New name passes by a unanimous vote at association’s annual meeting.
09/15/10
OAK BROOK, IL – Delegates of the 124th Annual Meeting of the National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) voted unanimously to adopt a new name—the American Fraternal Alliance. The vote was held during the Closing General Session at the association’s meeting in Chicago on Saturday, September 11.
The change to the new name is targeted for January 1, 2011.
“We believe that the American Fraternal Alliance name can help us build a stronger and more respected brand with our key audience of public policymakers, where we would be known as the ‘fraternal alliance’ rather than as a set of initials,” said Teresa J. Rasmussen, Immediate Past Chair of the NFCA Board of Directors. “Most importantly, we believe that now is the right time to make this change.”
“The new name does not change who we are and what we do,” said NFCA President and CEO Joseph J. Annotti. “After all, it’s what’s under the hood – not the hood ornament – that’s important.”
“The American Fraternal Alliance name does give us the opportunity to create a brand awareness with for the fraternal system that does not currently exist,” Annotti added. “Our challenge is to make sure our new name carries with it the brand identity that say fraternals are credible, trustworthy, and relevant financial services providers and that our non-profit, mutual aid charter delivers a valuable and irreplaceable return on investment to taxpayers through our charitable and volunteer activities, and by building social capital that strengthens communities across the country. Your association will lead this ambitious effort; but we need the support of every member society to accomplish our objective.”
About the NFCA
The 124-year-old NFCA unites 69 not-for-profit fraternal benefit societies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. The association represents nearly 9 million fraternalists in 32,000 local chapters, making it one of America’s largest member-volunteer networks. Fraternal benefit societies provide their members with leadership, social, educational, spiritual, patriotic, scholarship, financial and volunteer-service opportunities. Combined, the NFCA’s member-societies maintain more than $363 billion of life insurance-in-force and, in 2009 alone, contributed almost $402 million to charitable and fraternal programs, and volunteered nearly 108 million hours for community-service projects. These statistics demonstrate the commitment that fraternals make to those in need and exemplify the true meaning of the NFCA signature phrase: Joining Hands to Touch Lives.