Insight October 2015 by Big I Illinois

insight October 2015

2015-2016 IIA of IL President

Cindy Jackman +

Remembering

Dennis Garrett

Introducing the IIA of IL

Board of Directors

insight

contents Editor & Advertising - Deann French | Graphic Design - Rachel Romines

the journal of the independent insurance agents of illinois

October 2015

features

8 Five "Musts" for Insurance Agents Trying to Reach Millenials by Brent Kelly

15 Customer Information You Need to Build Super-Strong Relationships by John Chapin

18 Secrecy in the Age of Social Media by James Pooley

24 IIA of IL President Cindy Jackman 32 2015-2016 IIA of IL Board of Directors 40 Don't End Up in Hot Water Because of Water and Sewer Backup by Amy Grabinski

42 Tribute to Dennis Garrett

departments

5 Trusted Choice 21

e-Insight

42 News

Young Agents Associate IIA of IL People

48 Classifieds The mission of the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of Illinois) is working in the public’s best interest, through active member participation; to be an unrelenting advocate for independent insurance agents and to fulfill the educational, political, and business needs of its members.

Insight is the official publication of the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of Illinois). The magazine is published monthly for the members of the IIA of Illinois, with the office located at 4360 Wabash Avenue, Springfield, Illinois 62711-7009; Consumer Website: www.ChooseIndependent.com. The IIA of Illinois welcomes letters discussing concerns of the insurance industry, articles, editorials, other matters of interest to the membership. The editor reserves the right to edit and select submissions for publication. Address submissions for review to: Editor and send to the address listed above.

2009 • 2010 • 2011 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015

info@iiaofil.org | www.iiaofil.org | (800) 628-6436 or (217) 793-6660 | Fax: (217) 793-6744

advertisers Board of Directors Executive Committee Chairman of the Board Todd C. Henricks (217) 763-4001 - todd@chinsagency.com President Cindy K. Jackman, CIC, CISR (618) 457-0471 - cindy@ciains.net President-Elect Rick Sutton (309) 692-8544 - ricks@interstaterisk.com Vice President Ryan Hite (309) 688-7316 - ryan.hite@eaglerockins.com Secretary/Treasurer Bennie Jones (312) 960-6200 - bjones@rmsoa.com IIABA State National Director Gregory A. Sandrock, CIC, AFIS (815) 438-3923 - sanins@essex1.com

Regional Directors Region 1 Allyson Hearring-Padilla (618) 393-2195 - allyson@blanksinsurance.com Region 2 Bill Wirth (618) 939-6368 - billw@ipmwaterloo.com Region 3 Jay Peterson (217) 935-6605 - jay@petersoninsuranceciag.com Region 4 Darlene McGehee, CIC (815) 432-2404 - dmcgehee@iroquoisins.com Region 5 Patrick Taphorn (309) 347-2177 - ptaphorn@unland.com Region 6 Rob Messer (815) 459-3300 - rmesser@marketfinancialgrp.com Region 7 Michael-Charles Hilson (708) 333-3378 - mhilson@gbgins.com Region 8 Gerald K. Harris, CIC (312) 831-4650 - geraldharris@insurancessystems.com Region 9 Thomas Evans, Jr. (630) 544-3762 - tevans@esserhayes.com Region 10 Kevin Lesch (630) 830-3232 - klesch@bigonline.net At-Large Director George Daly (708) 845-3311 - george.daly@thehortongroup.com At-Large Director Patrick Muldowney (312) 595-7192 - pmuldowney@mesirowfinancial.com At-Large Director Ken Samson (847) 291-0660 - kens@dascoins.com At-Large Director Thomas J. Walsh, CPCU, CIC, AAI (630) 737-0300 - tjw@twgroupinc.com

AAA

ABRC

Applied Underwriters

OBC

Berkshire Hathaway Guard Ins. Group

Burns & Wilcox

Chicagoland SIA

EMC

FCCI

Forreston Mutual Insurance Co.

IPRF

Keystone

Madison Mutual

MetLife Auto & Home

Pekin Insurance

IBC

Progressive

RCIS

Risk Innovations

SPRISKA

Standard Mutual

The Hanover Insurance Group

IFC

The IMT Group

W.A. Schickedanz

West Bend Mutual

Committee Chairs Agency/Company Relations Timothy Nicoud, Jr. (217) 546-6900 - tim_jr@nicoudinsurance.com Budget & Finance Bennie Jones (312) 960-6200 - bjones@rmsoa.com Education Lindsey Polzin (630) 655-9112 - lindseypolzin@skklinc.com Government Relations William Lawrence (309) 827-0007 - blawrence@plrinsurance.com Planning & Coordination Bill Kelso (217) 753-2500 - bill.kelso@spriska.com Trusted Choice Keith Verisario (847) 699-4040 - kmv@allsecurity.com Young Agents Adam Hackman (630) 513-6600, ext. 5881 - adamh@winesergi.com InsurPAC Matthew Langlois (815) 485-2106 - matt@langloisinsurance.com IIAPAC George Daly (708) 845-3311 - george.daly@thehortongroup.com

IIA of Illinois Staff

Education Director Shannon Churchill - ext. 3004 - schurchill@iiaofil.org Communications Assistant Kirsten Davis - ext. 3023 - kdavis@iiaofil.org Vice President of Communications Deann French - ext. 3022 - dfrench@iiaofil.org Products & Services Administrator Melissa Hilgendorf - ext. 3012 - mhilgendorf.indep12@insuremail.net Education Coordinator Tami Hubbell - ext. 3016 - thubbell@iiaofil.org Executive Assistant/Office Manager Jennifer Jacobs - ext. 3013 - jjacobs@iiaofil.org Chief Financial Officer Mark Kuchar - ext. 3015 - mkuchar@iiaofil.org Chief Executive Officer Phil Lackman - ext. 3005 - plackman@iiaofil.org

Central/Southern Marketing Representative Lori Mahorney - (217) 415-7550 - lmahorney@iiaofil.org Chicagoland Marketing Representative Rafael NuĂąez, Jr. - (312) 330-2008 - rnunez@iiaofil.org Digital Communications/Web Administrator Rachel Romines - ext. 3024 - rromines@iiaofil.org Director of Membership Services Tom Ross - ext. 3003 - tross@iiaofil.org Bookkeeper Debbie Trudeau - ext. 3006 - dtrudeau@iiaofil.org Products & Services Administrator Janet White - ext. 3010 - jwhite.indep12@insuremail.net Sr. Products & Services Administrator Carol Wilson, CPIA - ext. 3011 - cwilson.indep12@insuremail.net

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P R O U D L Y

S E R V I N G

T H E

P U B L I C

S E C T O R

Thank you to all who supported the Trusted Choice Team at the Walk for Wishes events.

