PIAW November/December 2021 Magazine

[ NOVEMBER /DECEMBER 2021 ]

PROFESSIONALS CLUB

HOLARSHIP NG PROFESSIONALS CLUB

18TH

ANNUAL

18TH

OLF OUTING GOLF OUTING

P R O F E S S I O N AANNLUALA G E N T

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28 Years and Counting Unlike many other carriers, West Bend believes in the value of long-term relationships. That’s why many of our personal lines underwriters, like Kim, have worked with their agents for so long. Her agents know her well and depend on her to work with them to write the best business. And that makes the relationships that much stronger.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 [ 2 ]

CONTENTS 4 From the President 6 Memos from Madison 8 From the Boardroom 10 Capitol Update 13 Eye On The Law 14 OCI Administrative Action 18 Ideas To Keep In Mind When Closing Sales 20 Engage 2021 25 Grow Your Creative Muscle 26 HR Snapshot 28 Insurance Data Security Requirements 30 Education 37 Upcoming Events 38 Directory

We are a community of independent agents and other dedicated insurance professionals, working to promote and improve the independent agency channel. Our mission is to support the advancement and excellence of all independent agencies.

EDUCATE. ADVOCATE. COLLABORATE. EDUCATE

We are the premier association for insurance education in Wisconsin. Grow your knowledge and your bottom line, at our education sessions. Whether you want to pursue a CIC, CPIA, CISR or CRM designation, or just meet your bi-annual Wisconsin CE requirement, you have come to the right place.

ADVOCATE

With lobbyists representing you in Madison and in Washington, D.C., PIA is looking out for your interests and promoting the independent agency channel within state and federal government. Our goal is a regulatory environment that allows your agency to grow and prosper.

COLLABORATE

PIA is a place for you to collaborate with, and learn from, other agents and many other professionals in the industry. Starting an agency? We’ve been there. Growing an agency? We’ve been there. Considering a new agency management system? PIA members have been there. Whether at our PIAW Winter Get-Away event in Minocqua, Annual Convention, YPC Scholarship Golf Outing or dozens of other events, you can collaborate with other professionals who have “been there.”

6401 Odana Rd. Madison, Wi 53719 | (800) 261-7429 | www.piaw.org

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

we will continue to support the advancement and excellence of all independent agencies

“WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER” Hello, fellow PIAW members.. My name is Ryan Butzke, and I am truly honored to be elected President of the Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin. It seems like yesterday I was serving on the YPC committee, then elected to the board of directors, chairing our Clay Shoot event, and now serving as our President.

Thank you all for your confidence in me and for allowing me the opportunity to serve you.

I would like to welcome our other PIAW Executive Committee officers to their new positions: • Vice President: Steve Clements, CPIA • Treasurer: Lacey Endres, CIC • Secretary: Jon Strom

RYAN BUTZKE, CIC, CISR President, PIA of Wisconsin

Please welcome our newly elected PIAW Board Members: • Tracey Sabol • Mike Endres Returning PIAW Board Members: • Ann Linstroth, CISR, PWCAM • Michael Winstanley • Bob Wolfgram • Mitch Tarras • Jeff Glass, CPIA – Past President Liaison • Tracy Oestreich, CIC, CPIA, AU, CPIW – National PIA Director • Julie Ulset, CPIA – Immediate Past President I look forward to working alongside each of them and the PIAW staff to promote and improve the independent agency channel as I believe “We Are Better Together.” As a unified TEAM together, we will continue to support the advancement and excellence of all independent agencies in Wisconsin.

We will continue to provide our members elite educational events, comprehensive & competitive E&O insurance and will advance technology opportunities to help our members NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 [ 4 ]

automate processes they use daily. To advance those technology opportunities, my focus this year will include but will not be limited to: Bringing more third-party technology vendors to the convention. As we all know, technology is pushing our industry now more than ever. The use of third-party technology vendors is crucial to independent agencies’ success. Whether digital marketing, website development, virtual assistants, or staff training platforms, having more technology vendors at our convention will greatly benefit PIAW members.

Focusing more on member benefits PIA National offers, specifically The PIA Partnership. What is the PIA Partnership? It’s a joint effort between leading national & regional insurance carriers and the PIA. The PIA Partnership is committed to helping independent insurance agencies increase market share and improve profitability so they can experience long-term success. Some of the opportunities offered through the PIA Partnership are Winning@Virtual, Winning@Talent, and Agency Journey Mapping. To learn more about The PIA Partnership, please visit the website www.pianational.or/pia-partnership.

I am currently working with PIAW staff to finalize our committee structure for this upcoming year. Some of the committees’ missions look a little different than in years past, so please take a look at the brief explanation of each committee below. Joining a committee is a great way to get involved in PIA and give some of your time and talent to better the industry in 2021/2022. There is a committee sign-up form on the website (www. piaw.org) under the “About” tab and “Committees.”

Events – Planning has already begun for next year’s convention at The Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Winter GetAway in Minocqua, & PIA Scholarship Golf Outing.

Education – Responsible for evaluating and maintaining the quality of the CIC, CISR & CPIA educational programs. It also evaluates the changing educational needs of members and plans educational opportunities throughout the year.

Legislative – Reviews reports from our lobbyists on current legislative actions on the state or national level, which can affect independent insurance agencies Clay Shoot – Organizes the annual clay shoot event, which raises money for our political action committee. The PAC supports candidates for public office who support policies that help

TOP FIVE REASONS AGENTS LOVE

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small businesses and the independent insurance industry be successful.

Young Professionals Club – This committee has a new and exciting mission for this upcoming year. Their focus will be to engage young insurance professionals here in WI and to organize a series of events/activities to help form strong relationships for years to come.

I again thank all of you for this opportunity, and I look forward to a very successful year ahead. I encourage you to get involved with other PIAW members and join a committee as we truly are “Better Together.” If you have any questions or further discussion, please feel free to email me (ryanb@northbrookins.com) or Executive Director Pete Hanson (phanson@piaw.org).

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MEMOS FROM MADISON

Engage 2022 promises to be bigger and better, so put it on your calendar now.

AND THE SURVEY SAYS… Back in June, our Board decided that, no matter the turn out, we were going ahead with our new-format convention, Engage 2021, on September 29 & 30.

I’m so glad they did! Had they known what attendees would say about the convention afterward, the decision would have been a no-brainer.

Nearly half of our attendees completed surveys about Engage 2021. The surveys were emailed to them the following week. Here are some of the things they said: “Liked the new feel” “Compact convention with many opportunities to learn and collaborate with others”

PETE HANSON, CAE, CISR Executive Director, PIA of Wisconsin

“ Great speakers and topics… 3 breakout sessions were all excellent!” “ Really liked the open concept of the trade show” “ Keynote speaker alone was worth the price of admission” “ Wednesday night at The Turn was fabulous!”

“The social atmosphere that PIA encourages every year with this event… outstanding” “The CPIA designation class was a great option” With attendance a little above 200, it wasn’t our biggest convention ever.

However, many attendees thought it was the best ever. Take a look at the photos on Pages 20-24, and you will see what the attendees quoted above were talking about.

