NAIFA Mourns Loss of Thomas Wolff

Wolff served as NAIFA President from 1980-1981

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Lee Allen
Vice President of Communications and Marketing
(703) 770-8112

October 31, 2008 (FALLS CHURCH, VA) —The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), the nation’s largest financial services membership organization, mourns the loss of a respected leader in the insurance and financial services industry – Thomas J. Wolff, CLU, ChFC, Chairman Emeritus and former Chief Executive Officer of Wolff-Zackin Financial LLC and Vernon Publishing Services. He died October 27 in Boynton Beach, FL. He was 80.

Wolff joined NAIFA in 1955 and had been actively involved at the local, state, and national levels of the association. He served as President of the Hartford Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, then went on to serve as President of NAIFA-Connecticut from 1970 – 1971 and NAIFA-National from 1980-1981. He received the NAIFA National Quality Award for 37 years in a row, and the National Sales Achievement Award for 14 years in a row. In 1983, he received the John Newton Russell Award, the highest honor bestowed to an individual by the insurance industry.

Wolff was also involved in other industry-related organizations. A prolific salesman of life insurance, Wolff was a member of the Million Dollar Round Table for 50 years and qualified for its Top of the Table regularly. He was President of the Million Dollar Roundtable Foundation in Chicago, and Chairman of the Board of the Life Underwriters Training Council in Washington, DC. In 1991, the International Insurance Society honored Wolff with its Founders Award Gold Medal for Excellence. The citation read in part, “Tom Wolff created the Capital and Financial Need Analysis which has revolutionized the way life insurance is sold all over the world.” He was a life trustee of the American College in Bryn Mawr, PA, which awarded him its highest honor, the Huebner Gold Medal in 2001.

His second business was Vernon Publishing Services, which he founded with his wife, Bette, in 1966. The company rapidly became the leading provider of training material to the insurance industry and to this day many of the largest insurance companies all over the world use “Wolff authored” programs to train their associates. He used that expertise to write the Back Page column for Advisor Today for ten years, and also wrote Sales Success the Tom Wolff Way, which
is sold by NAIFA, in addition to five other books.

“Everyone who met Tom was privileged to know him,” said Peter C. Browne, LUTCF, NAIFA’s Treasurer. “He was a brilliant giant in our industry, who always had time for his clients, colleagues, family and friends. He worked tirelessly for his clients and the industry and will be remembered for years to come. We will miss his smile, his dedication and his wisdom.”

Tom is survived by his wife of 59 years, Bette, and by what he called “the greatest family on earth,” -- three children and their wives, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Tom summed up his life with Bette on this citation on the Wolff “Confer Walk” pathway on the grounds of the American College in Bryn Mawr, PA:

“Long ago we decided that neither of us would ‘lead because the other one may not follow.’ We also decided that neither of us would ‘follow because the other one might not lead.’ And so, we have walked the path of life together. Thanks to God’s guiding hand, our trip has been a good one. It is our hope that those who walk this path may be blessed with a similar good fortune.”

In lieu of flowers, all contributions can be made to the Thomas J. and Bette Wolff Family Charitable Foundation, Inc., 100 Tolland Turnpike, Suite 202, Manchester, CT 06042, which will donate all funds to the Tri-Town Shelter and North Central Hospice in Vernon and the University of Connecticut.

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About NAIFA: Founded in 1890 as the National Association of Life Underwriters, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors comprises nearly 800 state and local associations representing the business interests of 60,000 members nationwide. Members focus their practices on one or more of the following: life insurance and annuities, health insurance and employee benefits, multiline, and financial advising and investments. NAIFA’s mission is to advocate for a positive legislative and regulatory environment, enhance business and professional skills, and promote the ethical conduct of its members. Visit NAIFA’s website at www.naifa.org.