Donations will be taken through October 20 at http://tinyurl.com/pk2ncz5. insight

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SIMPLE SOLUTIONS TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN CUSTOMERS. Karen Bailo GM, Agency Sales and Distribution

Stop by booth #501 to learn more and have your picture taken with Flo. Learn how Progressive leads the independent agent market in awareness, consideration, savings, and customer service*. To view our product offerings and to become a Progressive appointed agent, visit ProgressiveAgent.com.

Proud Diamond Sponsor of the IIA of Illinois.

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“Musts” for Insura

Trying to R

When I say the word millennial what words come to your mind?

Millennials simply don’t relate to most forms of traditional advertising like previous generations.

I recently spoke to a group of business owners and asked them the same question. As expected, the answers I received were varied.

In general, Millennials don’t… • Read newspapers • Watch television commercials • Answer telemarketing calls • Like any form of interruption • Care about your sales pitch

I heard “entitled,” but I also heard the word “driven.” I heard “poor social skills,” but I also heard “connected.” The term millennial is often overused and typically misunderstood. This is a huge and diverse group that’s well educated and even better connected. Understanding this generation is no longer optional. For your insurance business to survive long-term, you must find ways to attract, sell, and wow millennials. Before I provide specific ways to market and sell to millennials, let me provide some background. Millennials are those born in the early 1980’s to the late 1990’s. That means, that as of 2015, most millennials fall into the 18-34 age demographic. Millennials have never known a world when they haven’t been connected through technology. Let’s talk numbers on millennials. There are an estimated 75,000,000 millennials. In fact, by 2025, they will account for 75% of the global market. These numbers can’t be overlooked. A recent study found the following trends on millennial habits. • 65% of millennial said losing their phone or computer would have a greater impact than losing their car • 63% of millennials stay in touch with their favorite brands through social media • 84% say that word of mouth is their primary influencer when making a buying decision • 41% said they have made a recent purchase using their smartphones in the past month • It is estimated that millennials will spend $2,450,000,000 this year and by 2018 they will spend $3,400,000,000 (those are trillions!) • Each day more than 10,000 millennials turn 21. Yes, these numbers are important because of the sheer volume of this generation (larger than the baby boomers), but they are equally important because of how millennials buy things. 8

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However, millennials do like to share great experiences with others using technology.

So what does all of this mean to you the insurance agency owner? You no longer control the message!

So the question is, how do you market and sell to the largest and most connected demographic in history? First you must understand the trends and tendencies. Next, you must be open minded. Finally, you must realize that every generation brings a fresh set of ideas, skill set, and perspective. Although you may not understand or agree with everything, you must be adaptable. Here are five ways you can better position your agency to market and sell to millennials. 1. Your Message Must be Trustworthy and Authentic. The number one trait that millennials loathe is inauthenticity. Authenticity cannot be faked...ever. As I stated earlier, millennials are the most educated generation in history. They do not want to be pandered to, they want to be engaged. If you try to manipulate them or bend the truth, you will likely lose their trust forever. Moreover, inaccuracies can no longer be blown off. Instead, inaccuracies are blown up. Did I mentioned that millennials are extremely well connected? Instead of complaining to a friend over coffee, reports of foul play are now shared on social media and through mass text. Trust has never been given and will always be earned. Millennials take this a step further as they can fact check and share complaints in seconds.

rance Agents Reach

Millennials

By Brent Kelly

It’s vital that you and your team develop and maintain a message of authenticity. Acknowledging you can’t do something and delivering a sincere apology will go much further than promising something you can’t deliver.

anywhere at anytime. You must be visible and available 24/7. Your website, blog, and social media presence is your digital storefront. What does it say about your agency? What is the first impression a millennial will have when finding you online?

2. You Must be Able to Leverage Technology and Create a Digital Presence First of all, I didn’t say “understand and implement technology,” I said “leverage technology.” There is a huge difference.

Fair or not, millennials will move on quickly if they can’t find what they are looking for or even if they are simply unimpressed with what they see about you online.

The point is that you don’t know how it all works, you just need to understand who it works for. Millennials have never known a world without the internet. Yes, there have been enormous strides in internet speed, delivery, and social tools like Facebook in recent years, but this has always been a connected generation through technology. More importantly, millennials (and for that matter all generations) are now connected wherever they go. You can update, text, tweet, or maybe even actually call from

3. You Must Provide Value That’s Useful to Them This is really true of any generation, but millennials are known as the “Me generation” for a reason. Too often insurance agencies market themselves in terms of their perceived value. I hear messages online and offline such as, “We are an independent insurance agency,” “We have been in business since 1957,” “We provide great customer service.”

continued...

While all of that may be true, none of it says anything to a consumer, especially a millennial consumer. To reach millennials you must find ways to share how you solve specific problems, present new ideas, and share new information. You must be able to give away some of your “insurance secrets.” You no longer hold all the cards. Information is readily available and if you don’t provide it, someone else will. Providing value in terms of them builds trust, credibility, and likability. Just because you “give away” some of your hard earned knowledge doesn’t mean they will use you and go somewhere else. Sure, some will, but most will lean on your for advice through the buying process. 4. You Must Build Personal Relationships After all this talk of technology, developing personal relationships may seem counterintuitive. Because millennials are connected by technology inundated with marketing messages constantly, you must find a way to reach them through all the noise. To do this, you must create a message or messages with specific focus. Who are you trying to reach? What do they want? How can you help them? What problems can you solve? I have always maintained the adage that “If you market to everyone, you market to no one.” This is especially true of millennials. The only way to cut through the noise and distractions millennials face is to address them at a personal and emotional level. Becoming a masterful storyteller is one of the most important skills you can develop. Not everyone will like or resonate with your story, but remember, you can’t reach everyone. The key is to connect with those that relate and you serve best. Facts and figures are forgotten, but a great story is retold forever. Millennials can share your story over and over. What’s your story?

5. You Must Stand for Something Other Than Just Profit As Simon Sinek wrote in his book, “Start with Why,” “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” Millennials want to know why you are passionate about your industry, your community, and those you serve.

What are your core values? What is your business providing your community, your region, your state, your country, the world? Millennials long to be part of something, not just buy something. If your value proposition only discusses competitive pricing and quality coverages, millennials will not buy in. Describe outcomes, not features. If you can successfully demonstrate how your business serves its prospects, customers, and business community, the profit will take care of itself. The Bottom Line No generation should be stereotyped with a broad brush. However, every generation grew up in a unique economic, social, and technological era. Whether you are a millennial, gen-Xer like me, or baby boomer who is unsure of how to adapt to this new generation, one thing is certain. The size and power of the millennials can’t be overlooked. Millennials will be the driving force in our economy over the next 50 years. You must find ways to understand the tendencies of millennials to not only grow your business, but to survive. Brent Kelly is the CEO of BizzGrizz. BizzGrizz helps insurance agents utilize effective marketing and selling strategies for today’s insurance consumer. Learn more and connect with Brent at www.bizzgrizz.com or www.brentmkelly.com.

