WASHINGTON, D.C., May 19, 2017 —The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) recently bestowed the award for membership growth to the Independent Insurance Agents of North Dakota (IIAND) at the association’s largest annual gathering.
The 2017 Big "I" Membership Growth Award recognizes the state association that gained the highest percentage of net new members in the previous year.
“For its tremendous efforts and results, the Big ‘I’ is proud to present the inaugural Membership Growth Award to the Independent Insurance Agents of North Dakota,” said Spencer Houldin, Big “I” chairman, who presented the awards. “In the past year, IIAND has increased membership by 14.8%, started a new young agents program and gained 10 new agency members as a direct result of the young agent events.”
Houldin, who is also president of Ericson Insurance Advisors headquartered in Washington Depot, Connecticut, has made member recruitment and retention a cornerstone issue for his chairmanship.
“The Big ‘I’ commends the focus of Chairman Houldin on membership at the state and national levels,” said Bob Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO. “Spencer’s dedication and hard work have yielded great results and energy to the association. To recognize the state associations that have gone above and beyond in their membership initiatives, the Big ‘I’ has created these two new awards.”
The awards were presented during the recent Big “I” Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.
Founded in 1896, the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of approximately a quarter of a million 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.
###