We are honored to share with our colleagues and clients that Josh Plank has been recognized by GAMA International for outstanding leadership in the financial services industry. GAMA International is an association that promotes the professional development needs and leadership skills of first-line and front-line leaders in the insurance, investment, and financial services industry.
GAMA recently announced their 2020 award winners and Josh Plank was among them, having earned the 2020 Brian H. Early Front-line Excellence Award for outstanding performance as a sales manager and standing out as an example for other managers.
This prestigious award honors front-line leaders who have shown exemplary performance in their current positions and are considered to be emerging leaders in their companies.
“I have worked side by side with Josh for the last seventeen years. It’s been an honor and a pleasure to see first-hand how his intellect and leadership has afforded him the incredible opportunity to be not only one of the top leaders in our firm, but in the country,” says WestPoint’s Managing Partner, Greg McRoberts. “He has been an important partner in the growth and success of our firm.”
This award comes off an excellent 2019 for Plank, winning Sales Manager of the Year Group One Gold, Sales Manager Policies Group 1 and SM Field Leadership Trophy – Gold.
Sales Manager of the Year is presented to sales managers whose units achieve the highest standards of all-around performance. Sales Manager Policies Group 1 is given to top sales manager units for FYC, policies, and premium. With this award, Josh is now featured on the Wall of Fame in the Springfield, MA MassMutual home office. The Field Leadership Trophy is awarded to a sales manager whose sales units excelled in production.
The 2020 Brian H. Early Front-Line Excellence Award is the latest among all of Plank’s accomplishments that recognizes his vital contribution to the growth of our firm.
Chicago, Illinois (Jan. 7, 2020) – Three independent financial services firms operating as general agencies of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) have announced they are joining together with Indianapolis-based WestPoint Financial Group to create one of the largest insurance and wealth management firms in the Midwest. Hoopis Group, LLC., MassMutual Illinois, and MassMutual Chicago will now operate under the name WestPoint Financial Group (WPFG).
Managing Partner, Greg McRoberts, will lead the mega firm. WPFG will now service 200,000 clients1, $34 billion of life insurance in force2, and $14 billion in assets under management with a team of five hundred advisors across Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
As a third-generation financial professional, Greg understands the challenges, demands and rewards of building and maintaining a practice in this competitive industry. Relentless in holding a high bar when it comes to serving local residents and businesses, Greg has made it a priority to create and foster an environment where financial professionals have the support, guidance, and tools necessary to succeed and deliver exemplary service to clients.
“Greg is a progressive leader who has a proven track record of developing a team to meet the evolving needs of their clients,” said John Vaccaro, head of MassMutual Financial Advisors, MassMutual. “Building on an excellent reputation and history, I am confident that WestPoint Financial Group is well positioned to maximize the tremendous opportunities for residents and businesses across the markets they serve. The resources available in the larger firm will provide a tremendous opportunity to invest in progressive strategies to meet the needs of customers,” Vaccaro added.
“Our mission is to bring financial wisdom and clarity in a world of infinite information,” said McRoberts. “We are expanding our markets, expanding our net field force, and expanding our reach in communities and look forward to bringing our tradition of success to our clients in Chicago.”
Local firms are sales offices of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), and are not subsidiaries of MassMutual or its affiliated companies. Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, LLC. Member SIPC. 900 East 96th Street, Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46240, (317) 469-9999.
1 An insured, owner, or payer of a MassMutual policy or contract.
2 Amount of individual life insurance in force as of 12/31/18 related to products issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life
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Indianapolis, IN (March 6th, 2019) – WestPoint Financial Group and the MassMutual Foundation celebrated students in the Indianapolis community who participated in a digital financial education course at Mt. Vernon Middle School. The unique FutureSmartSM digital curriculum was custom-made for middle schoolers and is available at no cost to schools nationwide in English and Spanish.
During the event, volunteers from WestPoint Financial Group brought course concepts to life for middle school students through a series of interactive activities to help students further apply lessons learned in the digital course to their everyday lives. The event closed with a Scholarship Award of a $1000 529 Savings Plan to one participating student.
Greg McRoberts, Managing Partner of WestPoint Financial Group, reflected on the experience, saying, “We were honored to be a part of the FutureSmart Field Day at Mt. Vernon Middle School. It was astonishing to hear what these incredible kids already knew about financial topics. We could truly see the impact that the FutureSmart course has had on these kids, in growing their financial knowledge. Financial Literacy is critical in our adult life, yet many still struggle with this – what a wonderful program to help these kids get a head start on crucial topics.”
The FutureSmart Digital course equips middle schoolers with critical financial skills – from budgeting, to setting career goals, to understanding wants vs. needs. Supporting this knowledge development is at the core of the MassMutual Foundation’s mission. The need to improve financial literacy in young people is underscored by recent research released by the MassMutual Foundation. Young Americans between the ages of 25-40 were asked five basic financial literacy questions from the FutureSmart Digital program. Only 17 percent of respondents answered all five questions correctly.
Since 2014, more than 1.3 million students have benefitted from the MassMutual Foundation’s FutureSmart Program. In particular, students in Indiana have seen knowledge gains of 82%.
To learn more about the FutureSmart course – visit futuresmart.massmutual.com. This website features information on the program and allows educators to request it at their school.
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