October 2018 e-Insight by Big I Illinois

THE FUTURE IS UNPREDICTABLE. OUR SERVICE NEVER IS. At Grinnell Mutual, we’ll be there for your customers when misfortune strikes. They put their trust in you. You can place yours in us. Trust in Tomorrow.® Talk to us today. AUTO | HOME | FARM | BUSINESS

grinnellmutual.com “Trust in Tomorrow.” and “Grinnell Mutual” are registered trademarks of Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company. © Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, 2018.

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

the journal of trusted choice independent insurance agents of illinois

October 2018

CONTENTS 10

Are Your Salespeople Happy Just Getting By? By John Chapin

Build vs. Buy - Organic Growth in a Rising Rate Environment By David W. Tralka

Getting the Fish on the Line By John Graham Specialty Can Grow Your Agency By Tom Messina

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Cover photo by: Paladino Photography www.paladinophotography.com

Patrick Muldowney - 2018-2019 IIA of IL President

2018-2019 IIA of IL Board of Directors

9 Trusted Choice

In This Issue

44 45 50

7 46 48

IIA of Illinois News Classifieds

25 e-Insight

Regular Features Associate News

Message From the CEO Industry News People in the News

INSIGHT

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 dfrench@iiaofil.org.

2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017

info@iiaofil.org | www.iiaofil.org | (800) 628-6436 or (217) 793-6660 | Fax: (217) 793-6744 The Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of IL) has been providing members with a sustainable competitive advantage since 1899.

ADVERTISERS

Board of Directors Executive Committee

32 41 46 12 52 51 16 33 41 47 6 24

AAA ABRC AMERISAFE AMTRUST APPLIED UNDERWRITERS ARLINGTON/ROE ASNOA AUTO OWNERS BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY GUARD INS. GROUP DONALD GADDIS COMPANY EBRM ENVISION HEALTHCARE

43 2 40 49 13 5 38 8 48 42 20 20 17 16 36

FCCI GRINNELL MUTUAL INDIANA FARMERS INSURANCE ASSOCIATES OF AMERICA IPMG IPRF KEYSTONE METLIFE AUTO & HOME PUROCLEAN SCU CHICAGO SOCIETY THE IMT GROUP TRANSCOM GENERAL WA SCHICKEDANZ/INTERSTATE RISK PLACEMENT WEST BEND MUTUAL

IIA of Illinois Staff Education Director, CRM Manager Shannon Churchill - (217) 321-3004 - schurchill@iiaofil.org Vice President of Communications Deann French - (217) 321-3022 - dfrench@iiaofil.org Products & Services Administrator Melissa Hilgendorf, CIC, CISR - (217) 321-3012 - mhilgendorf.indep12@insuremail.net Accounting & Admin Services, Tradeshow Admin Tami Hubbell - (217) 321-3016 - thubbell@iiaofil.org Director of Human Resources/Board Admin Jennifer Jacobs - (217) 321-3013 - jjacobs@iiaofil.org Sr. Vice President/Chief Financial Officer Mark Kuchar - (217) 321-3015 - mkuchar@iiaofil.org Chief Executive Officer Phil Lackman - (217) 321-3005 - plackman@iiaofil.org

Central/Southern Marketing Representative Lori Mahorney - (217) 415-7550 - lmahorney@iiaofil.org Vice President, Agents Insurance Services Brian McSherry, CIC - (217) 321-3018 - bmcsherry@iiaofil.org Office Administrator Kristi Osmond - (217) 321-3007 - kosmond@iiaofil.org Digital Communications/Web Administrator Rachel Romines - (217) 321-3024 - rromines@iiaofil.org Director of Membership Services Tom Ross, CRIS, CPIA - (217) 321-3003 - tross@iiaofil.org Communications Assistant Tyler Scott - (217) 321-3023 - tscott@iiaofil.org Products & Services Administrator Janet White, CISR - (217) 321-3010 - jwhite.indep12@insuremail.net Sr. Products & Services Administrator Carol Wilson, CPIA - (217) 321-3011 - cwilson.indep12@insuremail.net

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MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

Phil Lackman - IIA of Illinois CEO - (217) 321-3005 - plackman@iiaofil.org

As this goes to press, the IIA of IL will be hosting CONVO 2018. This is where we connect all things in the independent agent distribution system. CONVO represents the best opportunity to update your agency on the many changes in our industry, educate your staff with the best sessions and celebrate the many achievements of our association. The future of the independent agency distribution system is incredibly positive, just witness the moves by Nationwide, American Family and other companies who are shedding the captive model and joining the IA system. With this move comes increased market share. While the IA channel faces challenges from the direct and digital channels and younger generations who prefer to do their consumerism online, we have the perfectly positioned response in TrustedChocie.com. Your association is led by an incredible group of volunteers, the 24 women and men who serve as your Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Committee Chairs and Task Force Leaders. These individuals are working in conjunction with your talented and tireless staff members to proactively write the roadmap to the future. During the past year outgoing President, Ryan Hite, challenged all us to reexamine what we are doing and continually pushed us to ask the “Why?” I am particularly proud of and excited by our Young Agents Committee who have swept IIABA awards in recent years and our Education Committee which has led the way with designation programs, online learning and will soon be unveiling our own Pre-Licensing program to start new producers off on the best path for licensure and a successful career. The past year has witnessed many achievements: The proposed merger of the IIA of IL with the Independent Farm Insurance Agents of Illinois (IFIAI). Pending approval at our Annual Business meeting during CONVO, the IFIAI will now be known as the Farm Agents Council, a division of IIA of IL. Our advocacy program has never been stronger, changing Illinois law to now allow webinars to satisfy the Ethics classroom requirement. We filed (and paid for) an Amicus Brief in the American Family vs Krop case which imperils the two most important legal protections for producers: the two-year statute of limitations and the Insurance Placement Liability Act. The Illinois Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case this month.

