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April 2014 BIG NEWS Interview BIG Founder and Executive Director
Jon Spaugy By Don Lukenbill Q: It's always nice to start out with a little background so we know who we are talking about. Tell us what your first steps into the insurance business were. A: I joined the Navy in 1987, less than two month after graduating from Victor Valley High School. After proudly serving my country, I was lucky enough to work with my heroes -- my mother and father – in my hometown of Victorville. They worked at Key City Insurance with then- and current owner Ron Thurman. Q: After you began working with your parents, what helped you to decide that this was going to be a career? A: I found I had a passion for the industry after watching my father match people with the coverages they needed (but often times didn't realize). A lot of people don't eve think about the importance of having the right policies until they need them. This business really is about helping people and protecting their livelihoods. I worked at Key City Insurance for four years before moving to the carrier side of insurance. I have been fortunate enough to work with Regional Carriers, National Carriers, Preferred and Non Standard Carriers over the last 23 years. Q: You are well known as a company rep and an independent agent. Why the transition into insurance association founder and director? A: I wanted to provide quality networking and education to help improve the industry. We are a people business and I wanted to build an association that was centered on face time – bringing colleagues together to share ideas and improve our industry.
get support for producers and their carrier partners. It seems that the industry has lost a lot of the personal touch I enjoyed so much in the past. Now we get bombarded with emails, social media, faxes and snail mail, but I feel like we have stopped getting together and talking with each other. Q: In a few sentences, what would you say the BIG mission is? A: Our mission is to offer industry related education, create networking opportunities, and to act as a national voice for all participants within the Insurance Industry. We will create an environment around sharing information, discovering new ideas for streamlining current processes, increasing productivity through new technology, understanding new legislation, and benefiting from our experiences as an industry or group rather than an individual. Q: How do you plan to achieve these goals? In other words, what is your blueprint for success? Our plan is to be the most active insurance trade association on the West Coast, slowly building our base from California and the Southwest and hopefully branch out across the country. As I said, the critical factor is face-to-face interactions; monthly meetings, training seminars, networking events, etc. I realize the place social media has in business, but nothing takes the place of a handshake. We are keeping our thumb on the pulse of the industry and actively solicit feedback from our members. Q: You have a lot of good people supporting the association. Tell us how you pulled this group together. A: I am honored to say that the people that have been supporting the association ARE well-known and respected professionals who have demonstrated a desire for improving the industry for themselves and their colleagues.
Q: Some would say there are plenty of organizations out there already representing independent insurance producers. Why BIG and why now?
BIG would not exist if not for the dedication ad hard work of numerous people; Sharron Varga, Adam Meyerson, Ron Thurman, Araceli Harvey, Ben Clymer, Jim Dougherty, Maribel Zuniga, Rosa Spaugy, Marc Sobel, Tyler Nicholsen, Gordon Fetter, Phil Hikopian, Raymond Fernandez, just to name a few.
A: I love that we have so many places we can go to
Q: BIG recently held two successful end-of-the-year
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events, as well as a "minivention" and a year of successful monthly member meetings. Now we can look forward to a full convention this spring. It looks like BIG is really beginning to grow. A: And we are just getting started! Q: Take us through a typical monthly meeting. A: Our monthly meetings revolve around education and product knowledge. Our evening meetings have been very successful, but we decided to add breakfast meetings in 2014 to provide current and future BIG members who aren't free in the evenings to enjoy the opportunities of a BIG meeting. The purpose of the meetings is to provide a value that participants can take directly to their agencies and apply to their businesses immediately. Q: Now tell us what's in store for your 2014 convention attendees. A: This year the convention will be held at the newly remodeled Riverside Convention Center from May 1st through May 4th. We will be providing education classes along with a trade show with over 100 carriers and service providers. We expect over 800 producers which would make this the biggest event we have done. Excited doesn't even begin to describe how we feel about our first full convention. Q: I'm an agent on the fence about joining BIG. Sell me on a membership. A: The #1 purpose of BIG is to put you in a position to grow your business. We are an active and involved association and expect the same from our members. If you just want to sit back and wait for opportunity to knock on your door, we are probably not the association for you. But if you are serious about insurance, Get Active, Get Involved, Get BIG. This is the place where your voice will not only be heard, but listened to. Q: How about a company? What would their ROI be?
