Freedom . . . Success . . . Financial Independence Since 1857, Northwestern Mutual has been helping people protect against financial risk and achieve financial security. Maintaining an Omaha presence that stretches back to 1872, the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network of Nebraska has helped generations of individuals and businesses with products and services geared toward financial security.
The ambition of Managing Partner, Michael Tews, CLU, ChFC is to make a positive impact on all associates and their clientele by creating an environment of desire, confidence, consistency, and positive results. As Managing Partner, Michael Tews is responsible for all Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Representatives in Nebraska and in several western Iowa and northern Kansas counties. “I wanted to become a Managing Partner to have a more significant impact on both Financial Representatives and clients,” says Mike. He considers his primary responsibility to be developing strong leaders and a magnetic culture within the organization.
With 71 representatives, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska is a strong, growing business as evidenced by its most recent financial highlights.
The mission of Michael Tews and the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska is to provide its clients with expert guidance and innovative solutions that are right for each client. Whether focused on personal finances, business needs or both, they help clients understand their financial goals and ensure they are providing them with the right guidance and products to meet their needs.
Northwestern Mutual Financial Network brings together the skills of representatives, the expertise of advisors and the technical know-how of a number of financial specialists to provide solutions for clients' financial goals and help you gain access to the products and services of a wide variety of organizations—each of which has a comprehensive understanding of a specific aspect of financial services.
And through The Network and Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska, here are just a few of the products and services available to your clients:
Our Expertise
Just as your clients trust and rely on you to provide needs analysis and innovative solutions, you can trust and rely on Michael Tews, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska and the Network to provide sound products and services for your clients.
You might conclude that no one person can be an expert in all financial matters. We agree. That's why we provide you and your clients with access to a nationwide network of representatives, advisors and specialists who will work with you to provide a full range of services.
At Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska, our expertise includes:
Personal Needs Analysis
Business Needs Analysis
Investment Services
Disability Income Insurance
Long-Term Care
Estate Analysis
Advanced Planning
Employee and Executive Benefits
Diversity
At Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska, we are committed to reflecting our community and seek talented individuals who share our core values. As part of our overall growth strategy, we are committed to building and fostering a diverse organization of network representatives and specialists. We do so without regard to gender, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability or age.
We take pride in our unique strengths and the expertise we share with our clients. Our entire community can benefit from our expertise and can be rewarded with the advantages of the careers we offer. We will continue to be committed to reaching all segments of our community in which we live and conduct business.
Meet Managing Partner, Michael Tews, CLU, ChFC
For Michael Tews, CLU, ChFC, managing partner of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska, facing obstacles has helped him gain a greater sense of resolve. "Just like most of the people I meet with, I've faced challenges in both my professional and personal life. By taking responsibility and learning from those challenges, I've
developed a clear sense of what I want my purpose in life to be."
That determination paid off when Michael Tews was appointed managing partner of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network – Omaha in 2004.
Michael's purpose was never clearer than when he chose to embark on a career with Northwestern Mutual. After finishing eighth in the nation in the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network college intern program in 1986, Mike chose to try his hand at a career as a full-time financial representative. When he signed his first full-time contract with the Scanlon Agency in 1986, Mike was determined to dedicate all of his time and energy to his work. "I just made a commitment to myself that I was going to be the most coachable person in the office."
Learning key lessons
Within a year, Mike Tews became a college unit director with the then-Lincoln district network office under Scanlon's leadership. The director role offered access to a fast-track start in field management. "I didn't want to wait until I was in my 40s or 50s to be in a management position. That's one of the things that appealed to me about being a college unit director."
The position also taught Mike several key lessons that have become even more valuable in his career as a managing director - time management and the importance of surrounding himself with financial representatives who are committed to growth. Mike Tews was named managing director of the district network office in 1991. As both a managing director and personal producer, he has come to relish the flexibility his career offers. "I've always looked at each year as a new season with 12 games, or months. Over the course of a 17-year career, it's been great to reinvent my business based on the marketplace and my interest. Most business owners don't come close to having that luxury."
The real challenge as a managing director, Michael said, is "to perform at a high level in all areas of business and, at the same time, keep a balanced life. The complexities of our business are increasing all the time, so I believe successful managing directors need to identify their top organizational and personal production priorities, and develop a team within their office with very clearly defined responsibilities."