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Other interesting responses from the attendee survey included the make-up of the crowd. One-third of attendees were first-time attendees. This could be partly due to the ongoing pandemic, but our attendees skewed younger and newer than normal. Any way you look at it, though, our Convention Committee clearly did a great job of attracting new attendees.

The final question in our survey was designed to sum up what attendees thought of the convention, overall. We asked “Can we count on you attending the 2022 convention (Oct. 12&13) at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake?”

Responses: YES – 74% NO – 2% UNDECIDED – 24% If this is any indication, I’d say our new format for convention is a hit. Engage 2022 promises to be bigger and better, so put it on your calendar now. I can’t wait to see what our Events/Convention Committee comes up with for Elkhart Lake!

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FROM THE BOARDROOM

help achieve goals of growth, profitability, and delivering efficient experiences to your customers

TRACY OESTREICH, CIC, CPIA, AU, CPIW PIA National Director

USE WINNING@VIRTUAL TO HELP YOUR AGENCY SUCCEED AND SECURE ITS FUTURE Winning@Virtual is a 3-part tool kit to help your agency maximize its use of digital tools to help evolve in sales and service. Learn from other insurance agents and listen as they share their stories about technology and the business results they are realizing along with the pitfalls to avoid. Find the best practices and stories of real agents who use digital technology to build and grow customer relationships.

The number ONE goal of this toolset is to help independent insurance agencies take advantage of new technologies to thrive in today’s virtual world.

How can the right technology help empower your agency? The time has come to recognize the importance of using technology to help achieve goals of growth, profitability, and delivering efficient experiences to your customers!

It will also give you tips on enhancing employee communications and engagement.

Use Winning@Virtual to research the investment in new tools for your agency.

Every agency needs to be prepared to sell and service customers in a virtual world.

Winning@Virtual is FREE for PIA members. It is a 3-part tool kit to give agencies information on tools to become proactive advisors in our digital world.

Winning@Virtual Part 1 is the Technology Stack. Here you will find basic and advanced solutions to enhance virtual sales and service abilities for your agency.

This tool kit will give you an introduction to key solutions as a reference point. Voice over IP, email marketing, live chat and virtual assistants are just a few of the solutions discussed in this section. You will have the ability to simply click on a link to hear about each technology from basic NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 [ 8 ]

to advanced options. Each link will give you specific details on ways the technology can work in your agency, list vendors, features and pricing information.

Winning@Virtual Part 2 is Putting Technology Into Practice. This section provides access to ideas and training to make the most of the technology tools you have invested in already or want to invest in.

The toolkit has compiled a number of resources for you to perfect your skills. You will find information on virtual presentations, digital marketing, email marketing, collaborating online, net promoter scores and more. Take advantage of the videos and toolkits in this very valuable section.

Winning@Virtual Part 3 is Learning From Agents. In this last section, provided to you are best practices and stories of agents that use digital technology to build and grow customer relationships and enhance employee communications. Listen to interviews with agents that are taking advantage of the technologies highlighted in Part 1: Technology Stack. Voice Over IP, videoconferencing, virtual assistants, email marketing, social media advertising and Podcasting and more!! You can watch the videos and learn about the benefits agents are already experiencing first hand!

Winning@Virtual will help agencies at all levels with technological savvy. Use this toolkit to assess your virtual readiness, decide which technologies are right for you, calculate ROI on solutions you choose, select vendors, apply best practices for maximum results and learn from other peers in our industry. You can access this toolkit on the PIA National website at: www.pianational.org

Are you evolving your sales & service for the digital age?

Winning @Virtual Technology can establish and strengthen your agency’s customer relationships – if you have the right people and processes in place.

Our 3-part toolkit will help you make the most of today’s digital solutions. You can use it to: assess your virtual readiness; decide which technologies are right for you; calculate ROI on the solutions you choose; apply best practices for maximum results; and learn from other agencies.

There’s a big shift taking place in insurance. Visit WinningAtVirtual.com and discover how you can not only get prepared, but win.

Brought to you by The PIA Partnership – PIA’s national carrier council. Partnership companies include:

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H

CAPITOL UPDATE

NATALIE WHITE

Communications Director

Winter is drawing closer and that means we are heading into year two of the biennium. Committees have been meeting frequently during the early fall, getting bills ready for the floor. Time is short to get bills through the whole legislative process before session will adjourn sometime this Spring.

During these frequent committee hearings, a few bills of interest to PIA have been making their way through the process. Firstly, Senate Bill 434/ Assembly Bill 483 relates to municipal raze orders and is legislation that I have discussed here before. To refresh, this legislation would change the raze order process to prevent a raze order from being issued by a municipality for an insured single-family dwelling if the damages do not exceed 70% of the insured value of the home. At present, raze orders can be issued for these dwellings if the damages are over 50% of the assessed value of the home. With assessed values varying so significantly across the state, there are instances where raze orders have been issued and

the entire home was paid to be replaced, when restoring the home would have made the insured whole and would have been more cost-effective and practical.

When this happens, it effectively drives up premiums for other insureds and makes homes in certain areas more difficult to insure. The aim of this legislation is to align the law more closely with the concept of indemnity and make insurance more accessible for homes that may otherwise be too high a risk.

PIA supported this legislation during the committee process. At the time of writing, this legislation has been taken up for a floor vote in the Senate and a vote in the Assembly is not far behind.

We are hopeful that this happens soon and is enacted promptly so that this imbalance in the law is corrected.

Another bill PIA has been supporting through the process is Senate Bill 482/ Assembly Bill 491, relating to travel insurance. Seventeen states so far have adopted similar legislation, based off the NAIC and NCOIL models of this bill. The bill codifies many terms and definitions that have been used in the travel insurance marketplace, so that compliance requirements are clearer for the industry. In addition to codifying many current practices into law, the legislation includes several consumer protection measures. In addition to NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 [ 10 ]

requiring certain disclosures and requiring all materials be consistent with the policy, the bill bans opt-out provisions that force coverage on consumers unless they affirmatively deselect the coverage when purchasing a trip. The bill passed both insurance committees unanimously has been taken up for a vote in the Senate and is on the calendar for an Assembly floor session in the near future.

PIA is pleased to see these bills making their way forward and will continue to support them along to the finish line.

These bills will likely have passed both houses by time of publication – keep an eye on our blog!

Outside of legislation, redistricting continues to be a hot topic at the Capitol. Following the completion of the 2020 census, legislators in Wisconsin are tasked with drawing lines for new legislative districts based on the census outcomes. This is done every ten years following the census to ensure that the population in each district is balanced and that the district is representative of the population within. The current maps were confirmed by the 2011 Republican majority and former Republican Governor Scott Walker and ultimately inspired a long court battle, with Democratic members arguing they were drawn to favor Republican candidates.

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FREE LEGAL PIAW MEMBER HOTLINE

1.844.672.1221 INSURANCEHOTLINE@AXLEY.COM

Solving Problems Makes Us Attorneys; Anticipating Them, Makes Us a Partner.