A: Your membership with BIG is much more than just a discount at a trade show. We provide more networking opportunities throughout Ca, than any other trade group in the country. We appreciate the support of our members and work hard to make sure they are getting the value they deserve! Q: Let's fast forward five years. Where is BIG at? A: In five years I see BIG as one of the country's top insurance trade associations with chapters throughout CA, NV, AZ, CO, and TX. But our plan is to expand slowly and purposefully. We don't want "chapters" than do nothing but provide a false sense of size for us. Every one of our affiliates will embody the same philosophy: Go BIG or go home! Q: What's the best way to get information about the association? A: The best way is to visit the website at www.biginsusa.com or call us at (909) 809-4451. People are also welcome to e-mail us at info@biginsusa.com. Q: We started on with some personal information about you. We'll end with this two-part question: If you could go back ten years and talk to Jon Spaugy in 2004, what would you say to him? 窶帰: You don't know as much as you think you do. The is an amazing industry we work but it is constantly changing, so stay active and learn something new everyday. Q: Part two: Now talk with Jon Spaugy in 2024. What do you want him to say to you? A: Be humble, be grateful, and stay hungry for knowledge. Q: Finally, what advice would you give someone just starting out in the insurance business? 窶帰: You have to get active in this industry. Get involved. Talk to people that have gone through the same issues you are going to run into. Get a mentor, go to meetings, go to conventions. Knowledge is everything. Learn from people around you. Come to our convention. Go to a BIG meeting near you!
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When "Mayhem" is a Good Thing By Lisa Cochrane, SVP Marketing, Allstate
Remember those old pictures of people cramming onto Tokyo subway trains? That's what the US auto insurance category feels like. Allstate is competing with companies spending, literally, billions of dollars who simply shout "CHEAP PRICE!" And Allstate knows that, while a low price is nice, when you actually need to use your insurance, great coverage is what really matters. Ask anyone who's had a car accident lately. They'll tell you. Enter Mayhem. Allstate's charismatic character has changed the insurance category conversation from what's mildly important to what's absolutely important. With Mayhem, we remind people of the reason they have insurance: because chances are, at some point, (and probably several points), you will need to actually use it. Because random, bad stuff happens all the time. He reminds us all that if we did buy cut-rate insurance, we may not be properly protected from life's mayhem. Mayhem struck a nerve. Probably because Mayhem does a scary job without being scary. And people love him for it. For example, on Facebook, 1.7 million people have loved him with their "Like" button. Thousands more dress like him at Halloween. He even has an action figure doll. He not only changes the billion d o l l a r, h i g h l y competitive all-thatm atte rs - i s - p r i c e conversation, he builds brand fans for Allstate. Considering that insurance is not exactly something
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people love to buy or talk about, we've definitely changed the conversation – people are talking about Mayhem and Allstate – and checking with Allstate agents to make sure they have the proper coverage. Pretty impressive. And now Mayhem has a Twitter account. Like Mayhem, Twitter is everywhere. So how did Mayhem get started? True to character. On day one he sent out 500 tweets about whales, triggering the dreaded Twitter "Fail Whale" error message that pops up when a trend crashes the platform. Well, at least he didn't crash a car. In just over a month, Mayhem has welcomed over 55,000 Twitter followers, further engaging people to the Allstate brand. For comparison, that's roughly ten times the Twitter fans the competitors have received over much longer time periods. Facebook and Twitter are deepening Allstate's relationships with customers and potential customers by being a part of their lives "real time". This isn't communication Allstate buys and forces people to watch in order to see a TV show or online content. This is communication people choose of their own free will because it's entertaining. And of course, in the process of entertaining, Allstate is making a point about insurance. And that's the whole point of marketing. ​Especially modern marketing.
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Empowering Agents
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Hacking & ID Theft: Are Unfortunately, the millions affected by the recent hacks may be dealing with similar repercussions in the years ahead, he says. Before you become a victim of identity theft, Merritt offers seven ways to guard against it. • Understand how and where it happens. Identity theft is like being robbed when you are away from home; most thefts occur in places where you do business every day. Either a place of business is robbed, a bad employee acts i m p ro p e r l y o r a hacker breaches the office through the computer.
