Our Patrons

Tony Gordon lives in Bristol, England.  He started his life insurance career in Manchester, England in 1969.  In 1973 he moved to the city he has called home ever since where he started his own independent agency.  His early years were less than mediocre, then he heard about MDRT, started to set daily goals, qualified in 1977 for his first MDRT meeting in 1978.  What Tony learned at his first MDRT meeting catapulted him into the Top of the Table where he stayed firmly for the rest of his career.  In the year 2000, with a business partner wanting to retire, Tony merged his now large regional firm with a national firm of advisors which two years later was snapped up by Europe’s largest independent advisor.  In 2004 Tony retired or as he prefers to say rewired.  With 47 years of MDRT membership, 46 years of Top of the Table Tony now spends his time mentoring other advisors, speaking, charity work and looking after his other business interests.
 
His volunteering started with his local LUA (Life Insurance Association of the UK & Ireland) which he chaired in 1977 going on to become the President in 1984.  He became Chairman of MDRT’s Top of the Table in 1989 and in 2001 became the first non-North American to be President of MDRT.  The first time anyone had led their National Association, TOT and MDRT.  He was featured as one of 12 outstanding life insurance advisors in the book commissioned by MDRT, ‘The Greatest Insurance Stories Ever Told’.

Tony served for eight years representing advisors on the board of the UK regulator. As a speaker he has appeared in 56 countries, where audiences always want more of his simple but highly effective sales ideas.  He is the author of ‘It Can Only Get Better’, Tony’s route to sales success which has sold over 100,000 copies in eight languages. Happily married for 53 years to Eve, father to Miriam & Linsey and Poppa to Emmy, Raffi, Roo, Manny and Hetty. When not doing any of the above he likes to spend time in Italy’s Tuscan hills.

If you are familiar at all with the life insurance business, you know the name Solomon Hicks. He is an internationally sought-after speaker, career coach, and consultant. With 53 years in the business, Sol is showing no signs of slowing down as he continues to add exciting and inspiring chapters to his already remarkable life. Most recently he launched Hicks Global Institute, a worldwide training community for advisors and sales professionals everywhere.

For more than three and a half decades, Sol Hicks was an agent with Prudential Financial. He is one of only two agents in Prudential’s 130-plus-year history to have won the President’s Trophy Award—that company’s highest honor, given to its number one agent—a staggering seven times (To put that deed into perspective, it should be noted that it took more than 25 years for the other seven-time trophy winners to accomplish this feat, while Sol’s effort took him just 10 years). He has received the President’s Citation Award 21 times.

In addition to that, Sol Hicks is a life and qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table for 36 years (MDRT), a 25-time COT qualifier, and a TOT qualifier for 25 consecutive years—many done within the first month of the year! He was the General Agents and Managers Association’s Agent of the Year in 1998, 1997, 1996, and 1995.

Sol Hicks is the author of three books. “Wise Guys Finish First,” is an autobiographical portrait of over-coming incredible obstacles to get to the top. In “The Secret Life of a #1 Salesman,” Sol shares the mindset, values and daily disciplines that led him to his great success and Making Disciples where he will show you how to move up and stand out in a world where the power to move products is increasingly dependent on your ability to move people. Believing that success is not only attainable but transferable, Sol spends much of his time mentoring more than 150 agents worldwide, including his daughter, Cynthia, who joined him in the business. Cynthia is a 9-time MDRT qualifier, 4-time COT qualifier, and a 3-time TOT qualifier.

A fully accredited financial planner with a specialty in life insurance, Bruce holds the CLU, CHFC and CFP designations. His firm, Bruce Etherington & Associates, specializes in “Family Harmony and Philanthropy” and achieved the objective of creating $1 billion for charities and not-for- profits in the first decade of this century.

A renowned speaker, Bruce has spoken to virtually every major insurance and financial planning organization in the world. He has appeared 25 times on the program of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), which is considered by many to be the preeminent sales organization in the insurance and financial planning industry. His books “See The People” and “Reflect & Prepare” are international bestsellers, as are his CDs, which continue to change the lives of salespeople around the world.

