Recommendations from clients via LinkedIn.com (Sign-in to your LinkedIn account and review references directly)

L. Stanton Towne

Senior Vice President & General Counsel

Brian is a great insurance agent. He put my interest ahead of his own. Rather than simply selling me a new policy, he closely reviewed my existing term policies (that he hadn't worked on) and found for me a valuable conversion feature, allowing me to get whole life at a great rate. I recommend him enthusiastically.

February 22, 2012, L. Stanton was Brian's client

Janine Wesselmann

President at The Art Circle

Innovative and expert, Brian Fechtel is excellent on all counts. Socially conscious, knowledgible, inventive, and conscientious, it was a great
pleasure working with him. And he saved us a lot of money1

August 31, 2012, Janine was Brian's client

Frank Demarais

Vice President General Manager at Manna Mortgage

As a finance professional I thought I knew about financial products and services, but was absolutely blown away by the critical technical and money saving details that are so hard to determine with life policies. Brian spent time with my personal financial situation, showed me the options and explained the weaknesses in my then current life policies He helped me in the...more

May 29, 2012, Frank was Brian's client

Peter Prommer

Intellectual Property Attorney at Nixon Peabody LLP

I was first introduced to Brian while seeking life insurance. He was extremely helpful and an advocate in seeking a policy that put my family's needs first. Rather than try to sell me a high commission policy as I experienced with other agents, he was looking to build a long term relationship. Brian is someone I would highly recommend talking to about your insurance needs.

March 31, 2012, Peter was Brian's client

Eric Schwartz

Principal at The North Highland Company

Brian is extremely knowledgeable about insurance concepts that the life insurance industry has a vested interest in keeping opaque. Brian has worked hard to make this information transparent to his clients and and explain complicated concepts in easy to understand terms. I would work with Brian in the future if I had a need for additonal Personal Insurance products.

March 30, 2012, Eric was Brian's client

Jon French

CTO and Head of Recruiting, TechTalent Consulting and TeamBuilding Inc. - www.techtalent.org, www.jonfrench.me

Brian is the most expert and ethical insurance professional i have ever worked with BY FAR. He will never recommend a product for his own personal gain. He will ALWAYS recommend products most beneficial to his clients. He is in the top .1% of agents on all counts (true expertise in how to configure insurance for maximum financial advantage, ethics, and customer service). I...more

March 11, 2012, Jon was Brian's client

Stuart Henderson

CFO at TMC Bonds LLC

Brian sold me my first life insurance policy nearly 20 years ago. I have since bought additional policies for both myself and my wife. He is very knowledgable and has been extremly reliable.

February 28, 2012, Stuart was Brian's client

Bill Coffin

Group Editorial Director, Life & Health and Property & Casualty at Summit Business Media

Brian has contributed several articles to National Underwriter Life & Health and remains a steadfast champion of consumer advocacy in the life insurance industry, an often thankless role that requires equal parts determination and attention to detail. His knowledge of life insurance is extremely deep and he is able to make connections few others can. It is always a...more

February 16, 2012, Bill was with another company when working with Brian at Breadwinners' Insurance

Stephen Lulla

CFO/COO Hedge Funds/Financial Consultant/Entrepreneur

Brian is extremely knowledgeable about the products he sells and advocates on behalf of his clients. Without prodding he provides full disclosure and honesty which is very rare when dealing with insurance agents.

February 15, 2012, Stephen was Brian's client

Michael Gorman

Vice President - Strategy, Products and Solutions at Acxiom

Brian took care of my life and disability insurance needs over several decades. His advice and judgment were always great, and focused on what I needed to protect me and how I could obtain that protection for the most competitive rate, not what he needed or wanted to sell.

February 14, 2012, Michael was Brian's client

Forrest Padilla, CFP(R)

Registered Representative at Independent Financial Group, LLC

Brian is by far the most ethical and conflict free insurance adviser I've ever met. He fought hard for me in making sure I was rated correctly after applying for life and disability insurance given a very unique situation. There are very few people in the financial services industry I actually look up to. Brian is definitely one of them and I consider him an expert. I also...more

February 13, 2012, Forrest was Brian's client

Roger Blease

Founder, Blease Research

Brian is a unique personality in the life insurance industry. His untiring, and unpaid, efforts to encourage adequate product disclosure in the marketing and selling of life insurance products is unequaled by the "watchdogs" of the industry. He brings to his clients superlative analytical skills and a keen insight to how best to serve them with the best value/needs proposition.