At least 110 million consumers were affected by the hack involving Target and Neiman Marcus retailers. Whether or not millions more will have their identities manipulated and finances ruined within the coming months due to more breaches of security at other stores is anyone’s guess, says identity theft recovery expert Scott A. Merritt. “By necessity, I became an expert on identity theft. My information was stolen in 2006, and in repairing the damage, I learned some not-so-obvious ways we can all protect against identity theft in the first place,” says Merritt, CEO of Merritt & Associates Scott Merritt, author of "Identity Theft Do's and Don'ts," had problems begin quickly. While disputing financial charges and dealing with resulting business problems, in 2007 he was stopped for a traffic violation and arrested on a false outstanding felony warrant. He immediately knew why. “I had to enlist my U.S. congressman and convince the state police, NCIC, FBI and Secret Service that I didn’t commit the felonies. For a few years, I had to prove that the prints did not match the false record in question. After legal action, however, I was able to have this corrected.”
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• Secure your wallet’s information. P h o t o c o p y everything in your wallet: photos, credit cards (front and back), membership cards – everything. Put the copies in the order the cards are arranged in your wallet, staple the pictures and place them in a strong box or safe. • Make sure your information is consistent. For all of your identity and financial documents, make absolutely sure, to the smallest detail, that all of your personal information is accurate and consistent! Discrepancies such as using your middle initial on some documents, and not others, or having different addresses, can wreck havoc in proving your identity, and can compromise your credit score. • Secure your digital habits and data. Change your passwords at least twice a year on a non-scheduled basis – don’t be predictable. Have a strong firewall if you shop online, and only access sites that are protected by a strong firewall and high industry standards. Access accounts of a financial nature only from your personal computer. • Protect your banking information. While in the bank, keep account numbers and other data out of sight, and avoid stating account
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numbers, Social Security numbers and similar information out loud. When planning a bank visit, have items such as deposits and withdrawal slips prepared in advance. • Account for your interactions with vendors. Every time you speak to someone with whom you do business, write down the time, date, name and the purpose or outcome of the call. If an identity theft occurs on the vendor’s end, you will be able to reference these prior conversations effectively. Be sure to note any animosity or reluctance from the vendor. • Don’t carry around your birth certificate or Social Security card. Unless it’s necessary, keep those vital items in a safe, or at least a firebox. If you know someone is going to need a copy of your tax returns or your driver’s license, for example, make the copies ahead of time. This avoids the need for a firm’s employee to leave the room with such information. “Of course, you can greatly reduce being a victim of such recent hacks that occurred at the major retailers by using cash more often,” he says. “But if you’re going to use credit, use a card from a national bank or a national credit union and never a debit card, no exceptions.” Scott A. Merritt is the CEO and sole stockholder of Merritt Ventures, Inc., doing business as Merritt & Associates and author of "Identity Theft Do's and Don'ts." He has more than a decade of experience in the real estate industry, financial planning, insurance, investment services, and has more than a decade in mortgage services, all under the umbrella of Merritt Ventures. Merritt holds a life, accident and health insurance license, and a principal associate real estate broker’s license.
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April 2014 Editorial It was quite a ride for BIG in 2013! We created an outstanding Minivention for our Northern California friends and partners, including a trip to the ball game! Our Holiday Parties in Ontario and Ls Vegas were nothing short of awesome. Our monthly member meetings grew at what seems like an exponential rate. I met more new colleagues and reconnected with old associated last year than any other in recent memory. Creating the BIG Independent Group has been personally and professional fulfilling for me and I am excited to see what is in store for us in 2014! Of course, you will read all about BIG from now on in our new BIG Magazine! I am very pleased to write the inaugural editorial and hope you will enjoy our publication. Of course, our success so far has been far from an individual accomplishment. I am lucky to be surrounded by an advisory board comprised of the best and brightest in the industry. The Local Meeting co o rd i n ato rs h ave b e e n indispensable to our achieving what we have, and remain so today. We are fortunate to have representation from every facet of the insurance industry, and that diversity is reflected in what we have brought to the table for our members – current and future. Because it's all about working together. I could throw clichés around like "one for all and all for one" and "there's no 'I' in 'team.'" But it's so true. One person cannot change the world, but a group of like-minded individuals can make a BIG difference (pun intended). That is what we are hoping to
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build our association into. We are all competitors, colleagues, friends, neighbors… members of the same community. And whether you run a 100+ employee agency or are a one-person operation, we are all in this together. And if something can benefit one person, it can benefit us all. As I said, our member meetings were incredible last year, and I want that trend to continue. Come out and share some ideas, meet your local colleagues, and talk about what is going right and wrong in your unique neck of the woods. Take in a discussion or two about what's on the horizon in your local community as well as statewide and across the country. Listen to some of the great speakers we have lined up. Be a part of the community. For a broader connection, I encourage yo u to atte n d o u r u p co m i n g convention. We will have a variety of carriers and vendors to help you improve and expand your business. Our seminars will enlighten you and maybe give a different perspective on the industry and a whole and how you interact. Of course, the networking will be second to none. Overall, we will disprove the old adage "it's not what you know, it's who you know." Here at BIG, we believe it's equal parts of both. I am looking forward to connecting with all of you to build on last year's successes. I encourage any of you to contact me with any comments and/or suggestions related to the BIG Independent Association. We are all in this together!