Born in Purley, Surrey, England, Bruce came to Canada at the age of two. He graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and entered the life insurance business with London Life. He subsequently obtained his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Financial Consultant (CHFC) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designations.
Bruce resides in Mississauga, Ontario with his wife of 56 years, Karen who was his ‘first date’ and high school sweetheart. Bruce and Karen have four grown children and 5 grandchildren. Bruce enjoys golfing, pickle ball, fishing, cycling, reading, music, speaking, writing and selling!

Brian D. Heckert, CLU, ChFC, AIF®, QPFC began his career in 1985 and has been involved as an industry leader, dedicating his professional life to providing strategic advice and services for individuals and businesses. He has been an MDRT Member since 1989 with 34 years of membership, 22 years COT, and 15 years as TOT. He has served on numerous MDRT Standing Committees and had the honor of serving 5 years on the Executive Committee and as the 2016 President of MDRT. He also served as the 2019 President of National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) Illinois chapter. Through his industry leadership, he has gained a broader world view and brings a breadth of experience to his clients.

Brian is the author of the book 401(k)nowhow: An Insider’s Guide to Retirement Plan Options and co-author of the book A Study-Group Success Story: Best Practices from Our Give & Grow Group’s First 20 Years Together. He has been featured and quoted in media outlets such as Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, CNN Money, Business Wire, and ThinkAdvisor. In addition to his written publications, Brian has shared his industry knowledge on podcasts and radio shows. In recent years, Brian has spoken to audiences live and virtually as large as 15,000 in 49 US states and 35 countries on topics ranging from advanced planning ideas, practice management, to whole-person living.

As a strong believer in giving back, Brian has been involved in several community and charitable organizations. He is a past president of both the Nashville Lions Club and the local Chamber of Commerce, served on the Nashville Community High School Board and as a member of the St. Ann’s Catholic Parish in Nashville, IL.
Brian and his wife Mary have four children and eight grandchildren. 

George Sigurdson from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada started in the Life Insurance Business with London Life in 1970 after graduating from the University of Manitoba.
George quickly became a success in the business and has consistently been one of the top 25 representatives with the company for over 54 years.

With over 50 years of experience, he has built a successful business including over 3000 clients and over 250 million in individual and pension assets.  His business has been built with the John Savage philosophy in mind of “serve the masses, eat with the classes….serve only the classes and you may go broke.”
George is a 50 year member of MDRT, 43 year member of Court of the Table and 23 year member of Top of the Table.  He continues to be active in the industry serving on various MDRT committees and speaking at meetings across North America.

As a huge supporter of the Winnipeg community, George serves on various boards and community groups.  George and his wife Pam love to travel and have visited over 76 countries.  They have 4 children and 5 grandchildren between them.

Van Mueller, LUTCF, is a Registered Representative with Mass Mutual.  January 23, 2024, marks Van’s 51st year as an insurance agent.  He is an active member of MDRT having qualified for Court of the Table in 1990 and Top of the Table for the last thirty-four years.

Van has served as an LUTC moderator and served as President of the Milwaukee Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors for the 1998-99 year.  Van has served as Membership Chairman for both Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin.  Van also served on the Annuity Advisory Panel, the Middle-Income Task Force, the Sales Idea Committee, and the Program Development Committee for MDRT.  
Van supports many industry organizations.  In addition to membership in the National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors and Million Dollar Round Table, he is also a member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, an Emissary Contributor to IFAPAC and a Diamond Knight of the Million Dollar Round Table Foundation.

Van has spoken to groups around the world, including being a main-platform speaker at MDRT in 1998 in Chicago and the Main Platform Speaker at the 2001 Top of the Table Meeting in Maui, HI.  Van was a Main Platform Speaker at the 2003, 2005, 2009, 2014 and 2015 NAIFA Conventions. He was a speaker at MDRT and at the NAIFA Convention for 2006, and again in 2007, 2010 and 2011 and spoke again at the 2021 MDRT annual meeting. He was a main platform speaker for the MDRT Experience in Tokyo, Japan in April of 2008.  Van was the 2010 Advisor of the Year for Senior Market Advisor magazine.  He has also written many articles for various publications, including the “Close” for Retirement Advisor magazine. Van also has a monthly newsletter available to subscribers at www.vanmueller.com.

