Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona Company Website
Location(s):
Phoenix,
AZ
Phone:
(602) 808-3400
Industry:
Finance / Banking / Accounting
Size:
50-99
An opportunity to achieve your goals and help others
Since 1857, Northwestern Mutual has been helping people protect against financial risk and achieve financial security. The Northwestern Mutual Financial Network -Arizona was established in 1905. Since then, a total of seven managing partners have collectively sold over $8.2 billion of life insurance. The office is focused on preparing for financial security, which is an approach for both individuals and businesses to address insurance and investment needs for short-term and long-term financial health..
Vlasta Duffy, CLU, ChFC, MBA, Managing Partner
The ambition of Managing Partner, Vlasta Duffy is to make a positive impact on all associates and their clientele by creating an environment of desire, confidence, consistency, and positive results.
Education, motivation, and empowerment are the tools by which this office enables its associates to envision and fulfill a successful future to better serve its clients.
With 99 representatives, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona is a strong, growing business as evidenced by its most recent financial highlights.
The mission of Vlasta Duffy and the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona is to provide its clients with expert guidance and innovative solutions that are right for each client. Whether focused on personal finances, business needs or both, they help clients understand their financial goals and ensure they are providing them with the right guidance and products to meet their needs.
Northwestern Mutual Financial Network brings together the skills of representatives, the expertise of advisors and the technical know-how of a number of financial specialists to provide solutions for clients' financial goals and help you gain access to the products and services of a wide variety of organizations—each of which has a comprehensive understanding of a specific aspect of financial services.
And through The Network and Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona, here are just a few of the products and services available to your clients:
Our Expertise
Just as your clients trust and rely on you to provide needs analysis and innovative solutions, you can trust and rely on Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona and the Network to provide sound products and services for your clients.
You might conclude that no one person can be an expert in all financial matters. We agree. That's why we provide you and your clients with access to a nationwide network of representatives, advisors and specialists who will work with you to provide a full range of services.
At Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona, our expertise includes:
Personal Needs Analysis
Business Needs Analysis
Investment Services
Employee and Executive Benefits
Estate Analysis
Long-Term Care
Disability Income Insurance
Advanced Planning
Diversity
At Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona, we are committed to reflecting our community and seek talented individuals who share our core values. As part of our overall growth strategy, we are committed to building and fostering a diverse organization of network representatives and specialists. We do so without regard to gender, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability or age.
We take pride in our unique strengths and the expertise we share with our clients. Our entire community can benefit from our expertise and can be rewarded with the advantages of the careers we offer. We will continue to be committed to reaching all segments of our community in which we live and conduct business.
Meeting Managing Partner, Vlasta Duffy
Vlasta Duffy, CLU, ChFC, assumed the role of managing partner of the Phoenix network office on Jan. 1, 2003.
Although she signed on as director of recruitment for the Beebe network office in Portland, Ore., straight out of Occidental College in 1990, Duffy never expected to make it a long-term career. "However, once I realized the quantity and quality of opportunities that exist with Northwestern Mutual, along with the caliber of the company, it was obvious that everything I was looking for in a career was right here."
Diverse experiences
From that first recruitment contract, Duffy built a Northwestern Mutual career that includedworking in the roles of financial representative, college unit director, field director and associate managing partner. She also earned broad recognition, including a place as runner-up female in the Life Impact award category, with more than $35 million of insurance premium in the 2000 Western Regional Year.
As a college unit director, her college teams finished fifth in the company in both 1998 and 1999, and she coached several Top 10 college financial representatives. In addition, Duffy was the company's sixth highest producing college unit director in 1999.
She also excelled as a field director, tying for first place among her peers in Level III network offices nationwide and achieving the No. 1 spot in the West for Level III network offices in 2000.
Other accolades included the DA Growth Award in 1997, the Star Club Sapphire - Western in 2000, Best Year Ever from 1998 through 2000, and Pacemaker in 1999. Her success was also recognized with the NQA in 2002, and she earned a master's in business administration from Portland State University in the process.
When she was offered the position of assistant director - agency development in Northwestern Mutual's corporate office in Milwaukee in January 2001, Duffy welcomed the opportunity. "Working in this capacity has given me a broader perspective, along with the chance to visit a number of network offices across the country. It was a great way to build on the experiences I'd already had in the field."
