A THREE-PEAT FOR YOUNG
AGENTS OF IBA WEST

During the largest-ever national gathering of the IIAA's Young Agents organization in September, the Young Agents Committee of the Insurance Brokers and Agents of the West (IBA West) won three of the six awards presented. IBA West's Young Agents Committee was named Outstanding Young Agent Committee for 1999--signifying overall superiority--for the third year in a row. It also received an award for its communications efforts and one for its annual meeting.

The Young Agents Council of the IIA of New Jersey was runner-up for the Outstanding Young Agent Committee award and also received the Outstanding Political Involvement Award.

Other Young Agent Committee winners were the affiliate of the Independent Agents of Nebraska--cited for Outstanding State Committee Project--and the affiliate of the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia--Outstanding Membership Development.

The awards presentation came at the end of the 24th annual Young Agents Leadership Conference, which was held in Las Vegas in conjunction with the Independent Insurance Agents of America annual meeting. The three-day Young Agents Conference zeroed in on sales and management issues of particular interest to young producers.

One seminar, called "Bloodlines & Birthdates: Leadership in the 21st Century," focused on generational issues for young agents. Other sessions dealt with media training, use of the Internet and planning tips for state committees. Also, a panel of executives from Kemper, Travelers, Chubb and AMS addressed the attendees.

For The Young Agents Committee of IBA West, whose IIAA-affiliated members include agents from California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, the awards in September were a direct result of the success of its own annual meeting in May. The IBA West Young Agents Committee meeting, held in Napa Valley, California, drew a record 303 attendees, including 151 first-timers.

The record attendance was in large part due to its success in raising $116,500 in sponsorships to subsidize the cost of registrations--holding the registration fee to $175. In addition, says Committee Chair Teresa Todd, "We sent flyers, faxes, e-mails, and left messages with agents," to drum up interest in the meeting. "That played a big part in our getting the communications award," she adds.

IBA West's Young Agent conference included presentations on marketing and sales networking, telecommuting and home-based businesses, understanding and selling bonds, commercial auto, telemarketing and the Internet. Parties and recreation opportunities were abundant.

"We scheduled events close to each other, so people would stay together and have lots of time for networking," says Todd.

For the 11 members of the committee who not only planned the annual meeting in May but directed all the group's activities this past year, the workload was huge, but so was the reward. "I'm sure they put in put in thousands of hours," says Todd, adding, "When the committee first started working together, they didn't know each other, but we've gotten close as a result of all our work together."

Todd adds that her work on the Young Agents group has paid off in business opportunities as well. "Our agency has picked up two company appointments as a result of contacts I made through the Young Agents work. And having my name connected with the Young Agents Committee has helped us write business locally too."

With its Young Agent Conference in September the national Young Agency Committee of the Big I wrapped up a year of strong participation by agents who are in the early stages of their careers. At IIAA's legislative conference held in the spring, more than 125 of the 800 total agents present were members of the Young Agents Committee.

"The annual Young Agent conference is the industry's most effective springboard for this rising generation of successful business owners," said outgoing IIAA President Bill Greenwood, a former Young Agent member himself. "Agencies both old and new are turning to Young Agents for fresh ideas, talent and leadership abilities." *

At the September meeting of IIAA's Young Agents Leadership Conference IIAA outgoing President Bill Greenwood makes the award presentations to the winning Young Agent Committees.