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Cracking the Personality Code: Identifying Marketing People That Flourish in Today’s Not all sales and marketing people are created equal. In a challenging economy, you want to hire people who are creative, innovative and c1an get results despite the roadblocks. After all, today is a new day with new opportunities for those that are open to them. To improve hiring decisions, many companies have found out how to crack the personality code by using robust in-depth work style personality testing. Work style assessments tests are a standard recruiting practice for many branches of the government and military, as well as many Fortune 500 companies when assessing potential hires for key or critical positions. Our research for our book, Cracking the Personality Code, reveals that this is not guesswork or an untested science. Here are eight proven ways to use in-depth work style personality testing to hire the right sales and marketing people who are willing to fight for market share. 1. Compare Their Resume Against Your Job Description Sounds obvious, doesn't it? Surprising how easy it is to blow right past this step in the hiring process. Past experience alone is not what you are looking for when you review the resume. You are looking at how well they performed, what were their successes, and how adaptable they might be to the job that needs to be done for your organization. Experience is nice, but it is results that really count. 2. Assess Their Problem-Solving Resources Is this person a problem solver? If so, what kind of problem solver? Each of us has unique problem-solving resources on which we rely. You will want to determine what the person's strengths are when it comes to problem solving. What are the usual approaches this person will use to resolve these problems? 3. Determine Their Patterns For Coping With Stress Stress is a force that tends to distort the body, a factor that induces bodily or mental tension, or an automatic physical reaction to a danger or demand in the environment. As one physician stated, "Stress is any demand, either internal, external or both, that causes us to mentally and physically readjust in order to maintain a sense of balance within our life." Without a doubt, stress is a fact of life in today's work world. So determining a candidate's or employee's ability to cope with stress is critical for a manager.
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4. Examine Their Interpersonal Interaction Styles Breakdowns in communication are never good for an organization. So take a good look at the individual's style for relating and communicating with others. How do they usually react in dealing with others? What is their comfort level in interacting and personal connection with others? Personality assessments can tell you the person's major sources of gratification and satisfaction when building relationships with each other. This is the time to identify potential red flags. A personality assessment can discover issues that are sometimes overlooked during the traditional interviewing process and can quantify a hunch or feeling the interviewer may have about a particular candidate. Knowing interpersonal interaction styles can also help understand how to manage individuals for greater work performance. A comparison of the interpersonal dynamics of teams, departments, employees and candidates is well worth the effort. 5. Analyze Career Activity Interests Certain personality tests help you gain information which may either support the person's present career choices or assist them to explore, consider and plan for another career direction. This is not to say you will be recommending another career choice to someone you are considering hiring or currently managing. Rather, you are using this information to determine fit. All organizations want to ensure that they have the right people in the right positions and effectively distribute these human assets and talents. 6. Assess How They Respond To Tests You should also use tests with scales for what is known as "impression management." This is necessary in order to understand the accuracy of results and whether someone is trying to "fake good" or misrepresent themselves. A critical element in predicting a potential cand idate's success is measuring real pers onality and style in an interview. An indepth work style and per sonality assessment presents a fairly accurate picture of a c a n d i d a t e ' s personality, work style and fit within a company's culture. If a profile does not h a v e a n impression management
Sales & Economy
By Dana Borowka, MA, Lighthouse Consulting Services, LLC
scale, then it is difficult to tell how accurate the data is. A profile needs to have at least 165 questions in order to gather enough data for this scale.
preliminary interview questions for a candidate. Naturally, these are not meant to be questions to ask all candidates, but are indicative of the types of questions you might ask:
7. Chronicle Strengths & Weakness Ledger
• What process do you think helps you to learn? Give an example of how you learn a very complex system or skill and what your process was?