The term millennial is often overused and typically misunderstood. This is a huge and diverse group that’s well educated and even better connected. 10

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Customer Information

You Need to Build Super-Strong Relationships

By John Chapin

In a recent article I mentioned that any time the subject of relationships comes up and I ask how important they are in the overall sales and business process, I usually get the answer that they are the most important part. I think we all know that the more a prospect or customer likes us, the more likely they are to do business with us regardless of most other factors and in fact, a prospect will buy a higher-priced, inferior product from someone they like versus someone they don’t.

Here is an outline of the information you’re looking for: 1. Name: 2. Title: 3. Company: 4. Address:

Make no mistake, building solid relationships takes time, effort, energy, and money and that’s precisely why most people continue to cop out with price and other excuses when they lose a sale as opposed to building the relationships necessary to retain customers and get new ones. That said, if you do decide you’d like to do the hard work upfront in order to hang on to customers long-term, this article will give you the information to gather and use with each customer.

5. Phone number:

You won’t gather and use this information on all your customers. Ideally you’ll be doing this to build relationships with the top 20% of customers that give you 80% of your business. In addition, you will be gathering and using this information on other good customers such as those giving you the most referrals. The goal is to reach out to these customers 14-18 times per year with a variety of methods, such as: birthday, holiday, and anniversary cards, thank-you notes, in-person calls, phone calls, e-mail (assuming they have agreed to be on your e-mail list), regular mail in which you can send hard-copy newsletters, gifts, and other items of interest, and via customer appreciation events.

10. Birth date: (month and day)

While it’s not likely that you’ll get all this information from everyone, the more information you have about each customer and the better you know them, the better your relationship will most likely be. Specifically, you want to know about your best customers’ family, their hobbies and interests, and their history.

6. Fax number: 7. Cell phone number: 8. Home phone number: 9. E-mail address:

11. Where they live now: 12. Where they grew up: 13. Where they went to school (high school, college, other): a) What degrees they have: b) If college, what was their major: 14. Activities they were involved in growing up (sports, clubs, student government, fraternities, sororities, etc.): 15. Military service, and at what level: 16. What, if anything, do you know about their political or religious beliefs: 17. What subjects do they like to talk about and what, if any, subjects should you avoid: 18. Where they were employed previously: 19. What activities are they involved in now (sports, clubs, groups, trade associations, travel, hobbies): 19a. What is their level of involvement and proficiency (are they on a board of directors, are they an instructor, scratch golfer, etc.): continued...

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20. Are they related or connected to anyone else you know (someone’s sister, cousin, close friend, etc.): 21. What do they consider their most significant accomplishment(s): 22. Do they plan on retiring some day, and what would they like to do: 23. Where they vacation also, where would they like to vacation: 24. Married, single, divorced: a) If married now, how long: b) Anniversary date: c) spouse’s name and birthday: d) spouse’s occupation: e) spouse’s interests:

Ultimately you are looking to make customers both loyal customers as well as good friends.

25. Children: a) Names, ages, and birthdays: b) Are they involved in any activities, and what are they: 26. Other information you’ve gathered on the customer. Examples: • Have they had knee surgery? • Do they have diabetes? • Did they go to an Aerosmith concert last year? • Have they climbed Mt. Fuji? • Have they run the Boston Marathon? • Do they have a famous uncle, aunt, cousin, etc.? • Is their son the wrestling champion in the state of Iowa? 27. Did they give you some information on family members that doesn’t fall into the categories listed above? 28. What other personal information will help you understand and relate better with your customer? Once you have this information, again, use it. Ultimately you are looking to make customers both loyal customers as well as good friends. The more of this information you have, and the more you use it, the less likely it is that someone will leave you or buy from someone else. John Chapin is a sales and motivational speaker and trainer with over 26 years of sales experience. He is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales Encyclopedia. He can be reached at johnchapin@completeselling.com.

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october 2015

Secrecy in the Age

Six Ways to Keep Trade Secrets an

You can be sure that most of your employees are active on social media. For younger ones, in fact, Facebooking, Instagramming, and Tweeting are as natural as breathing. But suppose an employee shared pictures of your product prototype? Posted a draft patent application your company was about to file? Messaged a Dropbox link with confidential information (even if only to a fellow employee) over an insecure connection? Crowdsourced a question about a sensitive issue she was handling for a customer? Do scenarios like these keep you up at night? They should. Social media and the “sharing” culture it has sparked are very real threats to your organization. The Internet-which spawned social media-has changed the way we work and communicate. That change has profound implications for a trade secret system that relies largely on human trust. I’m not saying openness is inherently bad. Obviously, a certain amount is needed if we’re to collaborate for innovation. Yet there’s a dark side to the comfort level that’s evolved around all this sharing. Companies need to acknowledge the risks of social media and work to prevent leaks by improving their employees’ knowledge and good judgment. Having recently completed a five-year term as deputy director general at the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, where I was responsible for management of the international patent system (PCT), I am very familiar with the fields of intellectual property, trade secrets, and data security. My new book Secrets, which thoroughly explains how to recognize and mitigate the risk of information loss in today’s electronic business landscape, is a must-have guide for executives and managers, knowledge workers, consultants, security professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, lawyers, and accountants—anyone and everyone who works with information. Here, I share six tips to help you keep your company’s sensitive information off social media feeds: UNDERSTAND THAT YOU’RE ASKING EMPLOYEES TO GO AGAINST THEIR “DIGITAL INSTINCTS.” By their very nature, social media platforms encourage users to publicly disclose the minutiae of their lives (usually the more, the better). The so-called Facebook generation is conditioned to casually communicate, swapping files and using the Cloud to store and access photos, music, and more. They are experts at revealing a lot using only 140 characters. Making sure that social media doesn’t become a hole through which your company’s secrets leak is an especially challenging 18