Our attorneys have extensive experience in the unique legal needs of insurance agencies. We have represented hundreds of agencies, agents and brokers in all aspects of their business. Î Agency Ownership & Operations Î Mergers & Acquisitions Î Drafting & Review of Carrier, Producer, & Other Contracts Î Confidentiality, Non-Solicitation, & Non-Competition Agreements Î Perpetuation & Succession Planning Î Employee & Independent Contractor Issues Î Representation regarding OCI Licensing & Discipline Î E&O Reporting Obligations

Axley’s free insurance hotline is available to all PIAW members. Our attorneys will respond as quickly as possible. Calls do not constitute an attorney-client relationship. If your issues require more in-depth legal action or advice, you may be directed to seek private counsel.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 [ 12 ]

Eye on the Law

How the Grinch Stole Your Holiday Gifts!

A Quick Guide to Insurance Marketing Practices

by Amy T. Harriman and Robert C. Procter As we approach the holiday season, many marketing directors start to think about sending holiday items to clients such as a basket of cheese, a tin of popcorn, or a bottle of wine. In the insurance industry, this type of marketing activity is regulated as unfair inducements.

Unfair inducements, sometimes referred to as “rebating,” are a subset of unfair marketing practices. Under section 628.34(4) of the Wisconsin Statutes, no insurance company, employee, or intermediary may influence another person to buy an insurance policy or to terminate an existing insurance policy by offering benefits or making agreements that are not specified in the policy. Anti-rebating laws are intended to protect insurance solvency and prohibit discriminatory pricing. These laws also protect consumers from scams that persuade consumers to purchase products they do not actually need.

Historic examples of unfair inducements that the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) would likely prosecute include an intermediary refunding all or part of its commission, providing cash, or paying all or part of premiums on behalf of an insured. Unfortunately, Wisconsin’s unfair inducement law does not distinguish between de minimis, reasonably priced thank you gifts like a basket of cheese, a tin of popcorn, or a bottle of wine, and commission refunds, cash payments, and payments of premiums intended to induce someone to purchase a policy. Thus, as a technical matter, insurance companies, employees, and intermediaries are precluded from providing current or potential clients with holiday packages such as a box of chocolates.

Some marketing activities are permissible under the antirebating statute. For example, section 628.34(4) of the

Wisconsin Statutes does not preclude a reduction of premiums by reason of expense savings, including commission reductions, resulting from any form of mass marketing.

In the past, OCI has not rigorously enforced this statute as it relates to inexpensive gifts for two primary reasons.

First, OCI rarely receives complaints about inexpensive gifts from licensed intermediaries. It is unlikely that a consumer, another insurance agency, or a carrier would complain to OCI that an agent gave a reasonably priced box of chocolates to an insured. Second, OCI’s staff has limited resources and is unable to devote the time and investigative resources towards uncovering every inexpensive gift that may be considered an unfair inducement.

Unfair inducements as a prohibited marketing practice has had a fresh spotlight on it in recent years. In December of 2020, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) adopted language to allow insurance companies and agents to give non-cash gifts, items, or services, including meals to or charitable donations on behalf of a customer, in connection with the marketing, sale, purchase or retention of contracts of insurance. While Wisconsin has not adopted the NAIC, certain states have or may allow gifts and donations. For example, Illinois allows insurers to provide certain marketing gifts of minimal value such as golf balls and other gifts that are provided to the general public. Accordingly, you should review the laws of each of the states in which you operate before providing a gift to a customer or potential customer.

If you have any questions about unfair inducements, you should contact the PIA’s Legal Hotline at (844) 672-1221.

Happy Holidays!

This information is provided for the convenience of PIAW members, but cannot not be construed as legal advice. Members of PIAW may call toll free (844) 672-1221, or email their questions to insurancehotline@axley.com, to work with an attorney and receive legal information specific to your situation.

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OCI ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS MARK V. AFABLE 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.

AUGUST, 2021 Allegations & Actions Against Agents

Jonathan Anderson, 914 S. 111th St., West Allis, WI 53214, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct, owing delinquent child support, failing to respond to OCI inquiries, and failing to apply for and obtain a federal crime waiver.

Mark Jeffrey Blair, 1516 E. Winder Ln., Salt Lake City, UT 84124, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and having an administrative action taken against his real estate license.

Jonah M. Bunch, 2226 Hampton Dr., Franklin, IN 46131, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00, ordered to provide specific information to OCI, and ordered to timely and fully respond to all communications from OCI. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to timely provide information related to a consumer complaint.

Danielle Coleman, 2427 1st St. E, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404, had her application for an insurance license denied for 31 days.

This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application.

Nicholas A. Coplien, 808 Moorland Rd., Madison, WI 53713, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing conduct and having an administrative action taken by the State of California.

Nathan Cosby, 600 NW 29th St., Apt. 3, Oklahoma City, OK 73103, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of having an administrative action taken by the State of Oklahoma.

Cal Hoffa, 8751 S Oak Park Dr., Apt. 8, Oak Creek, WI 53154, had his application for an insurance license denied for 60 days. This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and providing incorrect information on a licensing application.

Thomas E. LaChance, 200 N 165th St., Brookfield, WI 53005, agreed to the issuance of a five-year probationary insurance license having employment restrictions and special supervision and reporting requirements. This action was taken based on allegations of having administrative actions taken by the states of Wisconsin and Tennessee, having an employment termination for cause, and failing to timely provide information required by a licensing application.

Paul J. Minnich, 1630 N 52nd St., Milwaukee, WI 53208, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having administrative actions taken by the Minnesota and Wisconsin Boards of Bar Examiners and committing unemployment insurance fraud.

Nicole M. Nolin, 1924 Sunset Ln., Fullerton, CA 92833, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct, failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the State of California on a licensing application, and having a restricted insurance license in her resident state.

Paula L. Norton, 7309 N Huntley Ave., Tampa, FL 33604, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00 and to provide all information requested by OCI, previously or in the future, and to timely respond to all communications from OCI.

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Nitesh S. Patel, 702 Catalpa Pl., Brandon, FL 33510, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct, and failing to disclose criminal convictions and administrative actions on a licensing application.

Orlin Rice, 11816 Gulf Shores Ct., Jacksonville, FL 32219, had his reinstatement application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having an administrative action taken by the State of Florida.

SEPTEMBER, 2021 Allegations & Actions Against Agents

Nanette Nolan Broadus, PO Box 998, Covington, LA 70434, had her application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and failing to disclose administrative actions taken by the states of Georgia and North Carolina on a licensing application.

Rebecca D. Cunningham, 863 W Puetz Rd., Oak Creek, WI 53154, had her application for an insurance license denied for six months. This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and failing to disclose criminal convictions on a licensing application.

John T. Czarnecki, 10627 N Royona Rd., Hayward, WI 54843, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Shaun Donahue, 3 Rolling Rd., Stratford, NJ 08084, had his application for an insurance license denied for 60 days.

This action was taken based on allegations of having an administrative action taken by FINRA. Amir H. Eftekhari, 10836 Leaping Deer Ln., Eden Prairie, MN 55344, 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.

