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  • Young Agents Raise Record-Breaking Scholarship Dollars for InVEST
    The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) Young Agents Committee (YAC) sponsored a successful casino night fundraiser titled “YAC Gives Back: A Benefit for InVEST Scholarships” in conjunction with the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention and the annual InVEST Silent and Live auction. The same night that “YAC Gives Back” was raising money for InVEST in Washington, D.C., the NetVU Young Professionals Chapter held a fundraising hula hoop contest, Ula Hoopla, in conjunction with the annual 2012 NetVU Conference in Anaheim, Calif.
  • Unclaimed Auction Items Up for Grabs
    The InVEST Silent Auction held during YAC Gives Back two weeks ago was a huge success, but there still remain a few unclaimed items that can be grabbed up by just the click of a mouse—all while providing scholarship dollars to InVEST graduates.
  • Accepting Applications for Professional Awards
    Is your InVEST industry liaison or InVEST teacher top rate—worthy of praise and recognition? Don’t forget about awards that that can benefit your InVEST industry liaison or teacher and classrooms in your state. The Dach Award is bestowed upon InVEST industry liaisons dedicated to their InVEST students; and the Teacher of the Year award is given to an outstanding InVEST teacher who goes above and beyond to affect the lives of their students. To nominate the best of the best, head to www.investprogram.org and follow the brief application process. Deadline for submissions is May 14, 2012. For more information on these awards or on InVEST, contact Jennifer Robinson (jennifer.robinson@iiaba.net) at 800-221-7917.
  • InVEST Participates in Student Personal Finance Contest
    In April, InVEST participated in the first-ever Governor’s Challenge in Economics and Personal Finance at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va.  High school students from Virginia competed in either economic or personal finance challenges. This included an initial online testing portion, and then qualifying teams came to the in-person competition. The Governor’s Challenge was conducted in partnership with the Virginia Council on Economic Education. Laura Fornash, Virginia secretary of education, addressed the group and reiterated the state’s commitment to personal finance education. Virginia is one of the few states that has a personal finance graduation requirement for all high school students. Events like these continue to raise the awareness of educating students in financial decisions. InVEST is working to connect with other organizations to help improve insurance literacy and provide opportunities for insurance professionals to be involved on a local level.
  • Casino Night, Donations Raise More Than $55k for InVEST Graduates
    In conjunction with the Big “I”  Legislative Conference & Convention, the national Young Agents Committee hosted a casino-themed event and silent auction to raise scholarship funds for InVEST, a classroom-to-career insurance education program.  Silent auction bids coupled with direct donations and sponsorships raised more than $55,000 for student scholarships, all of which will be awarded to students over the next few months.
  • InVEST Participates in Financial Literacy Day
    InVEST, the insurance industry’s premier classroom to career education program, recently participated in Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill.Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill was introduced in 2003 by the Council for Economic Education, Junior Achievement, and the Jump$tart Coalition. The annual event has evolved from a small gathering to a public event that attracts hundreds of financial education advocates, members of Congress and their staffs, and the general public. The location of the event alternates each year between the House and Senate sides of U.S. Capitol complex.
  • Donate to InVEST Silent Auction
    Don’t miss the chance to donate an item to the hottest event at the Legislative Conference & Convention, and have your name in front of top movers and shakers of the insurance industry, all while donating to a good cause. All monies raised from donations will be awarded to students.
  • Washington InVEST Class Packed with Guest Speakers, Field Trips
    The InVEST program at Roosevelt High School is in its second year and has support from local insurance industry volunteers, including their liaison, Bill Allen of Travelers. Teacher Marcelina Pascuel and Allen have established a schedule for the students, which includes numerous guest speakers and field trips to local insurance company offices, claims centers and other offices.
  • Student Scholarships Up for Grabs
    Each spring, InVEST awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to program graduates who plan to enter the insurance industry as their career.  If your state has an InVEST program, encourage students to apply today! Deadline for the higher education scholarship is April 13,2012; classroom-to-career applicants can apply year round.
  • InVEST School Competing for $100,000 Technology Tools
    Groton Middle/High School is a top-12 finalist in a contest that could mean a significant amount of new technology for education. The school was recently named a top 12 finalist in Samsung’s second annual Solve for Tomorrow contest. The school has a chance to be in the top five and receive $100,000 in technology.  One of the spots will be picked by online voting.  Help them earn money for their school.
  • InVEST Participates in National Job Shadow Day
    InVEST, the insurance industry’s premier classroom to career education program, is actively supporting efforts across the country for members of the independent agency system to participate in National Job Shadow Day. Numerous InVEST students, agents, brokers, company leaders and other industry leaders are participating today.
  • InVEST Play Clock is Running Down
    Ever wish there was more time left on the clock? The Ravens and the 49ers sure did on Sunday.
     
