Where can you find an abundance of professional young insurance agents developing their leadership skills and sharing their experiences and insight with others? The Annual Young Agents Leadership Conference. The 23rd annual conference was held this year in Boston, September 23-25. A record number of young agents attended--144 in all--from across the United States.
The theme of the conference--"Accept the Challenge"--was not only prevalent throughout the young agents conference, but it carried over to the IIAA's 103rd Annual Convention & Trade Show which immediately followed the Leadership Conference. Agency perpetuation and young agent involvement were featured in many of the IIAA national convention sessions and leaders' speeches.
The Leadership Conference is always jam-packed with education and training especially designed for young agents. At this year's conference a new Best Practices seminar was introduced. This unique program titled "Young Agent's Best Practices Leadership Guide" helps young agents achieve long-term success by looking at the agency holistically. Young agents face many challenges, and this seminar enables the young agents to look at "the big picture" when dealing with common problems or challenging others to change with the times.
During her opening general session presentation, seminar facilitator and developer Mary H. Eisenhart of Fuhrer & Associates offered a number of strategies to help young agents convey their leadership abilities: be proactive, gain knowledge, embrace the speed of change and create new roles. The workshop also includes tips and tools to help young agents quantify their contributions to the bottom line of their agency in addition to their production responsibilities. This program is designed as a four- to six-hour seminar. It will be available for IIAA's state associations to use in their continuing education seminars and young agent programs starting in January 1999.
Other highlights of this year's conference include programs on making committees effective, media training, legislative issues and technology, as well as a motivating story about Chick-Fil-A, a family-owned quick-service restaurant chain with locations in 38 states and South Africa. Dan Cathy, executive vice president of Chick-Fil-A, related how guiding principles helped the business grow from one location in Hapeville, Georgia, to over 770 locations.
The Young Agents of the Insurance Brokers & Agents of the West (IBA West) were honored with the highest accolade--the 1998 Outstanding Young Agents Committee Award. IBA West was honored for its outstanding efforts in the areas of political involvement, membership development committee project and communications in addition to its promotion of the independent agency system.
The IIAA's National Young Agents Leadership Conference is truly a one-of-a-kind opportunity for young agents from across the country to gather and share ideas, network and meet the leaders in our industry. I encourage all young agents--especially those in association leadership roles--to attend.
The next Young Agent event will be held in conjunction with IIAA's Legislative Conference April 12-14, 1999, in Washington, D.C. The 24th Young Agents Leadership Conference will be held September 26-28, 1999, at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
Meeting the young people who are the driving force of innovation within the industry is certainly a value-added benefit for IIAA young agents. Why not be part of the renaissance that the independent agency system is experiencing? Join us! *
The author
Richard Ollis is a fourth-generation insurance agent with Ollis and Company in Springfield, Missouri. He serves on the National Young Agents Committee representing the Midwest Region and is currently the chairman of the Missouri Young Agents Committee.
Chairperson
William T. "Tommy" Adams, CPCU
Charles M. Moore Insurance Agency
P.O. Box 7500
1007 State Street
Bowling Green, KY 42102-7500
Telephone: (502) 843-9054
Fax: (502) 782-7105
E-mail: tadams2593@aol.com
Southern Region
JaneMarie Borger
Smith-Nadenbousch Insurance, Inc.
P.O. Box 1598
Martinsburg, WV 25401-1598
Telephone: (304) 263-3388
Fax: (304) 267-6935
E-mail: smna@ix.netcom.com
Eastern Region
Jacki Frank-Jungsberger, AAI
Tri-County Agency of Brick
514 Brick Blvd.
Brick, NJ 08723
Telephone: (732) 477-1010
Fax: (732) 920-2392
E-mail: jackifj@aol.com
Mid America Region
Richard Ollis
Ollis and Co.
P.O. Box 10346
Springfield, MO 65808-0346
Telephone: (417) 881-8333
Fax: (417) 881-1766
E-mail: ollis@mocom.net
Far West Region
Pam Adams, CIC
ISU Insurance Agency of Colorado
1050 17th Street, Ste. 400
Denver, CO 80265
Telephone: (303) 534-2133
Fax: (303) 892-5579
E-mail: padams@isudenver.com
Director of InVEST and Young Agent Programs
Barbara Miller-Richards
IIAA
127 South Peyton Street
Alexandria, VA 22341
Telephone: (703) 683-4422
Fax: (703) 683-7556
E-mail: barbaramr@iiaa.org
AMS Services, Inc.
Bitwise Designs, Inc.
Caliper
Central Insurance Companies
CGU Insurance
Chubb Group of Insurance Companies
CII
The Cincinnati Companies
CNA Insurance Companies
Crum & Forster
Fireman's Fund
Fremont Compensation Insurance Group
The Hartford
IMMS
IVANS
Mines Press, Inc.
Peerless Insurance company
Progressive Insurance
Recreational Products Insurance Division/Universal Underwriters Group
RLI Universal Underwriters Group
The Rough Notes Company, Inc.
SAFECO Insurance Companies
The St. Paul Companies
Selective Insurance
Shelby Insurance
Southern Heritage Insurance Company
State Auto Insurance Companies
Travelers Property Casualty Corporation
Westfield Insurance Company
Zurich Commercial
©COPYRIGHT: The Rough Notes Magazine, 1998