NAIFA has announced that Danny O’Connell of Dallas, Texas, and Christopher Potts, Sr., of Rock Hill, South Carolina, have been named as the 2025 Diversity Champions. Both will be recognized at the 2025 Belong awards dinner scheduled for October 14 in Arlington, Virginia.
“It is vital that all Americans have opportunities to achieve financial success and protect the wellbeing of their families. Christopher Potts and Danny O’Connell, as NAIFA Diversity Champions, epitomize all the NAIFA members who help make this a reality,” said NAIFA President Doug Massey. “They both endeavor to expand the reach of our great industry into traditionally underserved communities while providing opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to succeed as insurance and financial service professionals.”
O’Connell leads Next Level Insurance Agency in Dallas. The agency is female- and minority-owned and serves small employer groups across the country, including many nonprofit organizations and businesses owned by women and minorities. Next Level offers employee benefits seminars in several languages to increase financial literacy in underserved communities. The agency donates 5% of its gross revenue each year to community organizations supporting at-risk populations such as women, children, and people with special needs. O’Connell also serves as President of Texas CASA, which supports Court Appointed Special Advocacy programs throughout Texas. He has completed four hours of diversity, equity, and inclusion training annually for six years.
Potts is an East Coast Executive with Emerson Rogers and focuses his insurance practice on serving diverse markets through culturally sensitive outreach. He organizes insurance seminars for African American communities and events aimed at encouraging people of color to pursue careers in insurance. Potts has spoken on budgeting and financial literacy in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. His community involvement includes serving on boards such as Hospice and Community Care (Piedmont), Music Therapy (which assists children, veterans, and those with special needs), Remember Me Inc., and the Rock Hill Economic Development Corp. He is active in organizations like the local NAACP chapter, Individuals Caring for the Elderly (I.C.E.), and I’m With U: Black U Network. Potts was previously named York County Regional Chamber of Commerce Ambassador of the Year in 2022 and received a NABIP Spark Plug Award in 2024.
The Diversity Champion Award was established by NAIFA to honor outstanding efforts promoting full participation of diverse individuals within the insurance and financial advising profession. Nominees must be current NAIFA members with at least five years’ experience in the industry.
