June 2017 Wisconsin Professional Agent

professional agent What’s Inside?

Stay Motivated....................... 10 Is Procrastination Good?...... 14 Poor Performance................. 16 Employees/Volunteers.......... 18 Education Section.................. 22 A Call to Our Members......... 34 1752 Club Scholarship........... 35

Digital Editions of PIAW Magazine Available at www.piaw.org

Registration available at piaw.org

SIA of the Great Lakes, LLC Member of SIAA

• $6.6 Billion in Premium • Full & highest commissions • Big is Better – size, clout, stability • No minimum volume requirement for profit sharing and excess compensation • 6,100 signed member agents can’t be wrong • Your clients and companies are always yours To learn how we can help you increase your agency income and value, contact us today. jharrison@siagl.com | 920.494.5000 | www.siagl.com

From the

President Brian MacGillis, CPIA — President, PIA of Wisconsin

A PEACEFUL TRANSITION Well, we have almost made it. We are two months away from this presidency coming to a close at PIA. The peaceful transition of power, where I am ushered out of PIA offices and whisked away in a helicopter while Ron and incoming president Jodi watch and wave, will soon be here. My plan is to go on a speaking tour, getting grossly overpaid for my services.

While that isn't likely to happen, it is the plan as of today.

But do you experience a 'peaceful transition' when that customer leaves your office? Meaning, do you fight for the business, but bow out gracefully when the time is right? Or, do you burn every bridge that would ever allow that customer to come back to your agency?

In our line of work, we deal with lots of new, happy customers. We also have those who reject us and fire us as agents. It doesn't matter who you are or how long you've been doing this, it happens to everyone. Perhaps the customer left you due to "price", or maybe it was a coverage issue, non-renewal or cancellation. No agency has a 100% satisfaction rate.

The name PIA is a great illustration and starts with the perfect word ­— Professional. We all need to act in a professional manner when losing a customer or company contract. That is so much harder to say than to actually put into action. We all

have cases where we work extremely hard on a customer's account, get that once in a lifetime exception from the insurance company, and write the business, only to see it leave the next year for a couple of bucks or the promise of a 'better deal'.

As a company field representative a lifetime ago, I assure you, the agents that are still around today are those that acted in the most professional manner. They understand what it takes to win a customer over, and what it takes to lose one... and then win them back at the next renewal.

PIA takes this to heart as well. We honestly understand that you have choices when it comes to your Errors and Omissions insurance, who to affiliate with, and where to spend your hard earned dollars. Your board of directors is made up of agencies just like your own, with small shops, huge agencies, agency presidents, and customer service representatives.

Know that PIA is always mindful of you and your business.

We may not win over everyone, but our association continues to grow and thrive when other associations are seeing declining membership and revenues. We also understand that the road will often be paved like a Wisconsin highway (full of potholes). But we are always looking for your input, volunteerism, and suggestions to better our association. Thank you for your PIA membership and for your continued support.

GERMANTOWN MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY W209 N11845 Insurance Place PO Box 1020 Germantown, WI 53022-8220 Phone (262) 251-6680 Fax (262) 623-3130 www.gmic.com

SERVING POLICYHOLDERS AND INDEPENDENT AGENTS IN WISCONSIN SINCE 1854 JUNE 17 3

Memos from

Madison Ron Von Haden, CIC — Executive Vice President, PIA of Wisconsin

8 Worst Insurance Criminals of 2016 Named A home explodes . . .hundreds of setup car crashes churn fake whiplash claims . . .a helpless cerebral palsy patient starves to death.

All for false insurance claims.

These extreme schemers are among the eight worst insurance criminals of 2016. They were elected to the Insurance Fraud Hall of Shame by the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud.

The Shamers reveal the year’s most brazen, bungling or vicious convicted insurance swindlers.

One of America’s largest financial crimes, insurance fraud steals at least $80 billion annually. Many consumers believe fraud is acceptable and they are at risk of committing this crime, research reveals.

Victims are traumatized, maimed, lose their savings and have their credit ruined. Some die.

Exploding home. Two neighbors were incinerated and an Indianapolis subdivision nearly leveled when Bob Leonard helped accidentally blow up a house in a botched $300,000 home arson. “Oh well, they died,” Leonard said of the nextdoor couple. Sentence: life without parole.

Faulty no-fault con. Michael Danilovich masterminded a $279-million attempted looting of auto insurers with hundreds of staged car crashes in the New York City area. It was the largest no-fault auto scam in U.S. history. Crooked medical providers deluged insurers with fake whiplash claims. Sentence: 25 years.

Deer deception. Mob associate Ron Galati used deer parts and blood to gore up cars and claim the vehicles crashed into deer. Galati’s Philadelphia body shop made $5 million of inflated damage claims from phantom deer and other collisions. He even took a sledgehammer to cars, and plotted to have a witness shot. Sentence: up to 29 years.

Lawless libido. John Alfonzo Smiley was shot and paralyzed while arguing with a couple after he and his wife swapped sex with them at a San Francisco swingers club.

Smiley claimed $4 million of workers comp money. The corrections officer contended — with a straight face — that a 4 JUNE 17

former inmate with a grudge shot him. Sentence: eight months.

Samaritan scam. Shannon Egeland had his son shotgun him in the legs to scam his disability policy. Egeland’s legs were shattered and a foot amputated. He claimed he was ambushed after stopping to help a stranded pregnant motorist near Caldwell, Idaho late one night. Sentence: awaiting jail term. He was convicted in Portland, Ore.

Killer caregiver. Makayla Norman was a cheerful 14year old — and bedridden with cerebral palsy. The Dayton teen’s home caregiver Mollie Parsons starved her to death while making large Medicaid claims for supposedly steady care. Makayla weighed 28 pounds. Sentence: 10 years.

Baby murdered. Moussa Sissoko shook his infant son Shane to death for $750,000 of life insurance he took out on the baby. The Washington, D.C.-area man seemed like a caring father, yet plotted Shane’s death from the start.

Sentence: 50 years.

Mental error. Dr. Fernando Mendez-Villamil made $60 million in false Medicare and Medicaid claims for mentalillness drugs. The Miami physician plied patients with powerful drugs whether or not they needed the medicines.

Insurance fraud bought him a mansion and art collection.

Sentence: 12 years.

Note: The above Hall of Shame does not include two Wisconsin cases that were recently resolved. One was a Janesville pharmacist who entered a plea agreement and will be headed for prison for filing $1 Million in false prescriptions with Medicare and Medicaid. The second was a Waushara County farmer who is headed for prison after filing $246,606.53 in fraudulent insurance claims to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation back in 2011.

Dennis Jay is the Executive Director of the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud and James Quiggle is the Director of Communications. Both are former employees of PIA National who now are dedicated to exposing the effects of insurance fraud. www.insurancefraud.org.

AND REMEMBER …..Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Your customer has years of memories in this house.

The most valuable things the family will ever own.

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. 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.

JUNE 17 5

From the

Boardroom Rick Clements, LUTCF, MDRT, Director of PIAW

3 THINGS I LEARNED . . .

Three things I learned as a PIA Board member you should know now. I have learned a tremendous amount in my 7 years on your PIAW Board of Directors. I have grown professionally and personally because of it. There are three recurring questions that kept coming up over those years and continue to do so. I’d like to address those.

1. The independent insurance agency system is not going away. Rather it is gaining momentum. More insurance company's than ever are realizing the value an agent gives to the consumer. Sure, the method of obtaining new clients is becoming less personalized, but the actual purchases and retention lie in providing professional service, advice and interaction. Insurance buyers are too unique in their own needs, wants and understanding if insurance to have a one size fits all policy. Computers cannot do what an agent can do, and that is listen to them, build a relationship of trust, and help guide them in their purchases. Some captive companies have even set up a 'quasi' independent agency for their agents to use.

is not going hurt business. The time spent listening and interacting with successful owners, agents, staff and company representatives is priceless. There is no better way to gain such a wide variety of ideas, learn of new industry trends and develop a network of professionals in the industry. It is the best way you can find to stay motivated, excited about your industry and have fun at the same time. The Professional Insurance Agents Association of Wisconsin is the cream of the crop when it comes to measuring the benefits of an association. They offer a tremendous amount of education, networking opportunities, resources, legislative support, camaraderie and a resource for agencies.

In this, my last article, I must thank all those that have made my participation in the PIAW the most rewarding and satisfying step I have taken on my journey in the insurance world. The board members I have had the pleasure of working with will always be friends and mentors. To all the past presidents and board members I was on the board with over the last seven years, you have my gratitude and I thank you.

