Members of NAIFA’s New York chapter (NAIFA-NY) held a virtual meeting with officials from the state Department of Financial Services (DFS). State President Gary Cappon, CLU, LUTCF, RICP, FSCP, CLTC, provided introductions and a brief rundown of NAIFA’s advocacy work and support for the agent and advisor community and the consumers they serve. He also discussed challenges with financial product availability in the state. President-Elect Vinny Dallo, ChFC, CLU, CLTC, LUTCF, and Vice President of Advocacy Paul Sciacca presented “A Day in the Life of a Financial Professional,” highlighting how NAIFA members serve families and businesses in the state.

NAIFA is proud to announce that Robert A. Miller, M.S., M.A., Partner at Miller-Pomerantz Insurance and Financial Services in New York City, is the recipient of NAIFA’s Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award.

Miller, a loyal member since 1983, was NAIFA’s national President for the 2011-2012 term. He had previously served as President of the NAIFA-New York state chapter and NAIFA-New York City. He was elected to the NAIFA Board of Trustees in 2005 and has served as trustee liaison to the CEO Outreach Program, the Young Advisor Team, and the Corporate Partnerships Program. He also served as chair of the NAIFA Governance Committee and was a member of the NAIFA Finance Committee.

NAIFA Senior Vice President for Government Relations Diane Boyle appeared with other industry thought leaders on the National & Federal Insurance Perspective Panel at the Life Insurance Council of New York (LICONY) Annual Meeting and Planning Conference in Albany. She discussed with other panelists the top issues facing the insurance and financial services industry, the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the insurance sector, issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and NAIFA’s work with the American Council of Life Insurance (ACLI) to remove unnecessary barriers to recruiting new insurance professionals.

NAIFA is sad to announce that Peter C. Browne, former NAIFA National Treasurer and Past President of NAIFA-NY, has passed away. Peter was a loyal NAIFA member since 1965. During his career spanning nearly six decades, he achieved phenomenal success as an advisor and agency manager, much of it with Price, Raffel & Browne, a firm he co-founded.

New York Life has named Robert Petrocelli, Founder and Managing Director of Petrocelli Financial Services in New York City and a loyal NAIFA member since 1979, as the 2021-2022 Chair of the influential New York Life Agent Advisory Board of Directors (ABD). The ABD, according to the company, “is an elite group of 16 agents who meet with the company’s executive leaders to provide their perspectives on corporate strategic initiatives based on their experience in the insurance and financial services industry and running among the most successful agent practices in the country.”

Peter Browne, LUTCF is serving as the Immediate Past President of NAIFA-NY and has been a loyal NAIFA member since 1965. Peter recently relocated to White Plains, NY but spent the bulk of his career in New York, NY with PRB Wealth Management. He specializes in executive compensation and estate planning. 

Gary Cappon, CLU, LUTCF, RICP, FSCP, CLTC is the President of NAIFA-NY and has been a loyal NAIFA member since 2006. He practices with Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc., in Syracuse, NY, where he is the Vice President of Sales and Fixed Annuity Insurance Solutions and assists financial professionals from all over the country with every aspect of the planning process. This role enables him to use his knowledge and skills to provide solutions to complex problems.

Mitchell “Mitch” Ostrove CLU, ChFC, LACP serves as the VP of Professional Development on the NAIFA-NY Board and has been a loyal NAIFA member since 1965. He practices with The Ostrove Group, in White Plains, NY, where he specializes in insuring small closely held corporations.

The New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, has ruled that state Insurance Regulation 187, “Suitability and Best Interests in Life Insurance and Annuity Transactions,” is unconstitutional. A 2018 amendment to Regulation 187 imposed a complicated new standard of care on annuity recommendations and broadened the scope of the regulation to include life insurance as well as annuity products.

Neil Himmelstein serves as the Vice President of Membership on the NAIFA-NY Board and has been a loyal NAIFA member since 1997. He practices with Main Street Planning Group, in Center Moriches, NY, where he specializes in high-net-worth programs such as Premium Finance and Restricted Property Trust and finding solutions for clients with health impairment needs.