A certified business and wealth coach, Dr. Guy has extensive experience in financial planning, investments, and life insurance. Guy has been featured on numerous talk shows, radio shows and tele-video conferences, including speaking several times on the national and international stage. He was selected as the 77th recipient of the John Newton Russell Award, the Life Achievement award for the Financial Industry and as the 50th recipient of the California Norman G. Levine Life Service Award. He was also named by Worth Magazine, as one of the USA’s top 250 planners and by 5 Star Professional as an 10 times recipient.

Guy has lectured at various NAEPC council meetings, spoken at CLU Institutes and was featured on six CLU tele- conferences. A frequent writer, Internet TV guest, speaker, he has been quoted by many media sources. In addition, Guy has lectured internationally, in more than 40 countries.

A prolific writer, his most recent book “Simple Retirement Math” follows “The Great Wealth Erosion” which details four factors investors must manage to improve portfolio performance. Other books include “Manage Markets, Not Stocks” and "Investment Alchemy" both are guides to understanding modern portfolio theory. He also wrote “Market Tune-up”, "Why People Buy", and "Baker's Dozen - 13 Principles for Financial Success", each with over 50,000 in print. His bestselling booklet “The Box”, an easily understood guide to the mathematics of life insurance. He also wrote Maximize the Red Zone, a guide for business succession. He has written many Christian theological books.

In 2019, Mike and Jennie Hunsberger did a startup company, Next Step Retirement & Insurance Services LLC, www.nextstepretire.com to provide advisory services to small and mid-market 401k plans, as well as other sophisticated qualified and nonqualified employer retirement plans.  We work primarily with plan sponsors, trustees, and key employees.

In 1973 Mike founded Contemporary Pensions, Inc. (CPI), a third-party administration firm. In 2009, CPI was acquired by Portal Insurance Agency and after a short time Portal was acquired by Ascension Insurance Solutions. Michael’s position was President of the retirement plans division. Ascension was re-branded as Relation Insurance Solutions in 2018 and his role continued as President of the retirement plans division with responsibilities for managing the Third-Party Administration (TPA) as well as the marketing and sales operations of the division. Relation had approximately 450 employees.

Mike is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting, AALU, now FINSECA. He is a life and qualifying member of the international Million Dollar Round Table, MDRT, an association with over 80,000 members worldwide, where he has chaired committees for many of its annual meetings.  He’s given speeches at numerous international and U.S. based meetings. Mike is also a member of the prestigious Top of the Table, TOT, the top 1,000 members of the MDRT, and past Chair of its Advisory Board. He spoke at seven TOT meetings. He is Past Chair of the Board of Directors of LIFE Happens, which is a resource to the public and media, and sponsors Life Insurance Awareness month each September. Life Happens is now part of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, NAIFA.  Mike is currently on the LIFE Happens Advisory Board of NAIFA.  He’s also a Chartered Life Underwriter, CLU.

Mike is past president of the Leading Life Producers of Northern California; East Bay Chapter of the Society of Financial Professionals; and the Estate Planning Council of the East Bay. He speaks often at meetings of accounting, insurance, legal, and service associations. He is past President of the board of directors of the Northern California Institute for Bone Health; Past President of the Million Dollar Round Table Foundation; and is a member the Board of Directors of the Diablo Regional Arts Association.
Mike lives in Alamo CA with his wife Paula and travels often to Hawaii for relaxation; New York for Broadway shows and fabulous restaurants; and to Europe to experience what only Paris, London, and Florence offer.