Benjamin Franklin reportedly had a decision-making process when he was faced with important challenges. Franklin divided a sheet of paper into two columns, and on the left side listed the reasons for doing something and on the right side the reasons against. Much like a bank ledger with credits and debits, this simple tool greatly aided the analysis of information. Often a quick scan of the two lists gave him the information he needed to make the right choice. We recommend you do the same for the personality of a job candidate or an employee under your supervision. Like a bank ledger, every credit should have a corresponding debit. That is because for every strength a person possesses there is a corresponding weakness. Being assertive is a strength; however, that personality can be too assertive and off putting for some people they deal with. 8. Create Probing Interview Questions So, what have you learned about the job candidate so far through personality assessments? What remains to learn? To find out, develop interview questions that probe facets of the personality you need more details on. Forget those old standby questions like, 'Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses'. Instead, let's say you wanted to determine how they cope with stress. You might ask the candidate to give an example of when they made a terrible mistake and how they handled it. Ask them how they think others perceive them when they are under stress. For making a mistake, did they blame others or take responsibility for the outcome? Listen for their process. Do they ask for help? Watch body language and tone of voice to see how much insecurity the candidate expresses at the idea of making a mistake or having stress.
• How would you handle a situation that brought up many different changes? How do you like to see change take place? Give an example when change was implemented and it just didn't work out. • Have you ever worked with individuals who are abstract thinkers? How did you deal with that kind of thought process? • Give an example of when you have had to make an exception to the guidelines or rules. How have you handled that? • What was the most challenging sales situation you have ever faced and won? Give an example of when you lost a sale and what you could have done differently. Whew, seems like a lot to worry about. As with any business decision, having and organizing the right information is critical. Work style and personality assessment testing can provide insight into potential hires, as well as the current workforce. The trick is to gather the information and then look at it in an organized fashion. To find out more, give us a call at (310) 453-6556, ext. 3 or write us at dana@lighthouseconsulting.com.
As consultants trained in psychology, this is something we help our clients create for new candidates. To help you create questions, here are some
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Return on Networking – the ROI of Social Media By Marsha Friedman I was never a fan of the cocktail party-variety networking scene. I will never be one to dart around a room shoving business cards into people's hands. I prefer meaningful conversations with people, getting to know them and vice versa. But social media networking? That's something different altogether. Done right, it's never a hit-and-run. Rather, it consists of building relationships over months and even years by sharing information – both professional and personal – through posts, comments and responding to questions in various online communities. That's the return on investment, the ROI, for putting that kind of time into social media? Actually, it's called the RON – the "return on networking." And for me, it's huge. I've been on Facebook for five years; I also have Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn accounts, among others. All totaled, I'm now approaching 100,000 friends, followers and connections. Those followers expose my name and message to their audiences every time they "like" one of my posts or share one of my links. Recently, someone retweeted something I'd shared on Twitter – he had 130,000 followers! That's a potential audience of 130,000 people I likely would have never reached otherwise.
