Page 31 - October2017

I have a young family, and I am still very much in growth Congratulations on your induction as President of the IIA of IL.

mode in my business. I’m sure I look at the world and Tell us how you first got involved with the IIA of IL?
the future of our industry a little different from other older As a child of the industry, I always remember the bags of swag my parents would
bring home after a convention. And then later I would attend the convention as a
President’s but we all have the same goals in the end. new agent and remember feeling so overwhelmed yet grateful for the opportunity
to learn from the educational sessions and networking. It wasn’t until I got into
the management of an agency and more involved that I realized the entirety of
what the IIA of IL has to offer and what the staff does for its members.

What made you want to go through the Executive Committee
Chairs?

Initially, I just wanted to be involved in our industry and started to volunteer
where I thought I could help. After attending many events, going out to the DC
Legislative Conference several years, participating in local political advocacy,
and serving as a Regional Director, I was honored to be asked and believe it’s
one of the best ways I can serve our industry.

You are the youngest President in the history of the IIA of IL.
That fact has created a lot of excitement within the organization
and staff. Do you feel your age will be a factor in how you conduct
your presidential year?

I do think it’s a factor in that I have a young family, and I am still very much in
growth mode in my business. I’m sure I look at the world and the future of our
industry a little different from other older (*cough* *Rick*) President’s but we
all have the same goals in the end. I hope we can get other young folks more
involved at the Board and Executive Committee level.

What new ideas and initiatives are you looking forward to putting
in place?

I can get caught, like most of us, doing things the same way because that’s the
way they’ve always been done. I hope I can challenge that a little to make us
more efficient and effective. We need to find new ways to engage young people
to get involved if they’re already in our industry, and we need to find better ways
to attract young people from outside our industry. Captives are also ahead of
us on recognizing the shifts in our demographics and they’re attracting diverse
employees and agents. We have such a better distribution model from carrier to
consumer, we should be ahead of the captives in that regard. We have a better
story to tell, we’ve just done a poor job at telling it.

We all know the industry has faced many changes in two decades,
what do you see as some of the major industry issues in the
immediate future?

InsurTech and IoT (Internet of Things) are catching a lot of buzz and rightfully
so. There’s so much potential change out there its debilitating to think about.
Think about what’s changed just in the last five years. Consumers communicate
differently. Carriers conduct business differently. And while we all need to
keep a pulse on those things, we shouldn’t lose sight of what we’re about…
helping people. Our biggest value is being that Trusted Choice advisor to folks. If
technology makes it easier to do that, then yes… I’m on board. But if it replaces
that human connection and relationship, we’re doomed.

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insight 31