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task because you’re essentially asking employees to check their habits at the door. They’ll need to learn to operate based on a different set of standards that often contradict how they deal with information in their private lives. PUT SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES IN WRITING. Don’t assume that a few informal warnings and cautionary tales will keep all your employees from tweeting and posting what they shouldn’t. If your company already has general policies about the disclosure of information assets, make sure they become part of the official set of rules that govern employees’ use of social media. These policies will reinforce the need to keep personal and work issues separated and not to post about what is going on inside the company. Larger companies need to have these policies reviewed by legal counsel, since typically broad confidentiality restrictions can violate labor laws that guarantee employees the right to discuss their working conditions. Additionally, companies need to decide if social media business contacts belong to them or to their staff. According to recent court decisions, if this isn’t clearly specified in the company’s policies, those contacts and the social media account itself can be claimed by the employee when he leaves. TRAIN, TRAIN, AND THEN TRAIN SOME MORE. In many organizations, after initial orientation, data protection policies are left on the shelf and more or less ignored. That’s dangerous, because staff can easily forget about the rules or lose respect for the dangers of noncompliance. Meanwhile, they may be working on collaborative projects, examining acquisition possibilities, receiving development proposals, and more. All of these situations can lead to personal social media connections, where you will be relying on the knowledge and good judgment of your employees to control risks. You can mitigate much of this risk by creating a quality training program that engages your employees as part of the security defense team. They’ll make fewer mistakes themselves on social media (and elsewhere), and they’ll also be on the lookout for the mistakes of others. Keep

ge of Social Media

and Sensitive Company Info Offline

By James Pooley in mind that the best training is continuous, careful, upbeat, and professional, and does not rely on threats. And be sure to include everyone—not just key knowledge workers—in social media security training. That includes contractors, temporary employees, and interns. KNOW WHICH DEVICES MIGHT REPRESENT A RISK. The growing popularity of “BYOD” policies means that many of your employees may well be storing sensitive information on the same laptops, smartphones, and tablets they use to scroll through status updates in the evenings. That’s cause for concern, because cyberthieves can gain access to these devices’ contents and your company’s systems through relatively easy to-hack social media accounts and apps. In addition to establishing clear policies on social media use and providing continuing training, consider technical mitigation measures. Mobile device management (MDM) tools can remotely configure devices, monitor what’s on them, and even erase their data if lost. MDM techniques can also include encryption for data stored on or communicated from the device. TEACH EMPLOYEES TO SPOT SOCIAL MEDIA SCAMS. In addition to using MDM tools, training employees on methods that information thieves often use can help them avoid falling prey to traps on social media. For instance, social media profiles give hackers a lot of information that they can use to compose realistic-looking, customized email phishing messages.

But beyond that, websites themselves can be used directly to fool people into joining a fake group, survey, or event, sometimes using a money coupon as a lure. Other traps involve fake “like” buttons, browser extensions offered for download, or compelling offers designed to make the viewer want to share them with friends. All of these social network scams are grounded on the idea that we are all so used to rapidly connecting, sharing, and exposing that we’ll do it more or less automatically with anything that looks attractive. Teaching employees to think twice before clicking can help secrets stay secret. BE AWARE OF YOUR OFFICIAL SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE. While you may not be able to fully control what your employees post on their personal social media accounts, you can certainly keep a close eye on official company Twitter, Facebook, and other social media pages. Have a safety net of trusted employees monitoring and maintaining your company’s presence on social media to stop potentially revealing posts from ever reaching the public eye. Also, regularly change passwords to lock out account thieves who may have successfully procured your company’s login information. Social networking has become a fixture of modern personal and professional life, so embrace its many benefits. Just be aware of the security concerns social media represent and proactively work to prevent breaches, whether they come from employee use or official company activity. James Pooley is the author of “Secrets: Managing Information Assets in the Age of Cyberespionage.” He provides international strategic and management advice in patent and trade secret matters, performs pre-litigation investigation and analysis, and consults on information security programs. He recently completed a five-year term as deputy director general at the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, where he was responsible for management of the international patent system.

Openness is not inherently bad, in fact a certain amount is needed if we’re to collaborate for innovation. Yet there’s a dark side to the comfort level that’s evolved around all this sharing. insight

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Cindy

2015-20

Jackman

"If you believe in something, go for it, never give up. Hard work does create results. Be kind, even when you don’t feel kind. People might not remember what you said, what you did, but they will remember how you treated them." CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR INDUCTION AS PRESIDENT OF THE IIA OF IL. TELL US HOW YOU FIRST GOT INVOLVED WITH THE IIA OF IL?

Thank you! I was taking CISR classes in Southern Illinois taught by Dennis Garrett in the late eighties/ early nineties. Dennis called me one day and said “I have the perfect fit for you – you need to be on the IIA of IL Young Agent’s Committee.” That was it. I’ve been involved with the Association in one way or another since then. I always credited and thanked Dennis for getting me involved.

YOUR PRESIDENCY MARKS THE SECOND TIME THE IIA OF IL HAS HAD A FEMALE PRESIDENT. DO YOU FEEL ANY EXTRA BURDEN OF THIS LEGACY? Extra burden, certainly not – I consider it a privilege and honor to serve as the Association President in a male dominant profession.

FAMILY IS A HUGE PRIORITY IN YOUR LIFE. TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.

My priorities in life are my faith, family and career. I am so very proud of my family. Jon and I are blessed with an amazing blended family of five children and five grandchildren, all of which live within 10 miles of us. My Dad still lives in the area as well. We both coached our kids in numerous little league sports, followed them all over the tri-state area with their traveling teams and most recently all over the country with my daughter’s college soccer career. We are fortunate to get to spend our summer weekends on the lake, take annual Colorado snow ski trips, attend Sunday morning church services and enjoy many nights at the ball park/soccer field/gymnasium with family. One thing Jon and I will never regret is the time we spent with our kids growing up.

My priorities in life are... My Faith. My Family. My Career.

2016 IIA of Illinois President

WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK OF YOUR PRESIDENCY?

They are proud, but I’m not sure they can see the whole picture just yet. All they know is I travel a lot – southern Illinois is a long way from most of the state. I think they will understand a little better when they attend convention and see me in my element.

WHO OR WHAT LED YOU TO CHOOSE A CAREER IN INSURANCE? My Dad. Believe it or not, when I was answering the home phone at age 12 taking messages for the caller’s “insurance agent” on a Saturday afternoon, the last career I wanted to be in was insurance! My Dad worked for a direct writer for some

time, but most of my years growing up he owned an independent agency (my mom did CSR work), and was the Western States Insurance Company Marketing Representative for the southern third of Illinois. His career allowed him to service people, which he enjoyed and allowed him the time management to attend almost every one of my sporting events – of which there were many. My Dad helped arrange my first job in an independent agency in 1984.

WHAT PROFESSION OTHER THAN INSURANCE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY?

Professional musician or professional golfer. I lack the talent to actually pull either of these off, but it sure would be nice to create an income from something I love to do, other than insurance of course.

WHAT LESSONS FROM YOUR PERSONAL LIFE HAVE YOU INCORPORATED INTO YOUR BUSINESS CAREER?

