Second annual recipient is cited for her energy and professionalism in meeting planning, other responsibilities
By Bob Bloss
Cindy Molnar, the second winner of the Irma Platt Lifetime Achievement Award, is known as one of the insurance industry's foremost meetings and convention planners.
There she was, backstage, fully concentrating on the smoothly unfolding script.
But suddenly, from the other side of the curtain, the man at the podium began delivering verbiage that had nothing to do with the lines he was supposed to be reading.
Reacting instantly, the special events coordinator started to stage-whisper a red-flag alert to the speaker. A few more of his words, however, halted her in mid-motion.
Purposely veering from the written program, the speaker introduced the woman behind the curtain, Cindy Molnar, as the 2002 recipient of the prestigious Irma Platt Lifetime Achievement Award.
Popularly known simply as "The Irma," the award recognizes an insurance professional for a career's worth of achievements in servicing his or her agency's accounts. It's a salute to an individual who continually provides invaluable contributions to clients and producers alike, and for untold numbers of goodwill actions benefiting the insurance industry in general and the winner's agency in particular.
Molnar is the second winner of the Irma Award, which was initiated last year. It carries the name of its initial recipient, Irma Platt, vice president, customer service representative, business manager and administrative assistant at Hugh Cotton Insurance Agency, Inc., of Orlando, Florida. The Florida Association of Insurance Agents (FAIA) presents the award at its annual statewide convention. The 2002 awards ceremony took place in late June in Orlando.
The award was created to honor a non-principal, non-producer who has been dramatically influential in his or her firm's success over a long period of time. The winner's job description is likely to center on customer service responsibilities, with added attention, perhaps, to human resources or other administrative duties. The prime criterion, though, is the employee's energy and commitment to whatever is the task at hand.
For many decades Irma Platt, the 2001 award recipient, exemplified those qualities. This year's winner reflects similarly high standards.
Cindy Molnar is executive assistant to the president, and meeting planner, at the Florida Association of Insurance Agents. In 1980, she joined the FAIA as a 23-year old assistant to the association's lobbyist, Buddy McCue. Later, when McCue was named FAIA president, she became his executive secretary.
"It was apparent soon after she joined us that Cindy's organizational ability and talent would enable her to move up within the association," recalls Scott Johnson, the FAIA's current executive vice president. "Now her principal duties involve organizing our annual meeting held every June at or near the Walt Disney World complex. Her accomplishments as one of our industry's foremost meetings and convention planners are testimony to her abilities."
Johnson cites figures that represent the annual convention's growth and vitality. "Before Cindy was assigned the job of organizing it, the convention was a money loser. Now, since she has restructured and re-priced it, it's the association's greatest single revenue producer. One reason for that is member participation--an increase of 34% in the past three years when we've had about 150 newcomers attend. Some people have said it's the Number One insurance convention in the nation. I credit Cindy for that."
Jeff Brady is the FAIA's current president and the person to whom Cindy Molnar reports directly. He recommended Cindy for the Irma Award and gave Rough Notes some of his reasons.
"In my own words, among the main criteria for the award's consideration is the candidate's ability to do things the right way inside, so it looks good on the outside. In other words, doing business that goes off without a hitch.
"Cindy represents the FAIA as if it were personally hers. She's proud of it, she's committed to it, and she treats its business as if she were the owner. I think she has spoiled the members, because everything's gone so well that they expect a smooth operation all the time. She's the grease behind the wheel."
In addition to meeting planning, which takes roughly 70% of her time, Cindy is Brady's administrative aide. She coordinates his schedule, handles key correspondence, and organizes numerous board meetings and retreats each year.
"Because of my experience here for over 20 years, I can be more of an assistant to Jeff instead of simply a secretary," says Molnar.
Brady concurs. "I've never known a finer executive assistant," he said. "She's steady and consistent, is ready with what's needed before you have to ask for it. When strangers contact my office to get whatever it is they require, they usually go through Cindy. Dozens of them follow up to tell me how thorough, professional and courteous Cindy is. That's not only a great compliment; it's so good for business when an outsider gets that terrific first impression from the 'gatekeeper.'"
FAIA members' families also look forward to renewed visits with Cindy at the association meetings. When planning agendas and itineraries, Cindy makes certain to include interesting activities and special events for members' spouses and children.
"I'll sum up Cindy's value to our association this way," adds Brady. "Without Cindy, nothing gets done as well."
The man who surprised Cindy while introducing her as this year's Irma Award recipient is Thomas M. Cotton, president of the Hugh Cotton Insurance Agency, Inc. He's also chairman of the board of the FAIA, and was the originator/creator of the Irma Platt Lifetime Achievement award.
As FAIA chairman he works closely with Molnar on various association projects, one of which is the annual awards program. They collaborated on the ceremony's script--at least the one Cindy assumed was going to be presented. Cotton, of course, had "Plan B" pocketed for delivery at the appropriate time.
When he read, "... one person whose star really shines," then spoke her name, Cindy was genuinely surprised.
"My eyes must have opened so wide," she recalls. "What a shock--but a very nice one. I had been told there would be no Irma Award recipient this year, that they'd resume the award in 2003. After I settled down, though, I was especially grateful. Because I knew that the award meant so much to Tom Cotton, who created it. For him to personally give it to me made it much more special."
Cindy Molnar, who's been "... doing things the right way inside" at FAIA these 22 years, still lives in the small community of Havana, Florida, about 20 miles from FAIA's Tallahassee headquarters. She and her husband, Sam, are parents of 16-year old son Matt. Prior to joining FAIA, Cindy was a law firm secretary and had served on her hometown's municipal council.
With the friendly little deception of Cindy now aside, The Irma will continue officially as an annual award. Next June a new recipient will be honored, and perhaps surprised again, at the Florida Association of Insurance Agents convention and trade show. Because the award is designed to salute an agency employee who makes it possible for producers to do what they do, honoring Cindy Molnar this year is fitting and appropriate since FAIA, itself, owns its own agency and sells insurance to and through its members.
Rough Notes magazine is proud to congratulate and spotlight The Irma winner each year.
Although originated in Florida, the Irma Platt Award ceremony is conceived as an industry-wide celebration. While continuing to oversee and coordinate the parameters and the awarding, the FAIA invites other state associations to submit nominations in hopes that The Irma presentation will become a truly national or major regional event. *
The author
Bob Bloss is a freelance writer based in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania.