Recruited away in 1988 to be Divisional Manager of Midwestern Ontario for Confederation Life in Waterloo, he took that agency to Number 2 of 40 in Canada and was a top recruiter. He helped establish celebrity agents to MDRT level production like Gary Dornhoefer, former NHL Philadelphia Flyer and Stanley Cup Winner in the late 1970s.

Recruited away from Confederation Life in September 1992 to be Regional Executive Manager for Canada Life in Ontario and then later promoted to Regional Executive Manager for Canada Life’s flagship multi-million dollar agency on Bay Street with 5 offices, 15 managers, 50 staff, and 250 agents. He was instrumental in bringing hundreds of new entrants into the life insurance agent business and driving results by personal hands-on training and education.

After Canada Life transitioned to wholesale distribution, Jim joined the late Paul Leonard in the Imperial Life Connexus program as Executive Director and was instrumental in establishing IDC Financial, now IDC WIN. He and Paul worked across Ontario to establish Associate General Agencies and contract independent agents. Jim named IDC. At inception, IDC stood for “Independent Distribution Careers”.

In 1999, Jim established his own consulting firm, Jim Ruta Workstyles International Inc. to facilitate his speaking and coaching for financial advisors worldwide. Since then, Jim has spoken in many countries including Canada, the United States, Mexico, Singapore, Lebanon, Poland, Hungary, Cyprus, Jamaica, Russia, and India. He has also spoken 5 times at the MDRT Annual Meeting including the Main Platform, at the GAMA LAMP meeting, BLIS the Beirut Life Insurance Seminar, the Advocis Regulatory Symposium, the Canada Sales Congress, dozens of Advocis and NAIFA chapter meetings, the Pro-Seminars National Advisors Conference in Las Vegas for more than 20 years, and other prestigious advisor and manager events around the world.

Jim has served on various Life Underwriters Association of Canada (LUAC), Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (CAIFA), and Life Insurance Managers Association of Canada (LIMAC) boards and executives. He was a volunteer Instructor for the LUAC Life Underwriters Association Training Course (LUATC) and LIMAC Agency Management Training Course (AMTC).

Jim also produced a the most popular weekly agent and manager advice video program called “Ruta’s Rules” and “Inside the Advisor’s Study” on Investment Executive’s IE:TV for more than 10 years.

Jim has also written a very popular column in Canada’s “Insurance Journal” for more than 20 years and continues to this day. For 3 years he also wrote a monthly sales advice column for India’s “PremiumOnline.in” digital magazine. He was also a regular columnist for “Life Insurance Selling” in the US for years.

According to Hoopis Performance Network, his 8 Hoopis University agent development videos are the most popular in their library.

Jim has been a member of The Financial Advisors Association of Canada (TFAAC – Advocis) since 1978. He is also a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) in the US since 2014.

Jim spent 5 years on the Advocis GAMA International Canada national board ending as Vice President. He declined the presidency when it was his turn because he believes that despite his lengthy executive management career, only active managers should lead the managers’ association. He remains a member.

Jim was co-founder and an author of the Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies (CIEPS) in 2003 with the late Tom Miller and remains a faculty member. CIEPS has conferred thousands of Elder Planning Designations (EPC) since. He is a regular speaker at the CIEPS EPIC (Elder Planning Issues Conference) each year.

He is a best-selling author of 4 books including “How to Win Sales and Increase Profits with Jim Ruta”, “Mastering your Money Management”, “Expert Identity Marketing”, and “Don’t Worry, Retire Happy” with Tom Hegna and Michael Morrow. He has 2 more books in the works.

Jim is co-founder, host, producer, and director of the Canada Sales Congress held annually in Toronto since 2013 to bring the voices, insight, inspiration, and wisdom of life insurance industry masters to Canadian advisors.

Jim Ruta has been writing a monthly subscription special report called Advisorcraft since 2009 to provide members with the best and the newest ideas in life insurance sales, business management, and practice management.

He started a weekly Facebook Live video program and YouTube channel in 2017 to provide free sales, practice management, and leadership advice to advisors everywhere and has not missed a Monday video in 8 years.

Jim is under contract with The MDRT Academy and the MDRT Center for Field Leadership and produces training and development videos. He consults with agencies and companies on successful recruiting, selection, development, and marketing.

In 2022 Jim established the unique SOLIS program – “School of Life Insurance Selling” where he has been in conversation with the world’s top life insurance professionals and thought leaders for 2 hours each month. Subscribers receive not only the video recording but also a transcript, summary, and monthly live group coaching zoom call to discuss the recent Solis guest concepts and ideas and any other life insurance business and sales management questions. This popular coaching is also recorded and available to members. Membership also includes two personal coaching calls with Jim.

He also coaches top insurance advisors including industry icons like Van Mueller, George Sigurdson, Sim Gakhar, and others. He is humbled to see their amazing results. Some have grown from average to MDRT. Others from MDRT to Top of the Table and multiples of TOT.

In 2023, at their Distinguished Advisor Conference in Banff, AB, Canada’s Knowledge Bureau conferred on Jim the “Fellow, Distinguished Financial Services” designation FDFS™ in recognition of his contribution to the industry.

His crusade has always been to preserve, promote, and propel the noble profession of selling life insurance and to help Make Insurance Great Again.

Little Known Facts About Jim Ruta

1. im is a qualified private pilot with proficiency in the Cessna 152 and 172.
2. He was once a Special Constable, patrolled provincial parks, and served summonses.
3. He qualified as an Emergency Medical Technician and was part of a winning National First Aid Competition Team.
4. He is a classically trained violinist, was Concertmaster of the Greater Winnipeg Schools Senior Symphony Orchestra, and a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music.
5. He was a competitive water skier participating in slalom, tricks, and jumping.
6. He was a pole-vaulter and 400-meter runner on his High School Track Team.
7. Jim’s “Ruta’s Rules” was a top-rated program on Canada’s online television service, IE-TV.
8. He was President of his High School Student Council.
9. Jim was a Level 2 Alpine Ski Instructor for the Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance.
10.  10.Jim was a Zone On-Hill Instructor and a Patroller for the Canadian Ski Patrol System (CSPS).
11.  11.He was one of Canada’s first Registered Health Underwriters (RHUs) in 1992.
12.  12.He was a founding faculty member of the Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies providing the Elder Planning Counselor Designation (EPC) in 2003.
13.  13.He sold over 100 lives in his first full year as a life insurance agent.
14.  14.He had his own insurance agency, IAP Insurance, at age 24.
15.  15.He led one of Canada’s largest life insurance agencies in Toronto with 250 agents.
16.  16.He was hospitalized for the first 6 months of his life with a suspected case of Polio and was cured by the power of his Mother’s prayer.