WOMEN IN INSURANCE & FINANCIAL SERVICES ANNOUNCES 2014 AWARD WINNERS

ALBANY, NY (11/05/2014)(readMedia)-- Several women were honored by Women in Insurance & Financial Services at the Annual WIFS Awards Ceremony held on October 23 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The following awards were presented:

ANGEL AWARD

The ANGEL award is given to both members and non-members of WIFS who have demonstrated attributes that have been instrumental to the success of peers. These attributes include: A – Assistance; N – Nurture; G – Guidance; E – Ethics; L – Leadership. This year's ANGEL Award recipient is Gail Linn, a Financial Planner for MetLife Premier Client Group of New York.

Over Gail's 24 year career she has been a leader and mentor, empowering women with knowledge about their financial health. On top of participation in many seminars and workshops, her volunteer work provides financial education workshops to underprivileged individuals. She was part of the inaugural group of the WIFS Mentorship Program and has continued to contribute to the success of that program, as both a mentor and a mentee.

MEMBER OF THE YEAR

The Member of the Year award recognizes the consistent and ongoing commitment and contribution to WIFS on a local or national level. This year's recipient is Erin Fisher, President of FindMedicarePlans.com.

Erin has only been with WIFS for 4 years, but has been extremely engaged from the start. When she joined, she immediately volunteered to serve on a committee. She has become a regular conference attendee, and mentorship program participant. She is currently serving as a Chapter President. Beyond her impressive member contributions she is also a successful business owner, mother and community volunteer.

CHAPTER OF THE YEAR

The Chapter of the Year award recognizes the chapter that excels in the areas of membership, governance, planning, programs, membership and engagement. The 2014 Chapter of the Year is Gold Coast, which services North Broward and South Palm Beach Counties in Florida. Chapter President, Michelle Greene, accepted the award on behalf of the Gold Coast Board and membership.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

This is the highest level of recognition a WIFS member can receive from her peers. It honors an individual who has gone above and beyond to support WIFS and our industry. The 2014 recipient is Kathleen Godfrey, President of Godfrey Financial Associates.

Kathleen started her career in the financial services industry after an unexpected loss. In the face adversity she worked hard to build her client base and her company. Today Godfrey Associates – women owned and operated since 1995 - has over $50 million under management. Her own challenges in the business world led Kathleen to become an enthusiastic volunteer for organizations that focus specifically on developing girls and women including I Am I Can (a nonprofit that provides mentoring to girls grades 9-12), The Girl Scouts, and Habitat for Humanity's Women Build program. She has been an active member of WIFS, having served 6 years on the WIFS National Board, including one year as President, is active in the WIFS Mentoring program, plus she founded and remains engaged with the Albany New York Chapter

About WIFS

For over 75 years, Women in Insurance & Financial Services (WIFS) has served as the preeminent professional organization for women in the industry. Over 1,000 members and 24 local chapters are active nationally. WIFS is dedicated to attracting accomplished women to the financial services sector, developing their talents and advancing them toward success. Benefits include educational webinars, mentorship programming, coaching services, e-newsletters, peer connection and more.

For more information about WIFS, visit www.wifsnational.org or contact Deborah Duffy, Executive Director at 866.264.9437

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