2. The internet is not going to be our major competitor.

Not if agents take advantage of it. It can and most likely will become our biggest ally. It is known that a large majority of shoppers for insurance look online for prices and information. Consumer Reports states ' 74% of shoppers use insurer websites or aggregators for obtaining quotes and researching information. While nearly half of customers obtain a quote via insurer websites, only 25% actually purchase their policy online...'

The staff at the PIA office are extremely talented and dedicated. Nothing is beyond their ability to react to the needs of the agents. I can't imagine how the PIAW education program or a convention would run without Brenda's leadership and experience. And Mandy always has a pleasant and quick answer to every request and never questions. Behind the scenes Heather, Becca and Heidi keep the wheels turning smoothly at PIAW. Thank all of you for making me look good.

Agents need to have a presence online and link to those shoppers. One of the greatest opportunities for independent agents to obtain business right in front of them. I am referring to social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. In the not too distant past, agents built very large and successful agencies based on networking, building relationships, getting referrals and building trust. Technology has created the opportunity for an agent do all that and more to large numbers of consumers at once. Facebook can help an agency promote its volunteer efforts in the community as well and help support local charities and non-profits causes.

This helps the agencies name recognition to consumers when they do their online shopping.

And there's Ron Von Haden, our Executive Director extraordinaire. I could write a whole article on the value of having him on our leadership. He has made this organization the gold standard of professional insurance associations across the country. His dedication to the independent agency system, the insurance industry, the Professional Insurance Agents Association of Wisconsin and the individual agents is unwavering and inspiring. He always brings a positive attitude to the table. Not once have I heard a single criticism or negative comment about a question, suggestion, or idea while I was on the board. (Makes me wonder if I’m getting hard of hearing).

3. Taking time to participate in an association of peers 6 JUNE 17

Finally, thank each of you as members of PIAW for your dedication to our industry and our association.

THANK YOU TO OUR 68TH ANNUAL

Convention Sponsors Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors AAA Wisconsin Badger Mutual Insurance Continental Western Group-A Berkley Co EMC Insurance Companies Encompass Insurance Company Madison Mutual Insurance Company Nationwide Insurance Safeco Insurance Sheboygan Falls Insurance Company Society Insurance Western National Insurance Group Bronze sponsors American Modern Insurance Group Amerisafe Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Emergency Fire & Water Restoration EZLynx Frankenmuth Insurance Germantown Mutual Insurance Company Hastings Mutual Insurance Company Mt. Morris Mutual Insurance Company SECURA Insurance State Auto Insurance Companies Register at piaw.org JUNE 17 7

OCI Administrative

Actions

Ted Nickel — Commissioner of the Office of Insurance

Madison, WI—OCI has taken the following administrative actions. In many of these cases the respondent denied the allegations but consented to the action taken. Any forfeitures paid in these administrative actions are deposited in the Common School Fund which is administered by the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. The earnings from this fund are distributed to all public K-12 schools in Wisconsin and are used by school libraries to purchase books. Copies of the administrative action orders may be viewed online at https://ociaccess.oci. wi.gov/OrderInfo/OrdInfo.oci.

OCI is responsible for overseeing the operations and marketing of insurance companies and agents in Wisconsin. OCI encourages anyone with a question or a complaint regarding an insurance company or agent to contact the office at this toll-free telephone number: 1-800-236-8517.

Allegations

and

Actions Against Agents

Daniel L. Altwegg, 10456 Cavell Ave. S., Bloomington, MN 55438, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Minnesota on a licensing application.

Sherra M. Burg, 318 Kettle Moraine Dr. S., Slinger, WI 53086, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that are substantially related to the circumstances of holding an insurance license.

Emily R. Campbell, 5309 Century Ave., Apt. 6, Middleton, WI 53562, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Joseph T. Chillino, 1475 E. Woodfield Rd., Ste. 500, Schaumburg, IL 60173, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of California on a licensing application.

William L. Crown, 7572 S. 10th St., Kalamazoo, MI 49009, agreed to pay a forfeiture of $1,000.00. This action was taken based on allegations of providing false information on a licensing application and failing to timely disclose administrative actions taken by the states of Indiana and Michigan.

action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Illinois on a licensing application.

Noah T. Haffery, 1106 E. Court St., Janesville, WI 53545, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Arlo A. Herron, 4442 N. 66th St., Milwaukee, WI 53218, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days.

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Wisconsin on a licensing application.

Kevin M. Hiller, 105 Cernan Ct., Mukwonago, WI 53149, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $1,000.00 and was ordered to cease and desist processing annuity applications without participating in their solicitation. These actions were taken based on allegations of making misrepresentations in annuity sales.

Michelle Klein, 829 Lincoln Blvd., Manitowoc, WI 54220, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Jaquice M. Gray, 3778 S. 84th St., Apt. 12, Milwaukee, WI 53228, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Jon K. LaCasse, 10659 Grey Cloud Trl. S., Cottage Grove, MN 55016, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $2,000.00, was ordered to provide complete and accurate information to OCI, and was ordered to fully disclose all required matters to OCI. These actions were taken based on allegations of misrepresenting information to OCI and failing to timely report administrative actions taken by FINRA and by the state of South Dakota.

Gary M. Gross, 415 E. 89th Pl., Chicago, IL 60619, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This

Jennifer J. Lade, 4632 Superior Ave., Sheboygan, WI 53083, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on

8 JUNE 17

allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Daniel J. Laes, 2607 Oakwood Ave., Green Bay, WI 54301, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Terry LaPalme, 5150 Expo Dr., Apt. 201, Manitowoc, WI 54220, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Natasha Lemon, W54 N535 Highland Dr., Cedarburg, WI 53012, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

J. R. Lynch, 4748 105th Ln. N.E., Circle Pines, MN 55014, agreed to pay a forfeiture of $500.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to timely disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Minnesota and providing false information on a licensing application.

Anthony K. Roach, 631 Pearl St., Sparta, WI 54656, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Devon Robbins, 7462 E. Desert Vista Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85255, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent child support and failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Wisconsin on a licensing application.

Isaac J. Roth, 209 N. Pleasant Ave., Jefferson, WI 53549, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a deferred criminal prosecution on a licensing application.

Craig M. Taylor, P.O. Box 628163, Middleton, WI 53562, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Erica Z. Marion, 7705 N. Edgeworth Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53223, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Taahiraa S. Thomas, N82 W13396 Fond du Lac Ave., Menomonee Falls, WI 53051, had her insurance license revoked.

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Monica L Mayo, 1114 Powell St., St. Joseph, MO 64501, had her application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application.

Natalie Tovar a/k/a Natalie Cervantes, 927 Union Ave., Sheboygan, WI 53081, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Steven M. Meade, W7147 County Rd. T, Holmen, WI 54636, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Shirley M. Vaughan, 659 Wood Violet Ln., Sun Prairie, WI 53590, had her application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application.

Danielle M. Mullenbach, 8124 W. Lincoln Ave., Apt. 3, West Allis, WI 53219, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Willie R. Ramirez, 38 Yale St., Lawrence, MA 01841, had his application for an insurance license denied for 60 days. This action was taken based on allegations of repeatedly failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Wisconsin on a licensing application.

Jason C. Richmond, 442 Long Iron Ln., Mesquite, NV 89027, agreed to the 90-day denial of his application for an insurance license, agreed to disclose administrative actions as required, and agreed to respond completely and promptly to all inquiries from OCI. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Wisconsin on a licensing application and failing to respond promptly to requests for information to OCI.

Allegations

and

Tony Walker, 601 Cornell Ave., Rice Lake, WI 54868, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

George I. Watts, 6519 34th Ave. SW, Unit A, Seattle, WA 98126, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Ryan Wortner, 133 N. Emery Ave., Peshtigo, WI 54157, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Matree Xiong, 1128 S. 3rd Ave., Wausau, WI 54401, had his application for a Federal Section 1033 felony crime waiver denied. This action was taken based on allegations of not completing the court-ordered terms of his criminal sentencing.

Actions Against Companies

YourPeople, Inc. d/b/a Zenefits FTW Insurance Services, 303 Second St., North Tower, Ste. 401,San Francisco, CA 94107, agreed to pay a forfeiture of $40,000.00 and agreed to certain OCI reporting requirements. These actions were taken based on allegations of allowing unlicensed employees to solicit insurance business.

JUNE 17 9

How to Get

and

Stay Motivated When Selling

by John Chapin

Sales is a profession that requires you to be “up” and motivated most of the time. It is also a profession in which you can get knocked down very quickly from the amount of rejection that’s required for success.

As a result, one of the biggest questions I get from salespeople is: “How do I get and stay motivated?”

Here’s my answer.