Incoming President, Pat Muldowney, will focus on the roll-out of new programs and services which will further enhance the value of membership. Moving forward, your association will be unveiling a new Legal Services Hotline on January 1, which will provide free legal advice to all member agencies and your national association. The IIABA, will have a new online Talent Recruitment and Development program, Big “I” Hires, to assist members hiring and HR needs. Additionally, we are working with several other IA state associations, IA Action Partners, to roll out Market Access program and a Data Project to develop data and benchmarks for member agencies to develop and grow their businesses. Challenges, oh yes, we have those. Significant M&A activity has impacted our bottom line and the board and staff have responded by streamlining the board functions, as well as association operations and expenses. We currently have fourteen full-time and two-part time staff. M&A is also directly related to the biggest concern we hear from our company partners, perpetuation. The number of Alliances/Aggregators continue to increase and, of course, the states continued economic and political dysfunction impact all of us. Illinois is an incredibly diverse state with the third largest metropolitan area in the country, combined with one of the largest agricultural economies in the world. We are still a manufacturing state with a burgeoning high-tech sector. Our membership represents the economic diversity in the lines of insurance they sell and markets they represent. We are fortunate that our Board reflects the diversity within our membership. Outgoing President, Ryan Hite, owns a mid-sized agency in Peoria. Incoming President, Pat Muldowney, is with Alliant Insurance Services in Chicago. Bill Wirth, President-Elect, is from Waterloo in Monroe County and our Vice President, George Daly, is with The Horton Group in Orland Park. The biggest challenge we ALL face is time. Technology has led to an incredible increase in productivity, but it has also placed so much more on each of our plates and created a culture of immediate response and sometimes unrealistic expectations. I encourage all of our members to continue to use your membership. Let us know the biggest challenges you are up against, so we can best serve you. As I stated a little over three years ago when I took over as CEO, WE ARE LISTENING.

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october 2018

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Agents Helping Agents IIABA continues to provide assistance to Big I member agencies, their families, their customers and their communities following natural disasters. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Trusted Choice Disaster Relief Fund to help members and those during their greatest time of need. Make a donation to help all the communities being impacted by Hurricane Florence.

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insight

Are Your Salespeople

HAPPY

Just Getting By?

By John Chapin

Here’s the scenario: You’ve just hired a new sales rep. He seemed perfect. He did great on the sales personality test, he had all the right answers, and everyone liked him. He told you he’d be the hardest worker in the office. Two weeks in you notice he’s a few minutes late half the time, leaves promptly at 5, is sitting in the office instead of out making calls, and he works no nights or weekends. What happened to your future #1 sales rep? Another example: You run an insurance agency and you have an agent who builds a book of business to the point where they’re making a decent living. Next thing you know, they’re spending most of their time in the office servicing their accounts and their new business dwindles to pretty much zero. Of course the first remedy to either of the above is to directly address the issue. Let the person know what you’ve observed and have a conversation about it. What are your concerns, what would you like to see instead, and how can you two collaborate to make it happen? If they don’t change, what are the potential ramifications or consequences? While you want to try to encourage people and do everything you can to positively get them on track, if those don’t work, you’re going to have to resort to less pleasant alternatives. Among those are: let them go, change their role (expectations) along with their income, or come up with another exit plan. All of that said, below are six steps to help you avoid the two scenarios above.

Six Steps to Keeping People on Track Step #1: Know the “why.” In the above situations, you most likely have a comfort zone/motivation issue. The key is to know up front what will motivate your people to sell and make a lot of money. For new-hires it might be a new house or car, paying off student debt, traveling, or getting married. Later in their career it may be paying for college educations, weddings, leaving a legacy, retiring on time, or as one person said to me, paying $110,000 for the experimental cancer treatment to save his wife. As we get older the “why” changes. Stay on top of it throughout a salesperson’s career. Know what the why is so you can push that motivation button when people start to get comfortable. If in the interview process you find out the kid still lives at home and only needs beer money, they may not be motivated. If the insurance agent’s kids are out of school and married, and he has some decent savings, the money motivator may be gone. Facilitated Introspection and other similar questioning methods, can be extremely effective for helping people find their why and get back on track. Step #2: Set the expectations. Let people know what’s expected of them. Salespeople, producers, agents, or whatever you call them in your organization, are getting paid to sell and bring in new business. This goes for new-hires as well as veterans. In addition to having sales goals, new-hires should also have activity goals. For example: make 50 in-person cold calls per week, go to four networking events per month, and learn all sales scripts in the first 30 days. In addition, they should have a set of rules to follow. Example: be at the office by 7:30 a.m. Monday to Friday, be out of the office making calls from at least 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and work at least three nights a week, most Saturdays, and perhaps even some Sundays, your first three years in the business.

Culture begins with leadership. You must SET THE TONE of a professional, positive workplace in which everyone is held to the HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL and ETHICAL STANDARDS.

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Once you’ve set the expectations, watch people. Do they show up early and stay late? Are they working nights and weekends? Do they have a good attitude and get along well with others? Do they have a good work ethic? Can you take them at their word? Veterans may not need rules and activities, but if you notice their production starting to drop off as with the insurance agent, you might want to consider some. Step #3: Hold people accountable. Now that you’ve set the expectations, you have to hold people to them. The biggest issue I see in the workplace by far is a lack of accountability. People who aren’t doing their job will get away with what you let them get away with. Also, what you put up with you tacitly condone and get more of. The fastest way to drop production and morale is to have people in the workplace who aren’t pulling their weight and no one calls them out on it. It’s okay for someone to have a bad day, week, or even month, but if it’s not addressed it will get worse and hurt everyone all the way around. Step #4: Provide the right environment. Related to the above, people are products of their environment. If you bring the right person (positive attitude, hard worker, and more than capable of doing the job) into an environment in which people are negative and aren’t held accountable, guess what happens? That person will either become just like the other negative slackers, or leave. Culture begins with leadership. You must set the tone of a professional, positive workplace in which october 2018

everyone is held to the highest professional and ethical standards. This means respect for all, honesty, integrity, showing up on time, and working until the job is done. A great culture also includes no negativity, gossiping, or anything similar. Any of the above must be called out and addressed immediately. Step #5: Refuse to settle for less or drop your standards. Stop trying to justify why you should keep someone around who isn’t doing their job. While you think you’re saving your part of the world by keeping this underperformer around, you’re actually hurting them, you, everyone else in the company, and ultimately your customers. You’re only as strong as your weakest link. No one is “entitled” to get paid for a job they’re not doing thus setting a bad example for everyone else. Step #6: Change things up. If you find yourself in the second paragraph of this article, in other words, you have a salesperson who was doing well and now that they’re comfortable, they’ve stopped producing, after addressing the issue directly, the next step is to change the rules of the game. This is usually done by restructuring their payment plan along with instilling penalties or changing incentives. 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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september 2018

Build vs. Buy

Organic Growth in a Rising Rate Environment By David W. Tralka

InsurBanc’s David Tralka’s discusses organic vs. inorganic growth and which option is better for growing your agency. With interest rates rising again, agency owners need to take a look at all of their options, whether that is investing in producers and technology or acquiring a new book of business or agency. Both investing in your agency, and building your agency organically offer many rewards, but what plan makes sense for your agency in this rising interest rate environment? Now that interest rates are rising again, it’s time to reexamine whether buying an insurance agency is the smart choice for growth or whether building an agency makes more sense. While lots of factors come into play when agents want to start their own agency or an owner wants to expand, it generally comes down to three questions: 1. How much time do you have to grow your business? 2. How much sweat equity are you willing to put in? 3. What is your exit strategy when you’re ready to retire?

