Jim Rogers of Vancouver has been appointed first vice president of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), an international association of financial professionals with more than 35,000 members from 80 countries.

Rogers’ position as MDRT first vp became effective September 1, and his five-year term on the executive committee will culminate with his 2008 MDRT Presidency. He is only the third non-U.S. member to serve on the MDRT executive committee in the association’s 79-year history.

Honored by his appointment, Rogers said, “I am proud to be part of such a wonderful organization like MDRT. One of the most important aspects of MDRT membership is the interaction with other members. MDRT has given me the capacity to serve my client’s financial needs and it is an honor to give back to an organization that has given me so much.”

Rogers’ main responsibility will be overseeing the program development and logistics of MDRT’s annual meeting, which will be held June 10–13, 2007, in Denver, Colo. Each year, the annual meeting draws more than 7,000 people from around the globe to hear more than 75 speakers in morning general sessions and afternoon technical sessions.

Rogers, 61, is a 33-year MDRT member and a 24-time qualifier of MDRT’s highest level of membership – Top of the Table.

Active in his community, Rogers has served on the boards of St. Paul’s Hospital, St. Vincent’s Hospital Foundation, Vancouver College and The United Way. A former University of British Columbia (UBC) Senate member, he currently serves on the boards of the UBC Alumni Association and St. Marks College. He also has held many volunteer positions in the Canadian insurance and financial services industry, including having served two consecutive terms as chair of the Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. He is also a past chair of the Financial Planners Standards Council Regulatory Committee and is currently a member of the Canadian Association of Financial Planners.

Rogers is chairman of Rogers Group Financial, a 48-person, independent financial advisory and investment counseling firm located in Vancouver. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from UBC, and a master’s degree in business administration from Simon Fraser University.