AAMGA Special Section

Mentoring members

AAMGA Membership Committee is a conduit for information

By Phil Zinkewicz

The AAMGA Membership Committee had a great deal on its plate in 2008, according to Frank Mastowski, committee co-chair. One of the committee’s ongoing responsibilities is to maintain the AAMGA archives, which tells the history of AAMGA. In addition, the committee provides online information for AAMGA members, often presenting answers to questions regarding legal issues. The committee also works with other committees, providing input when needed, and offers discounted coupons to new AAMGA members to encourage them to attend classes at the AAMGA University.

“Moreover,” says Mastowski of the Montvale, New Jersey-based Jimcor Agencies, “the committee continued its mission to act as a sort of ‘mentor’ for the membership, offering assistance and guidance in dealing with the technical aspects of running an MGA as well as providing materials for MGAs on various subjects that agencies can adapt to fit their set of circumstances.”

Mastowski says that the Membership Committee spent 2008 “punching up and/or completing” projects assigned by the AAMGA board of directors. For example, in 2007, the board asked the committee to assemble a human resources subcommittee. The committee went to work immediately and by the end of that year it had assembled a human resource subcommittee but didn’t have time to find a chairperson. Last year, the committee assigned Alesia Martin of Scottsdale Insurance Co. to the task.

Says Mastowski: “The Human Resources Committee works to provide members with the information needed to effectively manage human capital investment, regardless of organizational size. Compliance with federal and state employment rules provides agencies with the opportunity to implement best practices mutually beneficial to both the employee and employer. The committee works closely with AAMGA headquarters staff to ensure timely updates are made to the employee handbook, which is downloadable from the AAMGA Web site. The HR committee also works closely with the University director to develop classes on human resource-related topics.

“The annual University East event has a dedicated HR track, which includes courses developed and delivered by many members of the committee,” continues Mastowski, adding that it is vitally important for the wholesale community to work together to advance employment-related issues. “One of AAMGA’s greatest strengths is the trusted relationships among members who, through networking, obtain advice and recommendations on solving HR problems. The Human Resources Committee is dedicated to making it easier to share HR knowledge among members. This committee deserves special recognition because of the hard work they are putting in.”

According to Mastowski: “The HR committee performs an important function. MGAs with 50 or more employees might have a human resources person on staff. Insurance companies are large enough to have a human resources person or even an entire department. But most MGAs don’t have enough employees to justify the expense. They need guidance.”

Another task slated for 2009, according to Mastowski, is to update the records regarding AAMGA membership. “There are AAMGA members who, throughout the year, were either merged or bought out. The Membership Committee is responsible for cleaning up the books, so to speak.”