June Louisiana Agent

LOUISIANA AGENTJUNE 2019

A publication of the: Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana

A publication of the Independent InsuranceAgents & Brokers of Louisiana

True to our roots and our theme, Big I attendees proudly wore purple, gold and green beads with the Big I Louisiana logo.

IIABL President Johnny Beckmann, III with

2019—2020 IIABL Officers

Joey O’Connor IIABL President O’Connor Insurance Group Metairie

Brenda Case IIABL President-Elect Lowry, Dunham, Case & Vivien Slidell

Assured Partners in New Orleans welcomed attendees at the Opening Session on Monday and introduced the IIABL Officers

The new officers & board of directors where sworn in by IIABL Past President Joseph O’Connor.

Donelson Stiel IIABL Secretary/Treasurer Stiel Insurance Group Franklin

Lee Schilling State National Director Schilling & Reid Insurance Amite

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Special recognition was give to IIABL staff member Karen Kuylen for 25 years of service.

Karen is the Director of Accounting for IIABL.

Accounting is not the highest profile job at IIABL, but it is obviously very important. What most of us don’t appreciate about Karen Kuylen’ s work is that she actually has to keep three separate sets of books. Karen manages the finances of the non-profit association, separate finances for our for-profit subsidiary the Independent Agents Service Corporation, and then she has to combine those two sets of accounts into a consolidated financial statement. In addition, Karen Kuylen manages the finances of the New Orleans and Baton Rouge local associations and the ethics reporting for our IIABL-PAC and political activities.

We are very grateful to Karen Kuylen for her 25 years of dedicated service

IIABL President Johnny Beckmann presents IIABL Director of Account Karen Kuylen this beautiful blue heron Audubon print in recognition of her 25 years of service.

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11 Critical Grilling Safety Tips For Your Summer Barbecues

With July 4th right around the corner, outdoor barbecues are sure to be a popular item on the agenda.

Before lighting up the grill this summer, take note of a few critical grilling safety tips to keep people and property safe from the dangerous fire hazards that come with outdoor grilling.

From 2013-2017, grills, hibachis and barbecues were involved in 10,200 home fires per year. These fires were responsible for at least 10 deaths, 160 reported injuries, and $123 million in property damage. July (17%) is the peak month for grill fires, followed by June (14%), May (13%) and August (12%), according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

To stay safe this summer, check out 11 grilling safety tips provided by the NFPA.

1) The first thing to know about grilling is that propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors.

4) Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grills.

5) Never leave your grill unattended.

6) Always make sure your as grill lid is open before lighting it.

7) There are several ways to get the charcoal ready to use. Charcoal chimney starters allow you to start the charcoal using newspaper as a fuel.

8) If you use a starter fluid, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to the fire.

9) Keep charcoal fluid out of the reach of children and away from heat sources.

10) There are also electric charcoal starters, which do not use fire. Be sure to use an extension cord for outdoor use.

11) When you are finished grilling, let the coals completely cook before disposing in a metal container.

2) The grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.

3) Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area.

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IIABL is working for YOU!

Our partnership with Trusted Choice (R) helps your agency write more business. Over the past few years, we’ve seen steady improvement in the TrustedChoice.com platform, and we think it is time for our members to embrace the concept.

TrustedChoice.com has published over 90 testimonials from members across the country that describe how agents are generating positive returns on their investment in a premium listing.

It Works

One of the primary reasons that we decided to partner with Trusted Choice is that we continue to hear how it is working for our members.

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