    Make sure your team doesn’t make the same mistake and run out of time to position yourself correctly by donating to the silent auction and securing a spot in InVEST’s Super Bowl, the InVEST Silent Auction, held during the Legislative Conference & Convention at YAC Gives Back on April 26 in Washington, D.C.
  • New Board Member- Jeremy Chaseley
    InVEST, the insurance industry’s premier classroom to career education program, recently announced that Jeremy Chaseley has joined its national board. Chaseley is CNA assistant vice president, producer and product development.
  • Consider Donating to InVEST this Holiday
    Just as Santa doesn’t really buy all the holiday gifts, InVEST also cannot have a successful auction without the help of great donors to provide the items.
     
    While shopping for the holidays, please consider dropping an extra gift in your sack to donate to the InVEST silent auction and make a difference to a dedicated InVEST student looking for a scholarship to pursue an insurance industry career. All donations are 100% tax deductible. In addition, monetary donations are also appreciated.
  • Volunteer as Guest Judge for Student Event
    Serve as a judge at this year's Virtual Enterprises International Citywide Business Plan Competition, which will be hosted again by Deloitte & Touche, Two World Financial Center on Friday, January 13, 2012 in New York City. The competition will highlight the enthusiasm, talent, commitment and achievement of our students as they make the transition from school to college to career.
  • IIABNY Educates Teens On Insurance Careers
    More than 50 high school students spent a day learning about career options in the insurance industry from the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York. Students from Dryden, Groton, and McGraw High Schools and Charles O. Dickerson High School in Trumansburg toured the trade group’s offices near Syracuse on December 7.
  • Home for the Holidays? Young Talent Is—and Looking for Work
    The holiday season is fast approaching, and it’s a perfect time to have young, motivated talent intern at an agency or company.
     
    Students are home for the holidays and eager to make a few extra bucks, all while expanding their network and skills. The Big “I” allows free internship postings on its Insurance Career Center to put an agency or company in front of driven young professionals.
     
    Other insurance professionals have had great success in offering internships, and even hired the interns to work fulltime upon completion.
     
    “I sought out hosting an internship as my business partner and I started our agency from scratch and needed some help along with our desire to get our name out there in the community,” says Michael Ludwig, principal agent at Strategic Insurance Services in Clearwater, Fla.
    “We were really excited about our intern’s work ethic and motivation,” Ludwig adds. “He ended up coming back to work summers with us and was able to get his 440 license and started doing some selling. We were fascinated with his sales ability. Since then we’ve hosted two more internships and they’ve all turned out to be great experiences.”
     
    To list a free internship posting, go to www.insurancecareercenter.org and click on “employers.”
  • New Board Member- James Bradner
    "InVEST is proud to announce James Bradner has joined our distinguished group of board members,” says Heather Minkler, InVEST board chair and CEO of Clark-Mortenson Agency, an independent agency in Keene, N.H. “Jim’s dedication to the industry through his leadership at the association level and as the principle of an independent insurance agency will be a huge asset to the InVEST board.”

    In 1988, Bradner started The Chesapeake Agency, an independent insurance agency, and in 2001 sold it to Towne Bank, a community bank located in Eastern Virginia. He remains on the team of the growing organization. Bradner has long been active in the association and formerly served on the IIAV legislative committee. In 1999, he was elected chairman of the Independent Agents of Virginia (IIAV) and was named IIAV Agent of the Year (Golden Eagle) in 2009. Bradner currently serves on the Big “I” national board of directors from Virginia.
  • Donate to Silent Auction- Proceeds go to Scholarships
    Donate an item to the InVEST Silent Auction and support InVEST, the 501(c)(3) education foundation that educates students on insurance and financial services in high school and colleges. 100% of monies raised at the silent auction are added to the programs scholarship fund which provides assistance to InVEST graduates pursuing careers or degrees in insurance or risk management.
  • Support InVEST and the National Young Agents
    A hiring crisis is just around the corner and InVEST and the national Young Agents Committee (YAC) have joined forces by hosting a fabulous evening fundraiser. The casino-themed evening will be held April 26, 2012, at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C., and is open to all attendees of the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention. This is a great way for your association or young agents committee to give back to the industry. There are two ways you can help now. Donate an item for the silent auction by contacting Jennifer Robinson at jennifer.robinson@iiaba.net or sponsor the event at $2500 for agencies and companies or $500 for state associations.
  • New Board Member- Lynn W. Mathis
    “InVEST is proud to announce Lynn Mathis has joined our distinguished group of board members,” says Heather Minkler, InVEST board chair and CEO of Clark-Mortenson Agency, an independent agency in Keene, N.H. “Lynn’s dedication to the industry through her leadership at the association level and as the principle of an independent insurance agency will be a huge asset to the InVEST board.”
  • InVEST Introduces New Textbook—Still Free
    The new textbook still covers the same materials as the former book, however, we’ve included updated statistics, added relevant information such as texting and driving, developed a more visually-appealing and user-friendly layout and added two new chapters, including life and health and businessowners policy.