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For nearly a decade, we had some of the lowest interest rates in modern history. Money was cheap, and it made sense to finance a merger or acquisition by borrowing. The cost of borrowing used to be around 5 percent (prime plus 1-2 percent), but as prime moves closer to its historical average of 7 percent, your borrowing costs could jump up to 9 percent. This leads me to my first point: How much time do you have to grow your business? Assuming you’re not in a rush to acquire an agency or new book of business, organic growth may be your best bet. Organic growth is the value you create when you invest in your own agency. Inorganic growth occurs when you purchase another agency or a book of business. With inorganic growth, you earn a return on your investment, but you carry the expense of the capital to acquire it. Organic growth has the best return because you’re not borrowing money and tying up your capital. As interest rates rise, organic growth becomes more attractive. Organic growth takes time and discipline.

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You grow organically by investing in marketing and advertising, your producers and your staff. You also create value by watching your expenses and being smart in how you generate income. Agencies that are willing to invest back in the business will be more attractive to a buyer. Those are the agencies that will have more options to grow, increase value and transfer ownership. Regardless of whether you grow organically or inorganically, you need to get your house in order. Three factors to keep in mind are creating a top-notch team, updating your office management and CRM systems, and instituting financial controls. Having a stable, reliable team makes all the difference in the world. This includes your top managers, producers and customer relationship team. You can’t grow if your producers aren’t producing. You also can’t manage new accounts if you don’t have the infrastructure in place to meet your customers’ needs. Make sure you have the computer systems you need to automate and efficiently market to customers. Cash flow is important, too. Do you have strong financial controls? How well are you managing expenses? As you start to grow, there will be stress on your working capital. Don’t underestimate the cost of growth and expansion, from the cost of new equipment and software to training and marketing. At the same time, have a plan for reinvesting in your agency.

Sometimes borrowing may be to your advantage. Rather than draining your working capital, you may wish to borrow to pay for the cost of bringing on a new producer or acquiring new office equipment. Even fast-growing agencies may decide to borrow for some expenses such as buying a building versus leasing space. Finally, as agency principals approach retirement, they begin to consider ways to pass their firm on to the next generation, whether that’s family members, their partners or an outside buyer. These types of succession plans may involve borrowing. Your exit strategy will be the single most important business decision you make, save the decision to start your agency to begin with. If you’ve invested in your agency, you should have no problem selling it at an attractive price. But building your agency organically has many rewards and may make the most sense in a rising interest rate environment. David W.Tralka is the president and CEO of InsurBanc, a division of Connecticut Community Bank, N.A.

How much time do you have to grow your business? Assuming you’re not in a rush to acquire an agency or new book of business, organic growth may be your best bet.

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Getting the Fish on the Line

How to Get Prospects to Find You By John Graham The Prospecting Problem “I am looking to further my prospecting techniques,” the salesperson wrote in his email. “It seems I need to increase my ratios by the end of the quarter.” The story isn’t new. Twenty years ago, salespeople were expected to get in front of prospects. Today, those doors are sealed shut. Voice mail and email messages are ignored. If all that isn’t enough, few customers are willing to stick their neck out and make referrals. All of which makes prospecting frustrating and, unfortunately, bordering on useless. No wonder salespeople across the board plead for leads and, hoping to get lucky, keep their fingers crossed. If you’re looking for an easy, quick way to find prospects, forget it. No matter what anyone may say, it doesn’t exist.

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Nevertheless, hope springs eternal, which is why there are 17,300,000 hits in .25 seconds when you Google “prospecting in sales.” Here’s the problem: how is a salesperson to go about finding prospects who are not only interested in buying, but who are also willing to do business with someone they don’t know, let alone trust? Getting negligible results from searching for prospects takes a lot of effort - wasted effort. Salespeople are often told, “It takes 10 calls to get one appointment.” They are also told that out of 10 appointments they can expect to make one sale. That means it will take 100 actual appointments to make 10 sales. Whether you do a little better or worse, the message is clear: finding prospects who are interested and ready to buy is so inefficient it doesn’t work.

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The Prospecting Possibility It should come as no surprise why there’s so much resistance to getting out and finding new customers. Even if we know who and where the prospects are, the obstacles to access thwart our efforts. It’s time to step back and take a careful look at how selling and prospecting differ. When you think about it, they require two different types of skills: prospecting is all about getting the fish on the line and selling is getting it in the boat. In other words, successful prospecting depends on getting customers to find you. Specifically, those who to want to do business with you. If you’re thinking this takes work, you’re right. It does. But if you’re investing time and energy and not getting the results you want, that’s a lot of work, too. Besides, if prospects don’t know you and trust you, it’s easy for them to ignore you or say no. october 2018

So, why keep on doing what doesn’t work? Why not take a different approach, one that’s consistent with how prospects think and what they expect from today’s sales professionals? The task is helping prospects find you, getting them to recognize that it’s in their best interest to seek you out and learn more so they can make informed decisions. This is how savvy restaurants, businesses, insurance advisors, and real estate agents, for example, attract the customers they want. They use carefully crafted messaging, ratings and recommendations, testimonials and blog posts on social media, advertising, promotional campaigns, and, of course, word-of-mouth to attract prospects. Instead of trying to get through a prospect’s door, the job of salespeople is shaping the way prospects think about continued... insight

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them. No matter what you’re selling, it’s all about pulling prospects into your orbit so they’re “sold” even before meeting you. Four Principles That Pull Prospects To You Here are the four basic principles that attract prospects and bring prospects closer to you: 1. Never stop building your prospect and customer cultivation database and keep it up to date. Why is this so important? It’s your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow so never neglect it. Without this database, picture yourself in a darkened room with no windows or doors. 2. Develop a prospect mindset. Here’s why: less than 24% of prospects open sales emails, according to TOPCO Associates. So, if you want to engage them, it’s essential to let them know you understand their issues. They don’t care about what you sell; frankly, they tune it out. Always stay focused on what prospects want or need. 3. Share your competence. To do this, salespeople must answer one critical question that’s on every prospect’s mind: “Why should I believe you?” or to put it another way, “Why should I give you my money?” Selling is all about sharing what you know. To become customers, prospects must believe that your knowledge and experience will benefit them.

