WASHINGTON, D.C., March 6 - Kevin B. Hutchinson, CIC, CRM , a producer with C. J. Thomas Company in St. Louis, is the inaugural recipient of the Maurice Herndon scholarship established by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) to help a young agent attend the association's National Legislative Conference for the first time.
Herndon directed IIABA’s Washington D.C. office from 1949 to 1976 and was known as “Mr. Washington” to independent agents across America. He is fondly remembered as an extremely effective leader of the Big “I” government affairs and grassroots operations. The new annual scholarship fund was established in his honor after he died in January.
“Maurice Herndon is undoubtedly one of the giants in Big ‘I’ history, and his legend lives on through this unique scholarship,” says IIABA CEO Robert A. Rusbuldt. “He had an incredible passion for grassroots, coordinating agent outreach activity in our state associations and building the national staff’s government affairs operation into what it is today.
“This is a most fitting tribute to Maurice’s extensive travel, education and hard work on behalf of the Big ‘I’. Every year, in his memory, a young agent will be traveling to Washington to encounter his or her first exposure to the federal legislative process that is so vital to the insurance industry,” adds Rusbuldt.
Hutchinson is the chair-elect of the Missouri Young Agents Committee. IIABA’s National Young Agents Committee selected Hutchinson as the scholarship recipient in recognition of his efforts to implement a grassroots educational program in Missouri that will teach young agents how they can make a political difference. Hutchinson also is currently campaigning for elective office, running for alderman in nearby Columbia, Ill., where he resides.
“I look forward to the educational and networking potential the National Legislative Conference offers, and I will take this information back to my state association to further the political education of young agents and all agents in Missouri,” Hutchinson says. “I am very grateful to IIABA for being named recipient of the Maurice Herndon scholarship.”
IIABA’s 27th Annual National Legislative Conference—the insurance industry's largest and most effective legislative meeting—will take place April 2-4 at The Capital Hilton in downtown Washington, D.C.
The opening day of the National Legislative Conference features the eighth annual Young Agents Luncheon Presentation. The luncheon will showcase a panel of political insiders who will discuss the national political climate, lobbying, and political action committees (PACs) while also providing insight about getting involved at the local and national levels. State chairpersons of InsurPAC—the political action committee of IIABA and the largest property-casualty insurance industry PAC—will join young agents for the luncheon.
During the next two days, young agents will join hundreds of agents and brokers meeting with their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill.
IIABA offers young agents a special registration rate of $100. All agents and brokers can register online for the National Legislative Conference at www.independentagent.com. For more information, young agents should contact Leslie Mularski at (800) 221-7917 or leslie.mularski@iiaba.net.
Founded in 1896, IIABA 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 and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
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