Richard A. Koob Earns Insurance Industry’s Highest Honor

By Cyril Tuohy

InsuranceNewsNet

Richard A. Koob, a Waukesha, Wis.-based senior financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, is the recipient of the 72nd annual John Newtown Russell Memorial Award, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) announced.

He will receive the award, which is the insurance industry’s highest honor, on Oct. 1, during the NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.  

Koob, who served as NAIFA’s 2002-2003 president, helped transform the association  into an effective lobbying organization delivering “bottom-line benefits” to its members, according to a news release from NAIFA.

“I’m pleased to congratulate Dick Koob as this year’s recipient of the John Newton Russell Memorial Award,” said NAIFA President Rob Smith. Koob’s decades of service to NAIFA, the LIFE Foundation, the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) and the American Association of Life Underwriters have “strengthened our industry,” Smith said.

Koob is a 38-year member of MDRT. He has also served as president of NAIFA-Waukesha, as well as on the NAIFA board of trustees at both the state and national levels.

“His history of service to our industry speaks for itself,” said Tom Currey, chairman of the 2013 John Newtown Russell Award Committee. “His enduring vision and leadership have contributed to the success of numerous professionals in the life insurance field.”

Koob holds designations as an accredited estate planner (AEP), chartered advisor for senior living (CASL), chartered financial consultant (ChFC) and chartered life underwriter (CLU). His areas of expertise include business continuation planning, business risk management, business succession, estate, retirement and disability income planning, life insurance and long-term care planning.

The John Newton Russell Award was created in 1942 to honor an influential leader in the life insurance industry and an early advocate of agent education. John Newton Russell served as president of NAIFA, formerly the National Association of Life Underwriters, from 1916 to 1917. He was a contributing founder of LIMRA International, The American College and the CLU designation.

Cyril Tuohy is a writer living in Pennsylvania. He has covered the financial services industry for more than 15 years. He has also written about food, restaurants and travel. He can be reached at Cyril.tuohy@innfeedback.com.

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Cyril Tuohy is a writer based in Pennsylvania. He has covered the financial services industry for more than 15 years. He can be reached at cyril.tuohy@innfeedback.com.