4. Cultivate prospects constantly. No salesperson is wise enough to know when a prospect is ready to buy. If you’re not top-of-mind, the chances are a competitor will get the sale. Prospects need reminding why they should do business with you. By staying in touch regularly with helpful information (not sales pitches) by email and social media, blogs, and presentations, you’re there when they have questions and are ready to buy. Staying in contact sends the message that you care enough to stay in touch. When they’re ready, the chances are they will pay you back by becoming customers. Those in sales spend considerable time talking about getting the fish in the boat, closing the sale. But something important needs to happen before that can occur and that’s getting the fish on the hook. John Graham of GrahamComm is a marketing and sales strategy consultant and business writer. He is the creator of “Magnet Marketing,” and publishes a free monthly eBulletin, “No Nonsense Marketing & Sales Ideas.” Contact him at jgraham@grahamcomm.com or johnrgraham.com.

It’s time to step back and take a careful look at how selling and prospecting differ. When you think about it, they require two different types of skills: prospecting is all about getting the fish on the line and selling is getting it in the boat.

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In garages, driveways and slips across America, sit “toys” like classic cars, watercraft, motorcycles, campers, snowmobiles, golf carts and other specialty vehicles. They represent more than hobbies - they’re passion projects for their owners. And while it may be time to put away the RV in Illinois, the purchasing cycle for and enjoyment of these “toys” lasts all year round. While the home and auto insurance markets are saturated, specialty is a great way to build a lasting connection with your clients and separate your agency from the crowd. By taking time to understand the lifestyle and dreams of your specialty clients, you deepen your relationships and uncover new ways to serve them, while generating referrals. “The independent agents of Illinois know that to succeed in our industry, it can no longer be business as usual,” says Phil Lackman, President/CEO of the IIA of IL. “With a constant barrage of new market entrants, IAs must look for ways to enhance their customer relationships and earn their status as trusted advisors – specialty lines help to accomplish those goals.”

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How A Specialty Focus Can Grow Your Agency Recently, Safeco conducted its Agent for the Future survey and asked independent agents about the trends and strategies they think will shape insurance through the year 2020. The survey revealed that increasing cross-sales is the number one way independent agents plan to grow. In addition to cross-sell opportunities, bundling specialty with other personal lines policies creates a stickier customer, since packaged business retains better than single policies. Independent agents can also provide additional value by bundling all the client’s policies with a single carrier. Yet, despite the opportunities for growth with specialty products, they are a largely underpromoted category. Here are four ways you can use specialty to help grow your business and deepen your customer relationships yearround. Become A Specialty Expert The key to becoming a specialty expert is to focus your efforts, and going with what you already know is a great place to start. Do you own rental properties? Do you boat, bike or snowmobile? If so, you have a natural place to begin. If not, follow your interests. With all the resources october 2018

Although Summer May Be Winding Down, Specialty Can Grow Your Agency Year-Round

By Tom Messina

now available online, you can become a niche expert in no time and boost your cross-sell rates and long-term sales. Plus, the ability to educate clients on better protecting their passions further sets your agency apart from the competition, while opening new avenues for growth. Get To Know Your Customers’ Interests Building strong customer relationships is essential to selling any policy, and specialty offers unique ways to connect with your customers. The trick is to speak their language. When you can talk to a customer about the hours she spent selecting just the right motorcycle, she’ll know you really “get” her. Similarly, while you are bonding over classic cars or the latest RV models with a client, you can ask deeper questions to better gauge their needs and interests. The conversation also lets you highlight your expertise, giving customers more confidence in the risk management strategies you present. Generate A Steady Source of Reliable Referrals Specialty vehicle enthusiasts tend to congregate, whether for a Saturday morning cruise-in or long motorcycle rides through the mountains. As a result, they are more likely to chat about insurance with friends with similar assets to protect - which can increase your pool of potential referrals. Focusing on specialty also lets you pinpoint your ideal customer while setting you apart. Any licensed producer can insure a standard sedan, but fewer understand the intricacies of protecting rental properties or classic cars. Focusing your acquisition efforts on specialty can lead to quality accounts that retain and outperform other customers. While your current home and auto policyholders are good places to start for specialty leads, don’t stop there. To drive referrals and establish new leads, visit local specialty vehicle dealerships, attend boat, motorcycle or classic car shows, or reach out to realtors selling rental homes.

october 2018

Cross-Sell to Improve Retention and Increase Profits Cross-selling is especially important now, as the public increasingly views an auto policy as a commodity. Focusing first on specialty increases your chances of capturing the entire account. Plus, building this side of your business can improve your bottom line by helping offset auto losses since specialty policies are typically profitable with more stable rates than auto or homeowners. Three Questions to Help You Sell Specialty Now 1. How can you help educate your customers about risk? For example, do your clients have a teen that drives or babysits other people’s children? Discuss specialty policies each time you do a risk assessment, especially at renewal time. 2. Every time you insure a truck or SUV, ask if it has a trailer hitch. If it does, they’re likely hauling something you can insure with specialty. 3. Do your clients travel for extended periods of time in their RVs? When they arrive at a destination, do they like to set up a full outdoor living space complete with outdoor furniture and a TV? If so, they may need greater coverage for personal effects. Independent Agents Put the “Special” in Specialty Independent agents are in a unique position to win with consumers - no other distribution channel offers the combination of ease, choice and advice that you do. When you demonstrate that you understand your clients’ lifestyle, priorities and passions, selling the right policies becomes easier and more profitable. In addition, taking time to become a specialty expert not only increases cross-sales within a desired demographic, it positions independent agents as trusted advisors that really care about their clients. Tom Messina is Regional General Manager, Safeco Insurance.

insight

e INSIGHT -

online journal at www.iiaofil.org/Resources/Insight

OC TO BE R 20

INSIGH T

Patrick M

2018-20

uldowne

19 II A o f IL P r e s id e n t Introduc ing New IIA of IL Build vs. Board

uy Orga in a Rnic Growth ing Envirois nmenRt ate

of Direc

tors

Riding the Wave of the Living Longer Tsunami

Get Ready to Hire Younger Older Professionals In this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s e-Insight. october 2018

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2018-2019 IIA of IL President

Patrick Muldowney

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 very much. My longtime colleague, Mike Mackey, has been involved with the IIA of IL in various capacities for many years. Mike introduced me to the IIA of IL when I first moved to the brokerage side of the insurance business almost twenty years ago and suggested that I get involved. Thankfully, my employer saw the benefit of my involvement with the association and encouraged my participation. I quickly made close friendships, and when I was asked to be on the Government Relations committee I jumped at the opportunity. I am glad that I did as it has been a wonderful experience.