Cierra Finkley, 4801 Kim Ln., Apt. C, Madison, WI 53704, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Richard A. Freeland, 317 N Shore Dr., Oxford, WI 53952, had his insurance license revoked for five years, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $3,000.00, and was ordered to make consumer restitution of $24,206.16. These actions were taken based on allegations of selling an unsuitable annuity and an unsuitable life insurance policy.

Jose Alejandro Fuentes, 1723 Spruce St., Grafton, WI 53024, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Julien Golden, 3140 N 28th St., Milwaukee, WI 53216, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Lori A. Haeuser, 12589 N Wauwatosa Rd., Mequon, WI 53097, agreed to the issuance of a two-year conditional insurance license having certain supervisory and reporting requirements.

This action was taken based on allegations of misconduct while previously licensed as a Wisconsin intermediary.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 - OCI ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS Shantel N. Harris, 420 Pilot Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89119, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

to insurance marketing type conduct, converting insurance payments for personal use, and failing to comply with information requests from OCI.

Jude P. Jean-Pierre, 3916 N Millwood Dr., Appleton, WI 54913, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Matthew G. Melby, 1245 N Water St., Platteville, WI 53818, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Gary Kiltz, 7194 Darnell Ln., Greendale, WI 53129, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having an administrative action taken by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Christopher F. Molnar, N88W17079 Elmwood Dr., Menomonee Falls, WI 53051, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Matthew Krueger, 7950 Squirrel Lake Rd., Minocqua, WI 54548, was ordered to cease and desist providing incorrect, misleading, or materially untrue information to the Commissioner and was ordered to cease and desist using advertisements that are not compliant with Wisconsin insurance law. These actions were taken based on allegations of using noncompliant advertising to Medicare-eligible consumers and making material misrepresentations to OCI.

Mark A. Neal, 2765 N 56th St., Milwaukee, WI 53210, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Timothy P. Schwister, 971 S Colonial Pkwy., Saukville, WI 53080, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Michael J. Larson, 3811 Lake Park Rd., Ashland, WI 54806, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Jamison J. Sivulich, 8453 Windmill Dr., West Jordan, UT 84081, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct.

Jesse A. Leaders, 1024 Lakefield Rd., Apt. 4, Grafton, WI 53024, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Patrick Smith, 960 Cumberland Trl., Apt. C, Oshkosh, WI 54904, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Theodore L. Lightfield, 424 Donald Dr., Burlington, WI 53105, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct.

Tamara L. Vernosh, 235 S Henry St., Green Bay, WI 54304, had her application for additional lines of insurance authority denied for six months. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose information on a licensing application and failing to comply with the terms of a previous stipulation and order.

Dimitri L. Mastos, 416 E Lincoln, Oregon, WI 53575, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and failing to disclose criminal convictions on a licensing application.

Dianne-Lynn McLester-Heim, N8258 Cooper Rd., Oneida, WI 54155, agreed to the permanent revocation of her Wisconsin insurance license and agreed to pay a $1,000.00 forfeiture. These actions were taken based on allegations of having a felony conviction that may be substantially related

Mary A. Verzich, 1417 N 8th Ave. E, Duluth, MN 55805, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Donna M. Vogt, N2135 Double D, Campbellsport, WI 53010, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Jodi L. Watters, 1979 Tumblebrook Rd., Neenah, WI 54956, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. H

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.

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promise

( 815) 489-327 5

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F E AT U R E

Ideas to Keep in Mind When Closing Sales

by John Chapin Without closing nothing happens, products aren’t manufactured, trucks don’t move, people don’t work, and money doesn’t change hands. If there is no closing there will be no business. So, arguably closing is the most important part of the sale however, if you have a great presentation and you give it to a prospect who is not qualified, the best closing skills in the universe won’t bail you out. In this article I’m going to assume you’ve done everything else right, in other words, you have a properly qualified prospect, you have a good presentation, you’ve sufficiently matched your solution with their needs and desires, and the only thing left to do is close the sale. In that case, here are some ideas that will help you.

2) WORK HARD ON YOUR CLOSING TECHNIQUES

CLOSING RULES

4) ONCE A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, CLOSE THE SALE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

1) DO IT

The most important part of closing is to do it. Closing doesn’t always mean getting a sale, it may mean closing on the follow-up appointment, or whatever the next step in the process may be. Either way, you must close on every call. It’s amazing how many salespeople do not actually close. Many sales situations go something like this: The salesperson goes through the entire presentation, arrives at the end, and says something like, “So, what do you think?” which of course is not a closing question. The prospect responds, “Well, it looks pretty good. Why don’t you call me in about a week.”

The salesperson says, “Okay,” packs up his materials, says goodbye, and leaves. In this case, the prospect was the only one who closed. He closed the salesperson on buying his excuse for not moving forward. If you don’t close, most prospects will be happy to simply exchange pleasantries with you and not buy today, even though they may have been perfectly willing to.

Script, practice, drill, and rehearse your closes and your closing techniques. Know them in your sleep. Most important, practice and perfect your closing out in the field.

3) ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO CLOSE

Make sure you’re mentally prepared, have all materials with you, and that your materials are presentable, operational, and ready to go. Have calculators, pens, contracts, and everything else necessary to consummate the sale. Add the numbers before you show up. Know how far you can go with your discount and other concessions. Know what all the terms and conditions of your contract are and what they mean.

When a prospect is ready to buy, close the sale. If you are on the phone setting up an in-person appointment with a prospect who has just decided to buy, get over there as soon as possible. Let as little time as possible pass between the point when a decision is made and when the signature goes on the contract.

5) AFTER YOU CLOSE, REMAIN SILENT

After you close, keep your mouth shut. The first one to talk buys. Either the prospect buys your product or service, or you buy the prospect’s excuse for not moving ahead.

6) MAKE THE CLOSING PROCESS AS SMOOTH, RELAXED, AND AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE

Try to limit paperwork, the time it takes, and the level of work that goes into it. Do as much of the paperwork as you can before you get there, such as filling in the prospect’s basic information. One of the worst things you can do is close the prospect then spend ten minutes filling out paperwork before getting the contract signed.

NOVEMBER/DECEMER 2021 [ 18 ]

7) KEEP YOURSELF BUSY, AVERT YOUR EYES, AND STAY QUIET WHILE THE PROSPECT IS SIGNING

You don’t want the prospect to feel as if he or she is under a spotlight. Look at your calendar, phone, or anything else you have with you.

8) SMILE AND THANK THE CUSTOMER FOR HIS OR HER BUSINESS

Make sure you cover all necessary details including what will happen next in the process.

9) FOLLOW UP AFTER YOU CLOSE

Follow up promptly after the close and make sure the sale is solid. You want to prevent buyer’s remorse and anything else that could “unclose” the sale after it’s been closed.

Some other ideas to keep in mind: • You must be convinced that your product is a great product before you close the prospect on it being a great product.

The first sale is to you!

• Close different people and personality types differently.

• Look and listen for indications that it’s time to close.

• Get in front of the prospect to put the odds in your favor.

• Bring as many senses as possible into the close.

• Be prepared to hear “no” and to handle objections and close several times afterward.

• Know how far you can go to get the deal done.

