“We addressed a number of challenging issues, such as revising the NFCA’s membership standards and strengthening our common bonds,” said NFCA Immediate Past Chair Michael J. Wade, who presided over this year’s meeting. “Fraternalists were able to attend quality programs, renew ties to their fraternal colleagues and refresh their commitment to fraternalism.”

Several speakers enlightened and entertained the attendees, including the opening keynote presenter Dr. Carl Hammerschlag—a master storyteller and internationally recognized author, physician, speaker and healer—who is an expert on how to survive in rapidly changing cultures. In his presentation, Building Community in a Changing World: The Quest for Vision, Dr. Hammerschlag explained to attendees that maintaining a competitive advantage in today’s rapidly changing business environment means more than just having access to information or being able to transmit it quickly. The key lies in how you process that information while developing and implementing new ideas. He added that by balancing the fear of change with hopes for the future, the fraternal benefit system could transform threats into opportunities. Dr. Hammerschlag encouraged fraternal leaders to think progressively and adjust to modern times.

Other main platform speakers included New York Times best-selling author Dr. Robert Kriegel who explained in his presentation, Re-Thinking Fraternal Rules and Re-Inventing Your Society, how his patented “Change-Ready©” techniques could help fraternals learn how to motivate and coach their employees and members, while maximizing teamwork based on their common bond. Stan Herman—a national speaker, coach and consultant—gave an overview on board governance and performance during Friday’s main platform session, and then further explored governance performance in his two afternoon workshops, Governance Performance I – Improving the Basics and Raising the Bar, and Governance Performance II – The Next Level: Noble Purpose. Through a historical perspective and global vision, Dr. Barry Asmus shared the promising state of our economy, innovation, prosperity and free markets during the closing main platform session, State of the American Economy: The Best is Yet to Come.

All the speakers were excellent,” said Brian K. Schulte, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, The Travelers Protective Association of America. “I wish my key people could have heard what they said, because I cannot do them justice.”

One of the hot topics covered at the NFCA Annual Meeting was the proposed revisions to the NFCA Membership Standards Program. To address any concerns from member-societies, an Open Forum was held on Thursday evening with presentations from NFCA Membership Standards Committee Co-Chairs Charles H. Foos, Knights of Columbus, and Anthony T. Mravle, American Slovenian Catholic Union (KSKJ). On September 9, then-Chair Michael J. Wade announced that no action would be taken on Membership Standards at the annual meeting and that the review-and-comment period would be extended into the fall. Wade also announced that the Membership Standards Committee will revisit the proposed membership categories; determine whether or not the 25 ratios calculated by Tillinghast for the Solvency Program are the best way to evaluate the Financial Performance standard; revise the explanation of how the PASS/FAIL methodology will work; and clarify the NFCA staff’s administrative role in gathering and tabulating information from societies.

In addition to the general sessions, interactive workshops were held for participants, namely Strengthening the Common Bond for the 21st Century; Fraternal Best Practices for Marketing and Branding; Government, Regulatory and Legal Affairs Update; Business Best Practices for Fraternals; and State of the Life Insurance Industry.

Meeting delegates also tended to NFCA business during the meeting. Michael J. Wade, 2005-2006 NFCA Chair of the Board, delivered his final report to the Congress; new 2006-2007 NFCA Chair of the Board, Janice U. Whipple, was installed as Chair and gave her acceptance speech to attendees; and NFCA President & CEO Frederick H. Grubbe reviewed the specific accomplishments of the trade association during the past year. Other business included the appointment of the NFCA’s new officers and directors, and the adoption of resolutions from the Resolutions Committee.

In addition, attendees had the opportunity to visit with exhibitors and colleagues at the meeting, especially during the Exhibitors’ Reception. They also were able to connect with other fraternalists, while investigating the new products and services available to the fraternal benefit system.

The various sections of the NFCA, including Communications, Fraternal, Human Resources, Presidents, Secretaries and State Fraternal Congresses, also held breakfast meetings—many of which had guest speakers. Several meeting-related luncheons occurred during the Annual Meeting, including the Celebration of Fraternalism, the Fraternal 50, Past Chairs of the Board and the Women Executives’ Luncheon. The Annual Meeting concluded with the Grand Banquet, during which new officers and directors of the Board were sworn in.

“I enjoyed it all, especially the Main Platform speakers,” said Chris Martin, Controller, Woman’s Life Insurance Society. “They were very energetic and really ‘pumped me up’ to return to our organization and start to make changes.”

About the NFCA
The 120-year-old NFCA unites 75 not-for-profit fraternal benefit societies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. The association represents 10 million fraternalists in 36,000 local chapters, making it one of America’s largest member-volunteer networks. Fraternal benefit societies provide their members with leadership, social, educational, spiritual, patriotic, scholarship, financial and volunteer-service opportunities. Combined, the NFCA’s member-societies maintain more than $324 billion of life insurance-in-force and, in 2005 alone, contributed almost $400 million to charitable and fraternal programs, and volunteered 93 million hours for community-service projects. These statistics demonstrate the commitment that fraternals have to those in need and exemplify the true meaning of the NFCA signature phrase: Joining Hands to Touch Lives.