February 13, 2012, Roger was Brian's client

Michael Hymanson, CPP

NY/CT Regional Manager-U.S. Security Associates, Inc.

Brian was instrumental in my choosing a quality Whole Life-Cash Value Policy and through the years he was my agent, never failed to stop communicating with me. I appreciate his attention to his customers and industry expertise and knowledge.

February 13, 2012, Michael was Brian's client

Joseph B. Treaster

Editor, writer, TheMiamiPlanet.org and OneWater.org, environmental publications, Internet, University of Miami

As a reporter for The New York Times, before joining the faculty at the University of Miami, I had many conversations with Brian Fechtel. He came across to me as an experienced life insurance industry person with a deep desire to make the functioning of life insurance policies transparent.He seemed to me to believe that life insurance could be an important element in...more

February 11, 2012, Joseph B. was with another company when working with Brian at Breadwinners' Insurance

Fred Stone

Sr. Managing Director at Millennium Management

Brian is a revolutionary force in the world of insurance sales practices. His voice rings out for integrity, honesty and fairness, and he will in the course of time be recognized as a tranformative figure in the history of his profession.

February 11, 2012, Fred was Brian's client

Joseph Berwind

Business Intelligence Analyst

Brian is a trusted advisor. He is thorough and patient. Rare commodities in today's 'rush to close' marketplace. Rarer still, Brian possesses the skill of active listening. This skill drives trust way up. Finally, buying insurance from Brian was easy. He understood our needs and always volunteered information that mattered to us. Brian's intellect and deep understanding of...more

February 11, 2012, Joseph was Brian's client

Bill Dvorak

Principal at Dvorak Financial, LLC

Brian was recommended to me by my son when I need to review my life insurance needs. Brian recommended a company with a great reputation after searching some options. I did an online search at the same time and Brian's pricing was right in line with what I found on the internet for comparable companies. He was very helpful in the underwriting process, kept me informed and...more

February 11, 2012, Bill was Brian's client

• Agent - Financial Representative

  Northwestern Mutual LIfe

  

  Mike Nixon

  Owner, EducationalPlus

  I was a Northwestern agent and worked with Brian on several client cases over more than 10 years before I retired. It is absolutely baffling to me that Northwestern terminated Brian 6 weeks after he sent a letter to Northwestern's Board of Trustees regarding the company's problematic sales practices. Geez, the Consumer Federation of America's life insurance adviser...more

  March 31, 2012, Mike worked directly with Brian at Northwestern Mutual LIfe

Learn the Facts before your buy - Don't get scammed!

Before your buy life insurance, read this very informative 33 page booklet about how to avoid the pitfalls, scams and frauds within the Life Insurance industry.  In the short, and long run, it will save you from getting scammed! 

The Facts about Life Insurance-1.pdf

Be sure to check out ourLinkedIn.com page which has many more testimonials and reccommendations

"Over the many years Brian has worked on my insurance needs and those of my colleagues in business, we have always found his advice was to point us to the lowest cost quality options to meet our needs, regardless of the consequences to his own fees, and always in our best interest. We admire his high energy and integrity."

Former Partner, McKinsey & Co.

“I did want to reiterate how much we appreciated your help throughout. It was very comforting and reassuring to be with someone I trusted and where I knew you were in fact looking out for our best interests.”

Senior Executive, Mutual Fund Company & Stanford MBA

“Brian has been my insurance agent for close to two decades, and he has proven on numerous times that he always has my best interests at heart. He has consistently recommended policies that were good for me and my situation, choose not to sell me more than I needed, and always made sure it was priced very competitively. In addition, there were situations where Brian fought for my rights at the clear expense of the insurer’s and his own interests. I feel very comfortable recommending Brian to anyone.”

Head of Fixed Income Trading Desk for an Investment Bank

“Brian was more interested in making sure I understood what I was buying than he was in making the sale. The world would be a better place if more insurance salesman were like him.”

Software Executive

“As a financial services professional, I did some research and talked to a couple of insurance agents about life insurance policies and options, but found that these agents were essentially sales persons, with no orientation to the idea of value. When I talked with Brian, he quickly explained the economics of insurance policies. He listened to my financial situation and explored a variety of options that addressed my objectives. We have regularly revisited the policy and options for managing it, given the dynamics of the economy and life situations. My own work involves making complicated financial products understandable to the average person, and Brian earned my respect as a customer-oriented advisor doing the same in the life insurance field. I have been happy to recommend him to friends and family.

