KIA&B 2019 January/February 2019 | Page 15

2019 RURAL & SMALL AGENTS CONFERENCE Rural & Small 2019 Highlights T his year’s Rural & Small Agents Conference, held at a new venue in Wichita, Kan., offered three days of networking functions for companies and agencies, industry-leading education sessions, prizes, and more. Designed for professionals in our industry of all levels and roles, this is an event you just can’t miss. Here are some of the highlights from the conference, in hopes you will join us next year. “ At Rural & Small, we got to spend time with companies in the exhibit hall to find out what their plans are for the upcoming year. This event gave us a tremendous opportunity to spend time with our underwriters as well, because we know, if we’re writing business, the underwriters are going to be the key. All in all, it’s been a terrific week. We had a ball.” —Doug Smart, Owner, Smart Insurance ” Exhibitor Hall With 71 returning and four first-time vendors, this year’s Exhibit Hall was packed with a variety of booths from product and service providers to meet the needs of our agents. From underwriters, roofing companies and technology professionals to financing institutions, the Kansas Insurance Department, and more, the trade show provided more relationship building opportunities for independent agents than any other conference of its kind throughout the Midwest. Continued on next page.