If you believe in something, go for it, never give up. Hard work does create results. Be kind, even when you don’t feel kind. People might not remember what you said, what you did, but they will remember how you treated them.

WE ALL KNOW THE INDUSTRY HAS FACED MANY CHANGES. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY HAS MOST IMPACTED YOUR BUSINESS, BOTH POSITIVELY AND NEGATIVELY, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS?

My job is all about relationships. You must have a good product to present, but establishing and maintaining the trust from your client is the key to success. I’ve seen many ups and downs, hard market/ soft market over the last 31 years. It’s easy to service during the good times, but the challenging times prompt you to sharpen your blade and make you the best insurance counselor for your client.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS SOME OF THE MAJOR INDUSTRY ISSUES IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE? - The lack of talent available to replace the retiring baby boomers. We need to attract younger, skilled workers to the industry to perpetuate the independent agency system.

- Competing with the direct writers to increase our personal lines/small business market share. There are some great things happening with TrustedChoice.com – we need to keep the momentum going and promote our online presence as one united group of agencies – the Trusted Choice.

I consider it a privilege and honor to ser

Department of Insurance strong and let them know we are a resource for them.

HOW HAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE IIA OF IL IMPACTED YOU BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY?

My best friends, even to this day, I met through the insurance industry. The direction, support and encouragement from IIA of IL through education, advocacy, networking, etc. have been huge professional benefits over the years. As I have stated many times since my first IIA of IL board meeting six years ago – I have never been at a board table with more knowledgeable, selfless, talented people than those on the board of directors of IIA of IL. I have learned a lot not only about the industry, but also how to overcome challenges and work together for a common goal.

IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE KEY BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP WITH THE IIA OF IL? Educational opportunities, Advocacy, Networking, Company Relations, keeping up-to-date with all areas of the industry with the communications... I could go on and on. Our Association is looked upon by other states as one of the best in country. We have so many quality benefits for our members and are always looking for ways to improve and/or offer more.

LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD FIVE, TEN YEARS, WHAT WHAT GOAL(S) DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR OTHER ISSUES DO YOU SEE INDEPENDENT AGENTS PRESIDENTIAL YEAR? FACING? There are a couple of items on the agenda:

We can’t lose sight of our unique ability to truly work for the client – the beauty of an independent agent is we are not “chained” 1. The primary goal is to educate the agents and companies on or “tied” to any one company. We have the ability to counsel our InVEST. We have a product/service for our agents, companies client and truly offer the best solution for their individual needs. and our industry that is a win/win for all. The baby boomers We may not always be the lowest price for coverage, but we don’t are ready to retire and we have a lack of skilled workers pride ourselves on that – we pride ourselves on our relationship available for the industry. Our National Association has and ability to counsel the insured to provide security of their assets. created the tools to get the younger generation excited about insurance and keep the independent agency structure alive.

WHAT ABOUT ISSUES THE IIA OF IL WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS?

2. We are going to look at our “local” structure and see how we There are three main issues that I forsee: can support and assist the locals in a uniform manner that will 1. Mergers & Acquisitions of independent agencies in the state not only allow them to survive, but thrive, in our busy society. will increase. We need to continue to offer the great services & products to create and improve our relationships with the 3. We will continue our work on creating a process of locating acquirers in Illinois. Working together will create benefits for all and training future leaders for our Association. members. 2. We need to continue to reach out to members in all corners of the state. The Association has so much to offer I don’t want any agency to miss out on the opportunity to be involved or take advantage of the products & services offered.

DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL MOTTO OR CREED BY WHICH YOU LIVE? I have two: Live Simply, Care Deeply, Love Generously. Treat others as you would want them to treat you.

3. We had a great meeting with the newly appointed Director of Insurance recently. We need to keep the relationship with the

continued...

serve as the Association President in a male dominant profession. insight

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WHAT IS ONE FACT ABOUT YOU THAT PEOPLE WOULD FIND SURPRISING?

That I’m a Cubs fan from Southern Illinois. I'm just kidding, if you know me you know I’m a Cubs fan.

FINALLY, WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE YOU HOPE IIA OF IL MEMBERS TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR PRESIDENCY?

University of Illinois Men's Basketball Coach Jon Groce was a featured guest speaker a couple of years ago at Convention. He stated he expects the “ICUP” values in his players - Integrity, Commitment, Unity and Passion. That really stuck with me. I hope the members will see our Association holds those values through my service as President.

1. Cindy, Coach Jon Groce 4. Cindy, Jon and their exte Mike Beard and Dave Mille 9. IIA of IL delegates with C

3 28

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roce & Jon; 2. Cindy & Jon at an IIA of IL Convention Party; 3. Southern IL Miners baseball event; extended family on a ski vacation; 5. Jon, Kristin, Cindy & Troy; 6. Cindy & Jon with former board members Miller; 7. 2015 Big "I" National Legisltive Conference; 8. A blended marriage; Cubs & Cardinals; ith Congressman John Shimkus in Washington, D.C.

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ÂŽ

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2015-2016 IIA of IL 32

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Chairman of the Board TODD HENRICKS

Chapman-Henricks Ins. Agency, Inc. 103 S. Jackson, Cerro Gordo, IL 61818-0110 Phone: 217-763-4001 Email: todd@chinsagency.com

Vice-President Ryan Hite

Eagle Rock Insurance Services 7800 N. Sommer St. Suite 204, Peoria, IL 61615 Phone: 309-688-7316 Email: ryan.hite@eaglerockins.com

President

President-Elect

Cynthia K. Jackman

Rick Sutton

Secretary/Treasurer

State National Director

Bennie Jones

Gregory A. Sandrock

Consolidated Insurance Agency, Inc. 312 E. Main St., Carbondale, IL 62901-3010 Phone: 618-457-0471 Email: cindy@ciains.net

Risk Management Solutions of America, Inc. 309 W. Washington St. Ste. 200, Chicago, IL 60606 Phone: 312-960-6200 Email: bjones@rmsoa.com

Interstate Risk Placement, Inc. 7320 N. Villa Lake Dr., Peoria, IL 61612-3765 Phone: 309-692-8544 Email: ricks@was-irp.com

Cornerstone Agency, Inc. 107 S. Main St., Tampico, IL 61283-7766 Phone: 815-438-3923 Email: gregsandrock@2cornerstone.com

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Region 1 Director

Region 2 Director

Allyson Padilla

William Wirth

Region 5 Director

Region 6 Director

Patrick Taphorn

Robert Messer

Blank's Insurance Agency 515 S. Whittle Ave., Olney, IL 62450-2264 Phone: 618-393-2195 Email: allyson@blanksinsurance.com

