Ray attends AALU Conference in Washington, D.C.
DES MOINES FINANCIAL ADVISOR RAY BENING ELECTED TO LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR ADVANCED LIFE UNDERWRITING
DES MOINES -- Ray Bening, president of the Bening Financial Organization, has been elected to the board of directors of the Washington, D.C.-based Association for Advanced Life Underwriting.
"I'm very honored to have been elected by my peers from across the country. It's an opportunity to help formulate good public policy around financial services that touch the lives of millions of Americans every day," said Bening, who became part of the AALU's 18-member board during the organization's annual meeting last month.
"Two-thirds of American families -- 75 million in all -- rely on life insurance's benefits and protections. In fact, one of every five dollars in long-term savings is invested in life insurance products. Businesses also rely on life insurance products in many ways to protect their future and their employees," Bening said. "Those are very big reasons to ensure that federal laws reflect the huge, positive impact that the life insurance and financial services industry have on our country's economic health and well-being."
He added, "An over-arching message the AALU is emphasizing the importance of personal financial responsibility and the need to take the appropriate long-term steps to achieve financial independence in an era where governments are more burdened and less able to assist people. I look forward to sharing that story, too."
The 56-year-old organization's mission is to promote, preserve and protect advanced life insurance planning for the benefit of its members, their clients, the industry and general public. Its staff and leadership regularly connect with congressional leadership, members of key congressional committees, their senior staff and administration officials tasked with implementing the laws that impact the life insurance profession and AALU members' clients.
The AALU, which has more than 2,200 members, is currently focused on three policy key areas: life insurance and tax reform, estate and gift tax reform and the regulation of life insurance agents.
As a financial services representative and life insurance professional with more than 25 years of experience, Bening specializes in executive nonqualified deferred compensation plan design, administration and funding; corporate, personal and family life insurance review and placement; financial advisory services and retirement income planning. In 2008, he was inducted into The Principal® Producer Hall of Fame, an honor reflecting 20 years of production leadership with the company. He also earned the first-ever Individual LIFEtime Achievement Award from the Principal Financial Group in 2011.