Terry Headley Receives Industry's Highest Honor

A committee of representatives of the 10 leading organizations in the life insurance and financial services industry has selected NAIFA-Nebraska member Terry Headley, LUTCF, FSS as the 2020 John Newton Russell Memorial Award recipient. The award is the highest honor accorded by the insurance industry to a living individual who has rendered outstanding services to the institution of life insurance.  

A page honoring Terry's achievement is live on the NAIFA website, along with a link to a special video tribute.

Terry entered the life insurance business in January 1973 at age 19 and is a 47-year member of NAIFA.  He is the youngest Agent ever inducted into the Principal Financial Group Hall of Fame and has 45 consecutive Club qualifications. He is a Qualifying and Life Member of MDRT and consistent Court of the Table Qualifier.

Terry has held every office in the NAIFA-Nebraska chapter. He was president of NAIFA-Omaha for the 1997-98 year and was later indicted into the NAIFA-Omaha Hall of Fame.  He served as NAIFA-Nebraska president for the 1992-93 year and received the NAIFA-Nebraska Distinguished Service Award in 2008. 

On the National level, Terry served as Chair of the NAIFA Committee on Public Relations, member of the NAIFA Committee on Governance, and chair of the National IFAPAC Subcommittee. He also chaired the NAIFA 21 Advocacy Task Force. Terry was first elected to the NAIFA Board of Trustees in 2004 and elected Secretary in 2008. He served as NAIFA's national President for 2010-2011. 

Terry has been interviewed by major print media, including the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Bloomberg, the Investment News, New York Times, and Washington Post. Terry has appeared on Fox News and testified before numerous congressional committees, state legislatures, and state and federal regulatory agencies, including the SEC, FINRA, HHS, DOL, and NAIC to provide expert testimony. Most recently, he testified at the White House on the Department of  Labor fiduciary rule. He was named by Investment News as one of the "20 Most Powerful People" in financial services for 2011.

He also has contributed more than $150,000 in his lifetime to NAIFA's political action committee, IFAPAC.  

After meeting Terry for the first time so many years ago I came away feeling like best friends.  I suspect Terry has that impact on everyone he meets.

Please join the NAIFA-Nebraska Board of DIrectors in congratulating Terry on this well-deserved recognition.  He absolutely gives us all cause to be #NAIFAproud.  

Dave Skutnik, AIF, LACP, LUTCF, RICP

NAIFA-Nebraska 2020 President