• Do what you can to get the deal done now.

• Trust your gut. If the deal doesn’t seem like a good one for some reason, let it go. Sometimes it’s better not to close business.

• Keep track of your closing success rate.

• Take advantage of holidays and Fridays when closing. Both tend to find people in better moods and with their defenses down.

• And last but not least, you will be most effective when closing, and selling in general, if you are enthusiastic, motivated, ethical, and completely believe in your product or service. If you are motivated and have a strong belief in your product, you’ll ask people to buy and you’ll fully believe they are better off with your product than without it.

You’ll also have conviction when selling.

About the Author

John Chapin is a motivational sales speaker, coach, and trainer. For his free eBook: 30 Ideas to Double Sales and monthly article, or to have him speak at your next event, go to www.completeselling.com John has over 33 years of sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales Encyclopedia (Axiom Book Awards). You can reprint provided you keep contact information in place. E-mail: johnchapin@ completeselling.com.

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2021 was a giant success!

LF OUTING TING ANNUAL

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS CLUB

SCHOLARSHIP

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GOLF OUTING

Wednesday evening kicked off with delicious food and drinks named the recipient of the Ron Von Haden Agent of the Year Award. Sean Paterson, CIC, of Robertson Ryan & and great company at the Engagement Party reception.

Then busses loaded up and headed off to The Turn, which Associates was named the recipient of the Stony Steinbach 10 AM REGISTRATION Achievement Award. Casey Flood, of Society Insurance, was the perfect place to get together, make new connections 11AM SHOTGUN START and practice your swing or fastball. The new complex had was named Company Representative of the Year. something for everyone10–AM noREGISTRATION one wanted to leave!

THE BOG 11AM SHOTGUN START participated in educational seminars in the 3121 COUNTYAttendees ROAD I 53080 At the Annual Meeting, the membership elected two new SAUKVILLE, WImorning and in the afternoon, experienced PIA’s new (Re) THE BOG Connect Trade show. The new layout was a hit and agents directors to the Board. Congratulations to Mike Endres of 3121 COUNTY ROAD I COST Endres Insurance Agency in Cross Plains, got$150 to meet with various exhibitors, play PIA Poker and SAUKVILLE, WI 53080and Tracy Sabol of Includes golf cart, box lunch, two drink even meet and get photos Jordy Nelson!

Robertson Ryan & Associates in Waukesha. PIA’s new tickets,officers reception, hors d’oeuvres 10 AM with REGISTRATION COST $150 were selected, as well. We congratulate President Ryan Butzke, 11AM SHOTGUN START Includes golf cart, box lunch, two drink CIC, CISR; Vice-President Steve Clements, CPIA; Treasurer Engage 2021’s finale was the keynote speech by best-selling MAJOR SPONSOR tickets, reception, hors d’oeuvres THE BOG author Weldon Long. Weldon’s speech taught attendees Lacey Endres, CIC and Secretary Jon Strom!

3121 COUNTY ROAD I that changing your mindset can really change your life, no SAUKVILLE, WI 53080 MAJOR SPONSOR matter your starting point.

The annual award winners were also announced. Brian COST $150 MacGillis, CPIA, of MacGillis Insurance Agency, was

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Thanks to all who attended and to our generous sponsors for helping us bring our convention back better than ever!

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2021-2022 PIAW Board Members and Officers (Left to Right) – Bob Wolfgram, Tracy Sabol, Julie Ulset, CPIA (Past President), Ann Linstroth, CISR, PWCAM, Steve Clements, CPIA (Vice President), Mike Endres, Lacey Endres, CIC (Treasurer), Ryan Butzke, CIC, CISR (President), Jeff Glass, CPIA (Liaison), Tracy Oestreich, CIC, CPIA, AU, CPIW (PIA National Director), Jon Strom (Secretary), Michael Winstanley. (Not Pictured: Mitchell Tarras) NOVEMBER/DECEMER 2021 [ 20 ]

Nicholas Oleniczak, CISR, “Outstanding CSR of the Year” with team members from M3 Insurance

April Tarras representing the 1752 Club, presents Brian MacGillis, CPIA, with the Ron Von Haden Agent of the Year Award.

Casey Flood, CIC, AIC, PIA’s Company Representative of the Year, stands with his Society Insurance team members.

Past President Sean Paterson, CIC, was named the 2021 recipient of the Stony Steinbach Achievement Award and was presented a plaque to commemorate his service to the PIA Board of Directors.

PIAW.ORG [ 23 ]

NOVEMBER/DECEMER 2021 [ 24 ]

F E AT U R E

Grow Your Creative Muscle

When we hear about creativity, it’s almost always related to the liberal arts. Artists, musicians, writers, and dancers are bestowed with a creative gift, while the rest of us watch from the bleachers.

We often fail to consider how much true creativity is necessary for daily life, including the workplace. Innovation, imagination, inventiveness, and resourcefulness are all parts of a creative mind. No matter what your job, creativity can give you the spark you need to solve a tough problem, work with difficult people, and impress your boss.

Creativity is like a muscle in your brain. The more you work on it, the stronger it gets. Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative person, don’t give up! Check out these 4 steps to help you become more creative.

1. Try something new. Whether it’s visiting new museums, trying out yoga, or just watching a genre on Netflix that you usually wouldn’t, expanding your horizons can help you break through your creativity barriers.

2. Play. Make time for your inner child. Children have incredible imaginations and reminding yourself of what that was like can be a good step toward opening up your creativity. Try putting together a challenging Lego set or hosting game night.

3. A sk questions. Even if you feel like you already know the answers, take the time to ask more questions. Curiosity can help us discover new things that allow our brains to make new creative connections.

4. B e wrong. Don’t let the fear of making a mistake hinder your creativity. The world needs new ideas to solve complex problems. Don’t hold back your creative instincts just because you aren’t sure what others will think. In fact, mistakes can serve as a launching point for the right solution.

In the words of Maya Angelou, “You can’t use up creativity.

The more you use, the more you have.” Tap into yours and watch the growth that occurs.

PIAW.ORG [ 25 ]

HR Snapshot

WE HAVE UNDER 100 EMPLOYEES AND ARE NOT REQUIRED TO MANDATE THE COVID VACCINE. WE’RE CONSIDERING DOING SO ANYWAY, BUT WE’RE ALSO INTERESTED IN OTHER WAYS OF ENCOURAGING OUR EMPLOYEES TO GET VACCINATED. WHAT INCENTIVES HAVE BEEN MOST EFFECTIVE? Incentives are a good idea if you don’t want to mandate the COVID vaccine.

Bonuses have been shown to convince at least some hesitant employees. You could, for example, establish a policy that every vaccinated employee gets $100. If you go the monetary incentive route, you’ll want to offer alternatives (different safety measures like wearing an N-95 or keeping extra distance) that an employee who is unable to be vaccinated can follow in order to receive the incentive.

Another way to encourage the vaccine is to allow employees to get it during the workday and offer paid time off while they recover. This option may be best for employees who have avoided the vaccine mostly out of concern for potential side effects and being unable to work because of them.