Alphonso Franco, one of the world’s leading authorities in Critical Illness Insurance, has an impressive array of accomplishments and expertise. He serves as the CEO at Trenton Financial and holds the esteemed position of President Emeritus of the Canadian Million Dollar Round Table Foundation and Hall of Fame member of the CMDRT Foundation.. With a strong educational background from Christ University. Alphonso is also the Manager of the Canadian Men’s National Cricket Team for a number of years. Most recently, Canada’s team competed under the leadership of Alphonso in the T 20 World Cup held in the US and the West Indies.

A polyglot with proficiency in eleven languages, Alphonso is a Jesuit-educated linguist known for his unparalleled dedication to promoting critical illness insurance globally. He is the innovative mind behind the World Critical Illness Insurance Conferences TM and the author of several groundbreaking publications, including “The Critical Vision System” TM and the best-selling book “99 Critical Ideas for Insurance Professionals” TM.

Alphonso’s contributions extend beyond the realm of insurance, as he has made significant strides in the world of cricket. Not only has he managed the Canadian Men’s National Cricket Team during various prestigious tournaments and World Cup Land One Day Internationals games, but he is also the owner of the Victoria Patriots, the first professional cricket team from Vancouver Island in their 175 years of history, Victoria Patriots are 2023 Champions of the BC Super League. His passion for cricket is rivaled only by his dedication to critical illness insurance, where he has been recognized with multiple prestigious awards, including the FinNext Top 10 CEOs in Finance Award and the Worldwide Finance Awards for Best Critical Illness Insurance Specialists.

As Dr. Marius Barnard’s chosen successor in advocating for critical illness insurance globally, Alphonso has solidified his position as a top financial advisor with numerous accolades to his name. he was the 2006 Top of Table Chairman with a track record of 26 Top of the Table honours and 27 Court of the Table honours, Alphonso’s expertise in critical illness insurance, global affairs, linguistics, and cricket is unparalleled.
With a remarkable career that spans continents and a deep-seated commitment to his passions, Alphonso Franco continues to make a lasting impact on the worlds of finance, insurance, and sports, all while embodying a sense of purpose and dedication that truly sets him apart.

Amy Tong is a distinguished financial planner with over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. Renowned for her expertise and dedication, Amy has earned the prestigious status of a Lifetime Top of the Table member, a testament to her exceptional skills and achievements. She specializes in serving dental and other healthcare professionals, providing them with high-level tax and financial planning services. Her extensive knowledge and strategic approach have helped numerous clients optimize their financial pictures, maximize after-tax income, and secure tax-free estate payouts.
 
In her role as a Managing General Agent (MGA), Amy is committed to training and mentoring qualified agents to better serve the public in insurance and investment planning. Her objective is to foster a new generation of professionals who can deliver exceptional service and support to their clients. Amy's approach is rooted in her unfailing passion and commitment to her business. She prioritizes her clients' interests, always ensuring that their benefits and well-being are at the forefront of her planning and advisory services. Her expertise in intergenerational wealth transfer has enabled her clients to secure their financial legacies for future generations.
 
Amy is also dedicated to encouraging and inspiring the next generation of financial planners. She believes in the importance of helping more people achieve their financial and retirement planning goals and strives to make a positive impact in the field. Amy Tong's unwavering dedication and extensive experience make her a trusted advisor and leader in the financial planning industry.

Michael Evers is a seasoned financial professional, founder of The Evers Financial Group Inc. and co-founder of The Canadian Estate Planners Inc. He has authored numerous articles and reports on estate and financial planning. He is a member of Advocis The Financial Advisors’ Association of Canada and The Gryphin Advantage Hall of Fame.

He has been a member of MDRT for 38 years, making him Top of The Table five times and Court of The Table 26 times. He has served as Zone Chair for Canada, President of the Hamilton Estate Planners’ Council, and Chair of Sun Life of Canada's Advisory Council. He has also served on the MDRT Charitable Foundation of Canada and Advocis.

He has made nearly 200 presentations on estate and financial planning in Canada, U.S.A., Taiwan, Hong Kong, Bahamas, and on television. He lives in Caledonia, ON with his wife Kathy and two adult sons.

