Board of Directors

Douglas A. Mishkin
2008 NAILBA Chairman
Mishkin, a third-generation insurance professional, is Managing Director of Algren Park Avenue Brokerage LLC, an independent life and health insurance general brokerage agency with offices in New York City and Union, NJ. Algren Park Avenue Brokerage is the coming together of 2 of the premier life insurance wholesalers in the Northeast, Algren Associates, Inc (founded in 1960) and Park Avenue Brokerage Inc (founded in 1971).  Prior to founding Algren Park Avenue, Mishkin was President and CEO of Algren Associates, Inc.  Algren Park Avenue offers products and services to independent brokers and advisors in the areas of life insurance, long-term care insurance, and annuities with an emphasis on impaired risk. Mishkin chose a different career path from his father and grandfather who built one of the nation's largest multi-line and benefit firms. He started his career as an agent with MassMutual and The Guardian. In 1993, he moved to independent brokerage by joining a BGA in Manhattan as their brokerage manager. He was offered the opportunity to join Algren Associates in 1997 and, in 2001 was named president of the agency.  Algren Park Avenue Brokerage was formed in 2008 in order to offer producers a wider breadth of products and services.   Prior to joining the NAILBA Board of Directors, he was chairman of NAILBA's Membership Committee. His other insurance affiliations include: NAIFA, Sub Centers, TYGERS and LifeMark Partners. He is a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College where he earned a bachelor's degree in business management. Mishkin splits his time between Maplewood N.J. and Manasquan N.J. with his wife, Nora-Jean, and sons Aidan and Gavin.

Gary S. Dworkin, CLU, RHU
Chief of Staff/Chair-Elect
Dworkin is the founder (1976), president, and owner (along with his partner and wife of 36 years, Lin) of Dworkin Associates, Inc. (DAI), based in Rochester, N.H. He considers his early involvement in NAILBA and service as part of the first elected board of directors, among his greatest professional accomplishments. In 2003, he was reappointed to the NAILBA Board. In addition to NAILBA, Dworkin has been a longstanding member of the Risk Appraisal Forum, LIFE, Inc. and a charter member of LifeMark Partners, Inc. as well as serving as a former board member of LifeMark Securities Corp. (Dworkin is currently licensed with the NASD as Series 6, 63 and 26). During his career, he has served in all local and state chairs of NAIFA, including his term as president of the state association as well as serving on the New Hampshire board of the Society of Financial Services Professionals (formerly known as the CLU Society). He has been listed in Who's Who in America since 1991. Gary and Lin live in Barrington and have two grown children; Rob and Alexandra.

Mark D. Rosen, CLU
Treasurer
Mark Rosen is president of Underwriters Brokerage Service, an independent life and health brokerage agency located in Pittsburgh, Penn. Established in 1970, Underwriters was an early participant in NAILBA. Rosen's career in insurance began in 1978 when he started out at Security-Connecticut Life in Hartford for an initial training program. He then returned to the family business as a marketing associate.

Mark has been active in numerous industry organizations including LifeMark Partners where he currently serves on the Board; LIFE, Inc., where he previously served as president; a past member of the board of his local NAIFA chapter; as well as a member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals; the Estate Planning Council; and the International Association for Financial Planning. Mark is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio. He and his wife Georgia have two children, Zachary and Rachel and currently reside in the Pittsburgh suburb of Mt. Lebanon.

Christi Daughenbaugh
Secretary
Christi Daughenbaugh has grown up in the independent brokerage business. Her father, Reed Ashwill, helped start the Borden Hamman Agency back in 1975 so Christi loosely learned about the insurance business early in life. Christi joined her father full-time at Borden Hamman in 1998 after working in another industry for several years after she graduated from college. Christi is a graduate of Baylor University, where she earned her B.B.A. in Business Management. Christi has worked in various roles at Borden Hamman over the years. Currently, Christi is the Brokerage Manager and enjoys working closely with Reed to build and expand the agency. Christi earned her CLTC designation from the Corporation for Long Term Care in 2002 and her Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) designation in 2004. Christi has been very involved in leadership positions in the industry over the last few years. She was on the Board of Directors for the National Brokerage Consortium, a national marketing group, for five years. She has also been very involved in NAILBA's Education Committee, serving as committee chair for three years. Christi lives in the Dallas area with her husband, David, who is a Pre-AP Chemistry teacher at Waxahachie High School. Christi’s primary activities, when she is not helping agents make more money, revolve around spending time with family and friends. Christi and her husband are also avid outdoor people and enjoy camping, fishing, and hunting in areas around Texas.

John W. Felton, IV
Immediate Past Chairman
After earning a bachelor's degree in 1988 from the University of Tennessee, Felton entered the life insurance industry as a marketing specialist for Manhattan Life in Cincinnati. After a company merger, he joined Tennessee Brokerage Agency as marketing manager in 1989. After serving in various positions, Felton became company president in 1996. During his insurance career, Felton has served on many local and state association boards. He is the past president of the Knoxville Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, as well as a second-generation brokerage agency study group. He carries a NASD Series 7 and 63 securities license and is life/health licensed in 47 states.