James Unland & Co, Inc. 2211 Broadway St., Pekin, IL 61554-3945 Phone: 309-347-2177 Email: ptaphorn@unland.com 34

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Insurance Planning & Management of Waterloo 119 E. Mill St., Waterloo, IL 62298-0323 Phone: 618-939-6368 Email: ipm@htc.net

Market Financial Group, Ltd. 210 Commerce Dr., Crystal Lake, IL 60014-3549 Phone: 815-459-3300 Email: rmesser@marketfinancialgrp.com

Region 3 Director

Region 4 Director

Jay Peterson

Darlene McGehee

Region 7 Director

Region 8 Director

Michael-Charles Hilson

Gerald K. Harris

Peterson Insurance Services, Inc. 117 W. Main St., Clinton, IL 61727-0377 Phone: 217-935-6605 Email: jay@petersoninsuranceciag.com

(*) G.B.G., Inc. 40 W. 162nd St., South Holland, IL 60473-2061 Phone: 708-333-3378 Email: mhilson@gbgins.com

Iroquois Insurance Agency P.O. Box 220, Watseka, IL 60970-0220 Phone: 815-432-2404 Email: dmcgehee@iroquoisins.com

Insurance Support Systems, Inc. 6962 West North Ave., Chicago, IL 60707-4414 Phone: 312-831-4650 Email: geraldharris@insurancessystems.com insight

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Region 9 Director

Region 10 Director

Thomas Evans, Jr.

Kevin Lesch

Esser/Hayes Ins. Group, Inc. 1811 High Grove Ln, Ste. 139, Naperville, IL 60540 Phone: 630-544-3762 Email: tevans@esserhayes.com

Bartlett Insurance Group, LLC 804 W. Bartlett Rd., Bartlett, IL 60103-4402 Phone: 630-830-3232 Email: klesch@bigonline.net

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will study and get ready, and perhaps my chance will come.â&#x20AC;? Abraham Lincoln

Standard Mutual Insurance Company Springfield, Illinois 217-546-2894 www.standardmutual.com 36

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Join our team today. Your chance has come.

At-Large Board Member/IIAPAC

At-Large Board Member

George Daly

Patrick Muldowney

At-Large Board Member

Ken Samson

Thomas Walsh, Jr.

The Horton Group, Inc. 10320 Orland Pkwy, Orland Park, IL 60467-5658 Phone: 708-845-3311 Email: george.daly@thehortongroup.com

Dasco Insurance Agency, Inc. 628 Academy Dr., Northbrook, IL 60062-2421 Phone: 847-291-0660 Email: kens@dascoins.com

Mesirow Insurance Services, Inc. 353 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60654 Phone: 312-595-7192 Email: pmuldowney@mesirowfinancial.com

TW Group, Inc. 850 N. Cass Ave., Westmont, IL 60559-1394 Phone: 630-737-0300, ext. 1000 Email: tjw@twgroupinc.com insight

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Agent/Company Chair

Education Chair

Timothy J. Nicoud, Jr.

Lindsey Polzin

Trusted Choice Chair

Young Agents Chair

Keith Verisario

Adam Hackman

Nicoud Insurance 4481 Ash Grove, Ste. B, Springfield, IL 62711 Phone: 217-546-6900 Email: tim_jr@nicoudinsurance.com

All Security Insurance Agency 1000 E. Warrenville Rd., Ste 101, Naperville, IL 60563 Phone: 847-699-4040 Email: kmv@allsecurity.com 38

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Stewart-Keator-Kessberger-Lederer 361 S. Frontage Rd., Ste. 105, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 Phone: 630-655-9112 Email: lindseypolzin@skklinc.com

Wine Sergi & Co, LLC 1000 E. Warrenville Rd., Ste 101, Naperville, IL 60563 Phone: 630-513-6600, Ext. 5881 Email: adamh@winesergi.com

Government Relations Chair

Planning & Coordination Chair

William C. Lawrence

William Kelso

InsurPAC Chair

AIS President

Matthew Langlois

Julie Hearring

P/L/R Insurance Services, Inc. 103 W. Pearl St., Tremont, IL 61568-1088 Phone: 309-827-0007 Email: blawrence@plrinsurance.com

Langlois Insurance Agency 200 W. Maple, New Lenox, IL 60451-1742 Phone: 815-485-2106 Email: matt@langloisinsurance.com

Specialty Risk of America 401 Fayette Ave., Springfield, IL 62704-2788 Phone: 217-753-2500 Email: bill.kelso@spriska.com

Blank's Insurance Agency 515 S. Whittle Ave., Olney, IL 62450-2264 Phone: 618-393-2195 Email: julie@blanksinsurance.com insight

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Don’t End Up

In Hot Water

Because of Water and Sewer

Back-Up

How often does the average person truly think about insurance? Probably seldom. In most cases, the premium is paid and the policy is then filed away. That’s why it’s crucial at the time of application to educate your customers about typical exclusions as well as endorsements available to adequately protect their property. One of the most beneficial conversations to have is to recommend that your clients add the water and sewer backup endorsement to their homeowners policy. It is often overlooked, but will provide considerable peace of mind to your clients.

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By Amy Grabinski

It’s a small price to pay, literally. The premium could be as little as pennies a day. However, the expense of an uncovered water claim could be thousands of dollars, along with the embarrassment advising a client he or she does not have coverage for a finished basement damaged by a water back-up loss.

Prevent a “Sticky Situation” To avoid a potential errors & omissions claim, discuss and offer the water and sewer back-up endorsement to all of your clients on their homeowners policies. Here are practical tips to remember to help prevent a “sticky situation”: • Everyone at the agency must be aware of the water exclusion on a typical homeowners policy and inform the client. • Recommend adding the water and sewer back-up endorsement on all homeowners policies. • Provide a copy of the endorsement to read during the application process. Seeing it in black and white drives home the necessity of having it on the policy. • Get a rejection in writing. A checklist requiring the client to initial rejected optional coverages is helpful in the event of a future dispute. • Provide clients with a clear understanding of a water and sewer back-up claim and what the endorsement covers (as opposed to a flood claim). When the policy is issued, send a cover letter with it reminding your client to review the declaration pages and to read the policy, endorsements and exclusions to be certain what he or she expected to be covered actually is covered. AIC, SCLA Senior Errors & Omissions Claim Specialist Utica National Amy Grabinski, AIC, SCLA is senior Errors & Omissions specialist for Utica National.

