Board of Directors
| Dex began his insurance career with Metropolitan Life in 1978 after graduating with a BA from California State University, Long Beach. In 1984, after a successful sales career with Metropolitan, he joined First Delaware Life and attained the role of assistant vice president of sales development. In 1988, Dex joined John Rupright, founding partner of Producers XL, (a BRAMCO Partner Agency) as a co-owner and managing partner of the agency. Dex has authored articles for numerous trade publications and has spoken at seminars across the country on advanced sales concepts, industry trends and ethical sales practices. Dex's professional area of expertise is the advanced life markets, with an emphasis on Business and Estate planning strategies. Dex is FINRA Securities licensed with a Series 7, 24, 63 and 65. Dex is an OSJ/Branch Manager for INGFP-Wholesale Broker Dealer Network. Dex is a member of AALU, NAIFA and SFSP. Dex is a long time attendee of the SFSP Arizona Institute and has served as a two term President of the Wichita Chapter of SFSP. When away from the insurance business, Dex enjoys rocking out, playing lead guitar in the band Wild Voodoo and traveling with his wife Audrey. Audrey and Dex have two sons, Dana and Adam. |
Raymond Phillips, CLU, LTCP | Ray is the currently the immediate Past-President of the Society of Underwriting Brokers (SubCenters); is past-President of the Pittsburgh Chapter of National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors; past-President of the Pittsburgh Association of Health Underwriters; and has served on the board of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals. In 2006 Ray was presented with the prestigious Edward Haldeman Memorial Award from the Pittsburgh NAIFA Chapter for distinguished service to the insurance industry and community. He is a member of The Plus Group, the International Disability Income Society and the Pittsburgh Estate Planning Council. He is a founding member of The Marketing Alliance. Ray is happily married to Susan and has three children, Zack, 13, Kelsey, 11, and Hanna, 5. He is actively involved with Trinity Lutheran Church, Wexford, PA. He enjoys hunting, fishing, biking and golf. He serves on the Pittsburgh Community Development Fund’s loan committee. |
| Barbara Crowley is a Principal of Brokers Clearing House, Ltd., located in West Des Moines, IA. BCH is a multi-carrier wholesale distributor of quality life insurance, long term care, and annuity products. Barbara started her brokerage career in 1977 with BCH. She has worked as a consultant for insurance carriers, served on numerous insurance company advisory boards and spoken at various industry meetings. Barbara is an active member of NAILBA, NAIFA, SFSP, and she has served as President of Life, Inc. and as a Board Member and Officer for LifeMark Partners, Inc., of which she is a founding partner. |
Christi Daughenbaugh | Christi Daughenbaugh has grown up in the independent brokerage business. Her father, Reed Ashwill, helped start the Borden Hamman Agency back in 1975 so Christi loosely learned about the insurance business early in life. Christi joined her father full-time at Borden Hamman in 1998 after working in another industry for several years after she graduated from college. Christi is a graduate of Baylor University, where she earned her B.B.A. in Business Management. Christi has worked in various roles at Borden Hamman over the years. Currently, Christi is the Brokerage Manager and enjoys working closely with Reed to build and expand the agency. Christi earned her CLTC designation from the Corporation for Long Term Care in 2002 and her Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) designation in 2004. Christi has been very involved in leadership positions in the industry over the last few years. She was on the Board of Directors for the National Brokerage Consortium, a national marketing group, for five years. She has also been very involved in NAILBA's Education Committee, serving as committee chair for three years. Christi lives in the Dallas area with her husband, David, who is a Pre-AP Chemistry teacher at Waxahachie High School. Christi’s primary activities, when she is not helping agents make more money, revolve around spending time with family and friends. Christi and her husband are also avid outdoor people and enjoy camping, fishing, and hunting in areas around Texas. |
| David Chittenden, CLU, ChFC, LTCP is President and CEO of The Chittendens, a regional independent brokerage agency in Phoenix, Arizona that specializes in Life, Disability Income and Long Term Care insurance products. A 1978 Summa Cum Laude graduate of Northern Arizona University with a BS in Mathematics, David started working part time in the family insurance agency at age 16 and then took a full time position upon graduation from college. The agency was started by David’s parents George and Fran Chittenden in January 1973. David took over the day to day operations of the agency in 1986 and became President and CEO in 2003. The Chittenden Agency is a charter member of NAILBA. David has been very active in his local insurance industry associations, his church and several national marketing groups. David and his wife of 31 years, Vicki, have 4 daughters, two of whom are still in college. None have committed to the agency, YET! David has served NAILBA as a member of various committees over the years. |