Multi-faceted approach
Duffy uses all these experiences as she continues to build the infrastructure for growing and delivering the Network, as well as expanding specialist operations, in the Phoenix network office.
A key element in this strategy is the recruitment, support and retention of new high-quality individuals, along with ongoing development of veteran financial representatives. "By surrounding myself with a strong team, we can build the organization together and help each other accomplish our career objectives. Ideally, we will create an atmosphere of high achievement and productivity, while having fun fulfilling our dreams."
"With Arizona growing as rapidly as it has in recent years, there is a tremendous opportunity for increasing our market penetration. By continuing to provide Northwestern Mutual's quality products to an increasingly broad range of clients, I am looking forward to making Northwestern Mutual the dominant financial services company in the state."
Vlasta and her husband have made Scottsdale their home for raising their daughter. She is a high-energy personality who enjoys being active. Her favorite sports include skiing, running, and tennis.
An Opportunity to Succeed
Successful financial representatives with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona experience tremendous pride and satisfaction in building a practice from the ground up. Their success is not a factor of luck or chance; it's the result of a productive work ethic, strong relationship skills and a level of professionalism second to none. A mission of doing what's right for our clients is the thread that weaves together our organization.
The goal is not to simply sell products, but to discover clients' needs and help to meet them. That means taking the time to understand each person's financial situation, values and goals.
This career offers:
The ability to meet new people and positively impact families, businesses and communities as you help to achieve their goals and dreams
An entrepreneurial opportunity to own your own business
A high degree of support and training, plus ongoing curriculum for educational growth and personal development
The flexibility of a career that allows you to focus on things of importance to you
Earnings where you are directly rewarded for your efforts
A strong team culture and the opportunity to work with a variety of specialists and advisors
Exclusive access to a variety of world-class solutions and services, including life insurance from Northwestern Mutual
Leadership and development opportunities
Your Development
You'll have assistance in developing your business and marketing plans, extensive training and coaching from certified trainers.
New representatives receive initial industry and sales training as well as mentoring and joint work programs for hands-on experience. They have access to on-line education resources for polishing skills and keeping up to date on industry information as well as exposure to opportunities for ongoing career education and advanced professional designations to increase their knowledge and reputation.
Your Business
We know that building your own business is difficult without help. As a financial representative with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona, you will be in business for yourself, but not by yourself. Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona will provide you with support in your training and development, so you don't have to do it alone.
We take pride in our unique strengths and the expertise we share with our clients. Our communities can benefit from our expertise and can be rewarded with the advantages of the careers offered through the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.
If you're ready to be your own boss, set your own hours and make a positive impact on people's lives everyday, then turn your dreams into reality and find out what a career as a Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Representative with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona can do for you.
The Benefits of Your Success
Your career as a financial representative is what you make of it. You have the freedom to balance your hard work and determination with your personal goals. In the beginning of your career, it takes a tremendous amount of time, energy and commitment to earn the flexibility and financial rewards you will enjoy later on. You can achieve financial independence and have a positive impact on your clients, your family and your own community.
Income
A financial representative's income potential is virtually unlimited. Earnings are directly related to sales results and client relationships. Financial representatives are compensated through commissions, renewals and bonuses.
Our top producer group, The Forum, had a median gross income of over $410,800 in 2004.
First-year, average gross income during 2002-2004 for financial representatives ranged from $38,900 to $83,900.
Benefit Package
Whether you are single or married with a family, Northwestern Mutual's benefit package will address the various stages of a full-time financial representative's life. These benefits include: Comprehensive Medical Coverage, Retirement, Flex Programs, Childcare/Eldercare, Maternity Leave, Group Life and Accidental Death Benefit, Disability Income Insurance. Your local network office can provide additional information.
Lifestyle
When you invest the time and hard work necessary to build a successful practice as a financial representative, you can enjoy the rare and envied reward of balancing work with your personal goals. You can arrange your schedule so you may have three or four appointments a day, and still have time to participate in your children's school programs, community involvement or leisure-time activities.
Build a business that allows you to schedule meetings to accommodate your clients' schedules and your own.
Impact
The goal of the Network is not to simply sell products, but to discover clients' needs and provide solutions to meet them. That means taking the time to understand each person's financial situation, values and goals. Every solution you implement may help secure the financial future of your clients, their families, their businesses and your community.
You can experience the rewards of a career in which you can have a daily, positive impact on people's lives, including your own.
