Carnegie Holdings, Inc., of Camarillo, California, has been acquired by GuideOne Insurance, located in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Reporting annual revenues of more than $30 million, Carnegie Holdings is a specialty insurance holding company offering nonstandard auto insurance. GuideOne currently writes specialty auto insurance in 22 states. The acquisition marks GuideOne's entrance to the California auto insurance marketplace.
Carnegie Holdings principally services the specialty auto insurance market through a variety of companies. More than 1,100 independent agents in California, Arizona and Nevada represent the Carnegie companies.
Carnegie Holdings will continue to operate under the same name and out of its current offices. Charles Smith, former president and chief executive officer of Carnegie Holdings, will continue to be involved with the company.
Located in West Des Moines, Iowa, GuideOne Insur-ance was established in 1947. The company currently manages premium of approximately $700 million. GuideOne is the leading insurance provider for houses of worship and a recognized carrier of motorcycle, auto, home and life insurance products. GuideOne has more than 12,000 agents who represent the company in all 50 states.
Nevada
CIC agency management institute scheduled
The Society of Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) will present an Agency Management Institute August 24-26, 2000, at the Atlantis Hotel & Casino in Reno. Participants will learn business techniques and critical management skills that will improve service capabilities and enable agencies to avoid errors and omissions claims.
Facilitators will include Roger Bernskoetter, CIC, LUTCF; Mike Mansel, CIC; Jonathan Persky, CPA, CIC, PHR. The agenda will include the following sessions: "The agency as an organization"; "Human resource management"; "Marketing and sales management"; "Agency operations"; "Legal and ethical responsibilities of insurance agents"; "Agents errors and omissions coverages"; "Financial planning"; and "Disaster planning." An agency planning case study will summarize the sessions and include an example agency plan.
Attendance at this institute qualifies for 25 hours of continuing education credit in Nevada. In addition, participants at this CIC institute qualify for continuing education credits which apply to other education programs.
To register, contact the Nevada Independent Insurance Agents by phone at (775) 882-1366 or via the Web site (www.niia.org.) Hotel accommodations must be made separately by calling the Atlantis Hotel & Casino: (775) 825-4700.
Montana
Miles City CSR honored
Dannette Cremer, CPSR, is the 2000 Outstanding CSR of the Year recipient for the state of Montana. To be considered for this honor, Cremer submitted the winning essay on the topic: "The barriers I have faced and overcome to provide superior service to my customers, agency and company," in addition to demonstrating commendable service within the insurance community.
She is now eligible to compete for the national honor, which carries a $1,000 cash award, a gold and diamond pin and a fellowship for the recipient's employer to any program offered by The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research. Additionally, the name of the National Outstanding CSR of the Year is inscribed on a sculpture permanently displayed at the National Alliance headquarters in Austin, Texas.
Cremer is the personal lines manager for W.A. Mitchell Agency in Miles City, Montana, where she is responsible for the goals and production in the personal lines department as well as the training of new personnel in that area. She has ownership in the agency, is its secretary-treasurer and a member of the agency board of directors.
Idaho
IIAI elect new officers
The Independent Insurance Agents of Idaho, Inc., elected their new offices for the year 2000-2001. Those officers include:
President Doug Colwell, ARM, CIC, Harris/Dean Insurance, Boise.
Vice president and President-elect John Goedde, CIC, Panhandle Insurance, Coeur d'Alene.
Executive committeemen Douglas G. Ball, CPCU, CIC, AAI, The Hartwell Corporation, Idaho Falls; Carl T. Raymond, Kruse Insurance, Pocatello; and Robert J. Ricketts, Ricketts & Associates, Boise.
State national director George Remington, Moscow Insurance, Moscow.
Immediate past president Scott O. Packham, CIC, Packham Insurance, Blackfoot. *