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THE CHANGING FACE OF THE INDEPENDENT AGENT Creating big opportunities in Big Sky country John Braut spearheads campaign to revitalize Montana's young agent program By Elaine Tolen Many are the challenges of starting, maintaining or reviving a state young agents program. Geography wields a great influence on the structure of these programs—for instance, where in the state meetings should be held to encourage the best attendance, how often, and what events are planned. Whether it’s the size of the state (a 14-hour drive from California’s northern border to its southern border) or the terrain that makes travel difficult (driving through the rugged Appalachian mountains of Virginia), the layout of the land affects young agent activities. Weather also can be a factor, as can state demographics. In the case of the Young Agents Committee (YAC) of Montana, the number of agencies in the state provides a challenging environment for keeping members involved and boosting membership. In 2002, when John W. Braut of Wolfe-Daniels Agency, Inc., began to revitalize the Independent Insurance Agents of Montana (IIAM) young agents program, there were 95 Big “I” agency members in the state of Montana. Compare that to 560 member agencies in the Missouri association or 1,500 in Florida’s Big “I” organization. While there had been an active young agents organization in Montana years before, over time interest had waned and the numbers had dwindled. This cycle is typical of young agent groups as members “age out” of the “young agent” category. At the time John began to reorganize the Montana YAC, “fortunately I knew seven strong young agents in Montana,” he explains. “We started from scratch and could choose how we wanted to re-form the organization.” Insurance roots Long before his involvement in the IIAM began, John Braut had learned about the benefits of building relationships with agents, vendors and companies through industry organiza-tions because he had grown up around the insurance industry. His stepfather, J. Perry Wolfe, CIC, is principal of Wolfe-Daniels Agency, Inc., in Scobey, Montana, and was a leader in the state’s young agent organization during the 1970s. John’s mother, Judy Wolfe, has been in insurance most of her career and works at Wolfe-Daniels. During the summer of 1997, after his junior year in college, John got on-the-job experience at Wolfe-Daniels when he was granted an intern scholarship through the Montana Insurance Education Foundation. “Many principals in Montana have been through this internship program,” John says. “It’s similar to licensing education in that besides working in the agency, you receive study materials, guides and videos and have to take four exams, which helped prepare me to get my license.” While the internship was a good experience, John wasn’t sure that the insurance industry was The Career for him. In 1999 he graduated from Western Montana College with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and began teaching high school in a small town in eastern Montana. The next year, a family friend invited John to work as an underwriter at Bjornson/Sentinel E&L, a general agency in Fargo, North Dakota. Then in 2001, a producer position opened up at Wolfe-Daniels, so John moved back to Scobey. “When it’s in the family,” he muses, “the industry draws you back in eventually.” In 2002, the Independent Insurance Agents of Montana president and president-elect approached John about revitalizing the state’s young agents program. “They’ve known me all my life,” says John. “They recognized that there were significant perpetuation problems in the association as well as in agencies throughout Montana. They hoped that strengthening the young agents committee would help ensure continuation of the industry in Montana.” To prepare for this new job, the IIAM paid for John to attend the 2002 Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) National Young Agents Conference in New Orleans, which is replete with education and networking on starting and growing young agents committees. “People say Montana represents about two-tenths of 1% of the nation’s total premium volume,” John observes. “I’m not sure how true it is, but I bet it’s not far off, and for me, from a town of 1,000 people and a county of 3,200, going to the National YAC meetings and National Legislative Conference were great eye openers and awesome experiences. “Under Chairman Keith Riley, the National YAC works very hard to provide events that have great value and will impact the professional lives of the young agents who attend. I know, because these are the events that hooked me and made me want to be involved,” John says. Getting organized John and the seven core young agents decided to model the IIAM Young Agents Committee after the California group, Young Brokers & Agents of the West. “Two aspects of their successful program stood out,” John explains. “Number one: They had a strong liaison who works with the YAC and the state association. Number two: Not only do you need good continuing education, leadership and sales training to get attendance, but you need to have some fun!” IIAM Assistant Executive Nick Spano was hired to serve as YAC liaison as well handle a variety of other association operations. In revitalizing the Montana YAC, John and the group held quarterly meetings via conference calls. They started a mailing list of other young agents whom they already knew. “All of us have friends in the industry, so we contacted them and told them what we wanted to do and what we could offer,” John explains. That first year, John rallied young agents from across the state to attend the IIAM annual convention. To further promote the Montana young agents, the group was given its own page on the IIAM Web site. “The program really took off,” John reports, and now there are 75 young agents on the mailing list—an average of one young agent from nearly 80% of the state’s total of 95 Big “I” member agencies. With an annual budget of $2,200 from the state association in 2002, John and fellow YAC core member Bryan Hall pulled in general agents and companies to sponsor YAC events. Another YAC founder, Carl Swanson, has also been instrumental in securing funding for YAC winter retreats through the Montana State Fund. As the scope and size of YAC events has grown, so has the allocation from IIAM (currently $12,000). These funds, as well as sponsorships, enable the YAC to offer events such as a biannual YAC Winter Retreat (in Helena and in conjunction with the state’s legislative conference), a summer convention, and a variety of continuing education seminars. To make the most of their time, the young agents combine business with networking, John explains. “If there’s an IIAM-sponsored meeting or a vendor seminar, the young agents informally get together.” For instance, young agents who drive across the state to attend a CIC class might go out to dinner together afterwards. John really appreciates this piggy-backing. For him, most association events are a six- to nine-hour one-way drive because he lives just 14 miles from the Canadian border. Not only do the young agents look for opportunities to gather as a group, they also take every opportunity to enjoy the outdoor splendor of their state and have fun. (Remember Success Principle #2 from California!) Whether it’s river rafting, snow skiing, hiking through the wilderness or to the top of a mountain, experiencing the grandeur of Yellowstone or Glacier National Park together, John says, “We’re spoiled here. We truly appreciate what we have and enjoy it together at every chance.” In addition to the networking opportunities, John says, “members appreciate being able to earn CE credits whenever possible, so most of our events offer one or more CE courses.” In fact, he says, “We may be small, but we offer the same CE opportunities as California.” In order to offer education that benefits members most, the YAC polled members about the issues they’re facing. Last year there were several requests to hear how other agents and companies have handled claims resulting from wildfires during fire season, which is a part of life in the western United States, according to John. “We asked Webb Mandeville, CIC, principal of Mandeville Agency in Columbus, Montana, to put together a presentation for us because he had several claims from the Derby Mountain fire (a 200,000-acre wildfire in August 2006). Using 350 slides, he presented a comprehensive seminar on the topic. It was interesting and very informative.” One of the biggest endeavors that the Montana YAC has taken on, according to John, is coordinating the state’s Trusted Choice® Junior Golf Classic. In 2003, less than a year after revitalizing had begun, the IIAM asked John and Bryan if the YAC would be interested in organizing the event. “Bryan and I are avid golfers, so we jumped right in,” John says. “PGA professionals Mark Holiday and Kylee Naffziger are an integral part of the tourney and are instrumental in its success. This year we had 98 golfers, up from 70 last year. It has become one of the premier junior golf tournaments in Montana. “The tournament also brings a strong core of the Montana young agents together for several days to discuss next year’s event and the upcoming summer convention, which is held two to three weeks later.” John and Bryan continue to serve as tournament co-chairs. John served as chairman of the Montana young agents from 2002 to 2004. Since then, several of the eight core members have served as YAC chairman. In 2005, the IIAM honored John as Montana Agent of the Year. Broadening influence Besides making connections with other Montana young agents, John has established relationships with young agents in other states, resulting in a network of business associates beyond the borders of Big Sky country. For instance, at his first Big “I” National Young Agents Conference, John met Rick Dinger of Crescenta Valley Insurance in Glendale, California, who at the time was serving as the Western Region representative on the Big “I” National Young Agents Committee. Rick was also active in the California Young Brokers & Agents of the West. Since the new Montana group wanted to fashion itself after that group, “I brought him out here when we were getting started,” says John. During an interview with John, Rick chuckled: “John asked me a million questions, and I’m sure he tapped many other sources. A ‘salt of the earth’ kind of guy, he also did one thing that many people fail at: After launching a great program and seeing the momentum build, he handed it off to others and let them run it.” When Rick Dinger’s term as Western Region representative expired in 2006, John was chosen by then-IIABA President Alex Soto to succeed him. This three-year position involves representing Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Also in 2006, John was appointed to the board of the Montana Insurance Education Foundation, which had provided his first insurance experience during college. “We fund-raise fairly aggressively for our education programs in Montana, which include CE programs, CISR, CIC, and other foundation scholarships,” he says. Currently, John and two other core YAC members, Bryan Hall and Carl Swanson, serve on the MIEF board. Big opportunities in Big Sky country John’s steady work over these last few years has gained the respect of veterans on the Independent Insurance Agents of Montana board. Besides appointing both the Young Agents chair and co-chair to sit on the IIAM board, John says that the board “is good about moving young agents onto other association committees and boards.” The YAC also continues to communicate with principals on the importance of planning for the future and preparing young agents to lead the industry. “Agency owners expect us to demonstrate the value of the Young Agents Committee for the investment of time and money they provide,” John says. “We have done that, and they haven’t been disappointed.” * |
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