Representing Indiana young agents, from left to right: Brett Schultheis, David Morrow, Roger Ronk, Steve Duff, Roxanne Gard, Mark Bates, Larry Meyers and Mike Miley.
2002 OUTSTANDING YOUNG AGENTS COMMITTEE OF THE YEAR
Indiana Young Agents Committee
In achieving this honor, the Indiana Young Agents Committee (YAC) built upon its past successes, such as the YAC annual conference, fall golf outing and bowling tournament. The YAC also branched out into new areas, such as pursuing the Indiana YAC Trusted Choice Initiative in Indiana and conducting food drives.
In 2001-2002, Indiana YAC membership increased by 23%, growing from 215 to 265. Attendance at YAC events was higher than previous years, as were company sponsorships. Indiana young agents were active at the state level, hosting an agents roundtable during the Independent Insurance Agents of Indiana (IIAI) annual convention and sponsoring a YAC booth at the convention. In addition, eight of the IIAI board and executive committee's 22 members are young agents.
Indiana YAC members have also been politically active on the state and national levels. Five members of the 12-member IIAI government affairs committee, including the chairman, are Indiana YAC members. At the annual IIAI Day at the Indiana Statehouse and Legislative Reception, 11 of the 17 participants were YAC members. At the IIABA National Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., six of IIAI's 14 representatives were young agents.
A priority for the Indiana YAC was to be more involved in the community. This included sponsoring food drives at the YAC bowling tournament and state YAC conference. More than 500 pounds of food and $230 were donated to local food banks.
2002 OUTSTANDING YOUNG AGENTS COMMITTEE OF THE YEAR RUNNER-UP and 2002 OUTSTANDING COMMUNICATIONS AWARD
(co-winner with Illinois)
Georgia Young Agents Committee
As the runner-up Outstanding Young Agents Committee of The Year, the Georgia Young Agents Committee (YAC) excelled in several areas. With an emphasis on membership development this year, the Georgia YAC has secured e-mail addresses for 90% of its members. (The YAC's goal is to be 100% paperless in marketing, resulting in a cost reduction in printing and mailing.) Committee projects helped raise funds for Georgia's charitable organizations and provided the YAC with community outreach opportunities. The annual Georgia YAC conference attracted more than 500 attendees this year, many of them first timers. In the legislative arena, a YAC member is on the state's governmental affairs committee, tasked with managing efforts to attract young agents to attend the state's legislative events, as well as coordinating and facilitating grassroots lobbying efforts.
As co-winner of the 2002 Outstanding Communications Award, the Georgia YAC used the quarterly YAC*YAK as its primary communications vehicle. Articles are written by YAC members as well as company managers, regulators and legislators. The publication is almost exclusively electronic, although YAC members without e-mail still receive a fax version. In addition to the electronic newsletter, all event promotions, meeting notices, legislative alerts and sponsorship solicitations are made via e-mail. The state association's Web site also has a link to the Georgia YAC.
From left: Trey Sherwood, immediate past chairman, and Chris Hayes, current Georgia YAC chairman, accept the 2002 Outstanding Young Agents Committee of The Year Runner-Up Award and 2002 Outstanding Communications Award from IIABA President Tom Ahart.
From left: Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois Young Agents Co-Chairs Brian Konen and Ken Samson, along with PIIAI's Vice President/Communications Laura Richter, accept the 2002 Outstanding Communications Award from IIABA President Tom Ahart.
2002 OUTSTANDING COMMUNICATIONS AWARD
(co-winner with Georgia)
Illinois Young Agents Committee
The Illinois Young Agents Committee (YAC) used a variety of communications tools to reach young agents as well as member agencies. These vehicles included Young Agents Advocate--an electronic newsletter sent eight to nine times per year, and Insurance Insight--the state association's monthly magazine which is sent to all member agencies and features a young agents' column. Other communiqués include PIAII's weekly newsletter for member agencies, a link on the association Web site, and fax and direct mail marketing.
