ALEXANDRIA, Va. Sept. 29, 2009— Independent insurance agent associations in Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, New Mexico, North Carolina and Virginia were recognized by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) for their outstanding education programs at the recent education convocation in New Orleans, La.
“The education awards were established by the Big ‘I’ to recognize the tremendous contributions made by our state associations in their efforts to improve education,” says Cindy Webster, chair of the Big “I” Virtual University curriculum and research committee and principal, president and CEO of Jack Rice Insurance in Largo, Fla. “The needs of our agents could not be successfully met without the hard work and dedication of state associations such as those we honor with 2009 education and L.P. McCord awards.”
The 2009 Innovations in Education award was presented to the Independent Insurance Agents of Maryland (IIAM). This category takes into account all of the programs offered, including curriculum design, marketing and production.
The 2009 Non-Seminar Education Services winner is the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia (IIAG). This category includes other types of services such as videos, computer-based programs, self-study programs, workbooks, audio-tapes, etc. Criteria include nature and types of services, practical education value, size and type of user group, original or innovative service and technical quality.
The 2009 Single Best Seminar award was presented to the Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia (IIAV) for an outstanding education seminar that serves as an example of the high quality work IIABA members have come to expect.
“The Big ‘I’ greatly appreciates all the hard work the state associations put forth on education programs,” says Madelyn Flanagan, Big “I” vice president of agent development, education and research. “Continuing education programs across the country are increasingly more important and helpful to our agents and, ultimately, to consumers.”
The L.P. McCord Awards are bestowed annually to the state associations, in size categories, that have provided their members with the best opportunity to broaden their knowledge of the insurance profession. The state associations are evaluated according to innovation in education, single-best seminar and non-seminar education services.
The Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina (IIANC) received the 2009 L.P. McCord Award in the category of 461 to 1000 members.
The Alabama Independent Agents Association was awarded the 2009 L.P. McCord Award in the category of 251 to 460 members.
The Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico (IIANM) received the 2009 L.P. McCord Award in the category of less than 250 members.
These prestigious awards are presented in honor of L.P. “Dean” McCord, a Jacksonville, Fla. agent who pioneered the “short” course in 1936. McCord was a recipient of the Woodworth Memorial Award, the highest honored bestowed upon an IIABA member.
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, and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
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