4 Paths to Motivation There are only four forms of motivation.

They are: external negative, external positive, intrinsic, and peer motivation.

Motivation Source #1: External Negative

Motivation Source #3: Intrinsic

Or as my first manager used to say, “If I put a gun to your head you’d do business.” This is a negative consequence or penalty for not doing something. This was third place in Glengarry Glen Ross, or as Alec Baldwin’s character said in the movie, “Third prize: You’re fired!” This motivation is all about accountability and consequences.

This is the most powerful motivation among high-achievers.

When motivating others a sales manager usually starts with a probation period followed by loss of one’s job for failing to do the necessary work or make quota.

you want for your family and your kids? What do you want to

When motivating oneself, the most effective form is usually a financial penalty. For example, when putting off some scary calls to big prospects, I finally told a friend that if I didn’t make the calls in the next 30 days, I owed her $1000. By the way, I made the calls on day 29. Yes, sometimes I struggle with this stuff too.

This form has the most potential power and, if strong enough, can be used all by itself. This is the “personal WHY”. In other words, what are the personal reasons you need to be successful?

To motivate yourself, decide what you really want out of life.

What do you want your life to ultimately look like? What do do and be? If you had no limitations on time or money, how would your life be different? What will your perfect day look like 20 years from now? What drives you? Is it your dream lifestyle, taking care of your kids and future generations, to leave a lasting legacy, a combination?

To motivate others, help them find their WHY. Where do they want to be in their career 5, 10, or 20 years from now? Ask them: If they had no limits on time or money, what would they have and do with their life? What is their endgame? Do

Motivation Source #2: External Positive External positive was first and second place in the Glengarry Contest: “First prize: a brand new Cadillac. Second prize: this fine set of steak knives.” This is a reward for work done or a goal achieved. This is not as powerful as the first motivator as generally we respond more to pain, but is still a way to get leverage on ourselves and others.

they want to retire and to where?

Motivation Source #4: Peer This is who you spend your time with personally and professionally. People usually rise to, but rarely above their peer group. “Birds of a feather do flock together.” This also relates to your environment. If you have an office of negative people

To motivate others this could be $100 for the person who makes the most calls in the next hour or a limo lunch for whoever closes the most business this week.

in which no one is held accountable, any success will be fleet-

To motivate ourselves this can be dinner at our favorite restaurant, a dream vacation, or some other indulgence upon the completion of a goal.

and professional and one in which people are held account-

10 JUNE 17

ing or completely non-existent.

To motivate others provide a work environment that is positive able. Have them look at the people they hang out with. Aaron Hernandez and Tom Brady have/had different peer groups.

To motivate yourself means hanging out with positive people who have goals and are achieving big things. It also means getting rid of negative people and negativity in general.

Some Other Ways to Motivate Yourself •

Write out your goals in the morning and at night and have them in front of you during the day.

•

Create a vision (dream) board.

•

You can’t watch the news and be positive. Keep negatives out and put in plenty of positives through books, thoughts, images, and inspirational and motivational ideas.

•

Have rituals and routines in place to create self-discipline.

•

Announce goals to friends, family, and in public forums, and have people hold you accountable.

•

Have a coach, mentor, or mastermind group hold you accountable to your goals and dreams.

•

Accept that there will be problems and see them as challenges.

•

Have a support system in place, people who are positive and up-beat and will help you turn around a tough day.

•

Take 100% responsibility for your life. Where you end up will come down to you and what you do, not the economy, the job market, who’s president, or anything else.

•

Realize that doing what you need to do is ultimately a question of character and integrity.

•

Who wins when you win and loses when you win? Who is for you and against you? Make sure the right people win.

•

Every call gets you closer to a sale. If a sale is $1000 and you

have to make 100 calls, each call is worth $10 regardless of what happens.

•

If it will ultimately take 10,000 hours of work for success, every hour you put in gets you closer.

•

Every day you either grow or die based upon the effort you put in. Chose to grow today.

•

The quickest way to motivation, self-esteem, and self-confidence is to get the job done, especially when it’s hard or you don’t feel like it.

•

Get comfortable being uncomfortable and face and conquer fears. Do something that scares you every day.

•

Your legacy, your future, and the future of those closest to you, are all at stake every day. What’s required is that you do what has to be done and push and stretch yourself to your potential.

Realize that you won’t always be motivated. That’s why it’s important to form good habits through self-discipline. If you have an ingrained habit of making all your prospecting calls every day from 9 to noon, then on the day you feel a little down, that habit will help carry you through.

Also, whether or not you are motivated, you have a job to do and promises and obligations to live up to. You have to find a way to get the job done. In life there are things we don’t want to do that we have to do anyway. If you simply put in the hours, make the calls, and do the necessary activity, you will be successful.

John Chapin will present “Supercharge Your Attitude and Your Insurance Sales” at PIA’s 68th Annual Convention, August 2-4, 2017 at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee.

JUNE 17 11

Help Build Your Family’s Financial Future With

PIA Trust Insurance Plans INSURANCE PLANS DESIGNED WITH LOCAL AGENTS IN MIND As a PIA Member* serving Main Street America, you and your employees have access to a variety of highquality, competitively priced insurance plans.

Plans available include: > Basic Term Life** > Voluntary Term Life > Dependent Term Life > Hospital Indemnity > Long Term Disability > Short Term Disability > Business Overhead Expense > Accidental Death & Dismemberment

PIA SERVICES GROUP INSURANCE FUND

*PIA National membership, when required, must be current at all times. **Only available if 100% employer paid and if the employer and 100% of the employees enroll.

No medical underwriting necessary up to guaranteed issue limits.

For additional information about PIA Trust Insurance Plans, please contact your local PIA Affiliate or call the Plan Administrator at 1-800-336-4759. Additional information is also available on-line at www.piatrust.com.

Policies or provisions may vary or be unavailable in some states. Policies have exclusions or limitations which may affect any benefits payable.

Underwritten by Unimerica Insurance Company, Portland, ME. Administered by Lockton Risk Services.

A turn in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn.

12 JUNE 17

25%

Agents Wanted!

Avg Annual Rate of Direct Written Premium Growth (2010 - 2015)

Come Grow with Us! You don’t triple in size in five years without satisfied agents!

Berkshire Hathaway

GUARD

We now feature more lines of business in most states (including a One-Stop Insurance Shopping solution via BizGUARD Plus).

We are a stable open market for your commercial Property & Casualty accounts that provides the qualities you seek: Competitive Pricing • Unique Coverage Extensions • Excellent Commission Potential • Broad Underwriting Appetite • Easy Submission Process • Superior Customer Service

Insurance Companies

We’re the quote you could come up against, so why not join us? Go to www.guard.com/apply

Visit www.guard.com for product availability in specific states.

Sometimes things are just clearly

BEYOND THE EXPECTED Just like our incredibly flexible service. ®

.

Tom Buss Extension 3037 Northwest

Dave Ganschow Extension 2178 South

Mike Tietz Extension 3081 Southeast

AUTO • HOME LIFE • BUSINESS

2505 Court Street • Pekin, Illinois • 61558 • 800-322-0160, Extension 2394 • www.pekininsurance.com JUNE 17 13

Is Procrastination Good for Sales People?

by Stu Schlackman

Remember those good ole days back in college when you knew you had finals lurking just a couple of weeks away and you committed to study a little bit each night? You promised to be disciplined and not wait to cram everything in at the last minute. And what happened? Sure enough, finals week was staring you right in the face. The proverbial all-nighter is inevitable.

You are now cramming for exams and scrambling to finish your projects.

14 JUNE 17

Panic sets in and you wonder how you let this happen swearing that you would be disciplined as the semester was coming to a close.

Why do so many people wait to the last minute? Why don’t they spread their workload out over a realistic time frame?

The bottom line? We procrastinate!

Many can relate to this. Procrastination is part of human nature. We live in such a fast-paced society that forces you to juggle multiple balls on a daily basis that getting to your priorities seems to always have delay.

But while procrastination may lead to a last minute, stressfilled scramble, it also has its advantages.

Procrastination as a Positive So what is the advantage of procrastination? The more you wait on accomplishing a project, task or creative endeavor, the more time you have for your ideas to simmer and develop. Ideas can mature in your subconscious without you realizing it. As you procrastinate you give yourself more time for ideas to mature. It serves as an incubator for your ideas.

As we amass multiple ideas in our mind, we start connecting the multiple ideas to formulate new ones. Procrastination helps this process develop.

When team members have brainstorming sessions, multiple ideas are put on the board. As we look at the ideas, we start to combine them to form new ideas. This is how creativity happens. It’s connecting the dots of multiple ideas that brings about new ones.