| Tom has been in the insurance and financial services business for 40 years. He began in personal production with Equitable of Iowa after graduation from the University of Iowa. He later entered the home office progressing through various sales management roles at Equitable and Jefferson National Life where he was named Chief Marketing Officer in 1986. He was named had of the Individual Division at Guarantee Mutual Life where he remained until 1993. |
David Long | David is senior vice president of CPS Sacramento, an independent life brokerage agency in Sacramento, CA. Along with his sister Sheryl, he makes up the second generation of the family agency started by his parents, Larry and Susan, in the late 70’s. After being raised in the business, David joined the agency full time in 1999. Prior to his work at the agency, he held several positions in the financial services industry in banking, claims, and then in personal production as a life agent. David is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley where he earned his B.S. in marketing and finance from the Haas School of Business. He has served as chairman of NAILBA’s Membership Committee, and has been active on the NAILBA Professional Development Committee and NAILBA Communications Committee. David resides in the Sacramento area with his wife Dana, and sons Max and Zack. He enjoys numerous outdoor activities, including skiing, golfing, and fishing. |
Daniel E. Peterson, LLIF, LUTCF | Dan is President & CEO of e4 Brokerage, LLC., an independent brokerage agency he formed in 2008. He is also a Managing Partner with Partners Advantage Insurances Services, LLC. He has worked in the insurance business for over 20 years as an agent, home office employee, and served as Sr. Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Clarica US. In 2003 he helped start Maxx Financial Partners, LLC; in October of 2007, Maxx Financial and Partners Advantage merged. |
| George “Chip” Van Dusen, IV is President of Diversified Brokerage Services, Inc. (DBS), a national independent brokerage agency in Minneapolis, Minnesota that specializes in servicing national account customers. DBS is a charter member of NAILBA, with its founder George C. Van Dusen, III a past Chairman from 1993-1994. DBS is also a leading partner of LifeMark Partners, a National Marketing Organization. Chip began his insurance career in 1989, when he joined his father’s agency as a marketing associate. An active member and Past President of the Minneapolis Association of NAIFA, Chip currently serves on several carrier and industry field advisory councils and is an active member of LIFE Inc. Chip has also served NAILBA as a member of various committees over the years. |
| Steve Walther is one of the principals of The Sellin Advisor Group, Inc., an independent life brokerage agency supporting independent producers and financial professionals. Steve is also one of the founding owners & principals of American Independent Securities Group, LLC, an independent broker dealer headquartered in the Pacific Northwest offering its advisors expertise spanning the financial spectrum. Earning his B.A. from Humboldt State University in 1991, Steve also studied language abroad at La Universidad de Granada, Spain and Educational Studies at Simpson College, CA. The Sellin Advisor Group, Inc. has been a member of NAILBA for 10 years. Steve has served NAILBA on both the marketing and membership committees. Steve resides in the Boise area with his wonderful wife, Maria, and two children, Danielle and Paul. He enjoys outdoor activities, travel and Boise State football! |
Gordon N. Zuckerman, CLU, ChFC | Gordon is a Past President of NAIFA-New York, founding President of NAHU, New York State, and has had leadership roles in his local associations. He has been President and has had leadership roles in numerous religious and secular organizations. He is currently an elected Fire Commissioner in his home town and is first Vice-Chair of Hudson Valley Community College Foundation. Gordon serves on NAILBA's Government Affairs Committee and is chair of the Federal Tax Subcommittee. Gordon is a graduate of Hudson Valley Community College, Troy, NY, and Union College, Schenectady, NY, with a B.S. in Chemistry and Mathematics. He served in the Army in Vietnam, stationed in Da Nang (1968-69), and entered the insurance industry in 1970. Gordon and his wife, Linda, live in Niskayuna and have two daughters, Miriam Smith and Cj. He has two grandchildren, Devon Ezra and Juliet Morgan. |
Thomas L. Gilbert, CLU, ChFC, LTCP
Stephen F. Walther