Michael's main organizational values include:
Accountability
Personal responsibility
Professionalism
Continuous growth
Work ethic combined with achievement
Ability to enjoy the journey
Considerable honors
Michael's list of honors is extensive. In addition to making The Northwestern Forum both in 2000 and 2002, he has also been named a member of the Million Dollar Round Table eight years in a row, and has received the Outstanding Achievement in Recruiting and Sales Award, the GA Growth Award, the DA Growth Award and Best Year Ever Award several times. His Lincoln office also finished first in the DA Achievement Award contest in both 2000 and 2001, and second in 2003. He has also been named to the 100 Lives Club and 75 Lives Club numerous times, and has received the National Quality Award and National Sales Achievement Award several times.
In addition, Michael said one of his career highlights was being asked by Bill Beckley, CLU, ChFC, MSFS, executive vice president - agencies, to represent the field in addressing the Northwestern Mutual Board of Trustees during the 2003 Annual Meeting.
Implementing shared values
"I'm committed to being a managing partner who is good at his craft, earning and maintaining the respect of my peers and integrating and following through on shared organizational values."
Michael is especially grateful for the support provided by his wife, Missy, and his four sons, Tyler, Jackson, and twins, Thomas and Anthony. "I've been blessed with a great wife and family. I've had successes in my personal life and in my business, and I attribute that to my sense of purpose, my caring family and my long-term relationship with Northwestern Mutual."
An Opportunity to Succeed
Successful financial representatives with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska experience tremendous pride and satisfaction in building a practice from the ground up. Their success is not a factor of luck or chance; it's the result of a productive work ethic, strong relationship skills and a level of professionalism second to none. A mission of doing what's right for our clients is the thread that weaves together our organization.
The goal is not to simply sell products, but to discover clients' needs and help to meet them. That means taking the time to understand each person's financial situation, values and goals.
This career offers:
The ability to meet new people and positively impact families, businesses and communities as you help to achieve their goals and dreams
An entrepreneurial opportunity to own your own business
A high degree of support and training, plus ongoing curriculum for educational growth and personal development
The flexibility of a career that allows you to focus on things of importance to you
Earnings where you are directly rewarded for your efforts
A strong team culture and the opportunity to work with a variety of specialists and advisors
Exclusive access to a variety of world-class solutions and services, including life insurance from Northwestern Mutual
Leadership and development opportunities
Your Development
You'll have assistance in developing your business and marketing plans, extensive training and coaching from certified trainers.
New representatives receive initial industry and sales training as well as mentoring and joint work programs for hands-on experience. They have access to on-line education resources for polishing skills and keeping up to date on industry information as well as exposure to opportunities for ongoing career education and advanced professional designations to increase their knowledge and reputation.
Your Business
We know that building your own business is difficult without help. As a financial representative with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska, you will be in business for yourself, but not by yourself. Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska will provide you with support in your training and development, so you don't have to do it alone.
We take pride in our unique strengths and the expertise we share with our clients. Our communities can benefit from our expertise and can be rewarded with the advantages of the careers offered through the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.
If you're ready to be your own boss, set your own hours and make a positive impact on people's lives everyday, then turn your dreams into reality and find out what a career as a Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Representative with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska can do for you.
The Benefits of Your Success
Your career as a financial representative is what you make of it. You have the freedom to balance your hard work and determination with your personal goals. In the beginning of your career, it takes a tremendous amount of time, energy and commitment to earn the flexibility and financial rewards you will enjoy later on. You can achieve financial independence and have a positive impact on your clients, your family and your own community.
Income
A financial representative's income potential is virtually unlimited. Earnings are directly related to sales results and client relationships. Financial representatives are compensated through commissions, renewals and bonuses.
Our top producer group, The Forum, had a median gross income of over $410,800 in 2004.
First-year, average gross income during 2002-2004 for financial representatives ranged from $38,900 to $83,900.
Benefit Package
Whether you are single or married with a family, Northwestern Mutual's benefit package will address the various stages of a full-time financial representative's life. These benefits include: Comprehensive Medical Coverage, Retirement, Flex Programs, Childcare/Eldercare, Maternity Leave, Group Life and Accidental Death Benefit, Disability Income Insurance. Your local network office can provide additional information.
Lifestyle
When you invest the time and hard work necessary to build a successful practice as a financial representative, you can enjoy the rare and envied reward of balancing work with your personal goals. You can arrange your schedule so you may have three or four appointments a day, and still have time to participate in your children's school programs, community involvement or leisure-time activities.
Build a business that allows you to schedule meetings to accommodate your clients' schedules and your own.
Impact
The goal of the Network is not to simply sell products, but to discover clients' needs and provide solutions to meet them. That means taking the time to understand each person's financial situation, values and goals. Every solution you implement may help secure the financial future of your clients, their families, their businesses and your community.
You can experience the rewards of a career in which you can have a daily, positive impact on people's lives, including your own.
