KAIA: 100 Years of Serving Independent Agents 2021 | Page 117

member Claudius H Woodworth and his speech relating to the Kansas association in 1981 . In his remarks , Claudius stated : “ This association has done great things to increase our knowledge and broaden our view of the business . The association benefits all engaged in the business by helping the right and hindering the wrong .” President Schumacher stated that he believed the philosophy of this type could be said of the association some 75 years after Mr . Woodworth gave these remarks to the national convention .
• Kathleen Sebelius – Kathleen was elected insurance commissioner in 1994 , over incumbent Ron Todd . She served as such until 2002 as the first female Commissioner in Kansas and the first Democrat . At the 1997 convention , she rode in with then-President Ross Hartley to the General Opening Session on the back of his motorcycle in matching leather jackets . In a special Democratic National Convention Magazine issue in 2000 , the New Democrat Magazine named Kathleen one of the “ 100 to Watch ”. She was prospected to be climbing the political ladder in future elections . She was elected Governor of Kansas in 2002 and re-elected in 2006 . In 2009 , Sebelius joined President Barack Obama ’ s administration as the Head of the Department of Health and Human Services . She resigned from the position in 2014 . She also served as a Member of the House of Representatives from 1987 to 1995 . Kathleen graduated from the University of Kansas ’ with a Master ’ s degree .
• Ken Selzer – Ken Selzer was elected as the 25th insurance commission in 2015 . He was a Republican from Leawood . Ken previously worked more than 30 years in the reinsurance industry ; he also has several industry designations , including CPCU , ARE , and FLMI . He graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California . Before the election , he was serving as the state insurance regulator . He served as insurance commission until January 2019 .
• Albert Shank , Jr . – Al was president of the association in 1994 . He felt that the year ’ s biggest challenge would be to keep a strong , active membership and keep good , strong volunteers serving on committees , boards , and in other areas . He said it is critical to the association to maintain these items . Al was also a state national director from 2000 through 2006 . His family business was established in Liberal on Pearl Harbor Day , December 7 , 1941 , by his father , Al Shank , Sr . Al , a 1977 graduate of University of Kansas with a degree in Business Administration . He was named to the University of Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1980 . He and his wife , Donna , received the “ Mildred Clodfelter Award ” in 1990 . The University of Kansas Alumni Association awarded “ those individuals who provide exemplary service to local University of Kansas alumni .” Al was the representative to the national association Captive Committee .
• Dwight Smith – Dwight was president of the association in 1926 . Dwight was from Wichita , Smith , Stone & Snyder Agency . He died in 1986 .
• Gary L . Sollars – Gary was president of the association in 1988 . He is a Partner of Charlton Manley Insurance in Lawrence . He also served as state national director from 1990-1993 . In 1997 , Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius was appointed to create a special task force charged with investigating the climate of the insurance industry in Kansas per Senate Concurrent Resolution # 1601 . He was one of five industry representatives appointed . Gary graduated from Baker University in Baldwin , Kansas , in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Business . From 1971 to 1977 , he held various underwriting and marketing positions with Hartford Insurance Group in Kansas City . He received his CPCU designation in 1978 .
• Kerri Spielman – Kerri was hired in October 2007 as the Government Affairs director . She was previously employed by Senator Lana Olean and the Department of Commerce . Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger called it a “ great hire .” Kerri attended Washburn University and was a graduate of Kansas State . Kerri was the acting director of KAIA after the executive vice president , Larry Magill , died . She was officially
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