What made you want to go through the Executive Committee Chairs? I chose to go through the Executive Committee chairs because I knew it would make me a better professional and a better person. The association is filled with outstanding professionals who have taught me many lessons. I am amazed at how much I have learned about the industry, and life, through my participation on Executive Committee. In addition, serving on the Executive Committee has given me an opportunity to hone my leadership skills. Best of all, serving on the Executive Committee is not boring. Through my interaction with fellow board members I have developed meaningful friendships that will last a lifetime.

What new ideas and initiatives are looking forward to setting forth? I really enjoy the legislative and regulatory work with which the IIA of IL is involved. I look forward to continuing to assist the IIA of IL in working with legislators and the Illinois Department of Insurance on issues that affect independent agents throughout the state of Illinois. I also look forward to the IIA of IL introducing valuable new member benefits in the upcoming year. We will be unveiling a new educational program in 2019. Beginning January 1, the IIA of IL will provide each member agency with a half hour free legal consultation on any number of issues impacting your agency. Our Task Force sent out an RFP to several law firms and we are finalizing the selection of the law firm as I write this article. Additionally, to complement our outstanding educational offerings, we will have our own Pre-licensing Program that will not only prepare individuals to successfully pass the licensing exam, but to have an understanding of the IA system and agency operations as well.

Tell us a little bit about how you got started in the industry. I started in the insurance industry in 1993 as a Claims Attorney for Kemper Insurance Companies, working at their headquarters in Long Grove, IL. In 2000 I transitioned to the brokerage side of the business when I was hired as a producer for a large regional broker located in Chicago. After several years in a production role, the brokerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s General Counsel moved on and I was asked to transition to a legal role. I have worked in a legal capacity for insurance brokerages ever since. My time as a producer has been invaluable in helping me understand how the legal and regulatory side of the business impacts the sales function.

What other professions have you had? Right out of law school I worked for the City of Chicago Department of Law. After that I worked for a small boutique litigation firm in Chicago for several years. In 1993 I moved to Kemper Insurance Companies as a Claims Attorney and have been working in the insurance industry ever since.

We all know the industry has faced many changes in the two decades, what do you see as some of the major industry issues in the immediate future? In the immediate future I think the primary issue that all independent producers, large and small, must address is how quickly and efficiently can they incorporate technology into their sales and backroom processes. The insurance industry is not alone in this regard. For better or worse, technology is transforming every industry. Industry publications are seemingly reporting on new transformative insurance technology startups nearly every day. The businesses that are able to successfully adapt as many forms of technology as possible to help them generate more sales and reduce more overhead will survive and

october 2018

thrive in the long term. Business that continue to operate in the analog world, utilizing outdated processes, will cease to be completive and fall by the wayside. To be successful businesses need to start adapting to technology now or they will quickly find themselves too far behind to catch up. Technology isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to replace independent agents. I believe that the human element will always be vital to the complex process of placing insurance. Nevertheless, technology will make those independent agents who use it wisely more successful.

Looking down the road five, ten years, what other issues do you see independent agents facing? I am not sure where to begin with this one. Independent agents will face a myriad of issues down the road and solutions to these problems may not be easy to come by. There are several issues that concern me a great deal. First, the population of insurance agents is aging rapidly and there is shortage of new young talent coming into the independent agent system. If these trends continue it will be a major issue for independent agents in the next five to ten years. In addition, while technology is certainly an immediate issue, as discussed above, nobody knows where it will take the industry in the future as well. Independent agents cannot be passive in terms of adapting to technology over the next five to ten years. If we do, we will be like todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taxi drivers, sitting around scratching our heads wondering how technology is pushing us toward irrelevance. Further, increased regulation in many jurisdictions is likely to be a major issue facing independent agents for years to come. Associations like the IIA of IL can help stem the tide of unnecessary and costly laws regulations, but they, unfortunately, cannot win every battle.

What about issues the IIA of IL will have to address? The number one major issue that the IIA of IL is going to have to continue to address is decreased membership caused in large part by consolidation within the industry and the unfavorable business climate that continues to exist here in the state of Illinois. I hate to sound too negative, but I do not see either of these factors abating anytime soon. Consolidation among members means there are fewer members paying dues to the IIA of IL and also fewer members buying E&O insurance through the Agents Insurance Services. The member agencies that do exist in Illinois are chasing fewer and fewer potential insureds as businesses and residents choose to relocate to states with more favorable business and tax climates. The IIA of IL will continue to work very hard to make sure it has the capabilities to meet all of the needs of its members.

continued...

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How has your involvement with the IIA of IL impacted you both personally and professionally? My involvement in volunteering with the IIA of IL has provided me with a great deal personal satisfaction. I really enjoy giving back to an industry that has provided me and my family with so much. Professionally, my involvement with the IIA of IL has brought me into direct contact with industry leaders and governmental officials that I otherwise would have never met. My overall experience with the IIA of IL has been enriching on both a personal and professional level.

In your opinion, what are the key benefits of membership with the IIA of IL? I believe the key benefits of membership in the IIA of IL are information, education/professional development and advocacy. For many years the association has been the most trusted resource for accurate and prompt information about the issues that independent producers need to know. The association continues to be the source to which members turn when they are making decisions that affect their agencies. In addition, the IIA of IL offers a number of quality educational and training resources that can benefit agencies of all sizes. I encourage all members to take the time to get to know the offerings listed in the Education section of the IIA of IL website.

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Lastly, the IIA of IL continues to be the most trusted and vocal advocate on behalf of independent agents in the state of Illinois. Phil Lackman and his staff represent membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; interests on all types of legislative and regulatory issues that directly impact independent insurance agencies statewide.

What goal do you have for your presidential year? My primary goal for the upcoming year is to attend as many IIA of IL functions across the state as I can. We have a very large, diverse state that is filled with hard-working independent insurance agents that work passionately every day to service their clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; insurance needs. I would like to meet with, and get to know, as many of these individuals as I can during the upcoming year.

Do you have a personal motto or creed by which you live? My parents taught me to treat others the way I wanted to be treated by them. This is great advice and common wisdom worth following.

Tell us about your family? How do they feel about your new role with the IIA of IL? My wife Lisa and I met in college at the University of Illinois and we have been married for twenty-six years. We have one son Sean, who is eighteen and a freshman at the University of Illinois.

october 2018

What lessons from your personal life have you incorporated into your business career?

What is one fact about you that people would find surprising?

That is a good question. The most important lesson from my personal life that I have tried to incorporate into my business career is the need to step out of my comfort zone and try different things. This applies not only to my work, but also to industry boards on which I serve. It is exciting and invigorating, both personally and professionally, to learn new skills. Another lesson from my personal life that I believe I have applied to my business career is the need to solve problems as opposed to just complaining about them. It generally takes as much time and effort to solve a problem as it takes to sit around the water cooler complaining about it.

