Douglas L. McDermott is a financial service Veteran who started in the insurance and financial services industry in 1979 as an independent agent and a commission-only salesman, which he fondly states as being compensated for services rendered. He has experience running an independent agency, becoming a Brokerage General Agent for a P & C, Life, and Annuity Company, being hired as a Regional Vice President for a major insurance company, and founding and owning "The Annuity Store" (TAS) in Sacramento, California. One of Doug's most significant achievements has been as a personal producer for all forty-plus years as President and owner of McDermott Financial & Insurance Services, Inc. The financial service industry has changed and evolved over those four decades, but three basic needs remain: Fundamentals, education, and having a servant's heart.

Doug received his two professional designations as a Chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Life Underwriter in l988 from American College in Bryn Mawr, PA. In 2008, Doug completed his Certification for Long Term Care and received a CLTC designation. When running The Annuity Store, Doug was honored as a member in the National Directory of Who’s Who in Executive and Professionals, 1996-1997 edition, and was selected as an honored member of Who’s Who Among Outstanding Corporate Executives in the l998 publication. He became a member of the National Register’s Who’s Who in Executive and Professionals 2005-2006 edition and was selected as an honored member of the Heritage Registry of Who’s Who 2005-2006 edition.

The Annuity Store was well known as a training organization for Fundamentals of Annuities. Part of this training was a basic understanding of having a servant's heart. Using this training system and mastering these essential fundamental skills was improved with each consulting and marketing opportunity to name but a few: Conseco: Eagle I, Sunlife: Multipoint 10, Transamerica: Mach 10, Senior Benefits: a Hybrid Captive Agency System that used Medicare Supplements as its business model. F&G Life: Presented an opportunity to grow its annuity distribution, train many distribution partners, mentor key F&G members, and work with its parent company, USF & G Property & Casualty partners. 

While Doug was running the Annuity Store, there came many opportunities and experiences that led Doug to develop what became a system for training, which he refers to as the Fundamentals of Annuities “Annuity 101.” To successfully train someone in Annuity 101, it is imperative to master the Fundamentals. These Fundamentals must be thoroughly understood, reviewed, improved, and rigorously applied as a pure system. This Fundamental System of training is 100% duplicatable and repeatable.

This Fundamental system required creating and having a back office that could understand the Fundamentals of annuities, explain products, similarly, know the products inside and out, and offer solutions that would fit the client's search.  Be able to run the Illustrations, know the entire process of Enrollments, know each Application, each Insurance Carrier, and Transfer System for each Company, and have sound knowledge of competition carriers. 

To successfully train someone in Annuity 101, it is imperative to master the Fundamentals. These Fundamentals must be thoroughly understood, reviewed, improved, and rigorously applied as a pure system. This Fundamental System of training is 100% duplicatable and repeatable.

Among his many business leadership achievements, Doug has been instrumental in creating effective marketing strategies used by Medicare Supplement, Final Expense, Long Term Care, Annuity and Life Insurance Producers, Property & Casualty Producers, Security Representatives, Associations, and Financial Institutions nationwide. He also coined the phrase “Own the Home.” Doug’s success comes from training on how to transition and to serve possible annuity or life needs through VALUE FINDING. This is a successful opportunity for those trained to use and who have taken ownership of Doug’s system and techniques. Annuity 101 and Annuity 102.

Since l993, he has addressed thousands of seminars as a nationally recognized speaker on annuities or other insurance services. His primary audiences are the senior market, which he calls the Social Security Recipients age 62 and above, and Pre-Social Security Recipients age 50 to 62. He also addresses those ages 50 and below, which he calls the "Preparer Market," those preparing for retirement. This also includes speaking to the Financial Service Industry Representatives who service these three areas. Doug's primary subject is "The Three Phases of Retirement" (Preservation...with some Growth, Income "Now, 1-10 years, 10 years plus" and Legacy). Doug has been a guest on many radio talk shows and has had several articles published about his field of expertise.

After selling TAS to Allianz in 2007, he served as the CFO for At Home Personal Care, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. AHPC provides personal care services to the seniors and the handicapped permitting them to “age in place” in the comfort of their own homes. This experience enhanced his ability as a Retirement Planner. He observed firsthand some health effects that Retirement individuals may experience. One of his biggest concerns was that these individuals worried about having enough monthly income to manage their home care or skilled care expenses. 

During this five-year non-compete, Doug also served three years as one of the coaches for American Military Benefits Group, LLC, which provides services for Veterans and their widows(ers). This organization assists Veterans and their Widow(ers) who may be entitled to Veterans Affairs benefits, particularly with a little-known “Improved Pension Benefit.” It informs them of the availability and qualifications of the VA Benefit, to assist however legally possible VA service officers in qualifying claimants. This experience enhanced his ability as a Retirement Planner to assist Veterans with their retirement needs at an entirely different level.

In 2014, Doug assisted American Senior Benefits, LLC in developing their Annuity Back-Room Division, a hybrid-captive agency system. (This endeavor expanded Annuity Fundamentals 101-102 to include Annuity Fundamentals 103-104.) This service assists American Senior Benefits clients, their Regional Managers, District Managers, and their Agents on a National basis with Education, Training, Case Design, Suitability, and overall business processing. He brought Greg Haney who had worked with him at The Annuity Store. 

Doug credits the billions of premiums from these endeavors to receiving and applying inspiration, having trainers with real-life experiences, and living a servant's heart.

Doug says his “WHY” is giving back to an industry that has blessed him, his family, and his Foundation, “The Gift of Gratitude” McDermott Foundation. The foundation aims to honor, support, and love those who Defend liberty both active-duty and Veterans, by expressing gratitude through art. The foundation honors men and women with artwork inspired by stories of faith, virtue, and courage. Fourteen works of art have been commissioned. Perhaps one of the most far-reaching works of art is the art of the story of Elijah, the Prophet from the Old Testament, and his struggle with suicide 1 Kings 19: 4-8. We present this work of art as a gift to assist our Chaplains with those who have suicidal ideation. www.giftofgratitudefoundation.com