• Monday, August 8, 2022

  4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: What’s Hot, What’s Not: 2022 Edition

Art Gravanis

Art joined Guardian’s Business Resource Center in 2020. Prior to Guardian, he worked in advanced tax, estate and business planning roles at A.G. Edwards, Hartford Life, Wells Fargo Private Bank and PensionQuote. Art holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, a J.D. from Temple University Law School, and is a graduate of the LL.M Boston University Law School Tax Program. 

• Wednesday, August 10, 2022

  10:00 am - 11:00 am: Advanced Sales Reinvented

Bruce Guillemette, MSM, CLU®, ChFC®, FLMI

Bruce specializes in case design, guiding producers on the use of life insurance in business insurance, executive benefits, guaranteed issue and estate planning situations for Equitable’s Life Insurance business. In 2007, Bruce joined Equitable Distributors, LLC from Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company where he was Assistant Vice President, Blue Chip Group and Advanced Sales Support. He was instrumental in creating the Blue Chip Group, Mass Mutual’s exclusive top producer sales and marketing unit. In addition, he had responsibility for the Advanced Sales Illustration Support area, serving as an expert in business protection, non-qualified executive fringe benefits and personal protection.

• Tuesday, August 9, 2022

  12:30 pm - 1:30 pm: Advanced Sales + Zoom: Getting Beyond Good Enough

Patrick McGowan

Patrick is the CEO and Founder of Punch’n. He works with financial professionals who want to come alive on Zoom and with sales people who want to have more influence across the lens. With over 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, business development, and innovation — combined with a keen eye for what works and doesn’t work on camera — he shows people how leveling up their video presence can lead to increased engagement and connection with their prospects and clients. After working with him, people report having more confidence, more connection, and more credibility over video. Lastly, his first book, Across the Lens: How Your Zoom Presence Can Make or Break Your Success, is scheduled to be released in 2022.

• Tuesday, August 9, 2022

  10:30 am - 11:30 am: Planning for Digital Assets — A Blockchain Primer

Matthew McKeever

Matt is a partner with the law firm of Burnett Wilson Law, LLP in Omaha, Nebraska. Matt began his practice in New York City with his first jury trial in the Supreme Court of Queens County, New York in 1997. Matt received his B.A. from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln with honors in 1993 and his Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School in 1996. An experienced litigator, Matt has over 25 years of trial experience in commercial litigation, creditor rights in bankruptcy, insolvent estates and probate litigation. Over his career, Matt also represented clients in real estate, commercial and civil litigation. He also represents clients in the areas of insurance, asset protection, estate planning and business planning. In 2013, Matt began representing clients in the emerging area of blockchain technology, including regulatory compliance, litigation, lobbying and estate planning. In 2021, he represented the interests of a prominent blockchain business regarding the Nebraska Financial Innovation Act. Matt lives in Omaha and enjoys spending time with his family. You’ll sometimes find him watching Husker football or Yankees baseball. He’s also always ready for a good game of cribbage. You can find him online at “digital asset planning.com.”

• Tuesday, August 9, 2022

  9:15 am - 10:15 am: The Economy – Implications for Advanced Sales

Tod Nasser

As chief investment officer, Mr. Nasser oversees Pacific Life’s general account portfolios. He leads the investment teams and advises Pacific Life’s business divisions and subsidiaries on product design, investment opportunities, and hedging strategies. Mr. Nasser joined Pacific Life in 1991. In 2004, he was named chief derivatives officer with responsibility for managing and coordinating the use of derivatives at Pacific Life. He was promoted to senior vice president, investment management in 2008 and then to chief investment officer in 2021. He chairs Pacific Life's investment committee and serves as a member of the management committee, enterprise risk committee, and capital management committee. Prior to working for Pacific Life, Mr. Nasser was employed by First Boston Corporation as head strategist for Financial Futures and Options, and vice president in charge of strategy for municipal bond sales and trading.

• Tuesday, August 9, 2022

  8:00 am - 9:00 am: Post-SECURE IRA Planning: Rewritten, Reworked and Rewarding

Steve Parrish, J.D., CLU, ChFC, RHU

Steve Parrish is the Co-Director of the Center for Retirement Income at The American College of Financial Services, where he also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Advanced Planning.  He is also an Adjunct Professor of Estate Planning at Drake University Law School. With over 40 years’ experience as an attorney and financial planner, Parrish is expert in retirement, estate, and business owner planning. He is a ongoing columnist for both Forbes.com and the Journal of Financial Service Professionals. 

• Wednesday, August 10, 2022

  8:30 am - 9:30 am: Determining Retirement Income Style: What Recent Research Reveals

Wade D. Pfau, Ph.D., CFA

• Wednesday, August 10, 2022

  10:00 am - 11:00 am: Advanced Sales Reinvented

Andrew Rinn, J.D., CFP®, CLU, ChFC

As vice president of Advanced Solutions and Design at Ameritas, Andrew leads a group of highly skilled and credentialed individuals. The team provides a single source of contact for advisors to successfully position their clients’ complex and challenging wealth management cases. The team’s proficiency includes the full spectrum of advanced planning resources coupled with thought leader expertise in advanced business, estate and retirement planning. His own expertise includes wealth preservation, estate planning, business planning and executive benefits. He consults with insurance professionals and clients’ tax advisors when appropriate to facilitate sales opportunities. Andrew is a frequent speaker and has authored articles in Life Insurance Selling, Senior Market Advisor, National Underwriter, AALU, and Journal of Financial Service Professionals. His speaking experience includes Forum 400, Clinic for Advanced Professionals, AALU, and LIMRA Advanced Sales Forum. He is also an associate editor for the Journal of Financial Service Professionals.

• Monday, August 8, 2022

  9:00 am - 10:00 am: General Session

Armstrong Robinson

Armstrong Robinson leads Finseca’s advocacy team. He helped to guide the profession through tax reform in 2017. During that campaign, the team repelled several attacks on client planning tools while securing key victories that benefit the profession to this day like the 199A pass-through deduction. Prior to joining Finseca, Robinson advocated for dozens of clients at the Prime Policy Group, a premier D.C.-based bipartisan lobbying firm on a wide variety of issues ranging from tax to cybersecurity. During more than a decade serving the U.S. Congress, Robinson worked extensively with the Committees on Ways & Means and Financial Services.

• Monday, August 8, 2022

  10:30 am - 11:30 am: General Session

Martin M. Shenkman, CPA, MBA, PFS, AEP, J.D.

Martin Shenkman is an attorney in private practice in Fort Lee, New Jersey and New York City, New York with Shenkman Law. He specializes in estate and tax planning, planning for closely held businesses, and estate administration. Shenkman is the author of 43 books and more than 1,275 articles. He is an Editorial Board Member of Trusts & Estates Magazine, and has previously served on the editorial board of many other tax, estate, and real estate publications. Shenkman is the recipient of numerous awards, and is a frequent source for national publications and media, with guest expert appearances on major financial shows.