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Dennis W. Garrett, CIC

IIA of Illinois Executive Vice President February 3, 1948 - September 5, 2015 Dennis Garrett, Executive Vice president of the IIA of IL, died Saturday, Sept. 5 in Springfield after complications from surgery. For the last 25 years Dennis had served the IIA of IL in a variety of capacities. He was looking forward to his retirement which was set to begin Oct. 1. Dennis began his career in the insurance industry in 1970 immediately following his graduation from Millikin University. He started as a claims representative with the Aetna Life & Casualty where he remained until 1975 when he purchased ownership in an independent insurance agency in his hometown of Taylorville. His responsibilities included production of all lines of property/casualty and life/health insurance as well as management of the agency specializing in fertilizer dealers and trucking insurance. During this time Dennis became active in insurance education for the IIA of IL. In January 1990, he sold his interest in the insurance agency and joined the IIA of IL as a full time insurance educator. In 1991 he was promoted to Vice President of Marketing & Membership. In 1995 he became Executive Vice President of Agents Insurance Service, the profit corporation of the IIA of IL. He was also a favorite instructor, teaching CISR, E&O, Ethics and a variety of industry related courses. Dennis was a graduate of several insurance schools including the Aetna Life & Casualty Home Office Training School. He is a National Certified Errors & Omissions Instructor. In 1994, he earned his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation. In 1979 Dennis received the Aetna Life Distinguished Achievement Award and followed that up the next year by being named the Illinois General Agents and Managers Agent of the Year. Additionally, Dennis authored several manuals and articles on insurance and insurance agency operations, as well as conducted seminars for insurance agencies and companies throughout the United States. He has also served as a consultant in agency acquisitions and mergers, producer development, and agency operations and as an expert witness in several legal cases involving statutory violations as well as industry standards. Dennis was a devoted family man who enjoyed spending time with his wife Jayne, three children, Kristen, Nate and Megan and five beloved grandchildren. The Staff and Board of Directors of the IIA of IL thank Dennis for his years of service, dedication, off-color jokes and most of all friendship. 42

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Dennis Garrett was one of the longest tenured employees in the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history. He was responsible for many of the significant achievements the association experienced during the past 25 years. Dennis began his service with IIA of IL in a teaching capacity and took on more and more responsibilities. At the end of his career he was the Executive Vice President, responsible for our E&O program and membership. He continued to teach, researched issues and answered dozens of member questions every week. We relied on Dennis to answer most of the tough questions we received. He understood agency compliance with the Insurance Code and regulations and was the states foremost authority on E&O coverage. He was on the road several days a week visiting agencies and companies. During his tenure and travels, he developed a network of close relationships with independent agents throughout Illinois, company staff, Department of Insurance staff, attorneys, and staff from the IIABA and state associations throughout the country. If Dennis didn't know or couldn't find an answer, then the question had not been asked before. I had the honor of working with Dennis for over 20 years. He was a great husband, father, member of his community and church. He was my coworker, but more importantly, he was my friend. Dennis taught me a lot about our industry. Through the years we worked closely on a number of issues with the Department of Insurance and the General Assembly. The only thing I couldn't teach Dennis was political correctnessâ&#x20AC;Ś but that's because we operated in two different environments! Godspeed, my friend. The impact you made and the legacy you left throughout your life and career will be realized for many years.

Phil Lackman

Illinois Young Agents Hold Another Successful Event

Thank You

In an effort to show gratitude and to thank the many companies that support Illinois Young Agents, the Young Agents Committee held a Company Appreciation Day at the Races on Friday, August 28 at Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights. There were over 75 company representatives and agents in attendance at this free event which included food, drinks and racing guide. Though the forecast predicted sprinkles all afternoon, the event stayed dry for attendees to enjoy the horse racing and networking. The Young Agents Committee held a silent auction during the event, auctioning items such as Chicago Bears & Blackhawks tickets, weekend getaways, First Pitch at a St. Louis Cardinals game, a wine basket and Arlington International Racecourse Executive Box Seats for one day in 2016. JC Restoration also held a raffle for a $100 Visa Gift Card. With the raffle & silent auction, the Young Agents were able to raise over $1,600 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Thank you to everyone that attended and participated in the auction & raffle.

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Thank You

IIA of IL Associate Members

Diamond Level

Platinum Level

Standard Mutual Insurance Company Gold Level Silver Level AAA Insurance Arlington/Roe & Company, Inc. Blue Cross/Blue Shield of IL

Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company Rockford Mutual Insurance Co. The IMT Group West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. Bronze Level

A.J. Wayne & Associates AMERISAFE Auto-Owners Insurance Co. Bailey Special Risks, Inc. Berkshire Hathaway Guard Insurance Companies Burns & Wilcox, Ltd. Donald Gaddis Company, Inc. Employers Encompass Insurance Erie Insurance Group Farmers Mutual Hail Ins. Co. Foremost Insurance Group Forreston Mutual Insurance Company Grange Mutual Casualty Company Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund Illinois Public Risk Fund Interstate Risk Placement IPMG Iowa Mutual Insurance Co. J. C. Restoration J M Wilson 44

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Keystone Insurers Group, Inc. Liberty Mutual Madison Mutual Insurance Company Maximum Ind. Brokerage, LLC Mercury Insurance Company of IL MetLife Auto & Home Nationwide ProAg QBE Americas, Inc. Risk Innovations Safeco Insurance Selective Insurance Company of America Society Insurance Specialty Risk of America Surplus Line Association of Illinois Transcom General Agency Travelers United Fire Group Utica National Insurance Group W.A. Schickedanz Agency, Inc. Western National Insurance Westfield Insurance Company

iia of illinois news

education classes/important dates october

november

CISR - Personal Residential Pekin

Errors & Omissions Rolling Meadows

Ethics Springfield

CIC - Commercial Casualty Springfield

Errors & Omissions Springfield

Ethics Edwardsville

CISR - Commercial Property Rolling Meadows

CISR - Dynamics of Service Rolling Meadows

CISR - Dynamics of Service Springfield

CISR - Personal Lines Misc. Springfield

new members Member Agency

Ken Robinson & Associates, Ltd. Chicago, IL

Associate Copper Level Live Oak Bank Wilmington, NC

For information regarding IIA of Illinois membership or company sponsorship, contact Deann French, VP Communications, at (217) 321-3022.

REMINDER

Convention Education 12 Hours CE Available October 13-15 Springfield

Online Educational Opportunities IIA of IL Webinars ABEN Webcasting Insurance Community Center www.iiaofil.org

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Thank You

to the 2015 IIA of IL Convention Ambassadors

Debbie Bracy

Darlene McGehee

Matt Cooper

Dick McMurray

Mike Donahue

Jose Melendez

Tom Evans Jr.