Finally, you can remind your employees that the sooner more people get vaccinated, the sooner we’ll have this virus under control and be able to stop having to wear masks and practice social distancing. No one likes these practices or wants them to continue for long.

If these incentives don’t work to your liking, mandating the vaccine is another option, even if you’re not required to do so by the new rules.

Answer from Kyle, PHR

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF AN EMPLOYEE MOVES TO A DIFFERENT STATE AND WILL BE WORKING FROM THERE? There are several things you need to do if an employee moves out of state: • If you don’t already have other employees there, you’ll need to set up payroll tax accounts in the new state. The state in which the employee physically works is the state used for state income tax withholding, unemployment tax contributions, and the like.

• Update your employee handbook with any new state laws that apply. This is typically done with a state-specific addendum. Provide the updated handbook to the employee.

• Review that state’s new hire paperwork requirements. Update forms used if necessary.

• Provide the employee with any required employment law posters for that state.

Answer from Emily, • Notify your workers’ compensation carrier and your health insurance SPHR carrier, if applicable.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 [ 26 ]

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD AN EMPLOYER AVOID ASKING DURING THE RECRUITING AND INTERVIEW PROCESS? You should avoid questions that are not job-related or that cause an applicant to tell you about their inclusion in a protected class. These would include questions about race, national origin, citizenship status, religious affiliation, disabilities, pregnancy, sexual orientation or gender identity, past illnesses (including use of sick leave or workers’ comp claims), age, genetic information, or military service. You should also avoid asking about things that might be protected by state law (e.g., marital status and political affiliation).

Asking these sorts of questions could result in rejected candidates claiming that the decision not to hire was based on their inclusion in these protected classes rather than job-related considerations. We recommend looking at your state’s protected class list to be sure you don’t run afoul of it.

During an interview, it is advisable to present the candidate with a copy of the job description that lists all essential job functions, including any physical requirements necessary to perform the job, and simply asking the candidate if they are able to perform the job duties listed. For example, if the position requires someone to lift 25 pounds repeatedly throughout the day, you should ask the applicant whether they can lift 25 pounds repeatedly throughout the day. You should not ask whether they have back pain or any other physical issues that might prevent them from lifting 25 pounds or if they’d filed a workers’ comp claim when doing manual labor in the past. If you need someone to work Sunday mornings, you should ask the applicant if they can work Sunday mornings. You should not ask if they attend church or have other commitments that would prevent them from working Sunday mornings.

If a candidate proactively acknowledges a disability or medical condition, we recommend that you refrain from addressing this candidate’s mention of it directly. Instead, confirm that the candidate can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. You’ll want to be certain that you are asking this question consistently of all candidates, and not just those who have disclosed a past medical condition or those you suspect may not be able to perform the essential functions of the position. It’s also important not to make assumptions about a candidate’s ability to perform their job based on their having disclosed that they have a disability or other health condition.

Finally, unless a candidate has an obvious disability or has voluntarily disclosed that they have a disability, we would not recommend asking applicants if they would need accommodation to perform job functions as it would have the effect of Answer from Brody, creating a pre-employment disability inquiry, which is prohibited under PHR, SHRM-CP the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

OUR COMPANY IS CLOSING TODAY DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER. ARE WE REQUIRED TO PAY EMPLOYEES FOR THIS DAY? The answer depends on whether the employees are exempt or nonexempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Exempt employees must still be paid when you close due to inclement weather. Nonexempt employees, however, only need to be paid for actual hours worked, plus any reporting time pay that may be required by state law.

That said, you should also be consistent with your own policy and practice. If you have been paying all employees—regardless of their employment classification—for hours they would have worked had you not closed for bad weather, then you Answer from Kyle, should continue to do so. If you would like to end that practice, we PHR recommend creating a clear written policy and distributing it to all employees prior to implementation.

PIAW.ORG [ 27 ]

F E AT U R E

Insurance Data Security Requirements – 2021 Wisconsin Act 73

By Natalie White, Communications Director

A cybersecurity event is defined in the law as “an event resulting in the unauthorized access to, or disruption or misuse of, an information system or the nonpublic information stored on an information system.”

Legislation discussed in this and other PIAW publications many times over the past couple of years has now been passed and signed into law. With cyber threats continuing to grow, Wisconsin Act 73 is an important measure for the insurance industry in Wisconsin to ensure that state cybersecurity measures are enacted and that the federal government is not inclined to supersede state regulation in that regard.

The provisions included in 2021 Wisconsin Act 73 go into effect on November 1st, unless a separate effective date is listed. Some of the major components of the Act are summarized below: Investigation Following a Cyber Breach In the event that a licensee learns that a cybersecurity event

has occurred, there must be an internal investigation into the event’s nature and scope, what nonpublic information may be concerned, and what practical measures are being taken to ensure that the system has once again been secured. A cybersecurity event is defined in the law as “an event resulting in the unauthorized access to, or disruption or misuse of, an information system or the nonpublic information stored on an information system.” Additionally, if an event occurs, the records related to it must be maintained for five years and shared with the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance if requested.

Notification Requirements If a cybersecurity event occurs and there is the belief that the breach may cause harm to consumers, licensees must notify the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) as soon

NOVEMBER/DECEMER 2021 [ 28 ]

as possible within three business days after they learned of the event. After OCI is initially notified within the three-day window, various additional information must be provided including the number of consumers affected, what data has been exposed, how the event was discovered, what efforts are being taken to recover the information, etc.

Licensees are required to notify each affected customer within a reasonable timeframe, not exceeding 45 days, if it is known that their nonpublic information was acquired by an unauthorized party. A copy of this notice must be sent to OCI. In the case that more than 1,000 customers must be notified because of one single event, the licensee must give notice to consumer reporting agencies.

and the competence of any safeguards in place. The ISP must be appropriate based on the size and potential threats of the licensee, must designate those responsible for the information system, and must be completed by November 1st, 2022.

In addition, licensees subject to this section must develop an incident response plan on how to respond in the case of a breach. They must also take reasonable care in assessing third-party service providers to ensure that these providers are appropriately secure and report cybersecurity events by November 1st, 2023.

Lastly, licensees subject to these requirements must provide certification on an annual basis to OCI, showing that they are in compliance with these requirements and maintain records Information Security Program (ISP) that certify compliance for at least five years. These annual Most PIAW members are exempt from the requirement to have certifications are due no later than March 1st, starting March an Information Security Program certified by OCI because 1st, 2023. they have less than 50 employees OR less than $10 million in total assets OR less than $5 million in gross annual revenue.

This article is not intended to be legal advice and is not comprehensive. It is important that you review the entirety For large agencies that are not exempt, this section requires of Wisconsin Act 73 to ensure you are familiar and are in them to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive compliance. You can review the Act in its entirety at https:// information security program to protect their information docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2021/related/acts/73 and you can system. The program needs to be based on risk assessments review the OCI Bulletin on the Act at https://oci.wi.gov/ that identify foreseeable threats to security, potential damages, Pages/Regulation/Bulletin20210930Cybersecurity.aspx.

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EDUCATION

NEW TOPICS ADDED! 1 AND 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.