great way to get your name out while also building credibility. The next thing he said came as a complete surprise. "So, then I contacted the corporate office (of the department store chain) and asked what PR agency they would recommend." And they recommended me and my company! I don't know a soul in the corporate offices of that highend retail chain. I can only guess they learned of me through social media. Just being on Twitter or Google+ isn't enough, of course. You have to make a diligent effort to regularly post content that people find valuable, including links to informative articles, tips relevant to your topic, and/or informed insights on topics in the news. You also have to "be a human," as our lead social media
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Talk about exposure! Who knows how many of those people may someday become my clients? Who cares? I'll still consider the exposure a good return on networking. Here's why. The RON of social media isn't always tangible, not immediately, anyway. By establishing a continued presence online through regularly sharing content of use to my followers, I'm building my platform and my reputation as an expert. That grows in surprising ways – and it lives in surprising places. A recent case in point: Late last year, I got a call from a prominent New York City hair stylist, the director of a salon in one of that city's premier department stores. He wanted to talk about some publicity needs and what my company could do to help him. When I asked how he got my name, he explained he'd written some books over the years with a co-author, and she'd heard me at a speaking engagement. Well, that made sense. Speaking at conferences is still a
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Return on Networking– the ROI of Social Media CONTINUE FROM: strategist, Jeni Hinojosa, likes to say. She and our other social media producers encourage clients to send photos when they go on vacation, celebrate milestones or engage in hobbies. Posting those photos with a comment adds a personal touch that allows followers to connect on a more emotional level. Our social media producers also make sure clients' personalities shine in their posts, showing their sense of humor and letting followers in on the other things they care about, whether it's victims of a natural disaster or a favorite charity. Interaction is equally important. Strive to respond to every comment or question posted on your networking sites. Interacting is engaging, and people who are engaged tend to be happy followers. The more you take part in conversations via comments and responses, the more lively and visible your presence becomes. The RON includes increased traffic to your website; increased trust in your brand and what you're selling; and greater word of mouth than you could ever hope for by attending a cocktail party or even a speaking engagement. About Marsha Friedman ​Marsha Friedman is a 23-year veteran of the public relations industry. She is the CEO of EMSI Public Relations (www.emsincorporated.com), a national firm that provides PR strategy and publicity services to corporations, entertainers, authors and professional firms. Marsha is the author of Celebritize Yourself and she can also be heard weekly on her Blog Talk Radio Show, EMSI's PR Insider every Thursday at 3:00 PM EST. Follow her on Twitter: @marshafriedman.
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BIG Convention is Almost Sold Out!
What is developing as a premiere insurance industry gathering, the BIG Convention is two months away. If you haven't marked your calendar yet, you are going to miss out on what will be the most talked about event of the year. Slated for May 2-4 at the Riverside Convention Center, the first day is BIG Education Day with seminars and continuing education taking place all morning (9:00am to 12:30pm). After a quick lunch-on-your-own, the 100+ booth BIG Trade Expo opens at 1:30pm and stays open for business until 6:00pm. After that, you are free to (re)connect with old and new friends while you explore Riverside's historic Mission District. On Saturday, enjoy a full day (10:00am-12:30pm / 2:00pm – 5:00pm) of the BIG Trade Expo and check out all the business opportunities available. There will be carriers, GAs, vendors, and services providers ready with products and services designed to bring you to another professional level. Be sure to bring plenty of agency information and ideas on how your new partnerships will benefit all. The midday break will take place at 12:30pm to 2:00pm when the BIG Luncheon will be held. Take the time to network and talk about your convention experience so far. The afternoon will feature speakers from across the industry spectrum discussing issues that impact your business. After the BIG Trade Expo closes its doors at 5:00pm, you'll have just enough time to change into your evening attire and attend the BIGGIE Awards Ceremony and Dance Party. The BIGGIE Awards honors various individuals and companies who have demonstrated dedication and support to the insurance industry that is second to none. You'll want to be on hand to congratulate the winners, and then let loose for a BIG celebration! This just in: Following the BIGGIE Awards, attendees will be able to catch the Floyd Mayweather / Marcos Maidana brawl courtesy of BIG!
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The convention will wrap up on Sunday with a light breakfast and a Legal and Technology Update starting at 9:30am. You'll want to stay to learn which insurance legislation is poised to affect your business and what technological advances are on the horizon. BIG is pleased to welcome Biju Kulathakal, co-creator of GetAMovie (now RedBox), as speaker. He is a venture partner at OCA Ventures, a venture capital firm that focuses on technology investing as well as founder & chairman of Trading Block Holdings Inc., an online trading and investing company. Kulathakal is also founder and president of Vidya Foundation which gives high school scholarships to children in developing countries. Remember that the $80 discounted registration ends on April 1st. After that, it goes up to $120. Also, anyone who is planning on staying over in Riverside needs to book their room(s) now. Hotel discounts have been arranged at the Mission Inn and the Marriott Riverside Convention Center, but the room blocks are filling fast. Visit the BIG Independent Group website at www.biginsusa.com for details and registration information.
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