I really love to read. I primarily read nonfiction, and it is generally something related to American history. At any given time I probably have a dozen or more books on my nightstand or on my iPad that I am working through.

october 2018

Finally, when all is said and done, what is the most important message you hope IIA of IL members take away from your Presidency? The message that I hope to convey to IIA of IL members during my Presidency is that despite the various issues facing the industry, the independent insurance agent system remains vital and strong. We are truly blessed to work in this industry and have clients who select us to be their trusted advisors.

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Speak softly and carry

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President-Elect

President

Chairman of the Board Ryan Hite

Patrick Muldowney

William Wirth

Eagle Rock Insurance Services

Alliant Insurance Services

Wirth Agency

7800 N. Sommer St., Suite 204 Peoria, IL 61615 (309) 688-7316 ryan.hite@eaglerockins.com

353 N. Clark St. Chicago, IL 60654 (312) 595-7192 patrick.muldowney@alliant.com

119 E Mill Street, PO Box 323 Waterloo, IL 62298-0323 (618) 939-6368 billw@wirthagency.com

2018-2019 IIA of IL 34

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october 2018

National Director

Secratary/Tresurer

Vice-President George Daly

Bennie Jones

Gregory Sandrock

The Horton Group, Inc.

Risk Mgmt Solutions of America

Cornerstone Agency, Inc.

10320 Orland Pkwy Orland Park, IL 60467-5658 (708) 845-3311 george.daly@thehortongroup.com

309 W Washington St, Ste. 200 Chicago, IL 60606-3217 (312) 960-6206 bjones@rmsoa.com

105 S Main St, PO Box 185 Tampico, IL 61283-7766 (815) 438-3923 gregsandrock@2cornerstone.com

Board of Directors october 2018

insight

Everything your customer cares about is in this house.

Things the family just can’t afford to lose. As an Official Supplier of the Silver Lining®, you can help them protect it with a Home and Highway® policy from West Bend. Your customers will benefit from the convenience of one policy, one bill, one deductible, and one agency. With West Bend’s identity protection program, they can have access to a variety of identity protection services. And with the claim free award, they’ll even get a portion of their annual premium back if they don’t have a claim. To find out more, talk to your West Bend underwriter.

1 2 3 4 5 6 71 8 9 0 Lisa Lukens

Joseph Heneghan

Jay Peterson

Michael Gonet

Patrick Taphorn

Tess Fleming

Neidra Crosby

Corbin Adams

William Durkin

Ed Boltz

Kevin Lesch

Ken Samson

At-Large

James Unland & Co., Inc. 2211 Broadway Road Pekin, IL 61554-3945 (309) 347-2177 ptaphorn@unland.com

Heneghan-White-Cutting & Rice 200 N. State Street Jerseyville, IL 62052 (618) 639-2244 joe.heneghan@hwcrins.com

Leffelman & Associates, Inc. 111 W Main St Sublette, IL 61367-9403 (815) 849-5219 tess@leffelmanassoc.com

The Daniel & Henry Co. 150 S. Wacker Dr Suite 1625 Chicago, IL 60606-4103 (312) 629-0725 durkinb@danielandhenry.com

Crum-Halsted Agency, Inc. 427 N Kirk Rd., Ste 113 Geneva, IL 60134 (630) 443-7300 eboltz@crumhalsted.com

Peterson Insurance Services 117 W. Main, PO Box 377 Clinton, IL 61727-0377 (217) 935-6605 jay@peterson.insurance

Gonet Opper Insurance Agency 321 S. McCoy St., PO Box 676 Granville, IL 61326-0676 (815) 339-2411 mike_gonet@hotmail.com

The Insurance Exchange Ltd. 15459 South Park South Holland, IL 60473 (708) 597-8731 ncrosby@insxchg.com

Arachas Group, LLC 852 W. Bartlett, PO Box 8152 Bartlett, IL 60103-8152 (630) 830-3232 klesch@arachasgroup.co

Insurers Review Services, Inc. 205 N Michigan Ave., Ste 2212 Chicago, IL 60601-5903 (312) 938-0900 corbin@irsichicago.com

At-Large

Saliba Insurance Services, Inc. P O Box 218 Herrin, IL 62948 (618) 942-2556 salibainsurance@gmail.com

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

Regional Directors

october 2018

insight

Recruiting new talent. Target marketing. Competing for new business. Perpetuation planning.

As an independent agent, the path forward isn’t always clear. With Keystone, the best resources are at your fingertips to help you carve out clarity from our industry’s complexities. We connect you to a community of like-minded independent agents, provide access to relationships that extend beyond your geographic reach, and employ the expertise that expands opportunities for you and your clients.

Success is a journey. Let us be your guide.

Because independence works better together. ©2018 Keystone Insurers Group ®. All rights reserved. This does not constitute an offer to sell a franchise in any state in which the Keystone Insurers Group franchise is not registered.

Contact Neal Williams: 570.473.2850 nwilliams@keystoneinsgrp.com keystoneinsgrp.com

William Lawrence

Keith Verisario

Acrisure, LLC dba Wine Sergi 1000 E Warrenville Rd Ste 101 Naperville, IL 60563-1867 (847) 699-4040 keith@allsecurity.com

Cornerstone Agency, Inc. 105 S Main St, PO Box 185 Tampico, IL 61283-7766 (815) 438-3923 gregsandrock@2cornerstone.com

Lindsey Polzin

Education

Risk Mgmt Solutions of America 309 W Washington St, Ste. 200 Chicago, IL 60606-3217 (312) 960-6206 bjones@rmsoa.com

Gregory Sandrock

InsurPAC

P/L/R Insurance Services 139 N Williamsburg Dr. Bloomington, IL 61704 (309) 827-0007 blawrence@plrinsurance.com

Bennie Jones

Planning & Coordination

Budget & Finance

Beck Insurance Agency 206 W. Collins, PO Box 287 Mendon, IL 62351-0287 (217) 430-3784 kbeck@beckinsurance.net

Young Agents

AIS President Government Relations Trusted Choice

Kevin Beck

Acrisure, LLC dba Wine Sergi 1000 E Warrenville Rd Ste 101 Naperville, IL 60563-1867 (630) 513-6600 lindseyp@winesergi.com

Cynthia Jackman Arlington/Roe PO Box 2614 Carbondale, IL 62902-2614 (800) 878-9891 x8745 cjackman@arlingtonroe.com

Allyson Padilla

Blankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Insurance Agency 515 S Whittle Ave, PO Box 69 Olney, IL 62450-2264 (618) 393-2195 allyson@blanksinsurance.com

Committee Chairs october 2018

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Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a

New Cat

in Town!