November 2021 Webinar Schedule TITLE & WI CE

DATE

TIME (CST)

INSTRUCTOR

That’s Personal: Home & Auto Exposures Your Insured Doesn’t Share (and Why That’s Bad) 3 WI CE # 6000080266 Utica Approved

11/2

12-3p

Scott Treen, CIC

Coverage Problems Your Contractors Hate- and How to Solve Them 3 WI CE # 6000060207

11/4

8-11a

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

Personal Lines Clients and Their New Normal 3 WI CE # 6000080286

11/4

12-3p

Nicole Broch, CIC, CISR, PLCS

Commercial Property – Direct vs Indirect Damage 3 WI CE # 6000080287

11/11

8-11a

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

Culture, Ethics and E&O: The Right Way to Run an Agency 3 WI ETHICS CE # 6000059631 Utica Approved

11/11

12-3p

Terry Tadlock, CIC, CPCU, CRIS

“How/Where the %^* Will I Live?”

Insurance Solutions for the Long-Term 3 WI CE # 6000080419

11/16

12-3p

Corey Wilkins

The Small or Hobby Farm: Properly Identifying & Insuring the Risk 3 WI CE # 6000060208

11/18

8-11a

Sam Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA

Chris Amrhein’s “Adventures in Aging” Financially Surviving Retirement 3 WI CE # 6000061267

11/18

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, CIC

Insurance Jeopardy! Testing Your Knowledge of Personal & Commercial Lines 3 WI CE # 6000080506

11/30

8-11a

Steve Lyon, CIC, CPCU, ARM

Exposures That Prove Why ALL Employers Need EPL Coverage 3 WI CE # 6000060206

11/30

12-3p

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

Register online at piaw.org or call 1-800-261-7429. Contact Brenda for in-house webinar opportunities. bsteinbach@piaw.org NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 [ 30 ]

NEW TOPICS ADDED! 1 AND 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.

December 2021 Webinar Schedule TITLE & WI CE

DATE

TIME (CST)

INSTRUCTOR

Autos, Garages and Dealers – Oh My! Knowing the Difference 3 WI CE # 6000102013

12/1

8-11a

Carissa Bonner, ANIS, CRIS

An Hour with Cathy: Truly Awful CGL Endorsement 1 WI CE # 6000087979

12/1

1-2p

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

Flood Insurance and the NFIP 3 WI CE # 6000059679

12/2

18-11a

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

The Evolution of Ethics in Insurance 3 WI ETHICS CE # 6000082722

12/7

8-11a

Corey Wilkins

Insuring Commercial Transportation Exposures: The Business Auto and Motor Claims & Coverage Forms 3 WI CE # 6000068375

12/7

12-3p

Sam Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA

Homeowners in Real Life: Tales of Claims & Coverage 3 WI CE # 6000080508

12/9

12-3p

Nicole Broch, CIC, CISR, PLCS

Is This Stuff For Real? Understanding & Insuring Emerging Risks 3 WI CE # 6000080265

12/14

8-11a

Steve Lyon CIC, CPCU, ARM

Chris Amrhein’s “Adventures in Aging” Understanding Social Security & Medicare 3 WI CE # 6000059682

12/14

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, CIC

An Hour with Nicole: Homeowners Loss Settlement Issues 1 WI CE # 6000081983

12/15

1-2p

Nicole Broch, CIC, CISR, PLCS

Cyber – Evolution, Exposures, Incidents & Insurance 3 WI CE # 6000082637

12/16

8-11a

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

Commercial Insurance Coverages, Court Cases & Chaos 3 WI CE # 6000082635, Utica Approved

12/16

12-3p

Terry Tadlock, CIC, CPCU, CRIS

Register online at piaw.org or call 1-800-261-7429. Contact Brenda for in-house webinar opportunities. bsteinbach@piaw.org PIAW.ORG [ 31 ]

EDUCATION Upcoming Opportunities CIC WEBINARS & CLASSROOM APPROVED FOR 16 WISCONSIN CE CREDITS EACH Anyone Can Attend No Exam or Proctor Required for CE

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JANUARY 13, 2022

Commercial Casualty I

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Lisa Carney, CIC, CPCU, AU, AINS West Bend - A Mutual Insurance Company West Bend, WI

Paul Herrick, CIC, AU, AIS, AINS TRICOR, INC. Madison, WI

Victoria Reimer, CISR SF Insurance Group New Richmond, WI

Jada Hill, CIC Baer Insurance Services, LLC Madison, WI

Kurtis Rupnow, CIC, CISR Vizance, Inc. Hartland, WI

Charles Johnson, CIC Holden Insurance Agency Superior, WI

Elizabeth Schneider, CIC, CISR TRICOR, INC. Lancaster, WI

Travis Kaeding, CIC Indianhead Insurance Agency, Inc. Augusta, WI

Amanda Simenstad, CIC, CISR SF Insurance Group New Richmond, WI

Jacob Keyes, CIC, CISR M3 Insurance, Inc. Madison, WI

Ryan Venti, CIC Cottingham & Butler Madison, WI

Vicky LeRoy, CIC, CISR Van Drisse Insurance Agency, Inc. Luxemburg, WI

Terri Westenberg, CIC Society Insurance Fond du Lac, WI

Angie Clark, CIC, SCLA, AIC Erie Insurance Group Brookfield, WI Kori Cumley, CIC, CISR Elite, SBCS EMC Insurance Companies Brookfield, WI Jodi Feick, CIC Dave Wittmann Ins. & Fin. Agency LLC Little Chute, WI Lindsey Hamilton, CIC,CISR Vizance, Inc. Hartland, WI Adam Hampton, CIC TRICOR, INC. Lancaster, WI

NEW CISR ELITEs

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

Stacy Peeters, CISR Elite Integrity Insurance Columbus, OH

Jill Wilcott, CISR Elite Schwarz Insurance Agency, Inc. Marshfield, WI

April Wierzba, CISR Elite Sentry Insurance Stevens Point, WI NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 [ 34 ]

Catherine Zancig, CISR Elite Ansay & Associates LLC Port Washington, WI

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 Anne Aschbrenner, CISR Church Mutual Insurance Co. Merrill, WI