Former Senior Executive, Fannie Mae

“I want to thank you for recommending him [Brian] to me. He was very kind, very pleasant, and very knowledgeable…”

A prospect’s note to Consumer Federation of America’s life insurance adviser, Jim Hunt.

Prospect, with a net worth of more than $10 million, subsequently became a client, moving his trust’s coverage from a low-load insurer (with uncompetitive financial performance) based on my recommendation.

“I would be saddened if Northwestern Mutual loses one of its most knowledgeable and best agents…Unless Northwestern Mutual corrects this situation appropriately, I will refuse to recommend it to anyone in the future. As a long-time policyholder, this makes me very disappointed.”

Professor of Insurance and Risk Management, Wharton Business School, responding to my petition to Northwestern to rescind its termination notice.

“Your letter to the Trustees must have been a doozie. If they were smart they would have moved you to Milwaukee and put you in management…”

Life Insurance Industry Consultant, upon learning that Northwestern had terminated me

“I chose to work with Brian after being dissatisfied with the ignorance, disingenuousness and self-serving recommendations of at least three other Northwestern agents with whom I met. An independent adviser, Glenn Daily, referred me to Brian. Brian’s service and advice was a delightful contrast from that provided by the other Northwestern agents. Brian understands the product thoroughly and offered candid, professional advice regarding the best value. Although Brian was inappropriately dismissed by Northwestern, I plan to continue to use him to service my Northwestern policies.”

NYC Attorney

“As I have told Brian on a few occasions, I wish that I had know about Jim Hunt and him five years ago, before I had purchased my other policies.”

Executive, PNC Bank

“A few years ago I was interested in purchasing a life policy from Northwestern and was given Brian’s name by …….. It was the best recommendation I could have possibly received! I called Brian and he took considerable care and time in explaining everything I needed to know and helping me structure the best coverage for my needs. He never wavered in his commitment to make sure I understood everything I was about to do and what was best for my family’s needs. I am extremely happy with that policy and I have Brian to thank. I had contacted a different agent before being directed to Brian and all I got was insurance “babble,” confusion and no response to my requests for clarification. Brian was a world of difference in style, manner, and knowledge of his product. He truly cares about his customers. His follow through was beyond excellent …. I have kept in touch with Brian over the years, have called him for advice, and have recommended him to all my friends and family….. I have a friend I can count on!”

Retired Educator

2012 National Underwriter Life & Health Award

“I thought your work could be invaluable.” Jim Hunt, Consumer Federation of America’s life actuary, in mentioning that he was forwarding some of my research to an associate.

“Your idea makes perfect logical sense…” Jack Bogle, Founder, Vanguard, in response to my recommendation regarding a business opportunity for his former company.

“You could not deal with a more ethical, independent expert on the design and marketing of insurance products….[Fechtel] tackles complex, life insurance issues that frequently prove prescient….Mr. Fechtel’s contributions have been among the best to fulfill our mission to provide exceptionally valuable insights…” Chris Winans, former Best’s Review Editor.

“I hope [then Attorney General] Spitzer talks with Brian Fechtel…It’s not all that easy to find a smart, credentialed [CFA] insurance professional who…is willing to question sales tactics.” Mary Rowland in a Bloomberg Wealth Manager article: “Unrightable Wrongs?”

“It’s always a pleasure to hear from you, Brian….I think you are a brilliant, outside the box thinker, of whom we have very few.” John F. X. [Jack] Mannion, Chairman, Unity Life

“I consider you to be one of the smartest guys I have met, with a broad and detailed knowledge of the insurance industry, and a person of the highest moral standards.” Rick Storatz, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Columbia University and a former agent. (While this is certainly a kind exaggeration by a co-worker friend, a more objective measure of my smarts could be that the Kaplan Educational Centers, the test prep organization, recruited and hired me to teach their GMAT courses for several years.)

“I have to begin by saying that I have never reviewed a more complete discussion of a product idea than that which you have submitted. Your document is both creative and well written.” “In reading your proposal, it reminded me of something that an actuary might put together for a proposal to senior management.” Two life insurance actuaries responding to two of my proposed ideas

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