COVERED
The guy I bought the agency from was a KAIA member , and I attended the CISR classes offered by the association and completed the designation in six months . Then immediately pursued and achieved the CIC designation . Those classes are where I met fellow board member Cindy Hower , who was also going through the courses .
Dave Hulcher : How did you first get involved in the association in a volunteer capacity ?
Doug Smart : Early on , I took so much education from the association that I got to know the KAIA staff pretty well . They eventually asked me if I wanted to be on the ASCK board . It was fun , and I made some good relationships . Eventually , the Executive Committee approached me about being a zone director on the KAIA board . In 2016 , Lyle Davidson asked me to join the Executive Committee .
Dave Hulcher : What would you say the benefits of getting involved in the association have been for you ?
Doug Smart : The number one benefit of being involved is having peers that you can bounce anything and everything off of , such as : how do you hire people , what agency management system do you have , what ’ s working , and what are you selling ? You can learn a lot more about where other agents are having success in the marketplace , specifically learning which carriers have the best appetite for differing risks . We ’ d discuss solutions to day-to-day challenges facing agencies and solutions . There are so many contacts I ’ ve made over the years that I now call friends . When you attend the Rural and Small Conference , there are over 400 industry professionals , and you can talk to your contemporaries for hours because you have so much in common .
I have probably established half to two-thirds of my industry network through my participation with KAIA . These relationships are priceless . If I had to put a dollar figure on how much more money I make today because of connections made through the association , it would be staggering . I can easily attribute increased revenue of more than six figures annually from connections made through the KAIA . I mean , it is significant .
Dave Hulcher : Give me two sentences as to why someone should join KAIA .
Doug Smart : You may not know it now , but agents can ’ t afford not to join KAIA . The expertise of the staff in the Topeka office alone is a vast resource . The things you learn from your peers and industry contacts are absolutely priceless . The legal services and the E & O program alone are incredibly trusted resources in protecting your agency . As members , we sometimes take these resources for granted .
Dave Hulcher : How would your colleagues describe you in three adjectives ?
Doug Smart : Three adjectives they may include are fun , decisive , and encouraging . I ’ d also add caring . I love and care about people and always want to help .
Dave Hulcher : What are you looking forward to this year in leading the association , and what are some of your goals ?
Doug Smart : First , I ’ d like to get our committees more active and more people involved in KAIA . I also want to talk to as many members as I can about what KAIA has done for me to see what KAIA can do for them and inspire them to get involved . That would probably be my biggest goal . I ’ m looking forward to meeting a lot of new people and getting to know more people better .
Dave Hulcher : What is one thing people don ’ t know about you ?
Doug Smart : Most Sundays , I sing at our local church . I played the sax in high school and played in the national FFA band . I also played in a band called the American Musical Ambassadors Band that went to Europe . I can also play the piano but am not fond of doing so .
It is clear that Doug is passionate about his involvement with the association . Members should feel comfortable reaching out and sharing thoughts on how KAIA can better serve them .
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