James Mickley

Abby George

Brenda Niederbrach

Bill Ghent, Jr

Karl Riehn

Keith Guccione

Bill Ryan

Bart Hartauer

Wil Salvador

Michael-Charles Hilson

Jim Stevens

John Immordino

Lindsay Williams

Linda Knight

Bill Wirth

Brad Leonard

Rebecca Woan

F.P. Bracy & Sons Insurance Service, Herrin

Iroquois Insurance Agency, Watseka

Inner-City Underwriting Agency, Inc., Chicago

BH&M, Inc. dba Brown Hobbs McMurray, Urbana

Thornton Powell, Oak Forest

Melendez Insurance Group, Chicago

Esser/Hayes Ins. Group, Inc., Naperville

Hanford Insurance Agency, Inc., Geneseo

W. A. Schickedanz Agency, Inc., Belleville

Arlington/Roe & Co., Inc., Geneva

Bill Ghent, Inc., Harrisburg

Riehn Insurance, Chicago

ICW Group Insurance Companies, Springfield

Stoutenborough Insurance Agency, Maroa

Hartauer Insurance Agency, La Salle

Salvador Insurance Agency, Inc., Chicago

G.B.G., Inc., South Holland

West Bend Mutual Insurance Co., Carbondale

Arlington/Roe & Co., Inc., Indianapolis

J C Restoration, Rolling Meadows

Burns & Wilcox, Ltd., Saint Louis

Insurance Planning & Management of Waterloo, Inc., Waterloo

Nicoud Insurance, Springfield

Active insurance Agency, Inc., Chicago

ARE YOU totally

WORRY FREE? WWW.IMTINS.COM

West Des Moines, ioWA • 800.274.3531 • WWW.iMtins.coM

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people in the news In Memoriam Gary Lee Ludwig died Sept. 2, at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. He was a graduate of Armstrong High School and held two degrees from the University of Illinois. Ludwig served as 1st lieutenant in the U.S. Army in Thailand during the Vietnam Conflict and always remained proud of his military service.

Susan Hopkins, 59, died July 27 in Park Ridge, IL. Hopkins

In 1971, he embarked on an insurance career in Vermilion County that spanned over 40 years. He owned Heartland Insurance Agency in Danville and was frequently recognized among professional organizations for service to his customers.

The Board of Directors and staff of the IIA of Il extend their sincere condolences to the family and friends of Susan Hopkins.

was a senior underwriter at Westport for 32 years.

She is survived by her mother and father, Robert and Elvie and her sister, Linda Paul.

Ludwig was a member of the Danville Jaycees, Oakwood United Methodist Church and the Oakwood High School Booster Club. He served on the board of many civic organizations, Farmhouse International Foundation Board, Downtown Danville Inc., Vermilion Advantage, Danville Library Foundation, Danville YMCA and the Independent Insurance Agents of Vermilion County. He was a charter member of the Oakwood Men's Club and served on the board of the United Community Bank in Oakwood. He was the adviser to the Illinois Chapter of Farmhouse Fraternity and was a member of the Vermilion County Board. Ludwig is survived by his beloved wife of 49 years, Brenda; his daughter, Amy (Patrick) Rouse and four grandsons, sister, Anne Luedke, brother, Gene Ludwig, and son-inlaw, Chad Sprague, also survive. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Lee Ann Sprague, and his two brothers, Jack and Jake Ludwig. Memorial contributions be made to the Oakwood Youth Ball League Account at First Farmers Bank and Trust or to Oakwood United Methodist Church. The staff and Board of Directors of the IIA of IL extend their heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of Gary Ludwig.

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classifieds 66. Agency Wanted. Central Illinois

Agency looking for merger opportunities. Agency is strong in companies, technologies and sales force. Looking for same. Agency is NOT for sale at this time but is a great opportunity for future acquisition. Not interested in cluster. All discussion will be strictly confidential. Contact: dfrench@iiaofil.org Reference #PA66

02. Agency/Agents/Producers

Wanted. Forest Park/Oak Park agency

for over 55 years, will meet your needs by providing space, markets, marketing & sales support, automation, merging with or purchasing your agency. Perpetuation/ Succession Plans, Buy-Sell Agreements also available. We have experienced, educated and dedicated staff for you and your clients. Have access to our numerous companies, office services and many other resources. Retain ownership in your book with contingency. Please look closely at us- we are an agency you want to do business with! Visit our website at forestagency.com/agents.html, or call for a confidential discussion and a list of Agency benefits: Dan Browne or Cathy Hall Forest Agency (708) 383-9000 dbrowne@forestagency.com

49. Position Available. Licensed

Insurance Producer wanted for growing Westchester Agency. Experienced and dedicated support staff. Retained ownership in your business with highly attractive commissions on new and renewal business. We have strong relationships with our company partners to ensure your success. Contact: Randy Scheive Paczolt Insurance Alliance One Westbrook Corp Ctr. Suite 330 Westchester, IL 60154 (708) 215-5200

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for the insurance professional by the insurance professional

13. Opportunities/Space

Available/Retain Ownership.

We are a 100 year old Northbrook agency looking to discuss any mutually beneficial opportunity. Our producers, mergers, clusters and agency purchases receive 50% commissions on new and renewal business without any expenses. We can provide: office space, phones, agency management system, service renewals and changes. The companies we represent are: Badger Mutual, Employers Mutual, General Casualty, Guide One, Hartford, Kemper, Progressive, Rockford Mutual, Safeco, State Auto, Travelers and Met Life. Contact: Nancy Solomon Martini, Miller & Schloss, Inc. (847) 291-1313 Ron@martini-miller.com

20. Agency Wanted. Since 2004,

Central Illinois Agents Group LLC has been providing independent agents with a variety of markets with contingency opportunities. Agents have availability to several markets that they may not be able to sustain or maintain on their own. We have markets for personal, commercial, agricultural and crop insurance lines. Let us help you get to the next level. Visit www.ciagonline.com for contact information.

62. Position Available. Are you

a producer with or without an agency looking for a home in the Chicago western suburbs? I have an agency in LaGrange, IL and would like two producers to work leads in the Chicago market. We have several markets, sales support, and automation to help you sell and retain your business. This is a commission, plus draw, with expenses to the right producer. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pass up this opportunity. Contact: Guy E. Vorsanger Willow Insurance Services, Inc. 913 W. Hillgrove Ave. La Grange, IL 60525 (708) 215-5300

ONE DECISION MADE EASY IN A COMPLEX BUSINESS WORLD

Your business clients make hard decisions every day, but now you can make selecting the right insurance coverage easy with a Pekin Insurance® Commercial policy that is specifically designed for preferred property risks.

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Expect big things in workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; compensation. Expect to save a third of your clients 30% or more. Most classes approved, nationwide. For information call (877) 234-4450 or visit auw.com/us.

ÂŠ2015 Applied Underwriters, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best. Insurance plans protected U.S. Patent No. 7,908,157.