In other words, it leads to great achievements and innovation.

So procrastinating might not be so bad after all.

For many of you who work 50 to 60 hours a week juggling multiple accounts and opportunities, preparing a new presentation for a prospect might come down to the last minute. We kick ourselves for not being more organized in advance, but we often perform better under pressure. Also, we can expect our past experiences to kick in when we perform. Great sales people are known for thinking on their feet.

Quantity Over Quality Sometimes quantity is better than quality. The quantity of ideas you have can lead to new ideas that are more unique and creative and just might fit the customer’s need.

This makes total sense to most sales professionals. We multitask, having many different tasks to perform for numerous accounts and that can help us be more original and creative.

It’s like when your kids were playing football or any other sport; their grades were better than when they were not playing sports. You are more productive when you are busy. The more output you have, the more chances for originality.

So the bottom line when preparing for a major customer presentation or developing a large proposal is to gather your team members and generate as many ideas as possible as to why you’re the right fit. Ask, “What can we communicate about our company, our value, or competitive advantage?”

The more quantity of ideas, the better your chances of the quality ideas that are more original than those of the past.

As a sales professional, you are the quarterback on the team for your clients. You are responsible for touching or leading every aspect of the opportunity. You must be involved in crafting the proposal, making the presentation, understanding the customer’s needs, and even understanding their credit situation. You are the go-to person for the client.

You need to leverage all your experiences to become more original. It’s been said many times that you learn more from the sales you lose than the sales you win. That’s where you gain experience. You learn from your mistakes and for the next opportunity you have more experience and insight as to what can work versus what might not work. You learn how to read customer situations as you relate them to those in the past that were similar. In other words what’s worked versus not worked.

When the pressure mounts at the last minute to get a presentation or a proposal ready for a customer, realize that all the experience you’ve acquired over the years gives you a mental advantage in preparing that you just might not realize. You never learn from mistakes you’ve never made.

The next time you’re down to the last minute in preparing for a customer, realize there might be a silver lining in those final moments of preparation. Be open to the fact that a great idea for the customer might be just minutes away.

Good selling.

Stu Schlackman is a sales expert, accomplished speaker and the author of Four People You Should Know and Don’t Just Stand There, Sell Something. With over 25 years of success in the sales landscape, Stu provides his clients and audiences with the wisdom, techniques and practical advice to compete and win in business and in life. For more information about Stu, please visit www.StuSchlackman.com.

JUNE 17 15

The Cost of

Poor Performance

by Evan Hackel

Why Failing to Train your Employees Costs a Lot More Than You Think

Many people have heard this story, which has become a

A franchise group, comprised of more than 2,000 stores,

legend in the training industry . . .

experienced this training quandary first-hand. The head of

A CEO and department head were having a brief conversation after their monthly strategy meeting, where the main

sales had a simplified approach to hiring. He simply hired salespeople who had worked at other stores that sold the same kind of products that were sold at his stores. His

focus was on employee training. The CEO said, “What if we

assumption was that the experienced salespeople he hired

spend all this money training our staff and they leave us?”

were “pretrained” and that hiring them would save a lot of

And the department head replied, “What if we don’t train

time and expense. Plus, there would be no need to acquire

them and they stay?”

the tools and systems that were needed to implement a train-

A simple but pointed response. If you spend a lot of money

ing system.

on people and they leave, that’s not an optimal outcome.

His decision to hire experienced salespeople made sense, but

But if you don’t train your employees and they stay, it costs

it was flawed. The fact that those salespeople had experience

you a lot more.

didn’t mean that they came armed with the best selling skills

16 JUNE 17

or factual product knowledge. But after a few years of using his “hire the experienced” approach, he saw that he wasn’t achieving the kind of results he wanted. He sensed that the size of each average transaction on the selling floor was too small. Buyers were not becoming repeat customers. Plus, his stores were receiving negative comments online about the

• Make fewer mistakes • Sell the right products, reducing the cost of returns and product replacements • Build customer relationships that result in more repeatbusiness

quality of their customer service.

• Generate more positive reviews online Because he could see that the skills of his salespeople needed improvement, he took the plunge and brought in an experienced training development firm that developed a program of e-learning for salespeople that trained them to increase the size of the average ticket size, to improve their closing percentages, and to provide better customer service.

The performance of the salespeople his company trained was dramatically better than the performance of experienced sales

• Increase your net promoter scores • Help keep morale and productivity high among all your employees, because people don’t like to work with untrained people who don’t know what they are doing What is having poorly trained salespeople it costing you?

Not training people costs money . . . a lot of money.

people he simply hired. Plus, he soon realized that training

Training Is Not Just for Salespeople

was giving him another benefit; because he could hire high-

Training has a major impact on customer service practices

energy, high-potential employees—not only those with expe-

across a variety of industries. Consider the often headache-

rience—he was building a much stronger and enthusiastic

inducing business of at-home product installation—one that

salesforce.

would certainly benefit from customer service-focused training. The basics, such as explaining to customers the details of

After a year, the average annual sales made by company-

the installation process, an emphasis on crystal clear commu-

trained salespeople had in many cases outperformed seasoned

nication prior to the start of the job, and of course, conveying

professional hires by $200,000 or more. When he factored

the importance of punctuality can boost customer retention.

in sales and contribution margin improvement, the people

Training staff to be cognizant of their customer service practic-

trained in-house produced about $80,000 a year more in prof-

es can also increase referral business, which can be worth extra

it. With an average five-year tenure for each employee, the

hundreds, thousands, or even millions to your bottom line.

training was worth $400,000 more in profit dollars.

Every Untrained Employee Costs You Money

That is another way of saying that the cost of not training each

ROI on training is dramatically greater than most company

salesperson amounted to $80,000 a year for that company. So

executives believe it will be. In simple terms, if a trained

what really happens if you don’t train people and they stay? It

worker becomes 100% productive and an untrained worker is

means that you’re going to be losing a lot of money.

only 60% productive, you are losing $40,000 in value on every $100,000 of business you conduct.

Why Do Trained Salespeople Produce More Income?

There are many reasons. Trained salespeople . . .

• Close more sales

In Closing . . .

Not training is hugely expensive—far more expensive than training. In your company, you should look for all the opportu-

• Generate larger average sales

nities where proper training can dramatically increase profits,

• Sell fewer products at discounted prices, and more

dollar you spend. If you start to look, it’s nearly guaranteed that

products at list price

reduce waste and provide an outsized ROI for every training you will find many more opportunities than you expect.

JUNE 17 17

Treat Your Employees Like Volunteers

By: Walt Grassl

Sarah needs a special project done as soon as possible. She approaches one of her resourceful employees, Ken, to see if he can do the project for her. Instead of directing Ken to get right on it, she explains to him that she has a problem. She describes the project and then asks if he can help her out.

Ken is a bit surprised by her approach and says, “Sure. But, you’re my boss. It’s not like I can decline.”

Sarah said, “Actually, if you have something more important to do, I want to know about it. Then I can make a decision. Do I make a priority call on your time or do I need to find someone else to do this project?”

Ken said, “I have a project I am working on for George. I 18 JUNE 17

should be able to complete your project now and still meet George’s deadline.”

In dire situations, a leader must give orders based on their position— with no push back or discussion. In today’s workplace, it is often not very effective. People resent being told what to do—especially when they receive conflicting direction from multiple leaders.

There are benefits to a leader treating their employees like volunteers. You should treat them like they can say no or walk away at any time. It encourages feedback. It improves morale. Often times, the feedback provided can prevent wasted time, money and materials.

Here are some ways to lead your “volunteers”:

Share the Big Picture Give your people a sense of purpose. Whether they are performing a manufacturing task or a clerical task, it doesn’t matter. If they don’t perform their small task well, the product or the company will suffer. Put the importance of their seemingly unimportant task in perspective.

Communicate Give clear direction. Create alignment.

Encourage respectful push back. Be accessible. Not only have an open door policy, but walk around. If you show up at someone’s work area and engage them, they may ask you a question. That question had not reached the threshold for them to call or come visit you. Create those opportunities.

Develop To make people enjoy working for you is to encourage them to grow. Remind them of the importance of training themselves. Give them suggestions on things to learn. You can help their development by giving them new “stretch” assignments and responsibilities. Then, be patient and nurturing as they ascend the learning curve. Coach them through any reluctance they have to leave their comfort zone. They will feel better about themselves and be more valuable team members.

Play to Their Strengths Know your people. Know what they do well. Know what they don’t do well. While you want them to grow, it is your responsibility to know their weaknesses that may be too hard to develop. You have to realize that people are what they are. Honor them by capitalizing on their strengths and not fighting them over their weaknesses.