2002 OUTSTANDING POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT AWARD
Kentucky Young Agents Committee
For the third consecutive year, the Kentucky YAC has won the Outstanding Political Involvement Award. The Kentucky YAC invested much of its time and energy in increasing young agent donations to InsurPAC and KAPAC (the national and state Political Action Committees). They also solicited funds to send more young agents to the IIABA National Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. In addition, they compiled a Political Playbook, which educates state association members about the political process. The playbook details the legislative process, suggests the best ways to communicate with legislators, explains what a PAC is and how it works, and includes related information that can be used by young agents as well as the entire state association's membership.
Jordan Clarke (left), 2003-2004 chairman of the Young Agents Committee of the Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky, accepts the 2002 Outstanding Political Involvement Award from IIABA President Tom Ahart.
From left: Paul Gugino, NexGens member, and NexGens Chairman Michael Agliata accept the 2002 Outstanding State Committee Project Award from IIABA President Tom Ahart.
2002 OUTSTANDING STATE COMMITTEE PROJECT AWARD
New York NeXt Generation
Insurance Professionals Committee
Over the past 18 months, the New York NeXt Generation Insurance Professionals Committee (a.k.a. NexGens) has diligently worked to reestablish New York's young agents conference. The committee started with a strategic planning session, then sent surveys to the entire New York member database, and collected data to gauge member support and determine the potential for a successful revitalization. The surveys resulted in a new name (NexGens) and a new outlook on membership development. The committee then began a grassroots effort to create support in the state's various geographical regions. After several successful regional events, the committee planned its inaugural Young Agents Conference, with the IIAANY board of directors' support and endorsement. More than 100 young agents attended the conference, giving NexGens a strong base from which to grow.
2002 OUTSTANDING MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AWARD
North Carolina Young Agents Committee
For the second consecutive year, the North Carolina Young Agents Committee (YAC) has received the Outstanding Membership Development Award. This year, the committee increased its mailing list by 400 young agents, for a total of more than 1,200 qualified members. The YAC's membership action plan included: "Identify & Qualify" (IQ)--A survey of all state association members, requesting information about every agency employee; "Prospect the Prospects"--targeting agencies that are not members of the state association, to increase awareness of the association as well as the Young Agents program; and "Mine the Data"--culling information on prospective young agents from a variety of data sources, such as education classes and event registration forms.
New elements of the North Carolina YAC's membership development plan have included adding YA information to the association membership renewal form; making a YA presentation at each state pre-licensing course; and displaying a table top booth at various statewide events such as college career days and at the state association office, where educational and committee meetings are held.
Duncan Jones, chairman of the North Carolina Young Agents Committee, accepts the 2002 Outstanding Membership Development Award from IIABA President Tom Ahart.
Members of the Michigan Young Agents Council accept the 2002 Outstanding Young Agents Meeting Award from IIABA President Tom Ahart. From left: Jim McGrain, Phil NyKamp, John Chevalier, Scott Voss, Steve Chappell (Michigan Association of Insurance Agents), Greg Rummel, and Tom Ahart.
2002 OUTSTANDING YOUNG AGENTS MEETING AWARD
Michigan Young Agents Council
The Michigan Young Agents Council (YAC) called on all Michigan young agents to report for "YAC-tive" duty at its 33rd Annual Michigan Young Agents Conference in June. Featuring "master sergeant of sales" Roger Sitkins, the conference, called "Camp YAC 2002," followed the army theme from marketing through conference details. The Michigan YAC used a variety of marketing techniques to net 253 attendees, 80 of whom were first timers. The YAC's marketing included marching in military fatigues at the state association's annual meeting and handing out conference brochures while chanting the cadence: "I don't know, but I've been told, if you're not a YAC you must be old ...Under forty you must be, or new to the industry ... Sign up forms are in the hall, join the YAC and have a ball." The YAC also sent several mailings, including a "draft notice" highlighting the YA event; and called member agencies that had never sent young agents to the event. *