Our story began in the late 1980s amidst the quiet hum of a small insurance company.

Tom Wade and Leah Brandt, two future industry leaders, shared a cubicle wall. They had little knowledge of the impact their future partnerships would have. By the mid-1990s, Tom had founded his IMO American Financial Marketing. Leah joined Tom at AFM to lead the administrative team.

While Tom and Leah continued to build the IMO, Brian Smith was working his way up the ranks on the sales side at that same, now larger, insurance company. Meanwhile, Matt McKay and William Wade were spending time fishing at their family cabins. And yes, William still remembers trying to skip rocks across the water like Matt and accidentally hitting Matt’s sister with a rock.

The mid-2000s brought significant changes. Brian had left the corporate world and was full steam ahead at American Financial. Tom had sold American Financial and started his RIA. Leah was a key player in agent support at AFM.

Fast forward to the 2010s. Matt and William were working together at a newly formed IMO. Brian was working with top industry talent. Leah was helping Stan The Annuity Man build to a $200m/year annuity shop. Tom’s RIA was SEC registered, and he had come back to American Financial in a consulting role.

Today, the paths of these seasoned professionals converge once more at FIA. Tom, Matt, and William laid the foundation. Leah and Brian joined shortly after that. By 2024, the team had grown to include Angie Smith, Brent Jensen, Henry Hofstad, Jason Brandt, Jill Saunders, Justin Smith, and Nicole Baker. And yes, they all worked with another team member at some point in the past.

With over a century of collective insurance wholesale experience and decades of retail expertise, our team understands your challenges and opportunities. We've been in your shoes. We are committed to providing personalized service, saving you time writing business, and building lasting relationships.

We look forward to the opportunity to continue serving you!