WASHINGTON, D.C., March 8, 2011 — The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) announced that Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) will address the Annual Young Agents & InsurPac State Chairpersons Legislative Luncheon at the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention.
The event will be held on Wednesday, April 13 at 12:00 p.m. and will also feature the presentation of the annual InsurPac National Championship awards, Young Agent of the Year and Eagle awards.
“Rep. Shuler is a rising star in the Democratic Party who first made a name for himself on the football field and is now quickly becoming an MVP in Congress,” says Robert A. Rusbuldt, Big “I” president and CEO. “The Big ‘I’ is honored that Rep. Shuler will be addressing our young agents and InsurPac leadership teams.”
Rep. Heath Shuler was first elected to represent North Carolina’s 11th congressional district in 2006. The 11th District is comprised of the Tar Heel State’s 15 westernmost counties. Shuler was a successful entrepreneur and small business owner before running for Congress. He is also known for his success on the football field as a student-athlete at the University of Tennessee and in the NFL. Shuler is an active member and leader of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of congressional Democrats who advocate for fiscal reasonability and government accountability. He serves on the House Budget Committee and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (including the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit and Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management).
“InsurPac is the largest property-casualty political action committee in the country and Big ‘I’ young agents are the next generation of independent agency leaders,” says Charles E. Symington, Jr., Big “I” senior vice president for government affairs. “These two forces are among the most influential in the industry and will greatly benefit from Rep. Shuler’s Capitol Hill perspective. We look forward to continuing to increase our young agents’ activism in the political process to secure the future of our industry.”
The Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention is the insurance industry’s best-attended, most effective legislative meeting. This year’s event will take place April 13-15 at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel in Washington, D.C.
The legislative conference is an opportunity for Big “I” agents and brokers to discuss important issues with their congressional representatives. Top issues this year include: health care reform, extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), insurance regulatory reform, agent licensing reform, the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP), and other challenges and opportunities facing the independent agency system.
Other highlights of the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention will include in-depth issues briefing sessions; appearances by numerous high-profile speakers discussing important insurance and national issues confronting lawmakers as well as agents and brokers; a CEO panel comprised of top carrier presidents & CEOs and hundreds of meetings on Capitol Hill between Big “I” agents and brokers and their elected representatives in the Congress.
For registration and hotel information, go to www.independentagent.com and select the “Events and Conferences” link. Journalists interested in attending, please contact Margarita Tapia, director of public affairs, at (800) 221-7917 or margarita.tapia@iiaba.net for media registration.
Founded in 1896, the Big “I” is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life, health, employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
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