTT
Contributed by Jennifer Witkov, MDRTs knowledge coordinator.
56
PROGRAMME AT A GLANCE
GLOBAL CONFERENCE
F E AT U R E D S P E A K E R S
ALEX SHEEN
PHIL HANSEN
USD 630
Register today, J O I N U S I N H O N G K O N G !
mdrt.org/2016experience
Complimentary
Registrations
100199
200299
10
300399
15
400499
20
500 or more
25
Somebody once told me that youve only got to know 5 percent more
than your audience to be an expert. That is probably true, but I believe
to be fair to your clients, youve got to know far more than that.
Laurence Turner, APFS, CFP, Page 38
ANNUAL MEETING
2016 - JUNE 12 TO 15, VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA