Marvin Feldman (pictured), a respected figure in the life insurance and financial protection industry and a past president of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), died in Palm Harbor, Florida, on March 4 following a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 80.
Feldman spent nearly six decades in the business, combining personal production, firm leadership and consumer education at a time when the US life insurance coverage gap has been a persistent concern. Recent research from LIMRA and Life Happens estimated that tens of millions of Americans remain uninsured or underinsured, underscoring the need for the type of protection-focused work Feldman championed throughout his career.
Feldman joined New York Life nearly 60 years ago while he was a senior at Ohio State University. After two and a half years in the field, he entered New York Life's management program.
In 1974, Feldman became a partner in the Feldman Agency and president of Fremar Financial Group. He later founded and led Feldman Financial Group, ultimately ending his career in 2020 as president of the company in Florida and chief executive officer of the LIFE Foundation in Washington, D.C.
Feldman was also an MDRT member for more than 50 years and has served as MDRT president in 2002. He also qualified for MDRT’s Top of the Table for over four decades and chaired its board.
He also served as secretary of New York Life’s Agents Advisory Council and was a long-standing member of both MDRT and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), his obituary noted.
Feldman's influence extended into consumer education through his leadership at the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE), the nonprofit now known as Life Happens.
Under his leadership, Life Happens became a central platform for industry-backed life insurance awareness efforts, including the Life Insurance Awareness Month, launched in 2003.
Feldman also recently published “Man on a Mission: How to Succeed, Serve, and Make a Difference in Your Financial Services Career,” which blended practical guidance with his emphasis on purpose, integrity, and service.
Outside his industry work, Feldman was active in community organizations. He served as president of the East Liverpool Temple Beth Shalom board and as chairman of East Liverpool City Hospital in Ohio.
He was also founder and director of 1st National Community Bank in East Liverpool, established with a mission of serving the local community. He co-chaired or chaired advanced gifts campaigns for a range of nonprofit, educational, and health organizations, his obituary said.
“Marv was a great man and a staunch supporter of NAIFA, the profession, and the entire life insurance industry,” NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux said in a statement. “He dedicated much of his life to helping people understand the importance of life insurance and other protection products, and he played an important role in shaping the development of Life Happens along the way. I was privileged to know Marv personally and to be friends with his daughters, Terri and Barbi, since our college days. His leadership, generosity, and commitment to this profession will continue to inspire generations of financial professionals.”
Feldman is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Vicki, his two daughters and sons-in-law; and four grandchildren.