Meet some of the members of our Team
Successful financial representatives with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona experience tremendous pride and satisfaction in building a practice from the ground up. Their success is not a factor of luck or chance; it's the result of a productive work ethic, strong relationship skills and a level of professionalism second to none.
A mission of doing what's right for our clients is the thread that weaves together our organization. Meet some of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona financial representatives that exemplify this mission.
Career Opportunities
Through Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona, our financial representatives have advancement opportunities into management and specialist opportunities. Learn more about some of our team members:
Keith Klein, CHFC, CLU, CASL, Managing Director Keith Klein is the Managing Director of a local network office. In addition to maintaining a strong personal practice, he plays a key role in the career development of other Financial Representatives
Lee Howard Patterson, Jr., College Unit Director
As the College Unit Director, Lee Patterson leads a group of energized college interns.
Ashley Aceveda, Employee Benefit Specialist
As the Employee Benefit Specialist, Ashley Aceveda prepares a comprehensive analysis of a client´s employee benefits program, and then offers solutions to meet the unique needs of that company.
Thomas W. Hubbard, ChFC, CLU, CFP®, Sr. Investment Specialist and Annuity Specialist
As the Sr. Investment Specialist and Annuity Specialist, Thomas W. Hubbard, ChFC, CLU, CFP® helps clients create an approach for financial security in retirement utilizing both wealth accumulation and retirement income strategies and provides expertise for wealth accumulation and wealth preservation needs.
Neil Robbins, CLU, ChFC, Disability Income Specialist
As the Disability Income Specialist, Neil Robbins assists individuals and businesses design a disability income insurance program for both individual and group needs.
Chad F. Wing, ChFC, CLU, Sr. Investment Specialist
As the Investment Specialist, Chad F. Wing provides expertise in helping individual and business clients with their wealth accumulation and wealth preservation needs.
Career Insight Jeanne Lowrey has been a Financial Representative with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network since 1999. Read what Jeanne A. Lowrey has to say about her career as a financial representative:
Before becoming a Financial Representative, I was a teacher of the deaf for 12 years. I have found this career rewarding in that I can impact families and businesses in a positive way and for a long duration.
The career has its challenges, too, such as running a business (remembering I am a small business owner) and the constant need to keep up with required daily tasks to meet and fight to meet new people is challenging. In the beginning, it’s challenging to keep up with the new knowledge and secure enough Client Builder points to allow my business survive and thrive. But throughout it all, I’ve learned I have great tenacity and the capacity for change and challenges.
Making a Difference
I met with a young professional couple who had quite a bit of debt from school loans and credit cards. We talked about ways they could dig themselves out of the debt pile. Four-and-a-half years later, we had a ‘party’ to burn the last of their credit card bills and their student loans are down by 50%! They feel a great burden has been lifted and they’re now better positioned to start having children.
Secondly, a small part of the death proceeds that a 73-year-old client received upon her husband’s death is now being used while she is able to see the fruits of her labor by purchasing a building to house the local community pantry and homeless shelter. One does not need to die to be able to give to a charity when there are enough funds from a life insurance policy.
Some Career Advice
Do what your Managing Partner prescribes you to do and give it time. I have found that the longer I’m in the business, the easier it gets – it will never be easy, but does get easier.
Our company is differentiated by tradition, superiority in products, superiority in mutuality, and the Financial Representatives. I know I treat my clients as I would want to be treated and I feel strongly that all of my fellow reps do the same.
The sky’s the limit in this career!! I’ve always felt moved when I re-read The Common Denominator of Success speech given by Albert Gray in 1940 when he says, ‘As long as you live, don’t ever forget that while you may succeed beyond your fondest hopes and your greatest expectations, you will never succeed beyond the purpose to which you are willing to surrender. Furthermore, your surrender will not be complete until you have formed the habit of doing the things that failures don’t like to do.’
Upward and onward!
Internships
Whether you know where your college education is taking you or you're still keeping your options open, you owe it to yourself to see if Northwestern Mutual Financial Network's Internship program with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona is right for you.
As you learn by doing, you'll find that the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Internship Program is an intense and according to our alumni -- unparalleled learning experience. Expect the process to be rewarding, educational and an opportunity for you to narrow your career search.
