ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 11—A highly respected panel of insurance industry leaders will share their insights on critical issues affecting the future of the independent agency system with young agents during the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America’s (IIABA) 28th Annual Young Agents Sales & Leadership Conference held in conjunction with the association’s InfoXchange in Las Vegas.
The Young Agents Breakfast and President’s Panel with IIABA Leadership is one of the annual highlights of the Sales & Leadership Conference, which is the industry’s premier young agent event. The conference is taking place Sept. 20 to 22 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and is designed to promote the importance of building leadership skills and establishing networking contacts with young agents who comprise the future of the independent agency system. Young agents from across the country will gather for three days of educational training designed to mold the agency system leaders of tomorrow.
“This event is truly unique because it brings together the proven leaders of today and the prospective leaders of tomorrow,” says IIABA President W. Cloyce Anders. “I am excited about this opportunity to sit alongside some of the industry’s best and brightest to discuss the critical issues facing young agents and the independent agency system.
“What makes the President’s Panel discussion one of the most popular events of the conference is that it allows young agents to ask some insightful and pointed questions that need to be addressed in order to achieve continued success,” adds Anders.
Joining Anders on the President’s Panel are:
· Mike Davidson, vice president of Independent Agent Markets at MetLife Auto & Home
· Tom Van Berkel, president, CEO & COO of Main Street America Group
· Bob Restrepo, president & CEO of Allmerica P&C, the parent company for Citizens Insurance Company of America and The Hanover Insurance Company
The session will be moderated by young agent John Olivieri Jr., CIC, LIA, AAI, a partner at J.K. Olivieri Insurance Agency in Lakeville, Mass.
“Young agents will come away from the leadership conference with increased sales skills and better equipped to handle the transition of leadership in our industry,” says Anders. “I encourage young agents everywhere to do whatever it takes to attend this meeting. I think they will find great value in the panel discussion, and we panelists are likely going to learn a thing or two from them, too!”
The Sales & Leadership Conference features sessions designed exclusively for young agents, including sales training and skills sessions. The event precedes the Las Vegas InfoXchange—IIABA’s showcase meeting featuring one of the largest exhibit halls in the insurance industry; several prominent guest speakers; a compelling company CEO panel; a wide variety of innovative continuing-education (CE) classes; numerous networking opportunities; and many other exciting events. The InfoXchange runs Sept. 21 to 24 at Caesars Palace.
Online registration for IIABA’s Young Agents Sales & Leadership Conference is available at www.independentagent.com. For more information, contact IIABA’s Leslie Mularski at (800) 221-7917.
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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