Meet some of the members of our Team
Successful financial representatives with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska experience tremendous pride and satisfaction in building a practice from the ground up. Their success is not a factor of luck or chance; it's the result of a productive work ethic, strong relationship skills and a level of professionalism second to none. A mission of doing what's right for our clients is the thread that weaves together our organization.
Career Opportunities
Through Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska, our financial representatives have advancement opportunities into management and specialist opportunities. Learn more about some of our team members:
Eric D. Aslakson, Managing Director Eric Aslakson is the Managing Director of a local network office. In addition to maintaining a strong personal practice, he plays a key role in the career development of other Financial Representatives.
Darrin L. Brumbaugh, Field Director Darrin Brumbaugh assists in the recruitment and selection process of candidates in order to build a cohesive unit of productive full-time Financial Representatives.
Brian M. Vrana, College Unit Director Brian Vrana leads a group of energized college interns.
Byron McFarland, Estate & Business Planning Specialist Byron McFarland assists clients with estate, business and executive benefit needs.
Sam Nigro, Disability Income Specialist Sam Nigro assists individuals and businesses design a disability income insurance program for both individual and group needs.
Rob A Randels, Sr. Investment Specialist Rob Randels provides expertise in helping individual and business clients with their wealth accumulation and wealth preservation needs.
Steven W. Ryan, Long-Term Care Specialist Steven Ryan helps individual and corporate clients understand their long-term care insurance needs.
Career Insights
Read what some of the members of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska have to say about their careers:
Amy Graff, Financial Representative
Before Amy Graff became a Financial Representative, she was the Vice President of a sign company overseeing four locations.
I was looking for a new long-term career working with people, and a more meaningful product than signs. I was a client of Northwestern Mutual for many years; my rep suggested this career to me. I have found I really enjoy meeting with people, getting to know their goals, and helping them. In the beginning, though, there were challenges. The financial setback was huge. Fortunately, I was able to establish a home equity line of credit before signing the contract.
What I’ve Learned
Along the way, I have learned that I am happier. I love working with people one-on-one. I enjoy the support of a large company blended with the intricacy of a small company. I prefer one employee to 22 employees in my previous career. It is great representing a highly rated company.
A Success Story
My first realization of having a positive impact was the result of delivering a rated life insurance policy to a young policeman because of his high cholesterol, triglycerides and weight. A few months later his wife, a nurse, called and said thank you. She explained he quit smoking, went on a diet and began exercising. A year later we met again and Northwestern Mutual lowered his rates. He wants to be around to see his two young sons grow up. Her call had a huge impact on me.
Dave Snyder, Financial Representative
Before becoming a full-time Financial Representative, Dave Snyder was an intern with the Network out of Fremont, NE while he was a student at Midland Lutheran College.
While in my second year of college, I was selling office supplies for a small company out of Fremont and I was calling on the local Northwestern Mutual representative. While at his office trying to sell him a pencil or two he sold me an internship. The rest is history and here I am.
A Rewarding Choice
The greatest reward for me is knowing that if something happened to one of my clients that their families are going to be okay. I am confident in the training and reputation of Northwestern Mutual and I know that they will do the right thing and that I have done the right thing. On a daily basis I enjoy coming into the office with other people that have the same values that I have and feeling that I belong to a team of great people.
Some Challenges
You are your own boss. You have to be self-motivated and have faith that what your veteran representatives are telling you will get you through tough times. Early on, the greatest challenges are the ups and downs. Throughout my first full-time contract year that I just finished, I have had some ups when everything goes well and I can’t do anything wrong and then there have been some downs when everyone is telling me no and I can’t seem to get my calendar full.
However, throughout those tough times, I have been able to fall back on the fact that everyone in my office genuinely wants to see me succeed and they are more than willing to help me in any way that they can. I’ve learned that I am a very coachable person. I take constructive criticism well and learn from my mistakes.
Career Advice
Focus on the controllables. You can’t control if someone is going to buy from you or not. You can control how many people you see and how many phone calls you make.
When you reach your goals on that side, celebrate! Have certain goals and make sure you acknowledge these goals when you reach them. Through our network, we have a series of specialists that work as a team. Each of these specialists know their role better than anyone that I have met in the marketplace and are very educational in manner when they are in front of your clients. Nobody can know everything about the financial world and in our office we have a specialist in each area to leverage their knowledge in the marketplace.
Internships
Whether you know where your college education is taking you or you're still keeping your options open, you owe it to yourself to see if Northwestern Mutual Financial Network's Internship program with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska is right for you.
As you learn by doing, you'll find that the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Internship Program is an intense and according to our alumni -- unparalleled learning experience. Expect the process to be rewarding, educational and an opportunity for you to narrow your career search.