Our internships provide a great chance for students to combine what they've learned in the classroom with a real-life look into what they could truly make of themselves. You'll have the chance to work in a real-world business environment and earn performance-based compensation.
The ambition of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Internship program has been less to sell our financial products than to develop people. As a Financial Representative College Intern, you will enjoy the benefit of working with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona where you'll receive outstanding guidance, superior support and quality expertise.
As full-time college students, interns generally work 15 to 20 hours per week developing business- and client-building skills. In most ways, our interns follow the same process for establishing their careers as our Financial Representatives.
Our internship offers you invaluable business experience that you will take with you far into your career. But that's just the start of the impact this can have on your future and your present.
Consider these benefits:
Practical guidance in your career selection process
The chance to develop your networking and business relationship skills
Flexible work schedule
Securities license, state licenses for life, health and accident insurance opportunities and a head start program for a career as a full-time Financial Representative
Compensation in the same manner as a full-time Financial Representative.
Actual business experience for your resume.
Test drive the Financial Representative career.
Regardless of what you do after graduation, you'll have a foundation of skills and knowledge to build your career upon. One out of three former interns becomes a full-time Financial Representative upon graduation. These graduates have built a solid foundation for immediate and future career success.
The two-thirds who choose other career paths benefit as well. They launch their career with stronger business-building skills and a clearer sense of where they want their career to take them.
After completing the internship, the knowledge you have gained, coupled with the opportunity to work for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Arizona as a full-time Financial Representative, can lead you to a profitable and fulfilling future.
The Northwestern Mutual Advantage
Northwestern Mutual exists to help policyowners and clients protect against financial risk and achieve financial security. The company, with its subsidiaries and affiliates, offers insurance products, investment products and advisory services that address client needs for financial security and protection, capital accumulation, asset distribution and estate preservation.
With more than 350 offices across the United States, 3 million policyowners and clients, $18 billion in annual revenues and $133 billion in assets, you can count on Northwestern Mutual to help you build strong financial futures for your clients.
The company's tradition of "doing the right thing" has been honored and nurtured by successive generations within Northwestern Mutual and recognized in the industry and media.
World's Most Admired--Northwestern Mutual is the "World's Most Admired" company in its industry, according to FORTUNE magazine's annual survey of industry executives and analysts. For Northwestern Mutual, it is the seventh year as the top life/health insurance company in the magazine's global survey.
First in Customer Satisfaction-- For the third year in a row, Northwestern Mutual has earned the highest customer satisfaction score among U.S. life insurers, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index's (ACSI) survey. Northwestern Mutual's industry leading score can be found in the ACSI's fourth quarter of 2005 consumer study, focusing on retail trade, e-commerce, banks and insurance.
America's Most Admired--According to the March 7, 2006, FORTUNE magazine survey, Northwestern Mutual has been named "America's Most Admired" life insurance company for 23 years.
One of America's Top Ten Internships for 2006--"Northwestern Mutual Financial Network has made our Top 10 list for ten consecutive years, proving its internship program to be consistently among the best." Internship Informants™, Vault, inc., 20006.
Selling Power's 50 Best Companies to Sell For--Northwestern Mutual was ranked as the 2nd best and 4th largest service company (November/December 2005).
Financial Ratings--The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (Northwestern Mutual), the nation's largest direct provider of individual life insurance, according to statistics compiled from A. M. Best data, has always received the best possible insurance financial strength ratings from the four major rating services: Standard & Poor's (AAA), Fitch Ratings (AAA), A. M. Best (A++) and Moody's (Aaa).
Top 100 Employers--Ranked 22nd in The Black Collegian's "Top 100 Employer and The Majors in Demand" for the Class of 2005.
Largest Direct Provider of Life Insurance--According to statistics compiled from A. M. Best data, Northwestern Mutual is the largest direct provider of life insurance.
Community Support--The Northwestern Mutual Foundation supports nearly 1,500 schools and nonprofit organizations each year. Last year, the Foundation contributed nearly $13 million ($12,534,005) in national and Milwaukee-area grants.
2006 Dividend--Northwestern Mutual's overall dividend payout to policyowners for 2006 is expected to be $4.27 billion, an increase of $360 million, the largest single increase in company history. This ongoing success, fostered by the company's tradition of "doing the right thing," has been honored and nurtured by successive generations within Northwestern Mutual.
Vlasta Duffy, CLU, ChFC, MBA, Managing Partner
Career Insight