2027 MDRT Executive Committee drives expanded educational opportunities for members

Park Ridge, Illinois, USA (September 1, 2026) — MDRT welcomes Clay Gillespie, CFP, CLU, as MDRT President and Brad J. Myers, ChFC, as Secretary. As leaders of The Premier Association of Financial Professionals®, they and others on the Executive Committee will spend the next 12 months supporting MDRT members in personal and professional development to serve their clients with the highest standards of ethics, knowledge, service and productivity.  

Gillespie succeeds John F. Nichols, MSM, CLU, who will serve as MDRT’s 2027 Immediate Past President. Aurora L. Tancock, CFP, FLMI, and Simon D. Lister, Dip PFS, will assume new roles as First Vice President and Second Vice President, respectively.

MDRT and its 2027 Executive Committee will continue to focus on MDRT members’ access to digital resources and opportunities to learn and grow together. One aspect of this is MDRT Learn  which helps member advisors reach new levels of performance through on-demand courses, articles, videos, in-person events and more, supporting professional development throughout their careers.  

The Executive Committee will continue to oversee another digital education tool that was launched at the 2026 MDRT Annual Meeting in June: ChatMDRT. This AI-powered knowledge assistant, designed exclusively for MDRT, provides insights from MDRT resources, not generic internet search results, with responses to queries delivered in more than 150 languages. ChatMDRT supports the organization’s commitment to providing a wealth of learning opportunities in multiple formats to meet member needs.  

Members can learn about these tools and much more at the 2027 MDRT Annual Meeting, June 6–9, in Orlando, Florida, USA, and at the 2027 MDRT Global Conference, August 22–25, in Singapore. Attending these events is a highlight for many MDRT members, as they look forward to fostering connections with their global community, gathering new insights applicable to their business and reigniting their passion for providing premier client service.  

“MDRT has been a transformational experience for members like me to improve both their personal and professional lives,” Gillespie said. “Our strength comes from connections across borders, cultures and experiences. I look forward to continuing to create learning opportunities that improve client service and help financial professionals leverage the community of members ready to support their growth.”

2027 marks MDRT’s 100th anniversary of advancing the financial services profession. As the organization celebrates a century of progress, the mission remains the same: MDRT will continue to guide the future of the profession and empower the leaders who drive it forward.

Throughout MDRT’s centennial year, the Executive Committee will continue to champion the MDRT Family of Brands, showcasing opportunities for financial professionals at all career stages to gain new insights and expand their potential. The MDRT Academy supports advisors aspiring to MDRT-level production, and the MDRT Center for Field Leadership empowers field and home office leaders to pursue lifelong learning and build an MDRT culture of excellence in their teams. 

A 25-year MDRT member, Gillespie assumes the presidency with 23 Court of the Table and 22 Top of the Table qualifications. He has served in various roles on the Executive Committee since 2024. Previously, he served as 2019 Top of the Table Global Council Member and Advisory Board Chair, and Global Council Member of MDRT’s Finance Division in 2023.

A 24-year MDRT member, Myers has 15 Court of the Table and six Top of the Table qualifications. Before joining the MDRT Executive Committee, he served as 2026 Chair of the Court of the Table Committee. He has also provided longtime volunteer support for Program General Arrangements, including serving as its Divisional Vice President at the 2022 MDRT Annual Meeting.