  • New Board Member- Kelley L. Erstine
    InVEST, the insurance industry’s premier classroom to career education program, recently appointed Kelley L. Erstine to its national board. Erstine is CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina (IIANC).
  • InVEST and NAAIA Announce Collaboration
    The National African-American Insurance Association (NAAIA) recently announced a collaboration effort with InVEST, the insurance industry’s premier classroom to career education program.
  • Don't be Shy, Volunteer with InVEST
    While you may remember what it was like to head to class when the new school year starts and worry who you’ll sit next to in English class or if you’ve worn the hippest outfit to fit in, students don’t judge the guest speakers that come into their class.
  • San Diego County Executive and Educator Awarded InVEST Teacher of the Year
    The InVEST program awarded Bob Captain, an insurance executive with Barney & Barney LLC in San Diego and Grossmont College faculty member, with the InVEST Teacher of the Year Award. The program is a key driver to attract new talent to the insurance industry.
  • Grab Your Backpack, InVEST is Back to School
    In the coming weeks, more than 215 InVEST programs will be kicking off a new year of educating students on insurance and risk management and career opportunities available within the industry. If there is an InVEST school in your area, why not volunteer to guest speak one day on an insurance topic that interests you? Or, contact a local school and offer to come in one day to discuss risk management or career options in the insurance industry.

    Visit Resource Tab for a list of resources available to assist you.
  • One Agent’s Incredible Journey
    Dallas-based agent James Chippendale shows how passion and perseverance can land an agent some of the biggest insurance writing gigs in the world.
  • Industry Needs Generation Y Now More Than Ever
    The opportunity for young people to launch into a lucrative career is soaring with 60% of current insurance professionals looking to retire over the next 15 years. Furthermore, the compounding threat of a changing market requires new perspectives and skills to navigate. To be competitive in the industry, one must understand the new and largest entrant into the workforce – Generation Y.

  • Travelers Sales Executive Presented with Dach Award
    The InVEST program awarded John Gist, Travelers of Florida sales executive, with the Dach Award which honors an insurance industry volunteer who has made tremendous contributions in fostering the growth and development of InVEST. The program is a key driver to attract new talent to the insurance industry.
  • New Board Members-Miller and Shoemaker
    InVEST, the insurance industry’s premier classroom to career education program, recently appointed Peter Miller and Loren P. Shoemaker to its national board. Miller is president and CEO of The Institutes, and Shoemaker is The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company senior vice president and chief operating officer.
  • Fueling the Future
    Baby boomers, a major segment of the country’s population, are quickly approaching their retirement years and predictions are that the U.S. insurance industry, which employs more than 2.3 million people, may lose more than 50% of its existing workforce in the next 10 to 15 years. With such a mass exodus, the remaining 50% of the industry is wondering—where will new talent come from?

    There are thousands of InVEST graduates in the workforce today and InVEST aims to continue fueling agencies’ demand for talent by building grassroots programs throughout the United States—but that will require help. If your city or school district is without an InVEST program, take the first step and find out more information by visiting www.investprogram.org. The future of the industry is in your hands.

