Ozarks Profile: David L. Yaktine

What is your job?

David L. Yaktine is the district director of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network. He is also a financial representative with the company and develops new business as well as servicing existing clients. He is also in charge of recruiting and developing new representatives and responsible for the growth of the company's southwest Missouri office.

Tell us about

your company.

Northwestern Mutual is a life insurance company dealing in life and disability insurance and annuities. The Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, according to Yaktine, consists of Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC, which handles variable life and variable annuities; the Estate Services Group LLC, which provides fee-based estate and business succession planning; Northwestern Long Term Care, which handles long-term care insurance; Strategic Employment Benefit Services, which provides group health and disability insurance; Baird, which deals in investment products and services; and Russell, which offers money management services. "Northwestern Mutual has $85 billion in assets, and was founded in 1857," Yaktine said.

What prepared you for work in the insurance business?

Yaktine graduated from Southwest Missouri State University and worked first for Household Finance, then for Great Southern Bank for two years. "I did fairly well at Great Southern at referring clients to the bank's insurance agency. I joined Northwestern Mutual because I wanted the opportunity to own my own business. I've been with them for 14 years," he said.

What's the best part of the insurance business for you?

"I like the opportunity to control one's own destiny and the flexibility you have in structuring your time," Yaktine said. He added that he especially values the relationships he establishes with his clients and the people he works with. "I like the wide variety of people who are in our field and the wide variety of clients I have the privilege of doing business with. I like the fact that everybody has unique strengths. You're always learning something from the successful people you're working with. I also consider it a privilege to represent a company as highly recognized in its industry."

Can you tell us something about your personal life and family?

Yaktine's father, who is 96, emigrated to America from the country of Lebanon in 1921. He settled in St. Joseph. His mother, who passed away last year, emigrated from Lebanon in 1960. Yaktine was born in 1961 and grew up in St. Joseph. He is married to Sandie and the couple have two children, Mathew, 9, and Aleena, 5. "I'm living the American dream," he said. In his spare time he likes to play golf. "I'm actually not a bad golfer," he said. "I'd like to be better." He also loves to read, favoring autobiographies and keeping up with six or seven magazines regularly. The family likes to travel.

by Frank Shipe