Christopher L. Gandy, LACP
Christopher Gandy is the Founder of Midwest Legacy Group (OneAmerica) in Lisle, Illinois. After playing professional basketball for the Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, and L’Hermaine and in Vichy, France, Chris started his first financial services practice in 1999. His focus is individual and corporate life insurance, disability income insurance, investments, tax reduction strategies, retirement income optimization, and pension maximization for his clients. Prior to being selected to serve on NAIFA’s Board of Trustees in 2020, Gandy was the President of the NAIFA-Chicagoland chapter. He served on NAIFA’s Diversity Task Force and NAIFA 2025 Strategic Planning Committee. His many awards and achievements include: NAIFA’s Diversity Champion, Million Dollar Round Table (Top of the Table and Court of the Table), Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company Impact Award, Management Council, and Leaders Conference Honors. Gandy has been a highly sought-after main-stage speaker at industry events. He has presented at NAIFA’s National Leadership Conference and Performance + Purpose conference. Numerous national publications have featured him, including Crain’s Chicago Business, GQ, Black Enterprise, African American Career World, InsuranceNewsNet, and a cover feature in Advisor Magazine. Gandy is active in his community. He previously served on the Board of the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBARPA) Chicago chapter and spent four years on the board of the SAME Network – Chicago’s RUSH Medical Center’s organization focused on diversity and integration with a S.T.E.M. focus for minority medical students. He serves on the Board of the Urban League, Naperville’s ALIVE youth center, the IAMABEL foundation, and the Chicago Concussion Coalition – an organization dedicated to making amateur sports safer for children. He is part of the United Way’s Young Community Leaders.
Julie Holsinger
Julie Holsinger serves as the Content Strategy Director at Life Happens, a nonprofit organization that is part of NAIFA, and is headquartered in Arlington, VA. Over the last 15+ years, she has led impactful initiatives, including three major annual awareness campaigns, most notably Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM). She also overseas the Real Life Stories program and the development of consumer-focused educational content design to help educate consumers about the importance of insurance-based products. Prior to joining Life Happens, Julie's career began at Nielsen, where she worked in research marketing and holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and International Business from the University of Tennessee. Contact her at jholsinger@lifehappens.org.
Barbara Pietrangelo, CFP, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CLTC, RFC
Barb Pietrangelo has been a financial advisor for more than 33 years, specializing in retirement planning. Her career began in 1991 at Prudential and has soared full-circle through her integrative approach with clients, having previously received Prudential’s Award of Merit and in 2024 she was recognized as Wealth Solutions Report’s Financial Planner of the Year. Barb has worn many hats during her tenured career, serving as the President of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) Foundation in 2012 and currently holds the role as Chair of Life Happens, NAIFA’s consumer education arm. She also is on NAIFA’s National Board of Trustees and is the Trustee Liaison for the organization’s National Grassroots Committee. Other boards Barb participates in, include Spiritual Care Consultants, Kiwanis, Green Gables and Thornapple Garden Clubs. Her story goes beyond financial planning and is truly about championing financial literacy and empowering individuals to make informed decisions for a secure financial future. She believes it is a gift to help her clients feel fulfilled by providing them with financial resources to navigate every chapter of their life.
Moderator - Jacquie Lucas, CPTD, ACS, CSM
Jacquie Lucas, Assistant Vice President of Talent Solutions, LIMRA
