It was standing room only in the M Resort, Spa & Casino’s Milan Ballroom for First Financial Security, Inc.’s annual Leaders Convention in Las Vegas July 16-18, 2015. The three-day event was one of the most important in the company’s nearly 10-year history. Highlights included:
- 10 major announcements
- 2 internationally known special guest speakers
- Nearly 250 awards presented
- 100 field leaders, home office executives and carrier partner representatives, who took the stage to share game-changing success strategies and much more.
Most importantly, it represented the official kick-off of First Financial Security, Inc.’s campaign, Changing the Face of Insurance.TM While each day’s Leadership Sessions focused on one specific subject area, every presentation, every video and every aspect of the event circled back to that theme, informing, illuminating and illustrating exactly how First Financial Security intends to change an industry.
“The world has changed greatly in the 30 years I’ve been in the industry,” First Financial Security Co-CEO Phil Gerlicher said. “Unfortunately, the insurance and financial services industry has been slow to keep up with the economic and societal challenges faced by many Americans today. It does not well represent the face of America today.
“First Financial Security, Inc. is changing by whom, to whom and how insurance is sold in this country. Leaders Convention 2015 was the best platform to set forth to our key field leadership exactly how we will change the face of insurance.”
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Leaders Convention 2015 began on Wed., July 15 with a bonus day of activities that included a luncheon meeting for members of First Financial Security’s Champions Club, who have achieved the $100,000 cash flow milestone and participate in FFS’ Equity Share Plan. While dining on a fresh selection of salads and gourmet entrees, they were treated to an overview of the Convention’s upcoming sessions.
Immediately following the luncheon, Debbie Gerlicher, First Financial Security, Inc. Co-CEO and Chair of the LiSA Initiative, kicked-off that group’s annual State of the Movement meeting. She shared that LiSA, the grassroots organization sponsored by FFS, had elevated its profile during the past six months by taking the lead in a national effort to eradicate financial illiteracy in the United States.
One the year’s highlights that Debbie shared was the launch of LiSA Literacy Project – a collaboration between the National Financial Educators Council and LiSA that led to the creation of a financial literacy curriculum and nearly 20 LiSA leaders being recognized at the LC15 event as Certified Financial Education Instructors.
The organization also had entered into a high-profile alliance with Dr. George Fraser and his organization, FraserNet in the spring of 2015. This led to FFS/LiSA serving as a Strategic Partner for Dr. Fraser’s 15th annual PowerNetworking Conference in Dallas, June 25-27.
Dr. Fraser, a successful entrepreneur and global networking expert, in turn, spoke about the symbiotic relationship that had developed between his organization’s M.O.S.E.S. Movement and LiSA Initiative, and the importance of recognizing each other’s strengths and leveraging those strengths to achieve common goals.
Fri., July 17’s Leadership Sessions may go down as one of the most powerful and important in First Financial Security history. Perhaps Mehran Assadi, President and CEO of National Life Group, said it best when he took the stage – the third in a series of dynamic speakers.
“When you have three speakers follow one another on stage and their speeches are so closely aligned as ours are this morning, it’s not a coincidence, it’s destiny.”
From their seats in that electrically charged Milan Ballroom on Friday morning, audience members had to know they were a part of something special. Each speaker’s words reflected the heart, ethics, values and principles of First Financial Security, Inc. It began the moment Debbie Gerlicher took the stage to talk about LiSA Initiative.
“Love is the most powerful force in the world, “ Debbie said. “If you build people up, they’ll build you up. If you help make them successful, they’ll make you successful.”
Dr. George C. Fraser’s second convention appearance was as part of Friday morning’s line-up. Before beginning his speech, he took a moment to thank the Gerlichers.
“Phil and Debbie, you are the future, risk takers, visionaries. Every time you think you strengthen our nation. You keep on thinking.”
First Financial Security, Inc. also shares long and mutually beneficial relationships with its preferred partner carriers – National Life Group and American National Insurance Company (ANICO). Their top leaders, NLG’s Mehran Assadi and Craig Klenk, ANICO’s Vice President of Sales, spoke to the crowd about the strength of those alliances and a shared commitment to help middle Americans.
Nine of the 10 major announcements scheduled for Leaders Convention 2015 were made during Friday’s Leadership Sessions. These included:
- FFS App (available from the iTunes Store or Google Play)
- FFS Business Builders sites
- Enhanced Business Pipeline and new reports, allowing leaders to view their entire block of business or segmented by specific groups
- FFS Branded E-mail
- New proactive Compliance Department dedicated to helping First Financial Security, Inc. associates grow their businesses the right way
- Fast Start Program/Poster, an onboarding process that helps new associates maximize the first 60 days in business
- New FFS Welcome Kit
- Entrepreneur’s Edge, a new marketing piece that clearly defines who First Financial Security, Inc. is and what differentiates it from other companies
- Expansion of the Width Builder Contest Program
The final day of First Financial Security, Inc.’s Leaders Convention 2015, Sat., July 18, focused on leadership as FFS top field leaders took to the Milan Ballroom stage. First Financial Security’s six Executive Field Chairmen spoke on a variety of subjects ranging from understanding change and overcoming the status quo to developing new leaders.
The final remaining major announcement – the location for Dream Destination Conference 2016 in Puerto Rico – was announced with an exciting promo video. Phil Gerlicher gave his annual CEO message and talked about teamwork, and how by working together, we would realize our goal of changing the face of insurance.
The afternoon’s highlight was Leaders Convention 2015 special guest speaker Zach King. The social media sensation known as the Vine King, Zach rolled into the Milan Ballroom on an electric unicycle mini-scooter, bringing the crowd to its feet.
Zach shared insights about social media, and how associates can be using it to tell their stories. Zach created a Vine video on the spot, on the stage in real time that featured the audience and one lucky associate. Following his performance, he graciously signed autographs and took photos with associates and their families.
As the event came to a close, First Financial Security President, Meg Jones, addressed the group one last time, before sending them on their way, back to their homes and teams, ready to build it big in the remaining months of 2015.
“The only thing standing in the way of achieving our goals is five little words – the will to do it. We will do it. See you at JumpStart 2016,” Meg said, referring to First Financial Security, Inc.’s next major event scheduled for February.
