My name is Tom Levasseur, and I’ve been a member of MDRT for 30 years. I live on the East Coast of the United States near the Atlantic Ocean in the state of New Hampshire — the “Live Free or Die” state. My city is Dover.

My topic area is how the MDRT principle of volunteerism can shape your life, enhance your career and help you discover your leadership skills.

The main takeaways are:

• MDRT volunteerism as a philosophy of operation
• Personal experiences as examples of its power
• A guided development story
• Call to action for volunteerism

My friend Andy Lord once said to me, “MDRT is like the perfect slot machine because every time you put in a quarter, you get three back.”

What Andy was referring to is MDRT’s long-standing policy to have every aspect of the organization run by committees of member volunteers. From PGA Traffic to the Executive Committee, from taking a shift at the MDRT Store to selecting an MDRT President, every decision, strategy, program and service created are developed and executed by member volunteers at all levels.

Over the past 30 years, I have been the beneficiary of this unique system of operation.

I saw its power at my very first Annual Meeting when, at a first-time orientation session, I was introduced to nine other first timers by a volunteer table host. He facilitated a “round table” discussion of shared sales ideas offered by each of us first timers.

It was my first experience with a study group!

I was impressed by this veteran MDRT member because he had offered his time and talent to help me have a more productive meeting. He taught me by example about the value of sharing, caring and volunteering to help other members.

In later years, I also served many times as a table host for FTO. I’ve worked in the MDRT Store, directed Traffic and was a speaker host for both afternoon sessions and Main Platform. With each assignment, I met lifelong friends and shared wonderful experiences that have enriched my life.

One of the best decisions I ever made was to say yes to a call from the Executive Committee to serve on one of MDRT’s standing committees or task forces.

Although I questioned their wisdom on some occasions, like the year I was asked to serve on the Technology Committee — I know how to turn on my computer, but that’s about it!

But each time, the assignments brought me face-to-face with a challenge to grow and to learn. And each assignment brought me face-to-face with other MDRT volunteers from whom I have been able to learn so many valuable lessons about myself and my profession.

I’ve been asked to write articles for “Round the Table” on subjects the committee or task force was exploring, and I had to learn to become a better writer.

Chairing a task force committee forced me to examine and upgrade my leadership skill.

Every year, I run into fellow committee members at the Annual Meeting enhancing and rekindling old relationships. Some of those committee and task force experiences have offered continued learning opportunities.

As a member of the original Guided Development Task Force, I was asked by Brian Heckert to lead a “virtual study group” to see if such a thing could actually work in practice. Over several months that year, I served as the facilitator of this group. We got together on the phone for an hour every four weeks to discuss a section of the John Maxwell book, “The 5 Levels of Leadership.”

The eight regular attendees found the hour or so of conversation and sharing ideas about leadership to be well worth their time. We had a very high attendance rate, and notes were taken and shared with the group after each session.

At the conclusion of the experiment, we took a survey and got very high marks on the experience. More importantly, this group, which had originally been made up of Guided Development committee members, stayed together for another year and began picking other books to read. We picked a rotating facilitator and met six times the following year.

We’re still meeting, and we have added additional members to the “book club.” We’re proving that, even virtually, the benefits of a study group and shared learning and growth among MDRT members are possible in this very large and busy world!

You see, MDRT has learned the lesson that Adam Smith, the father of modern capitalism, taught in his book, “The Wealth of Nations.” He proposed that the greatness of a nation is not measured by gold and silver. Rather, the wealth of a nation is based in the energy, initiative and productivity of its people!

I want to suggest to you that you find ways to contribute to the MDRT bank of knowledge and experience — to the wealth of our MDRT nation.

Drop your coins in the slot machine and see what comes back. I promise you, by giving back to MDRT, you will have amazing results.

Thomas F. Levasseur, CLU, CLTC, is a 30-year MDRT member with nine Court of the Table and five Top of the Table qualifications. Before entering the life insurance business in 1986, Levasseur was a special education teacher and high school football coach. In 2001, he founded The Beacon Retirement Group, an independent firm specializing in retirement income and legacy planning. He has worked with individuals, families and closely held businesses in Maine and New Hampshire for more than 30 years.