Show Respect People want to be respected. Don’t be one of those people who doesn’t make eye contact or acknowledge people when you walk into a room or when you are walking down the halls. And seemingly only when you need a favor, approach them like your long lost best friend. Smile and acknowledge the people you pass in the hall—whether you know them or not. Develop relationships before you need favors.

Acknowledge Experience There is a saying that everyone

is an expert within three feet of their workspace. People who have been doing a task for years or who have been with the organization for years have experience. Realize that and when you approach them on an issue, take time to honor that experience and listen to them. Nothing irritates a seasoned performer more than when a new leader comes in and wants to share their book learning and tell them what to do. Listen with the intent to understand first, and then discuss the best way to solve the problem. You will come up with better quality solutions and have a team that respects you.

Gratitude Be grateful for the big things and the little things.

Always remember to say please when asking someone to do something and thank you when someone does something for you. So often, this doesn’t happen and the leaders are unaware of the effect. Also, seek out opportunities to catch people doing something right. People want to be appreciated. Go out of your way to show them.

Ken was able to complete Sarah’s special project on time as well as meet George’s deadline. He felt good about how he was approached and was allowed to be in a position to succeed on both tasks.

He also had a new appreciation for what it takes to be a good leader. He used to think that he could never be a leader because he didn’t like ordering people around. He is re-thinking that position, because he knows you can be leader without acting like a dictator.

Walt Grassl is a speaker, author, and performer. He hosts the radio show, “Stand Up and Speak Up,” on the RockStar Worldwide network. Walt has performed standup comedy at the Hollywood Improv and the Flamingo in Las Vegas and is studying improv at the Groundlings School in Hollywood. For more information on bringing Walt Grassl to your next event, please visit www.WaltGrassl.com.

"There are two times in a man's life when he should not speculate – when he cannot afford it, and when he can."

Mark Twain

JUNE 17 19

SNAP SHOT into a Top 100 Agency How we grew from 28 Producers to 95 Producers.

Q: What markets do you have?

Q: How does carrier contingency work?

A. As the largest independent agency in Wisconsin, RRA has strong carrier relationships. We offer over 45 CL, 20 PL and 45 EB carrier partners.

A. Producers can share in all contingencies. Because of our size, our contingent return is more predictable and stable to our Producers.

Q: Will I make more money?

Q: Do you have a solid perpetuation plan?

A. Yes, we offer one of the strongest returns to Producers. We pay all office costs including staff salaries.

A. Scaling back hours, retiring or planning for the unexpected should be a priority. We help connect Producers with similar interests and backgrounds to develop a buy/sell plan where they are comfortable.

Q: How can I maximize my time?

Q: What technology resources do you offer?

A. We handle staff management, HR, accounting, IT, rating, office management and other administrative details. This allows Producers to spend more time with their families or growing their book on their terms.

A. A dedicated IT department ensures technology resources are performing and the latest tools are being reviewed. We operate on Applied Epic and offer Zywave, AccuComp and HR Workplace Services.

Learn More: Gary Burton I gburton@robertsonryan.com I 800.258.0277 I RobertsonRyan.com

BE WORRY FREE WITH IMT

We understand the importance of partnerships and take great pride in building strong, stable relationships with our agents and policyholders. Through experienced claims expertise and hightouch customer service, we are there when we are needed most.

Learn how you can represent IMT Insurance & Wadena Insurance at imtins.com/contact_us.

imtins.com | west des moines, iowa 20 JUNE 17

GROW YOUR BUSINESS &

RETAIN YOUR IDENTITY

WITH OUR TEAM Visit our website, couriagents.com or give Steve Albinger a call at 800-444-1215.

Scan this with your smartphone QR code reader.

See what our agents are saying about market access, support & great commissions.

JUNE 17 21

education

STAND OUT! Set yourself apart with the CPIA designation.

The PIA of Wisconsin is a proud sponsor of the Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) professional designation program. These three, one-day workshops teach practical "before", "during", and "after" sale techniques for insurance producers, sales managers, account managers and company marketing representatives. Completion rule, 3 years from first course. No exams. You do not need to commit to all three to attend one.

Participants leave with ideas that will produce increased sales results immediately. In fact, they are guaranteed: Implement the principles covered in these sessions and experience a 20% increase in personal production within six months, or your registration fee will be refunded!

To maintain the CPIA designation: fulfill a bi-annual update by attending one of the three core seminars, an Advanced Insurance Success Seminar (October 19, 2017 in Fond du Lac), a Pro-to-Pro Retreat, or maintain an active Level 2 or Level 3 membership in the AIMS Society. The CPIA designation is approved by Utica Mutual as part of the premium discount program.

The AIMS Society is a national organization dedicated to providing interactive marketing and sales training, ongoing resources and networking opportunities to insurance professionals. www.aimssociety.org No Test. Approved for 7 Wisconsin CE credits.

While it is not required, it is recommended courses are taken in order.

CPIA 1 - Position for Success

CPIA 2 - Implement for Success

During this program, participants are encouraged to focus on internal and external factors affecting the development of effective business development plans.

Factors discussed include a review of the state of the insurance marketplace; analysis of competitive pressures; necessary insurance carrier underwriting criteria; and consumer expectations and understanding.

During this session participants will be provided with specific tools for analyzing consumer needs; will learn to utilize risk identification techniques to gather pertinent prospect information; will develop skills necessary to assimilate information gathered into a customized protection program; and will participate in exercises designed to promote effective delivery of proven solutions.

WI CE Course # 65338

WI CE Course # 65340

CPIA 3 - Sustain Success WI CE Course # 65339

This program focuses on fulfilling the implied promises contained in the insuring agreement. Students will review methods of providing evidence of insurance coverage; will discuss policies and procedures for controlling E&O including policy review and delivery, endorse-ments, claimsprocessing, and handling of client complaints. This course includes a review of the Professional Expectations; the Law of Agency; and Legal and Ethical Standards.

Course Schedule 8:30 – 4:00 Lunch On Your Own 12:00 – 12:45 Registration Fee per Seminar: Includes Seminar Materials, Coffee a.m. & Soda p.m.  PIAW Member $165.00 or $172.00 includes WI CE fee  Non Member $200.00 or $207.00 includes WI CE fee

CPIA 1 – July 18, 2017 Wisconsin Mutual Ins. Co. Madison, WI 22 JUNE 17

CPIA 2 – July 19, 2017 Radisson Paper Valley Appleton, WI

Register: www.piaw.org 1-800-261-7429

CPIA 3 – July 20, 2017 West Bend Mutual Ins. Co. West Bend, WI

education

some people Are lucKy And some Are not

John Paul Getty, the oil executive and billionaire, once received a request from a magazine for a short article that explained his great success. The billionaire obligingly wrote: "Some people find oil — others don't."

Step Up To Elite Status CISR Elite, That is.

For CISRs who aspire to be more-who seek to distinguish themselves as Elite.

When you love what you do, and want to be the best, It’s time to step up. it time to Become a CISR Elite.

www.piaw.org 800-261-7429

More and more owners, managers, and producers are taking advantage of the solid education provided by the CISR designation program—and for good reason. The “S” in CISR could stand for “Sales” as well as “Service.” CISR courses are a perfect blend of foundational technical training and the skills producers need to create long-term relationships.

CISR courses are convenient one-day classroom courses—also available in self-paced online and in-house formats. The practical knowledge of risks, coverages, and exposures, complement the cross-selling and account-rounding skills taught in CISR courses.

CISR is a solution to satisfaction for your clients, the agency, companies, and you!

Contact PIA of Wisconsin today!

1-800-261-7429 • www.piaw.org

JUNE 17 23

education

Certified Insurance Counselor Each Approved for 20 Wisconsin CE Credits life & health

PERSONAL LINES

June 21-23, 2017 Holiday Inn Wausau – Rothschild, WI 715-355-1111 $99 rate through 5/22/17 includes hot continental breakfast

September 13-15, 2017 Conducted at West Bend Insurance Company $102 rate through 8/12/17 at Hampton Inn & Suites 262-438-1500

• life insurance concepts • health insurance concepts Dr. Victor Puleo, PhD., CIC, CFP

• PERSONAL RESIDENTIAL COVERAGES Jerry Kennedy, CIC

• long term care insurance • disability income insurance • business continuation and succession planning Richard Goolsby, CIC • retirement planning and annuities • planning for personal needs Fred Stoor, CIC

• CONDOMINIUMS • FLOOD John Dismukes, CIC, CPCU, AAI, AIS • PERSONAL AUTOMOBILE COVERAGES • PERSONAL UMBRELLA/EXCESS COVERAGES Russell Deaton, CIC

WI CE Course #69162

WI CE Course #69169

Day One: 8:00 – 5:15 Day Two: 8:00 – 5:00

Day One: 8:00 – 5:15 Day Two: 8:00 – 5:00

$405.00 per institute. Register at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429.