Kathryn Jajewski, CISR Hausmann-Johnson Insurance Inc. Madison, WI

Wanda Blaedorn, CISR Arneson Insurance Agency Inc. Spring Valley, WI

Barbara Karlen, CISR Church Mutual Insurance Co. Merrill, WI

Autumn Casselberry, CISR Corkill Insurance Mt Pleasant, WI

Hannah Koeller, CISR Church Mutual Insurance Co. Merrill, WI

Dawn DeGeorge, CISR Ansay & Associates LLC Cedarburg, WI

Dawn Linski, CISR Arthur J. Gallagher RMS, Inc. Brookfield, WI

Debra Doering, CISR Church Mutual Insurance Co. Merrill, WI

Kayla Marx, CISR Marshfield Insurance Agency, Inc. Marshfield, WI

Kelly Egan, CISR Marsh & McLennan Agency New Berlin, WI

Beth Maurisak, CISR Church Mutual Insurance Co. Merrill, WI

Katie Giese, CISR Church Mutual Insurance Co. Merrill, WI

Heather McCullough, CISR G2 Insurance Services, Inc. Brookfield, WI

Theresa Hall, CISR Ansay & Associates LLC Port Washington, WI

Michelle Mecikalski, CISR Green Bay Ins. Center, Inc. Green Bay, WI

Sara Neverman, CISR M3 Insurance, Inc. Madison, WI Kathleen Novinska, CISR Don-Rick, Inc. Baraboo, WI Crystal Rehm, CISR P&C Insurance Services, Inc. Brookfield, WI Paul Schliepp, CISR Ansay & Associates LLC Mosinee, WI Sarah Sether, CISR Community Ins. & Associates LLC Iola, WI Stephanie Stirling, CISR Acuity Sheboygan, WI Cheryl Strasser, CISR Church Mutual Insurance Co. Merrill, WI Emily VanLangen, CISR HUB International Waunakee, WI Sara Wasielewski, CISR HUB International Brookfield, WI

NEW CRMs

Risk Managers don’t leave anything to chance! Participate in the program that gives you a dependable advantage in the demanding field of risk management—the CRM Program.

Nicholas Arnoldy, CIC, CRM, CPIA Marshfield Insurance Agency, Inc. Marshfield, WI

Kevin Malovrh, CIC, CRM, CPIA ADVANTAGE Insurance Services, LLC Wausau, WI

Todd Kriese, CIC, CRM, LUTCF Ansay & Associates LLC Appleton, WI PIAW.ORG [ 35 ]

Eric Schulte, CIC, CRM Robertson Ryan & Associates, Inc. Milwaukee, WI

For more information on becoming an Independent Agent with AAA George Maglares (847) 867-6099 GSMaglares@acg.aaa.com

© 2020 Society Insurance

Filling them up now so they won’t be hungry later.

Small detail. Big difference.

You know as well as anyone that today’s cut corner can easily turn into tomorrow’s missing piece. With our forty years of experience in specialized coverage and policies developed alongside actual restaurant and bar owners, you can rest assured that your policyholders are protected against the unique risks they face every day.

If you agree that details like these make a big difference, give us a call at 1-888-5-SOCIETY or visit societyinsurance.com.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 [ 36 ]

UPCOMING EVENTS

The PIA of Wisconsin is known nationwide as one of the premier states when it comes to education!

PARTNERING WITH THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE, THE AIMS SOCIETY, AND FISCE, PLUS HOT TOPICS AT THE ANNUAL CONVENTION AND WINTER GET-AWAY, PIA OFFERS CLOSE TO 200 OPTIONS EACH YEAR, INCLUDING PRE-LICENSING.

November

9

ISR Personal Residential Webinar C (7 WI CE)

18

CISR Commercial Property Webinar

THIS MONTH...

TEN PIAW WEBINARS (1 & 3 WI CE OPTIONS)

30 and 12/1

December

IC Personal Lines C West Bend (16 WI CE)

8

ISR Commercial Casualty II Webinar C (7 WI CE)

21

CISR Elements of Risk Management Webinar (7 WI CE)

THIS MONTH...

TEN PIAW WEBINARS (1 & 3 WI CE OPTIONS)

(7 WI CE)

PIAW.ORG [ 37 ]

DIRECTORY

PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS OF WISCONSIN, INC. 6401 ODANA ROAD | MADISON, WI 53719 | WWW.PIAW.ORG PHONE: 608-274-8188 | TOLL FREE: 800-261-7429 | FAX: 608-274-8195 | TOLL FREE FAX: 866-203-746

officers

Directors

Ryan Butzke, CIC, CISR President Northbrook Insurance Associates, Inc. PO Box 520 Slinger, WI 53086 Phone: (262) 297-7101 ryanb@northbrook-ins.com

Mike Endres Endres Insurance Agency, Inc. 2201 Eulalia Street Cross Plains, WI 53528 (608) 798-3811 mendres@endresinsurance.net

Mitch Tarras Nett Insurance Agency LLC 607C Eastern Ave. Plymouth, WI 53073 Phone: (920) 893-3252 mitch@bwoinsurance.com

Jeff Glass, CPIA Liaison AF Glass Insurance Agency, Inc. PO Box 1149 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Phone: (262) 248-5555 jglass@glassinsurancecenter.com

Julie Ulset, CPIA Past President Grams Insurance Agency Llc PO Box 336 Edgerton, WI 53534 Phone: (608) 884-3304 julset@gramsinsurance.com

Ann Linstroth, CISR, PWCAM Fidelis Insurance Services 840 Lake Avenue, Ste. 101 Racine, WI 53403 Phone: (262) 456-0463 annl@trustfidelis.com

Michael Winstanley Winstanley Insurance Agency Inc. 3044 S. 92nd St. West Allis, WI 53227 Phone: (414) 425-6914 mdw@mdwinstanley.com

Tracy A. Oestreich, CIC, CPIA, AU, CPIW PIA National Director T4 Insurance Solutions, Inc. PO Box 408 Jackson, WI 53037 Phone: (262) 423-4949 Fax: (262) 423-4959 tracyo@t4ins.com

Bob Wolfgram Wolfgram Insurance Agency PO Box 122 North Prairie, WI 53153 Phone: (262) 349-9605 bob@wolfgraminsurance.com

Steve Clements, CPIA Vice President Clements Insurance Agency 151577 King Fisher Ln. Wausau, WI 54401 Phone: (715) 842-1664 steve@clementsagency.com Lacey Endres, CIC Treasurer M3 Insurance, Inc. 828 John Nolan Dr. Madison, WI 53713 Phone: (608) 288-2874 lacey.endres@m3ins.com Jon M. Strom Secretary Image of Wisconsin PO Box 600 St. Germain, WI 54558 Phone: (920) 723-1209 jon@imageofwi.com

Staff

Tracy Sabol Robertson Ryan & Associates, Inc. W381 N8300 Rolling River Ct. Oconomowoc, WI 53066 Phone: (262) 317-8053 tsabol@robertsonryan.com

Pete Hanson, CAE, CISR Executive Director phanson@piaw.org

Shirley Faherty Office Manager/Bookeeper sfaherty@piaw.org

Brenda Steinbach Education & Convention Director bsteinbach@piaw.org

Becca Bredeson Administrative Assistant bbredeson@piaw.org

Heidi Hodel-Faris, CPIA, CIC Insurance and Member Services Director hhodel@piaw.org

Natalie White Communications Director nwhite@piaw.org

NOVEMBER/DECEMER 2021 [ 38 ]

BE THE NEXT

Find out why agency owners choose us!

• • • • • • • •

Broad Leadership Team that is 100% focused on the insurance business Flexible deal structures including the ability to retain some ownership Strong focus on culture, associate engagement, and client satisfaction Proven ability to drive double-digit organic growth Recruiting & mentoring program to develop those new to the industry Shareholder program for top performers Ability to maintain leadership with regional and practice group support Committed to serving our communities

PIAW.ORG [ 39 ]

Call us for a confidential conversation Tom Schaetz 419.450.0317

MORE IMAGINATION.

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