  • Big “I” Praises ‘YAC Gives Back’ Fundraiser
    The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) Young Agents Committee (YAC) sponsored a successful casino night fundraiser titled “YAC Gives Back: A Benefit for InVEST Scholarships” in conjunction with the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention and the annual InVEST Silent and Live auction. Collectively, “YAC Gives Back,” the auction and direct contributions raised more than $48,000 this year.
  • Students Win Big
    "It’s awesome being involved with an event that helps so many students join the ranks of the insurance industry,” says Young Agent Chairman Andy Beauchamp. This year the event earned more than $35,000 for student scholarships. Add to that direct donations and InVEST has more than $48,000 in scholarship money to give away in 2011.
  • Tribute to Bob Betters
    Betters established the InVEST program at Charlotte Catholic in 2004 and since that time had taught more than 200 students the value of choosing an insurance career and how to be savvy insurance consumers. He took his commitment to InVEST seriously, both as an active board member and state champion, and he used any available opportunity to encourage other agents and schools to embrace InVEST, even volunteering his time to attend numerous conventions and training workshops to educate others about InVEST.
  • InVEST in More Than 200 Classrooms
    InVEST, the insurance industry’s premier classroom-to-career education program, recently hit a huge milestone as it surpassed the 200 mark in the number of high schools and community colleges across the country that have embraced its financial literacy and career training program.
  • InVEST Presents Dach Award to Florida Agent
    The InVEST program awarded Lindsey Shank, CIC, with the Dach Award. The Dach Award honors an insurance industry volunteer who has made tremendous contributions in fostering the growth and development of InVEST.
    Shank is assistant agency manager and assistant vice president of the BB&T Insurance agency in St. Petersburg, Fla. She was an active and top InVEST student her junior and senior years at St. Petersburg Catholic High School. The school’s popular InVEST program is hailed as one of the top in the country.
  • Department of Education Will Address InVEST Teachers
    Phil Martin, the assistant for financial education and student aid at the U.S. Department of Education, will address attendees at the InVEST Teacher Workshop during the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention on March 4. Martin is responsible for developing the Department of Education’s strategy for personal finance education across K-12, postsecondary and adult education.  In his position, he works closely with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and other members of the interagency Financial Literacy and Education Commission.
  • InVEST Presents Dach Award to NY Industry Leader
    The InVEST program awarded Dee Macheda of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York (IIABNY) with the Dach Award. The Dach Award honors an insurance industry volunteer who has made tremendous contributions in fostering the growth and development of InVEST.
  • Conneticut Teacher Awarded InVEST Teacher of the Year
    The InVEST program awarded Gary Barcher of Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, Conn. 2009 Teacher of the Year. The Bloomfield High School insurance simulation program Barcher started has students create business cards, set appointments and overcome objections to sell their insurance product by explaining the benefits of insurance as one means of financial protection and responsibility. Students also price policies and adjust claims to experience the complete sales cycle. Barcher partners with Travelers Insurance and local agents to provide speakers, resources and internships.
  • Help Attract Talent to our Industry
    As a reminder, the role of the state champion is to serve as a point of contact for national InVEST staff and be open to assisting other agents and teachers in the state when a new InVEST program evolves. The champion’s time commitment depends on his/her desire to grow the InVEST program in their state. State champions can simply assist in finding liaisons for any new programs in their state, implement new programs or even guest speak at schools in their area.
  • Travelers Hosts Successful InVEST Job Shadow Day
    Students from three schools, Bloomfield High School, East Hartford High School and Hartford Job Corps, all participated in the all day field trip at the downtown Hartford office. Prior to the trip, students were given the opportunity to choose the position they wanted to shadow, which included marketing, sales, planning, underwriting, etc.
  • Agency and Carrier Work Together
    Rose & Kiernan Inc. and Travelers Insurance have committed $10,000 in scholarships for students at Hudson Valley Community College pursing insurance-focused business degrees.
    Rose & Kiernan, an East Greenbush, N.Y. property and casualty insurance agency, partnered with Travelers to provide two $1,000 scholarships per year for the next five years. The first scholarships will be awarded in December 2009 to new students seeking an associate’s degree in business administration with an insurance focus.
  • InVEST- A Model Program
    InVEST is a program that can work anywhere, it doesn’t cost very much and it’s not that time consuming.”  Robert B. Baxter, CPCU, CIC Chief Executive Officer and  General Manager Dryden Mutual Insurance Co. Dryden, New York

    InVEST is a malleable program that provides the resources necessary to implement insurance education curricula at the high school, junior college and college levels. Nothing is carved in stone. In fact, the administrators of the program recognize that almost every one of the 235 InVEST programs across the country differs due to geographic location, community need or some other factor. But the mission—to provide insurance education that will produce knowledgeable employees or customers for the insurance industry—remains consistent.



