A History of Women in Financial Services
Gold Coast Chapter, Florida
Gold Coast Chapter was formed in July 1993.
With a goal to help women grow both professionally and personally. Through the mission of WIFS we strive to attract, develop and advance women in the financial services industry. Local Chapters are the heart of WIFS. Chapter meetings offer educational programming and the opportunity for peer connections.
WIFS A National Organization
Founded in 1936, WIFS is the largest women’s association empowering women in the insurance and financial services profession to succeed. WIFS members work together to attract, develop and advance women in an underrepresented profession.
The first recorded women’s organization was the Women Leaders Round Table founded in 1936 with its membership based solely on production from insurance sales. It served as a recognition program which met annually. Several years later, because so many of its members were qualifying for the Million Dollar Round Table, the Women Leaders Round Table was dissolved to become a Conference of the National Association of Life Underwriters (NALU), the Women Life Underwriters Conference (WLUC).
Formed in 1979, its primary purpose was to broaden the overall perspective of women agents. Within three years local chapters had formed providing training, support and leadership development opportunities to WLUC members. Most importantly, a network had been formed of women helping each other develop into the best professional insurance agents they could be, regardless of company affiliation. The Women Life Underwriters Confederation became an independent insurance industry organization with the support of its members and corporate sponsors in 1987. A large portion of the existing leadership and chapters were phased into the new Women Life Underwriters Confederation.
In 1998 WLUC refocused its direction. By keeping the WLUC acronym and adding the tag line “Women in Insurance and Financial Services” it encompassed all women in the insurance and financial services industry, including (but not limited to) accountants, attorneys, securities brokers, and investment advisors.
New emphasis was directed toward the four initiatives of Individual Membership, Corporate Membership, Education and Public Awareness. In 2000 the WLUC acronym was replaced by the true acronym and WIFS – Women in Insurance and Financial Services moved forward with a renewed emphasis on the membership, education, corporate and public initiatives.
2021 was the 85th anniversary of WIFS! We reflect on the past 85 years, our accomplishments and the lives that WIFS has changed. Take a moment to Watch SHINE, the 85th anniversary video, to learn all about how WIFS got started and how it has grown to be a vibrant community of thought leaders looking to the future of women in the industry.