Utica

Gives You the Credit You Deserve!

The following PIAW education classes are approved for the Utica premium credit.

• Any CIC Update • CIC Agency Management • CISR Agency Operations • Dynamics of Service • Select PIAW Webinars • PIAW Conducted Ethics and E&O Seminars (classroom or in house) To register online and view upcoming CE courses visit www.piaw.org

24 JUNE 17

Please contact Heidi Hodel, CIC, CRIS, Member Benefits Coordinator hhodel@piaw.org or 1-800-261-7429 to find out how you can benefit from Utica’s E&O Loss Control Program.

Open to Anyone & Everyone !

For The New Employee - No CE 6-8 Week Virtual Classroom • • • •

www.piaw.org

New Agency Employee Orientation Delivering Quality Service Personal Lines Coverage Basics Commercial Lines Coverage Basics

Pre-Licensing Education Webinars: 3 WI CE, No Exam, No Proctor •

35 Topics

Hot Topics: 4 WI CE • • •

Variety of Coverage Topics Ethics Flood

All 9 CISR Courses – 8 WI CE

All 6 CIC Institutes – 20 WI CE

CIC Ruble seminars

Exciting update options, they fill up quickly.

Graduate | Crowne Plaza – Madison, WI* August 21 & 22 | Cyber Risk | Crowne Plaza Airport – Milwaukee, WI 16 WI CE (*Includes 4 optional Ethics) October 11 & 12 | Graduate | Radisson – Green Bay, WI* 16 WI CE (*Includes 4 optional Ethics) visit www.piaw.org or call PIA at 1-800-261-7429

On-Line Insurance Pre-licensing Education

Exam FX

www.piaw.org

Online Training & Assessment

Pass your insurance test fast.

Start producing faster.

Insurance and Securities Pre-license Training JUNE 17 25

education

O n -L i n e e d u c a t i O n

education

New Topics! Each Approved for 3 WI CE Credits. Live. No Test. No Proctor.

Visit the Education tab at piaw.org for a complete list of topics, descriptions, webinar demo and registration.

Several approved for Utica credit. Ethics is offered each month.

Fee per Webinar: $55 PIAW Member, $70 Non Member – Includes WI CE fees.

June 2017 Webinar Schedule TITLE & WI CE

DATE

TIME (CST)

INSTRUCTOR

Worker’s Compensation Issues: Common Provisions and Rating 3 WI CE # 6000004677

6/6

12-3p

Jerry Hargrove, J.D., CIC, CPIA, SCLA, FCLA, PICS, LICS

Current Trends & Changes: The Homeowners & Auto Marketplace 3 WI CE # 1012431

6/8

12-3p

Kym Martell, CRM, CIC, CRIS, AAI

So You Made Some Money…Now What?

Financial Planning from Salary to Social Security 3 WI CE # 1012438

6/13

12-3p

Karin Klaassen, CLU, LUTCF

E&O Loss Prevention 3 WI CE # 1010749, Utica Approved

6/14

8-11a

Becky Lathrop, CIC, CPIA

Executive and Management Liability 3 WI CE # 1010876

6/14

12-3p

Catherine Trischan, CPCU, CRM, CIC, ARM, AU, AAI, CRIS, MLIS

Additional Insureds: The Quandary 3 WI CE # 1012432

6/15

1-4p

Robin Federici, CIC, AAI, ARM, AINS, AIS, CPIW

Top Twelve Coverage Countdown: Answers, Evaluations & Revelations 3 WI CE # 1010873

6/21

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, AAI

Commercial Liability Endorsements to Watch Out For 3 WI CE # 1010874

6/22

12-3p

Catherine Trischan, CPCU, CRM, CIC, ARM, AU, AAI, CRIS, MLIS

Innovations in Long-Term Care Funding with Life Insurance 3 WI CE # 1012433

6/26

12-3p

Jerry Rhinehart, CIC, CLU, ChFC, RHU

Man vs. Machine: Cyber Exposures and Insurance Solutions 3 WI CE # 1011190

6/27

1-4p

Jerry Hargrove, J.D., CIC, CPIA, SCLA, FCLA, PICS, LICS

Tricks to Fix: Closing Coverage Gaps in Home, Work and Auto 3 WI CE # 1012435

6/28

8-11a

Kevin Amrhein, CIC

Street Level Ethics 3 WI Ethics CE # 1012437 Utica Approved

6/28

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, CIC

Register online at piaw.org or call 1-800-261-7429.

Contact Brenda for in-house webinar opportunities. bsteinbach@piaw.org 26 JUNE 17

Shelly Clark, CISR Richards Insurance of Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI Marti Daniels, CISR Steffens Insurance Group, Inc. Waterford, WI Angela Denk, CISR Marshfield Insurance Agency, Inc. Marshfield, WI Jenny Dorn, CISR Old Republic Risk Management Brookfield, WI

NEW CICs

Monika Greenheck, CISR Neckerman Insurance Services Madison, WI

Maria Ramierz Cervantes, CISR American Advantage–IMC Milwaukee, WI

Kari Hagenow, CISR Ansay & Associates LLC Appleton, WI

Stephanie Rasmussen, CISR Marchfield Insurance Agency, Inc. Marshfield, WI

Kathleen Hansen, CISR Vizance, Inc. Hartland, WI

Kimberly Riek, CISR A F Glass Insurance Agency, Inc. Lake Geneva, WI

Kara Kearney, CISR Boll Insurance Group, LLC Waupaca, WI

Aaron Weidenbaum, CISR American Advantage–IMC Milwaukee, WI

This new status is for CISRs who aspire to be more, and passed all nine CISR courses.

Renee Katers CISR Elite

American Advantage Insurance Group Green Bay, WI

Vicki Kopeschka, CISR West Bend - A Mutual Insurance Company West Bend, WI

The Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) Program has been the insurance industry’s premier, proven source for practical, real-world education since 1969. For insurance professionals everywhere, the 20 hour Institutes represent a thoroughly rewarding learning experience, led by accomplished insurance and risk management speakers.

Are you ready to challenge yourself?

Eric Haun, CIC Coverra Insurance Services, Inc. Sparta, WI

Nancy Roemer, CIC, CISR, AAI, AIS Ansay & Associates, LLC Sheboygan Falls, WI

fun d am e n t a l p r i n c i p l e s Given a choice between building your business on large debt or facing a firing squad . . . choose the firing squad.

There's a chance the firing squad might miss.

JUNE 17 27

education

NEW CISRs

The CISR Program empowers outstanding individuals to provide exceptional customer service. Join the many thousands of insurance professionals who have already experienced the benefits.

education

PEOPLE WHO EARNED THIS ALSO EARNED MORE

30,900 MORE OF THESE

PER YEAR.

If you’re looking to jump start a new career or make more with the one you are in, education is your best investment. Now, more than ever, it is important to invest in your greatest assets—yourself and your people. According to The National Alliance Producer Profile, commercial lines producers with the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation earn 30% more than those without the designation. To learn more about the CIC Program, call or visit us on the web.

The most successful training programs for insurance professionals

28 JUNE 17

Register at www.piaw.org or call 1-800-261-7429

education

Certified Insurance Service Representative Open to Anyone!

7 WI CE Credits Course #69351

LIFE AND HEALTH ESSENTIALS

This course will help build a better understanding of what your clients need to know about life and health insurance.

Explaining the benefits of having the proper life and health insurance is key to the financial well being of your clients' families and businesses.

• • • • • •

Introduction to Life Insurance Term Insurance Permanent Life Insurance Health Insurance Concepts Regulation Consumer Driven Plans

CLASS SCHEDULE Instruction Group Lunch Optional Exam

Victor Puleo, Ph.D. CIC, CFP

8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

JUNE 20 • rothschild

$170 Per Course Includes Lunch

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Register at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429

Certified Insurance Service Representative Open to Anyone!

7 WI CE Credits Course #69334

COMMERCIAL CASUALTY 1

This course strengthens your ability to have productive, assured interactions with your commercial customers in the area of commercial casualty exposures and coverages.

