President's Message

YEAR IN REVIEW

It seems repetitive to say it every year – but where has the year gone? It seems we were just planning for the new year, and here we are at the end. Later in these pages, you’ll find a complete summary of the year at IA&B – and it was a busy one. But I’d like to highlight a few items from my perspective:

IA&B relocation – At the beginning of 2022, IA&B sold our office, our home, for over 30 years. It’s hard to make such big changes, but having now settled into our new digs, we are the better for it. The IA&B staff has fully embraced and maximized the remote work environment, allowing us to downsize our office footprint. Time spent on managing a building has been reallocated to delivering member benefits. All told, we can better serve our members in our new location.

Scholarships – You’ll learn more about our scholarship program later in this edition, but the bottom line is that IA&B again gave away over $10,000 in education scholarships this year. One of my annual highlights is announcing these awards and meeting the recipients. This program has gained traction and is recognized in the industry for developing new talent.

Online education – IA&B continues to shift to online education, and I’m proud of how seamlessly our staff has done so. Our members have recognized that our online education is high-quality and convenient. We will still conduct in-person classes, so insurance professionals can learn and connect in a traditional, classroom setting.

Getting back out – 2022 was the year where we focused on getting back out and meeting members. Ours is a relationship business, and we want to rebuild that rapport with our members. We’ve enjoyed spending time with you in 2022, and look for a lot more in 2023 (including the much-anticipated return of our Futures Conference!).

Strategic planning – As we reflect on 2022, we look forward to what 2023 will bring. As I announced a few months ago, IA&B has undergone a comprehensive strategic planning process in the last half of 2022. We will begin the new year with a long-term plan for the future, one that will ensure our relevancy for our members. Stay tuned for more on this.

Best,

Jason F. Ernest

President & CEO