Are You Prepared?

Recently, the passing of a couple of prominent leaders saddened our industry. Former PPAI board member and 1997 PPAI Hall of Fame inductee, Gene Cesario, MAS passed away August 2, and senior vice president of Summit Group and member of the PPAI Board of Director's Class of 2007, Janelle Nevins, passed away August 9.

These industry veterans have had a prominent impact on many people's lives and careers. We offer condolences to their families.

Perhaps not so known was Diana Jane Barliant, the wife of popular west coast multi-line rep Nowell Wisch. Diana passed away July 3. Nowell is a bit of a wordsmith and we offer some of his thoughts on the recent challenges he has faced following his wife's passing. His comments about the importance of being prepared are shared here with his permission.

Since my wife died, I've spent time with lawyers, bankers, insurance agents and Social Security representatives. For 28 years I had a wife who took care of every financial decision in our life...

Nothing that even hinted of "money" ever intruded on my blissfully ignorant existence. She held the reins to the financial coach and drove it with verve, alacrity, and consummate skill. I felt lucky to have such an accomplished mate and that she didn't take offense in the reversal of the usual roles in marriage.

Fast forward to the day the world spun out of its orbit and the future changed. I had thirty-two thousand dollars in funeral expenses to pay and no idea what the checkbook looked like nor where it was kept! Talk about being taught how to swim by being tossed into the deep end of the pool... not the best way to learn.

At the SAAC Show, an amazing Regional Association event, four weeks after my personal loss, we were informed of the death of two of our industry icons. I found myself in discussions with people who had experienced similar tragedies in life. I soon realized that my experience is far from uncommon. Many of our friends and colleagues live in a blissfully ignorant condition of the details of their financial status. This is both on a business level and a personal one. What a sad state of affairs.