Our internships provide a great chance for students to combine what they've learned in the classroom with a real-life look into what they could truly make of themselves. You'll have the chance to work in a real-world business environment and earn performance-based compensation.
The ambition of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Internship program has been less to sell our financial products than to develop people. As a Financial Representative College Intern, you will enjoy the benefit of working with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska where you'll receive outstanding guidance, superior support and quality expertise.
As full-time college students, interns generally work 15 to 20 hours per week developing business- and client-building skills. In most ways, our interns follow the same process for establishing their careers as our Financial Representatives.
Our internship offers you invaluable business experience that you will take with you far into your career. But that's just the start of the impact this can have on your future and your present.
Consider these benefits:
Practical guidance in your career selection process
The chance to develop your networking and business relationship skills
Flexible work schedule
Securities license, state licenses for life, health and accident insurance opportunities and a head start program for a career as a full-time Financial Representative
Compensation in the same manner as a full-time Financial Representative.
Actual business experience for your resume.
Test drive the Financial Representative career.
Regardless of what you do after graduation, you'll have a foundation of skills and knowledge to build your career upon. One out of three former interns becomes a full-time Financial Representative upon graduation. These graduates have built a solid foundation for immediate and future career success.
The two-thirds who choose other career paths benefit as well. They launch their career with stronger business-building skills and a clearer sense of where they want their career to take them.
After completing the internship, the knowledge you have gained, coupled with the opportunity to work for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Of Nebraska as a full-time Financial Representative, can lead you to a profitable and fulfilling future.
The Northwestern Mutual Advantage
Northwestern Mutual exists to help policyowners and clients protect against financial risk and achieve financial security. The company, with its subsidiaries and affiliates, offers insurance products, investment products and advisory services that address client needs for financial security and protection, capital accumulation, asset distribution and estate preservation.
With more than 350 offices across the United States, 3 million policyowners and clients, $18 billion in annual revenues and $133 billion in assets, you can count on Northwestern Mutual to help you build strong financial futures for your clients.
The company's tradition of "doing the right thing" has been honored and nurtured by successive generations within Northwestern Mutual and recognized in the industry and media.
World's Most Admired--Northwestern Mutual is the "World's Most Admired" company in its industry, according to FORTUNE magazine's annual survey of industry executives and analysts. For Northwestern Mutual, it is the seventh year as the top life/health insurance company in the magazine's global survey.
First in Customer Satisfaction-- For the third year in a row, Northwestern Mutual has earned the highest customer satisfaction score among U.S. life insurers, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index's (ACSI) survey. Northwestern Mutual's industry leading score can be found in the ACSI's fourth quarter of 2005 consumer study, focusing on retail trade, e-commerce, banks and insurance.
America's Most Admired--According to the March 7, 2006, FORTUNE magazine survey, Northwestern Mutual has been named "America's Most Admired" life insurance company for 23 years.
One of America's Top Ten Internships for 2006--"Northwestern Mutual Financial Network has made our Top 10 list for ten consecutive years, proving its internship program to be consistently among the best." Internship Informants™, Vault, inc., 20006.
Selling Power's 50 Best Companies to Sell For--Northwestern Mutual was ranked as the 2nd best and 4th largest service company (November/December 2005).
Financial Ratings--The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (Northwestern Mutual), the nation's largest direct provider of individual life insurance, according to statistics compiled from A. M. Best data, has always received the best possible insurance financial strength ratings from the four major rating services: Standard & Poor's (AAA), Fitch Ratings (AAA), A. M. Best (A++) and Moody's (Aaa).
Top 100 Employers--Ranked 22nd in The Black Collegian's "Top 100 Employer and The Majors in Demand" for the Class of 2005.
Largest Direct Provider of Life Insurance--According to statistics compiled from A. M. Best data, Northwestern Mutual is the largest direct provider of life insurance.
Community Support--The Northwestern Mutual Foundation supports nearly 1,500 schools and nonprofit organizations each year. Last year, the Foundation contributed nearly $13 million ($12,534,005) in national and Milwaukee-area grants.
2006 Dividend--Northwestern Mutual's overall dividend payout to policyowners for 2006 is expected to be $4.27 billion, an increase of $360 million, the largest single increase in company history. This ongoing success, fostered by the company's tradition of "doing the right thing," has been honored and nurtured by successive generations within Northwestern Mutual.
Since 1857, Northwestern Mutual has been helping people protect against financial risk and achieve financial security. Maintaining an Omaha presence that stretches back to 1872, the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network of Nebraska has helped generations of individuals and businesses with products and services geared toward financial security.
Meet Managing Partner, Michael Tews, CLU, ChFC
Amy Graff, Financial Representative
Dave Snyder, Financial Representative