Browne Among Those Honored At NAIFA Conference

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) awarded its highest honor to Peter C. Browne, cofounder of the financial planning, risk management and corporate benefits agency Price, Raffel & Browne.

Browne, a former NAIFA trustee and treasurer, accepted the John Newton Russell Memorial Award during an awards presentation  at the NAIFA 2015 Career Conference and Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

The John Newton Russell Memorial Award is NAIFA’s highest honor accorded to a living individual for contributions to life insurance.

Robert A. Miller, chairman of the 2015 award committee, cited Browne’s “remarkable achievements” over a decades-long insurance career that began in 1962.

“On a more personal note, it is very gratifying for me to see Peter receive this well-deserved honor, as he contributed immeasurably to my own success,” Miller said in a news release.

“He served as a mentor and nurtured me in my career, as he did for many other agents,” Miller also said. “I consider Peter my ‘NAIFA father.’ He got me involved with NAIFA, and without him I would never have been so invested in my own success and the success of my colleagues.”

Browne began as an agent in the Rochester agency of the Union Central Life Insurance Co., which sent him to New York City to manage C.B. Knight Agency, one of the country’s largest life insurance general agencies at the time.

Browne, along with Arnold Price and Stuart Raffel, founded Price, Raffel & Browne in 1984. With offices in New York and Los Angeles, the company has grown into a large pension and profit-sharing consultancy.

A former president of NAIFA-New York State and NAIFA-New York City, Browne has served on the board of trustees of The American College, the Life Happens organization, the Life Underwriters Training Council and GAMA International.

Browne was one of several award recipients to be recognized over the weekend by NAIFA.

Todd W. Johnson was awarded the C. Carney Smith Award, NAIFA’s most prestigious honor in association management. Johnson has served as executive director for NAIFA-Minnesota, NAIFA-Minneapolis and NAIFA-St. Paul since 2000.

“NAIFA-Minnesota and the local associations he directs have thrived under his leadership, thanks largely to his passion, dedication and innovative thinking,” NAIFA president Juli McNeely said in a statement.

The C. Carney Smith Award promotes the advancement of professionalism in association management among NAIFA state and local associations.

“Todd understands the need for non-dues income and has created ways for our organization to flourish,” NAIFA-Minnesota past president Debra C. Newman said in a news release. “He is an avid student of innovation and keeps us on the cutting edge of technology and leadership development.”

NAIFA also recognized Jennifer Alford, vice president of Creative Financial Partners, as the Young Advisors Team (YAT) Leader of the Year.

Alford, 37, is the immediate past president of NAIFA-Ohio, current Political Involvement and Programs and Professional Development chair for NAIFA-Toledo, and board president of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Network.

“She represents a solid corps of young leaders within NAIFA who have come up through the YAT program,” McNeely said. “It reassures me to know that the future of our association will be in such capable hands.”

Alford, along with three other advisors, launched Creative Financial Partners when she was 26 years old. The company has grown to 25 people.

YAT Leader of the Year recognizes an advisor’s commitment to NAIFA, including service on local, state, and national committees; participation in the Leadership in Life Institute (LILI); involvement with state or federal legislative efforts; participation in external service work, such as charities, and an ability to inspire others.

Also recognized were “4 Under Forty” standouts Susan Combs, 36, president of Combs & Co. in New York City and partner at Capacity Group of Companies in New Jersey; Jason Doise, senior partner at Legacy Wealth Partners in Baton Rouge, La.; Ryan J. Pinney, vice president of sales and marketing for Pinney Insurance Center with offices in eight states, and Eszylfie Taylor, 37, president of Taylor Insurance and Financial Services in Pasadena, Calif.

InsuranceNewsNet Senior Writer Cyril Tuohy has covered the financial services industry for more than 15 years. Cyril may be reached at [email protected].

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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 [email protected].