Soon youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have a new choice for farm and business insurance. We are Indiana Farmers Insurance, a mutual company with Midwest values focused on the customer and dedicated solely to the independent agency system.

See you at the IIA of IL CONVO 2018! Stop by booth #708 to find out how you can become part of the Indiana Farmers Insurance family.

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SCU is a nationally leading MGA that helps to put the power of our extensive resources to bear for your agency. Of course we have the coverages, market access and quick service you need, but we’re also dedicated to helping you grow your business. Our underwriters and brokers place you first and work towards developing a relationship to last the ebbs and flow of business.

Coverages and Products

Market Access and Intelligence

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SCU has over 70 insurance products Including commercial, personal, professional and transportation lines. We’re experts in specialty coverages with extensive knowledge of the marketplace. SCU has the coverages and products your clients need.

SCU has access to over 100 markets and the backing of one of the nation’s largest insurance wholesalers, CRC Group. Our network of 300 producers share intelligence on markets and relationships to provide you better solutions, more often.

SCU provides quick quote, bind & policy issuance with quotes turned in just 24 Hours. Our brokers and underwriters are located within your region to provide you better service and the local expertise you need to deliver for your clients.

Visit us at Booth #711

CONVO 2018 in Springfield, IL

Learn More at SCUI.com

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ASSOCIATE NEWS

Thank you to our Associate Members.

Diamond Level Members

Platinum Level Progressive Nat Gen Premier

Gold Level AAA Insurance Agent/Broker Review Company Arlington/Roe Blue Cross/Blue Shield of IL

Silver Level Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company Imperial PFS Surplus Line Association of Illinois

The IMT Group West Bend Mutual Insurance Co.

Bronze Level A.J. Wayne & Associates AMERISAFE Aon Programs Atlantic Specialty Lines Auto-Owners Insurance Co. Berkshire Hathaway Guard Insurance Companies Burns & Wilcox, Ltd. Chicagoland Carstar Columbia Insurance Group Continental Western Group Donald Gaddis Company, Inc. Donegal Insurance Group Echelon Property & Casualty Insurance Co. Encompass Insurance Erie Insurance Group Foremost Insurance Group Forreston Mutual Insurance Company Grange Insurance Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund Illinois Public Risk Fund Indiana Farmers Insurance Interstate Risk Placement IPMG J. C. Restoration J M Wilson Kemper 44

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Keystone Insurers Group, Inc. KPA, LLC dba Succeed/KPA Liberty Mutual Madison Mutual Insurance Company MarshBerry Maximum Ind. Brokerage, LLC Mercury Insurance Company of IL MetLife Auto & Home Midwest Insurance Company Motorists Insurance Group Nationwide NHRMA Mutual Workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Compensation ProAg Management Inc. PuroClean Rockford Mutual Insurance Co. Safeco Insurance ServiceMaster DSI Society Insurance Specialty Risk of America Transcom General Agency Travelers United Fire Group Utica National Insurance Group W.A. Schickedanz Agency, Inc. Western National Insurance Westfield Insurance Company october 2018

IIA OF ILLINOIS NEWS Education Classes october

2 17 18 24 30

CONVO 2018 Springfield CISR - Personal Auto Bloomington Errors & Omissions Westmont CISR - Commercial Property Lake Bluff CISR - Commercial Casualty 2 Champaign

november

6 6 7 7 14 15 28

CISR - Personal Lines Springfield Ethics Edwardsville CIC - Personal Lines Springfield CISR - Commercial Property Rolling Meadows Ethics Westmont

New Members member agency B3 Business Solutions, Inc. Downers Grove, IL Grimes Insurance Agency Metropolis, IL Insure Smart Agency, Inc. Loves Park, IL Insure1st, Inc. Oswego, IL Linares Insurance Group North Riverside, IL Temesvary & Associates, Inc. Glen Ellyn, IL

associate copper level @Risk Technologies, Inc. Dallas, TX For information regarding IIA of Illinois membership or company sponsorship, contact Tom Ross, Director of Membership Services, at (217) 321-3003, tross@iiaofil.org.

CISR - Commercial Casualty 1 Orland Park Errors & Omissions Rolling Meadows

Online Education www.iiaofil.org October & November Featured Online Classes General Homeowners | General PAP | Business Auto Additional Insureds & Certificates of Insurance | E&O Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset | Property & Liability An Agentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide to Insuring Nonprofits | Workers Comp Business Income - Coverage Analysis through Claims Flood | Ethical Dilemmas | Ethics | And More!

october 2018

Congratulations to the IIA of IL Education Committee on being awarded IIABAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Excellence in Insurance Education award. insight

industry news

American Heart Association Recognizes Grinnell Mutual for Workplace Health Achievement The results of the American Heart Association 2018 Workplace Health Achievement Index were announced today and Grinnell Mutual achieved Gold level recognition for taking significant steps to build a culture of health in the workplace. The American Heart Association created the Index with its CEO Roundtable members, a leadership collaborative of more than 40 CEOs from some of America’s largest companies who are committed to applying evidence-based approaches to improve their employees’ overall health. The Index uses science-based best practices to evaluate the overall quality and comprehensiveness of their workplace health programs. A unique feature of the Index is that it calculates an average heart health score for employees of participating companies that securely submit aggregate health data.

Wellness program manager Lydia Erb said Grinnell Mutual is “beyond honored to have received this award. We are constantly striving to create a culture that encourages healthy lifestyle behaviors. We hope to continue this trend in the years to come.” The Association’s Workplace Health Achievement Index allows companies to measure the effectiveness of their workplace health programs as well as the overall heart health of their employees. Unlike other existing organizational scorecards, the Index also scores companies on the heart health of their employees based on Life’s Simple 7® – the Association’s scientifically validated definition of ideal heart health. The American Heart Association’s Workplace Health Achievement Index assessment is grounded in data-driven science and a quality improvement framework. According to the Nielsen 2016 Employee Health Survey, robust and comprehensive strategies for wellbeing are associated with positive impacts on employees’ health.

More than 1000 companies completed the Index assessment this year and, of those companies, 75% received either Gold, Silver, or Bronze recognition. Companies receive benchmarking reports, which allow them to identify potential areas of improvement so that they can advance their annual performance and recognition in the Index and help their workforce move toward ideal heart health.