Barbara A. Crowley
Barbara Crowley is a Principal of Brokers Clearing House, Ltd., located in West Des Moines, IA.  BCH is a multi-carrier wholesale distributor of quality life insurance, long term care, and annuity products.  Barbara started her brokerage career in 1977 with BCH.  She has worked as a consultant for insurance carriers, served on numerous insurance company advisory boards and spoken at various industry meetings.  Barbara is an active member of NAILBA, NAIFA, SFSP, and she has served as President of Life, Inc. and as a Board Member and Officer for LifeMark Partners, Inc., of which she is a founding partner.

Steven J. Finkle
Steve Finkle has built a strong reputation in the insurance world through his leadership style and strategic skills. During his 12 years of leadership at National Brokerage Associates (NBA), the business has grown from 2 employees into a 19 employee operation with a vastly increased value.  Finkle received his B.B.A degree in Insurance from Georgia State University in 1972 where he was a Kemper Scholar.  He joined Johnson & Higgins in 1972 as an assistant manager, National Life of Vermont in 1974 and in the fall of ’74, Steve became an original founder of the first franchised brokerage operation in the country.  In 1983 Finkle moved to the Washington DC area, becoming a partner in a nationwide broker-dealer in 1989.  Holding Series 7, 24, and 63 securities licenses, Steve Finkle serves on the advisory committee for multiple carriers, served on the board of directors of DCAIFA and is a proud member of Brokerage Resources of America, BRAMCO.  Steve has been married to Linda Finkle since 1974.  The couple has two daughters, one working in the business while the other is an attorney, and a 4 year old granddaughter.

Thomas A. Kirke, CLU
Kirke began his life brokerage career in 1992 and is currently CEO of The National Benefit Corp, an independent life brokerage agency located in West Des Moines, IA. Founded in 1977 by his late father and Mooers Award recipient Bernard M. Kirke, TNBC specializes in marketing to regional and national independent broker dealers. Kirke is a registered 6 and 63, an active member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, and a proud member of Brokerage Resources of America, a national marketing organization of independent insurance distributors. A graduate of University of Dayton, Tom resides in West Des Moines with his son Drew..

James C. McGill, CLU, ChFC
Jim McGill started James C. McGill & Associates in 1977. McGill & Associates’ primary markets are in the Midwest, where they work with over 3,000 brokers. McGill ’s agency was one of the original member agencies of NAILBA. McGill has had a great experience in the brokerage business, and feels that NAILBA has been of vital importance to him and to his agency. His outside activities include various church and non-profit leadership positions, and his main emphasis recently is with A.D.A (American Diabetes Association. Jim is also a past NAIFA (formerly NALU) president and national committee volunteer. He and his wife have been married for 36 years and they have two daughters.

Raymond Phillips, CLU, LTCP
Ray is the currently the immediate Past-President of the Society of Underwriting Brokers (SubCenters); is past-President of the Pittsburgh Chapter of National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors; past-President of the Pittsburgh Association of Health Underwriters; and has served on the board of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals.  In 2006 Ray was presented with the prestigious Edward Haldeman Memorial Award from the Pittsburgh NAIFA Chapter for distinguished service to the insurance industry and community. He is a member of The Plus Group, the International Disability Income Society and the Pittsburgh Estate Planning Council.  He is a founding member of The Marketing Alliance. Ray is happily married to Susan and has three children, Zack, 13, Kelsey, 11, and Hanna, 5.  He is actively involved with Trinity Lutheran Church, Wexford, PA.  He enjoys hunting, fishing, biking and golf.  He serves on the Pittsburgh Community Development Fund’s loan committee. 

J. Michael Thomas
J. Michael Thomas graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1974. Upon graduation, he entered the life insurance business with Northwestern Mutual Life as a Special Agent. In 1979, Mike joined his father, Jerry, in the life insurance business along with his brothers, David & Craig. Mike is a member of LifeMark Partners and the Risk Appraisal Forum. Mike served as President of the Cleveland Association Insurance & Financial Advisors on two different occasions. He is a past NAILBA board member having served during 1995 – 1997. He is active in community affairs including Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, West Haven Foundation for the Retarded, and Westshore Montessori School. Mike is married to Michelle and they have two children: Katie and Alli.

Dex Umekubo, CLU, ChFC
Dex began hisinsurance career with Metropolitan Life in 1978 after graduation with a Bachelors Degree from California State University, Long Beach. Dex was a successful field agent earning MDRT, GAMA and NALU sales awards annually from 1979 to 1983.  In 1984, he joined a California-based life insurance company and attained the role of assistant vice president of sales development.  In 1988, Dex joined John Rupright, founding partner of Producers XL, as a co-owner and managing partner of the agency. Dex has authored articles for numerous trade publications and has spoken at over 250 seminars across the country on advanced sales concepts, industry trends and ethical sales practices. Dex's professional area of expertise is the advanced life markets, with an emphasis on Business and Estate planning strategies.  Dex is NASD Securities licensed with a Series 7, 24, 63 and 65 (Registered Investment Advisor). Dex is also an OSJ/Branch Manager for INGFP-Wholesale Broker Dealer Network. Dex is a long time participant and attendee of the Society of Service Professionals (SFSP) Advanced Arizona Institute. Dex is also Past President of the Wichita Chapter of SFSP and has also served on the local NAIFA Board.  When away from the insurancebusiness, Dex enjoys his time traveling with his wife of 26 years Audrey. Dex and Audrey have two grown sons.