Marc began his financial planning career in 1983 and formed Silverman Financial in 1989. Since the beginning of his career, Marc has been a leader and has thoroughly enjoyed his profession. He chose this career because he enjoys meeting people and helping them in achieving their financial goals. A key to his success is the exceptional service he and his staff provide to clients. He is energetic and enthusiastic and will go to great lengths to get the answers to a client’s questions. He has a diversified client base including public corporations, closely held businesses, individuals, trusts and estates. His motto is, “promise a lot and deliver more”.

Marc earned his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Miami and was the past President of the University of Miami  Alumni Board School of Business. He is a Chartered Life Underwriter and Certified Financial Planner™. He is a past President and Board member of the Miami Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals. In addition, he is a past member of the Board of Shaare Zedek Medical Center and the Florida Bar Grievance Committee. He is a past Chair of the Top of the Table.

Marc is a gifted speaker and has addressed audiences in the United States, Canada, South Korea, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Singapore, Taipei and Australia. He lives in Miami with his wife, Patti, and daughter, Cara. He enjoys playing golf, maintaining his saltwater aquarium and traveling.

Mark Hanna is the Founder and President of Hanna Insurance & Financial Solutions, Inc., located in Walnut Creek California. HIFS is an Executive Benefit and Financial Services firm specializing in integrated retirement, compensation and financial planning solutions for executives and high net-worth professionals.

A 46-year veteran of the financial services industry, Mark is recognized internationally for professional and industry accomplishments. Most recently, serving as the 2017 President of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). A 36-year MDRT Life & Qualifying member, Mark has 25 consecutive Top of the Table honors. In 2007, Mark served as Chair and Divisional Vice President of MDRT’s Top of the Table.

Mark’s professional experience is extensive, having served on many local, state, and national boards of directors, including as President (twice) of the Golden Gate Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFSP). Service as a member of the National Board of Directors of The Society of Financial Service Professionals, President of the San Francisco chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and two years as Trustee of NAIFA—California.

Mark and his wife Barbara have four grown children, six grandchildren, and reside in both Contra Costa County California and Litchfield County Connecticut.

Insurance Futurist! A pioneer in the insurance industry. Expert in the topic of millennials & Gen Z, digital transformation, Metaverse & Virtual Reality, internet marketing strategy, Artificial Intelligence and new cutting-edge technologies in the insurance industry & profession. Invented two innovative software for insurance need analysis, by implementing the science of risk management, artificial intelligence and extensive neuroscience research on risk perception and decision making. The software received many innovation awards from significant organizations like MIT University (MIT Enterprise Forum), Chamber of industrialists in Cyprus, Europe start-up awards, and global "Get in the ring" contest.

IFAAcademy also received an amazing award "TOP 50 LEADERS COMPANIES IN EDUCATION" globally from the international organization GFEL - Global Forum for Education and learning and also won the "Best Insurance & Finance Advisor Training Institute 2020" award in a competition held in London by the Corporate Vision member of AI Global Media.

In 2020 also he received the prestigious global award "Top 25 InsurTech CEOs of 2020" from Technology Innovators Media. Vast 25 years' experience in the field since 1999 as a top awarded insurance consultant (MDRT member) and manager. An international public speaker with extensive experience and hundreds of hours at big stages around the world characterized by his motivational & passionate way of expression. Holds certification in "AI for business" from Penn University, Pennsylvania. Also, certifications from LUTCF, IRMA, BRMA, and ongoing studies at PRMIA (professional risk management association).

Served as president, the Panhellenic Association of Insurance Consultants from 2015 until 2019.
Currently, the president and CEO of IFAAcademy (International Financial Architects) an educational & research organization focusing on the global insurance market specialized in the education and training of insurance and financial consultants with presence in Canada, New York, Great Britain, Greece & Cyprus.
Members of the Board of Advisors of IFAAcademy are key members of the Greek and international market. His vision is to upgrade the insurance Institution to the position it deserves & appoint the insurance consultant as a Risk Management Scientist for individuals & businesses by creating the professional of the future: the new specialty of "Insurable Risk Manager".