Christopher L. Gandy (pictured above), founder and chief executive officer of The Legacy Wealth Group LLC, has been elected president of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) for the 2026–2027 term. He will assume the role in January 2026.
NAIFA said Gandy brings more than 20 years of experience advising high-net-worth clients and advocating for both consumers and advisers nationwide. He has been a member of the association since 2003.
Over that period, Gandy has held several peer-elected posts, including president-elect, board secretary and board trustee. As president, he will help set NAIFA’s national direction across legislative advocacy, membership engagement and professional development for insurance and financial advisers, according to the association.
NAIFA said Gandy’s priorities for the 2026 term include reinforcing the group’s position as a national voice for financial professionals and expanding leadership pathways within the membership. He is also expected to support advocacy initiatives aimed at maintaining consumer access to “ethical, client-centered” advice in a shifting regulatory environment.
His tenure will begin as NAIFA is actively engaged in federal policy debates over who regulates insurance-related activity.
Earlier this year, the association backed legislation to “exempt the insurance business from CFPB regulation,” arguing that state-based insurance oversight should remain primary and that avoiding overlapping Consumer Financial Protection Bureau jurisdiction can provide clearer lines of responsibility for consumer protection.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NAIFA describes itself as the oldest financial services association in the US, founded in 1890 as the National Association of Life Underwriters.
Its stated mission includes raising professional standards, advocating at both the federal and state levels and fostering a community of advisers committed to long-term client relationships.
The association has been building out its grassroots presence through its annual Congressional Conference in Washington, D.C., which it calls its signature advocacy event. The 2025 program featured a session puts the focus on retirement security, tax policy and the impact of federal decisions on Main Street clients as it prepares for future leadership cycles.
NAIFA has also characterized its regulatory engagement as an effort to promote what past president Robert Miller has referred to as “smart regulation,” including work with the NAIC on its annuity transactions model and with the SEC on Regulation Best Interest.
The association has said that coordinated frameworks can “crystalize the professionalism of agents and advisors in the minds of consumers” while helping to avoid fragmented or more restrictive rules that could limit access to advice for broad segments of the market.
