CHAIR COLUMN
Support through challenging times
“The NAILBA Annual
Meeting, November
18–20 at the
Diplomat Hotel in
Hollywood, Florida,
remains as one of
the few opportunities
for independent
distribution to gather.”
Seixas “Chad” Milner III
Board Chair
President & CEO, The Milner Group,
Lawrenceville, GA
As you know, COVID-19, commonly known as novel coronavirus 2019, has impacted every part
of our lives. Our thoughts are with those affected and we want to share more information with
you about NAILBA’s efforts to be the voice of independent brokerage distribution during these
challenging times for industry events, meetings and conferences, etc.
NAILBA has reached out to most, if not all, insurance carriers in our space to gain clarity on
upcoming interaction as it relates to maintaining relationships and business continuity. Our
responsibility to secure the future of families and small businesses must continue and remain
a top priority. A number of insurance carriers have included their messages within the pages
of this magazine. Additional updates can be found in the Carrier Announcement section of the
NAILBA website.
Increased resources and information
Last month, NAILBA announced the creation of the NAILBA ID Video Network. Before travel
concerns increased, the NAILBA team was able to secure approximately 30 video interviews
with carrier executives and BGA principals on new products for 2020, as well as trends,
opportunities and challenges for the insurance distribution marketplace. Please look for these
videos, as well as virtual panel discussions and webinars from NAILBA and its partner sponsors
to help keep you informed and connected during this pandemic environment. These digital
offerings can be found on the NAILBA website, as well as listed in this issue on the Event
Calendar page.
This Q2 edition of Perspectives is also dedicated to providing ideas and resources for
insurance professionals on how to continue working and supporting clients during these
challenging times. Look to page 16 for a Q&A with the ID 20 Award winners, twenty industry
visionaries and business leaders, sharing their thoughts on the market and best practices for
the weeks and months ahead.
Monitoring the situation
NAILBA is carefully monitoring the evolving coronavirus situation. Like many, we are hopeful
for an effective solution in the near future. In the meantime, the NAILBA Annual Meeting,
November 18–20 at the Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida, remains as one of the few
opportunities for independent distribution to gather as an industry and assess the performance
of the current year and plan for the next year. If your organization’s event is being impacted
by COVID-19, please contact NAILBA CEO Dan LaBert to discuss the possibility of joining
with NAILBA and hosting your event as part of our meeting (space and schedule permitting).
From carrier meetings to IMO meetings to association conferences, there may be a bigger
opportunity for the profession to gather in one place while also maximizing potential savings.
Meeting the needs of our industry
We are in the business of relationship building and management. While several online
options can assist during these difficult times, face to face meetings in a clean environment
remains an utmost necessity. We expect to deliver this opportunity for the entire independent
distribution industry later this year.
Belong, Connect & Grow with NAILBA
4
Perspectives
Q2 2020