  • IIABNY InVESTs in Future
    Thirty-eight students enrolled in the InVEST program viewed their career potential recently, as they toured the suburban Syracuse offices of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, Inc.  The young visitors spoke with more than 30 employees of IIABNY, a statewide insurance trade association, and discovered that employment in the insurance industry ranges from Web development to education, as well as sales and customer service. Laid to rest that day were many misconceptions of risk management, while new career opportunities in the insurance industry were born.
  • InVEST Program Key to Future of Insurance Industry
    Future One, a collaboration of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) and leading independent agency companies, recently released key findings from their biennial “Agency Universe Study” which revealed the need for more young, female and minority professionals in the independent insurance agency system.
    The survey results point to InVEST, a Big “I” program in dozens of classrooms across the country, as a solution, with 56% of respondents stating that the insurance industry should encourage high schools and community colleges to help students plan for insurance careers. Also, 45% of agencies said they would consider participating in an internship program to bring new people into the insurance industry.
  • Industry Pipeline to Diversity
    Marvin Kelly, president of the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter Society says the insurance industry needs to diversify its ranks, adding more young people and minorities, and wants his organization to lead the charge. The CPCU Society’s recent demographic study of its membership found that more than 84% are over the age of 40, Kelly said. It also found 1.9% are African-Americans, 1.7% are Hispanic and 1.4% are Asian. Kelly is proposing new programs for the CPCU Society and its members.

    One is a 30-year-old program called Project InVEST, supported by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, which involves professionals going to high schools and colleges teaching them about the industry as well as job shadowing at insurance agencies.
  • New Mexico Recognizes the War for Talent
    With the help of InVEST and input from other industry professionals, the IIA of New Mexico has developed and launched a nine-week insurance program at Central New Mexico Community College. Jeff Straight, education director of the IIANM, led this project after attending the recent InVEST State Champions Workshop in Westfield Center, Ohio.
  • The War for Talent
    The insurance industry will need to find approximately 90,000 people a year to fill new positions or positions opened up due to retirement. The War for Talent is starting, and the industry needs to prepare for battle if it plans on growing and thriving in the future. InVEST has proven to be a dynamic force that is helping the industry win this war.  Click here for the entire article
     
  • Minkler, Montgomery, Siegworth Join InVEST Board
    InVEST, the insurance industry’s premier business-education partnership recently announced three new members to its national board: Heather Minkler, CIC, Neal Montgomery, CPCU and Lori Siegworth.
  • Young, Encompass Insurance Co. & Wolin, The Hartford
    Young Industry Talent
    At the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America’s Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., Insurance Journal covered a young agent’s panel where carrier executives discussed issues facing young agents today. Cynthia Young, president of Encompass Insurance Co., says supporting, training and recruiting new talent into the insurance industry and the agency system is everyone’s concern. She says carriers are helping but more can be done. The Hartford’s Neal Wolin says that while recruiting new talent into the insurance industry may be a challenge, once young professionals enter the business they usually stay.

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Conneticut Teacher Awarded InVEST Teacher of the Year

National Program Dedicated to Insurance Education Honors Bloomfield High School’s Gary Barcher

The InVEST program awarded Gary Barcher of Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, Conn. 2009 Teacher of the Year.

“Educators like Gary Barcher are key to the success of the InVEST program but most importantly, the future of our industry,” says Brett Nilsson, Big “I” chairman. “InVEST is the top priority of my chairmanship and crucial to attracting new talent to our industry. With the average age of an insurance professional at 54, we’re counting on Gary’s students and InVEST scholars across the country for our next generation of leaders.”

Barcher earned his bachelor’s degree in business education at American International College and a master’s degree in secondary education at Central Connecticut State University. He is also a graduate of the St. John’s University Griffith Institute’s summer insurance teacher program where he now conducts presentations on InVEST. He is a member of the InVEST Teacher Task Force, volunteering time to write a new InVEST curriculum and has mentored other teachers through the process of setting up INVEST programs. Barcher has taught at Bloomfield High School since 1980.  He also coaches the Bloomfield varsity boys basketball team and the co-ed varsity golf team.

“The enthusiasm and creativity Gary brings to the InVEST experience is reflected in the success Bloomfield High School has enjoyed in recruiting students for the program,” says Thomas “Tom” Minkler, Big “I” executive committee member and president of the Clark-Mortenson Agency in Keene, N.H. “Gary has placed great emphasis not only on mastery of insurance principles but on the merits of practical application through a simulation curriculum that includes the various industry occupational roles of agent, underwriter, sales and other professionals.”

The Bloomfield High School insurance simulation program Barcher started has students create business cards, set appointments and overcome objections to sell their insurance product by explaining the benefits of insurance as one means of financial protection and responsibility. Students also price policies and adjust claims to experience the complete sales cycle. Barcher partners with Travelers Insurance and local agents to provide speakers, resources and internships.

Minkler presented at the InVEST State Champion Workshop June 30, 2009 at the Westfield Insurance campus in Westfield Center, Ohio.

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