• • • • • •

Introduction to Life Insurance Term Insurance Permanent Life Insurance Health Insurance Concepts Regulation Consumer Driven Plans

CLASS SCHEDULE Instruction Group Lunch Richard Goolsby, CIC

Optional Exam

8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

JUNE 21 • TOMAH

$170 Per Course Includes Lunch

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Register at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429

JUNE 17 29



I realize the importance of political contributions to the future of the Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin and our customers. I want to be part of the process leading to success in achieving PIA’s goals in the Wisconsin Legislative arena. Please hold my contribution as a deposit in the PIA Legislative Conduit account to be used at my direction. I understand that I will be contacted in the future, by telephone, email or direct mail, to authorize the use of these contributions. I will be asked to respond with my signature on appropriate authorization forms.

Name:___________________________________________________________________________________ (Please Print)

Primary Employer:________________________________________________________________________ (required to disburse any contributions greater than $100, by Wisconsin Law)

Business Address:_____________________________ City:_____________ State:_______ Zip:__________ Home address:________________________________ City:____________ State:_______ Zip:___________ Business phone:______________________________ Home phone:_________________________________ Email address:_____________________________________ Contribution amount:____________________ Credit Card Payment Name on card:_________________________________ Signature:__________________________________ Amount:______________ Card Number:_________________________________ Exp. Date:____________ Billing address on card:_____________________________________________________________________ City

State

Zip

Contributions are NOT tax deductible for income tax purposes. Donations must be made from Personal accounts only.

NO Corporate or Business Checks or Credit Cards accepted Return to: PIAW Legislative Conduit Account PIA of Wisconsin, Inc. ● 6401 Odana Rd. ● Madison, WI 53719 Fax: 608-274-8195 ● www.piaw.org ● Email: rvonhaden@piaw.org

30 JUNE 17

There when it matters most to agents.

TECHNOLOGY Donegal knows “ease of doing business” is important to any independent agency.

That’s why Donegal Insurance Group focuses on providing superior technology, including mobile apps for agents and customers as well as fully automated web-based systems for Personal, Commercial and Farm Lines, to give our agents optimal efficiency in quoting and issuing policies.

But offering advanced technology equal to any national carrier isn’t enough. Donegal interacts with our agents to constantly look for ways to enhance our technology offerings.

Delivering superior technology, another way Donegal is “There When It Matters Most” for independent insurance agents.

To learn more visit www.sheboyganfallsinsurance.com or call Connie Jones at 800-242-7698 ext. 2800.

BECOME A BWO ASSOCIATE

proudly building relationships throughout Wisconsin Find out why many of our industry’s most reputable companies have partnered with BWO, an insurance group proudly serving all of Wisconsin. We are continually investing in our independent agents to better serve you and your clients, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE LOCATED. We recognize that our mutual success is based on how hard we are working for you – providing the tools, products and support to help you succeed.

“Good People to Know”

BUDZISZ WRUCK OSBORNE

INSURANCE GROUP, LLC

Contact: Tom Budzisz at tom@bwoinsurance.com 414-768-8100 • 800-924-6155 • Fax: 414-768-8110 2111 E. Rawson Ave., Oak Creek, WI 53154-0065

www.bwoinsurance. com

agents enjoy...

• 100% ownership • Contingency participation • Generous commission • Comparative rater • Hawksoft management system • Agency perpetuation • No non-compete • No monthly membership fee • No joining fee

companies we represent...

AAA Wisconsin, Acuity, Allied Insurance, Austin Mutual Insurance, Auto-Owners Insurance, Badger Mutual, Dairyland Auto, Ellington Mutual, Foremost, General Casualty, GMIC, Hagerty, Hanover, The Hartford, Hastings Mutual, IMT, Integrity, Kemper Preferred, Met Life, Mt. Morris Mutual, Partners Mutual, Pekin, Philadephia Insurance Companies, Progressive, Safeco, Secura, Society, State Auto, Travelers, Victoria, West Bend Mutual 31 JUNE 4/24/15 17 8:48 AM

Wisconsin STRONG Since 1931 Partners Mutual Insurance Company has built lasting relationships with independent agents across the state. We are committed to the independent agency system as the only means to deliver our products and work hand-in-hand to help our agencies grow profitably.

For information about becoming a Partners Mutual Insurance Agent please contact Brian Martin at 262.432.3439; Martin.Brian@PartnersMutual.com; Mike Ottman at 262.432.3418; Ottman.Michael@PartnersMutual.com; or Charles Becker at Becker.Charles@PartnersMutual.com or 262.432.3484.

PMIC_3-625x5_PIA_1216.indd 1

12/13/2016 12:31:09 PM

Get Online With PIA Eservices

Websites | Social Media | Blogs | and More!

www.pia-eservices.com 32 JUNE 17

More than a trusted brand, AAA is the perfect lead — and close.

Every sale has a beginning and end.

And AAA can help your independent agency with both. Add AAA to your product mix and grow your bottom line selling quality insurance through AAA and the extensive benefits of AAA Membership – an unbeatable combination of security and savings.

If you’re ready to grow, we’re here to help with the products and support that can help you earn more. n n n n n n

Quality insurance with competitive rates Powerful brand recognition Sales manager support Product training Extensive marketing co-op program Competitive commission on insurance and membership

Learn more today.

Call Heidi Nienow at 608-828-2614 or email me at hqnienow@aaawisconsin.com

17-IA-2054 LC 3/17

JUNE 17 33

A Call to our Members We are now recruiting members for our 2017-2018 committee year.

The PIA has an extensive committee structure; we thrive on committee volunteers. We are now recruiting members for our 2017-2018 committee year. We reimburse for mileage, meals, and lodging expenses.

We welcome new comers, and would be honored if any former committee members would come back for another term. The new committees will be formed in August. If you are interested please fill out the volunteer form located at www.piaw.org Committee Descriptions:

Committees are formed after each annual convention.

Agents Service: Provides services or products to benefit the members of the association. Special emphasis is placed on agent-company relations, agent-client relations, product knowledge and agency management.

Automation: Provides the resources to enhance the utilization of our member's automation systems and to assist agencies with the ongoing process of automation. This is accomplished through seminars, articles in the Professional Agent Magazine and other methods.

Convention: Plan and organize the PIAW annual Convention. Duties include setting the date, location, agenda and evaluation each convention. The planning of the agenda includes: food & refreshments, entertainment, educational programs, exhibitors' hall, banquet, etc.

Education / CIC / CISR: Responsible for setting the location, date and speakers for the Certified Insur-

ance Counselors and Certified Insurance Service Representative programs. They are also responsible for evaluating each institute in order to maintain the quality of these programs. This committee also evaluates the changing education needs of our members and plans other education seminars held throughout the year.

Legislative: The legislative committee has a rather straight forward mission. Its function is to monitor and report to the membership any legislative activities on the state or national level which could have an effect on the insurance industry. The committee is made up of several members at large and headed by the national director who is elected by the Board of Directors.

Membership: Responsible for finding ways to attract and maintain membership. This includes establish-

ing dues structure, creating membership campaigns and integrating membership issues into ongoing association programs.

Nominations & Awards: Present a slate of nominees for the election of directors at the annual meeting.

Public Relations: Work to create a positive image of professional independent insurance agents both to

the general public and within the insurance industry.

Young Professionals Club: The mission of the Young Professionals Club of Wisconsin is to provide a forum and means for responding to the needs of young professionals during the establishment phase of their insurance related careers through:

Education, Networking, Socializing, Professional Development

Encouraging, Tomorrow's Leaders By developing young professionals, we can enhance the membership of PIA, improve the industry image and insure the future of independent agency system.

34 JUNE 17

The Wisconsin 1752 Club awarded a scholarship to Michael Scopoline, a risk management student at Madison College.

Pictured here (1 to r) are Club Vice President Rachel Anderson, Michael Scopoline, Martha Lester from Madison College and Erin Pinney, President of the 1752 Club. We are delighted that the 1752 Club is committed to assisting young students who plan to enter a career in the insurance industry.

JUNE 17 35

Kill rsvp s Getting people to RSVP is every event planner's nightmare. They make calls to the non-responders and many say, "Sure, I'll be there." Why don't they RSVP? According to Gabbie Tonietto, a Washington University Ph.D. candidate who studies consumer behavior, the act of scheduling is worklike and creates obligation, and there goes the fun. So, don't turn people off with RSVPs; be sure events have a strong participant pull.

Since 1878

Ellington Mutual Insurance Company

Proudly providing all of Wisconsin with prompt, personal service.

PO Box 356 • Hortonville, WI 54944 920-779-4515 • 800-953-4515

www.ellingtonmutual.com

Homeowners • Farmowners • Commercial • Rental Properties • Seasonal Properties • Umbrella

"If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves."

