AS SWEET AS THE REAL THING : POWERING VIRTUAL COLLABORATIONS
By : Cindy Hower
While most Big “ I ” activities have been limited to virtual , you can be assured that nothing is status quo with your membership . The dues you pay to KAIA also gain you membership to the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America ( IIABA ). As your national director , you must know this added value is second to none . So , what is going on at National ?
First of all , the Big “ I ” Government Affairs team is formidable at work finding solutions in Congress to address future pandemics . Do you know anyone that has not been impacted by COVID-19 ? With this in mind , small businesses and all the communities ’ agents serve have suffered in one way or another . The Big “ I ” has teamed up with other strong associations to create an effective proposal known as the Business Continuity Protection Program ( BCPP ). The insurance industry ’ s role would be to serve in distributing federal financial protection to the private sector in the event of a future declared public health emergency . Many ideas are floating around as you can imagine but being a part of the solution is a priority of the Big “ I .”
By now you know the in-person Fall Leadership Conference in Kansas City , in September 2020 , was canceled and held virtually . Along with that , the other conferences of ACT , Young Agents , and the Education Convocation typically held in conjunction were moved to their own dates and times October 19 -22 , 2020 . I am disappointed that I missed so many of you that I would have had the opportunity to see in person to experience these events in Kansas City .
Still , I believe the choice to go virtual worked out so many more could join the robust and relevant topics to help your business .
Some of the inspiring keynotes were “ Mental Health Matters During a Pandemic , “ Moving Tech Forward ,” “ Data-Driven Insurance ,” and “ Perpetuation Perspectives & Preparedness .” Those were just a few topics included in the extraordinary four days of virtual learning .
As we begin another fiscal year with the KAIA and Big “ I ,” I look forward to serving as your National Director again for the upcoming year . I am always available to hear your thoughts on anything that we can do better to help our members .
Cindy Hower , President of Kellerman Insurance also manages Kellerman Real Estate with Roger Hower , her husband , as the firm ’ s managing broker . She has been involved in industry relations for 30 years . She is a past president of the KAIA , past chair of the Big “ I ” Virtual University committee , and continues to serve in leadership roles .
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