WORKERS’ COMP FOR WORKING PEOPLE

ARBORISTS - AGRIBUSINESS MANUFACTURING - MARINE - OIL & GAS ROOFING - TRUCKING - WOOD PRODUCTS

VISIT US AT BOOTH #501

amerisafe.com - 337.897.9719 46

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DURING THE CONVO 2018 TRADESHOW

october 2018

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. announced the launch of its new SafeTeen driving program, which offers education, rewards and savings for new drivers and their parents. The program was created in response to the increasing risks distracted driving poses for new drivers. Through The Hanover’s SafeTeen program, the company provides its agent partners a full suite of education and discount options to offer customers who add teen drivers to a policy. The Hanover’s SafeTeen program helps agents and their customers reward good driving behaviors by educating, coaching and protecting new drivers:

• Coach: With The Hanover’s SafeTeen mobile app, powered by TrueMotion, parents can monitor their teen’s driving behaviors. Teens will receive an overall driving score based on distracted driving, speeding, hard braking and time of driving activities, and parents can coach their teens on safe driving habits. By participating, parents receive a discount on their auto policy and teens that demonstrate safe driving behaviors may qualify to receive Amazon rewards. • Protect: The Hanover’s SafeTeen deductible offers parents the opportunity to add a $2,500 deductible to vehicles not usually driven by their teens, reducing the premium payment on their policies. If a teen gets into an accident in one of the cars with the SafeTeen deductible, the additional deductible will be applied. For more information about The Hanover’s SafeTeen program, please visit www.hanover.com/safeteen.

• Educate: The Hanover’s SafeTeen driver safety course is designed to help inexperienced drivers improve their driving skills and is proven to help reduce accidents by up to 30 percent once completed. Through its partnership with ADEPT Driver’s teenSMART® Program, The Hanover offers customers discounts on their auto policies, once teen drivers have successfully completed the program.

october 2018

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industry news

The Hanover Introduces SafeTeen Program to Educate and Reward New Drivers

people in the news

J.M. Wilson Hires Maday as Assistant Property & Casualty Underwriter J.M. Wilson is pleased to announce the addition of Mark Maday as Assistant Property & Casualty Underwriter in their Arlington Heights, Illinois office. Maday is responsible for underwriting new and renewal business, corresponding with carrier underwriters, and assisting independent agents in Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska. Prior to joining J.M. Wilson, Maday was a Senior Account Analyst for three years at an insurance company. He also served as a Client Services Manager, as well as a Commercial Sales Representative. A graduate of Western Michigan University, Maday earned a Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Business Management.

Motorists Insurance Group Vice President Customer Experience Officer One of Two in World to Attain MIOP Designation James Sullivan, vice president customer experience officer of Motorists Insurance Group, has earned the Master of Insurance Operations Professional (MIOP) level of distinction. He is the first Motorists associate to do so and is one of only two in the world to hold this designation to date. The MIOP distinction is earned by completing four graduate level courses of study: Chartered Insurance Operations Professional (CIOP), Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSSBB), Customer Experience and Analytics Professional (CXAP) and Master of Change Management & Coaching (MCMC).

Central Insurance Appoints Ward to Board of Directors The Central Insurance Companies have announced the appointment of David C. Ward to the Board of Directors for Central Mutual Insurance and All America Insurance Companies effective August 24, 2018.

Emergency Restoration Services Water - Fire - Mold - Reconstruction 618-206-7055 St. Louis and Metro-East 630-477-9120 Chicago and Suburbs PuroClean, is a leader in property emergency services, helping families and buisnesses overcome the devastating setbacks caused by water, fire, mold and other conditions resulting in property damage. At PuroClean, we pledge to do whatever it takes to respond, restore and rescue properties in all of the communities we serve.

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Fire

Mold

Biohazard

Ward received his Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University and completed his undergraduate studies at Miami University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. He participates in the University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School Artesy Institute for Executive Education program.

Arlington/Roe Announces Sutphen Promotion to Underwriter

www.PuroClean.com Water

Ward is the Managing Director at ward.ventures, a private investment firm based in Dallas, Texas. ward.ventures invests in venture capital and private equity as well as real estate and managed funds, as a limited partner. He previously served as a Senior Financial Analyst in the Capital Markets Group at Trinity Industries (NYSE: TRN). He also held positions at Five Elms Capital, Grassmere Partners, and at The Hartford Financial Services Group.

Reconstruction

Jim Roe, CPCU, president and CEO, announced the promotion of Sue Sutphen to underwriter at the Illinois office of Arlington/Roe, managing general agency and wholesale insurance broker.

october 2018

In Memoriam

Alten L. Kull, 82, of Lawrenceville passed away Sunday, August 5, 2018 at the Carle Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney. He was born February 23, 1936 in Lawrenceville, Illinois, the son of Harold E. and Dolly Mae (Conn) Kull. He married Peggy J. Hensley on June 12, 1955. Kull was a 1954 Lawrenceville High School graduate and attended Vincennes University. During his childhood years, Kull worked for his parents washing pans and making deliveries for Paris Bakery. He then worked at Marathon Oil Company and the Lawrenceville Post Office. In the 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, he began working for Prudential Insurance. In 1971, he purchased McGaughey Insurance Company and in 1982, it became Kull Agency. Preceding him in death were his parents. Survivors include his wife, Peggy; one son, Roger Kull and wife, Carla, of Lawrenceville, Illinois; three daughters, Julia Castro and husband, Manny, of Savanna, Illinois, Jeanne

october 2018

Jerrell and husband, Rick, of Lawrenceville, Illinois, and Rebecca Ochs and husband, Kevin, of Lawrenceville, Illinois; one brother, a sister, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The Board and staff of the IIA of IL send their deepest condolences to the family and friends of Alten Kull. Daniel J. Borowiak, 55, of Sugar Grove, passed away Wednesday September 12, 2018 at his parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home. He was born August 17, 1963 in Berwyn, IL the son of Joseph and Fran Borowiak. Borowiak was very active in his community, he was an Independent Insurance Agent for 31 years, running Dan Borowiak Insurance Company in Sugar Grove. He played baseball and softball on many leagues in the Fox Valley area over the years. He was also an avid golfer and White Sox fan. Borowiak is survived by his parents, Joseph and Fran Borowiak of North Aurora, IL; his brother, Edward (Sue) Borowiak of St. Charles, IL; his sisters, Kathy (Eric) Bunkofske of North Aurora, IL and Deb (Russ) Biard of Elburn, IL; his eight nieces and nephews, Becky, Jen, Ben, Nicole, Scott, Shane, Katelyn and Julia; his long-time companion, Marsha Hennig of Batavia; many other family and friends. The staff and Board of the IIA of IL extend their heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of Daniel Borowiak.

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She initially joined Arlington/Roe in 2004, left to spend time with her young children, then returned in 2014 as a commercial lines assistant underwriter. She specializes in finding the right coverages for agency partners and their clients.

CLASSIFIEDS

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october 2018

Doing The Right Thing Since 1964

James A. Roe, CPCU, ASLI President

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