Thomas Edison

36

JUNE 17

AUTO | CONTRACTORS GENERAL LIABILITY COMMERCIAL AUTO | TNC (Uber, Lyft, etc.)

www.FirstChicagoInsurance.com 708-552-4623 or email JDurkin@FirstChicagoInsurance.com

JUNE 17 37

PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS OF WISCONSIN, INC. OFFICERS

DIRECTORS

Mr. Brian MacGillis, CPIA President MacGillis Agency, Inc. W3934 County Highway H PO Box 100 Fredonia, WI 53021-0100 Phone 262-790-0000 Fax 262-790-0004 brian@macgillisinsurance.com Ms. Jodi Cordes, CIC, CRM Vice President A.F. Glass Insurance Center P.O. Box 1149 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Phone 262-248-5555 Fax 262-248-5544 jcordes@glassinsurancecenter.com Mr. Matt Cranney, CIC, CRM Treasurer M3 Insurance Solutions, Inc. 3133 W Beltline Hwy Madison, WI 53713 Phone 608-273-0655 Fax 608-273-7783 matt.cranney@m3ins.com

Mr. Rick Clements, LUTCF, MDRT, Past President Clements Ins. Agency, Inc. 317 N 6th St. Wausau, WI 54402 Phone 715-842-1664 Fax 715-848-3337 rick@clementsagency.com

Mr. John W. Klinzing, CIC, CPIA Affiliated Ins. Agencies of WI, LLC 3830 Atwood Ave. Madison, WI 53714 Phone 608-310-3924 Fax 608-441-8787 johnk@affiliatedllc.com

Mr. Jeremy Cordova, CIC Cordova Agency, Inc. 716 E 2nd St. Merrill, WI Phone 715-536-9576 Fax 715-539-3349 jeremy.cordova@cordovaagency.com

Mr. Dennis Kuhnke, CIC, CPIA PIAW National Director Robertson Ryan & Associates Inc. 330 E Kilbourn Ave. Suite 650 Milwaukee, WI 53202 Phone 414-271-1561 Fax 414-271-3012 dkuhnke@robertsonryan.com

Ms. LouAnn Herriges, CIC, CISR American Advantage - IFS, Inc. 353 Forest Grove Dr. #205 Pewaukee, WI 53072 Phone 262-696-5800 Fax 866-255-4440 LouAnn@insurancewisconsin.biz

Ms. Julie Ulset, CPIA Grams Insurance Agency LLC 103 W Fulton St. Edgerton, WI 53534 Phone 608-884-3304 Fax 608-884-9616 julset@gramsinsurance.com

20 CISR Life & Health Essentials Rothschild (7 WI CE)

21

CISR Commercial Casualty 1 Tomah (7 WI CE)

21-23

CIC LIFE & HEALTH Rothschild (20 WI CE)

18

CPIA 1 Position for Success Madison (7 WI CE)

19

CPIA 2 Implement for Success Appleton (7 WI CE)

20

CPIA 3 Sustain success West Bend (7 WI CE)

July 2017

AUGUST 2017

June 2017

PIA of Wisconsin, Inc. 6401 Odana Road Madison WI 53719 Phone: 608-274-8188 Toll Free: 800-261-7429 Fax: 608-274-8195 Toll Free Fax: 866-203-7461 www.piaw.org Ronald Von Haden, CIC Executive Vice President rvonhaden@piaw.org Heather Falk, CISR Bookkeeping hfalk@piaw.org Heidi Hodel, CIC, CRIS Member Benefits Coordinator hhodel@piaw.org Mandy Penn Executive Assistant mpenn@piaw.org Becca Prestbroten Administrative Assistant bprestbroten@piaw.org Brenda Steinbach Education & Convention Director bsteinbach@piaw.org

Sept 2017

2 YPC 14 th Annual Scholarship Golf Outing, Oakwood Park Golf Course, Franklin, WI

October 2017

December November 2017 2017

Coming Events

Mr. Michael Keener, CIC Keener Insurance Solutions, LLC W 175 N11081 Stonewood Dr Ste 105 Germantown, WI Phone 262-293-9144 Fax 262-293-9254 michael@keenersolutions.com

Ms. Sandy L. Hardrath, CIC, CPIA Ansay & Associates 4712 Expo Dr. Manitowoc, WI 54220 Phone 920-370-4283 Fax 920-682-7799 Sandy.Hardrath@Ansay.com

Mr. Sean M. Paterson, CIC Secretary Robertson Ryan & Associates 12750 W. North Ave., Building A Brookfield, WI 53005 Phone 262-782-5373 Fax 262-782-6327 spaterson@robertsonryan.com

38 JUNE

Mr. Thomas Budzisz, CPIA BWO Insurance Group, LLC 2111 E Rawson Ave. Oak Creek, WI 53154 Phone 414-768-8100 Fax 414-768-8110 tom@bwoinsurance.com

STAFF

2-4

PIAW 68 TH ANNUAL CONVENTION, Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, Milwaukee

20,21

RUBLE CYBER RISK SEMINAR Milwaukee (16 WI CE)

13-15

CIC PERSONAL LINES West Bend (20 WI CE)

20,21

CISR ELEMENTS OF RISK MANAGEMENT Waukesha, Madison (7 WI CE)

10

HOT TOPIC—THINGS I WISH I KNEW 40 YEARS AGO Green Bay (7 WI CE)

11-12

RUBLE GRADUATE SEMINAR Green Bay (16 WI CE, 4 of 16 are optional Ethics)

19

HOT TOPIC – The Art of Asking Questions & Ethics Fond du Lac (7 WI CE, 3 are Ethics)

25

CISR PERSONAL RESIDENTIAL Rothschild (7 WI CE)

26

CISR AGENCY OPERATIONS Waukesha (7 WI CE, 1 of 7 Ethics)

1-3

CIC COMMERCIAL CASUALTY Madison (20 WI CE)

6

CISR COMMERCIAL CASUALTY 1, Waukesha (7 WI CE)

7

CISR COMMERCIAL CASUALTY 2, Madison (7 WI CE)

12

NEW! COMMERCIAL MULTI LINE INSTITUTE, Appleton

Consistently named a best workplace in the nation Honored as a top employer in insurance and financial services Noted for a great work environment for women, Millennials, Baby Boomers, and new college grads Recognized as a company that cares for employees and the community

EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE

AT ACUITY.COM All coverages underwritten by Acuity, A mutual Insurance Company

6401 Odana Road Madison, WI 53719 Change Service Requested

Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin, Inc. 6401 Odana Road • Madison, WI 53719 (608) 274-8188 • (800) 261-PIAW • FAX (608) 274-8195 • TOLL FREE FAX: (866) 203-7461 www.piaw.org

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Agency Name_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address_______________________________________________ PO Box_______________________________________________________ City, State, Zip_______________________________________________ County_______________________________________________________ Phone_______________________________________________________ FAX_________________________________________________________ E-mail Address_______________________________________________ Website Address______________________________________________

Primary Contact Information:

The Primary Contact will receive a copy of the Wisconsin Professional Agent magazine and all mailings from PIA State and National. The Primary Contact has voting rights at PIA national meetings. Primary Contact and all agency staff have voting rights at PIA of Wisconsin meetings.

Name & Designation

DOB

Gender

Employment Status

o o

Male

o

Corporation

Female

o o

Part-time

Licensed Owner

Magazine

Privilege

INCL INCL

o

Licensed Producer

Nat’l Voting

Agency Information: Agency Type:

o Sole Owner

o

Top 3 P&C Companies (list in order)

Partnership

Other Association affiliated with_____________________________

1)__________________________ 2)__________________________ 3)____________________________

Which Agency Management System are you using____________________ E&O Carrier_______________________________________Exp. Date______________ Annual P&C Prem. Vol._____________________________

Calculate Membership Amount Due:

Part-time employees count as one-half. If count ends in half, drop half. # Owners_________+ # Producers_________+ # Licensed staff_________+ # Unlicensed staff_________= Total Agency Size_______________ DUES SCHEDULE

Total Agency Size $Amount Total Agency Size $ Amount 1 385 16 1025 2 430 17 1070 3 475 18 1110 4 520 19 1155 5 565 20 1185 6 605 21 1230 7 655 22 1270 8 695 23 1320 9 735 24 1360 10 775 25 1405 11 820 26 1445 12 865 27 1490 13 900 28 1530 14 940 29 1575

15 985 30 & Over 1610 I certify that the information on this application is true and correct.

Signed_______________________________ Dated_______________________

Total Amount from Dues Schedule $_______________ Send:

o

Check

o

MC

o

VISA

o

DIS

o

AMEX

Card No._________________________________________________________ Exp. Date_________________________________________________________ Name as it appears on card:__________________________________________________ Billing address if different from above: __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Payments to PIA are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. However, they may be deductible under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code as a business expense.