Who’s Who Across Texas: Local Associations at Work

Its grass roots girth is what makes the independent Insurance Agents of America such a powerful lobbying entity and enduring organization. Its bottom layers, constructed of local associations across the nation, includes agents from both metropolitan and rural areas. Texas has a variety of both.

These organizations are all involved in their communities, from sponsorships to volunteer work to fundraising. Annually, we like to acknowledge each association for the work they do. Here’s an alphabetical listo of the local associations that responded to our questions adnt he efforts they’ve put forth over the last year.

AUSTIN

The Austin Independent Insurance Agents association has continued its monthly luncheon speaker series this year, spotlighting numerous industry and industry-related speakers. Dr. Stephen Leslie, Bob Esparaza, Kerri K. Fields and Kim Maginn are just a few of this year’s speakers.

Last October, the association held its 28th Annual Big “I” Day golf tournament at Balcones Country Club. The fun and friendly tournament was followed by an awards dinner, which featured music and door prizes for almost all of the attendees.

The association has also worked on developing and maintaining its web site, located at www.iiaaustin.com.

DALLAS

The IIA of Dallas and the Dallas Chapter of CPCU closed 1999 with record attendance at their 9th annual All Industry Day, billed as the largest one-day trade show event in the state, hosting over 1,200 for lunch with 61 industry exhibitors. Plans are already underway for the 10th annual AID in November.

IIAD’s 32nd annual Big “I” Golf Tournament was held May 15th with 216 golfers pre-registered to enjoy both the Jack Nicklaus-designed courses at the Dallas Athletic Club. The Young Agents Committee sponsored their 2nd Annual “Whirly-ball” contest, challenging the “older” agents on the Board of Directors, who prevailed for the second year in a row.

The officers of IIAD would like to once again express their gratitude to IIAT and all of the local associations and other members around the state for their kind words of support and offers of assistance following the tragic loss of their 12-year executive director, Debi Ryan-Johnson in February.

EL PASO

El Paso’s Independent Insurance Agents association prides itself on hosting a very exciting Big “I” Day event, blending the best of the border for its participants. The group has been busily preparing for this year’s event, which has been expanded to include a weekend golfing excursion at distinctive golf courses in the area.

Beginning Saturday, July 15, participants will experience golfing in El Paso’s sister city, Juarez, Mexico, at the Mision de los Lagos resort where caddies are available to make the day even more enjoyable. On Sunday, golfers will travel to Ruidoso, N.M., to play at the breathtaking Inn of the Mountain Gods resort. Monday will feature golf at the Links, also in Ruidoso, before a return trip to El Paso for the Association’s Appreciation Reception at La Hacienda Patio and Grill on Monday evening. The Big “I” Day tournament on July 18 will take place at Painted Dunes Golf Course, the only desert dunes course in Texas.

GALVESTON

The Galveston Insurance Board is the oldest in Texas. Originally called the Galveston Board of Underwriters, it was formed on October 20, 1872. The board has always held a prominent place in the Galveston community on matters concerning fire and accident prevention.

Since 1951, one of the association’s major projects has been the Fire Prevention Poster Contest, which is open to all students in Galveston schools. Local artists judge the posters and cash prizes are awarded. Winners in each grade are announced in the Galveston Daily News.

The association is also involved in Galveston’s annual Hurricane Awareness Town Hall Meeting, setting up an exhibit with data on flood and windstorm insurance. Participating in this event was board member Lee Otis Zapp Jr., who heads Galveston’s Windstorm Action Committee. Zapp and his fellow committee members work to keep windstorm insurance rates at a reasonable cost to citizens.

The Galveston Insurance Board also takes an active part in legislative matters with many members serving on various committees now and in the past.

Board President Garry P. Kaufman and Past President Lee Otis Zapp Jr. have served on the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association’s Depopulation Committee. Kaufman is the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas’ liaison to the windstorm association’s board. He is also the agent liaison to the Insurance Council of Texas.

Members of the board are: Town and Country Insurance Agency, Heffernan Insurance Agency, Saracco Insurance Agency, SMI Insurance Agency, Insurance Junction, Tarmint Insurance Agency, Galveston Insurance Associates, Zapp Insurance Agency and Wimberly Insurance Agency.

GRAYSON COUNTY

Unfortunately, the reports of the Grayson County Independent Insurance Agents association’s death are not greatly exaggerated. According to the group’s last secretary, David Bayless Jr., Grayson County’s association has not met in over a year.

HOUSTON

The Independent Insurance Agents of Houston have been very busy over the last year. This February, the group presented its Outstanding Service Award for 1999 posthumously to the widow of James W. Gibson, who died April 3, 1999. Gibson was the owner of W.E. Gibson Insurance Agency in Navasota and a long-time member and past board member of IIAH.

In October the group held its 1999 Fire Poster Contest Awards Ceremony in conjunction with National Fire Safety Week. It was IIAH’s 25th year to sponsor the
contest along with the Houston Fire Department. Over 2,000 poster entries were received from special education students and kindergarten through twelfth grade students from participating Houston-area schools. The overall winner, Jillian Pennington, an eighth grader at Memorial Middle School, had her poster reproduced and rotated on Houston area billboards.

IIAH kicked off 2,000 with their 22nd Annual Firefighter of the Year Award Luncheon held January 19. The award recipient was Capt. Eric Renschler, who has served with the Houston Fire Department for almost 20 years.

In February, the 17th Annual Houston Insurance Day was attended by more than 600 IIAH members and their staff. The exhibit hall sold out, attracting 90 exhibitors.

In April of this year, IIAH held its annual Big “I” Day golf tournament with 262 golfers attending a day of great golf at Cypresswood Golf Club.

Also in April, the IIAH Charitable Foundation sponsored “The Little Mermaid,” performed by the youth actors of the Playhouse 1960. It was a sold out event with 150 members and their children attending.

After the play, IIAH sponsored a cast reception with refreshments where the cast joined the attendees for an autograph session. All proceeds benefited IIAH sponsored local charities.

During April and May, IIAH members took diapers to any and all IIAH activities so they could be donated to Casa de Esperanza, a residential haven for needy children in Houston.

LONGVIEW

The Longview Independent Agents held their annual golf tournament and fish fry at Pinecrest Country Club April 25, with over 100 agents and company personnel attending.

LUBBOCK

The Independent Insurance Agents of Lubbock participated again this year in the South Plains Food Bank’s U-Can Food Drive, donating $2,500. The group also continued its sponsorship of a small car boasting the “Big I” logo for Safety City, a 2-acre miniature town complete with traffic signals, crosswalks and small automobiles used to teach traffic safety techniques to children.

Their Big “I” Day in October was another smashing success. The group’s new officers and directors were installed May 16 at a banquet sponsored by Myron F. Steves & Co.

MIDLAND/ODESSA

The Independent Insurance Agents of Odessa held their 17th annual Big “I” Jackrabbit Scramble at Mission Dorado on September 27 of last year, featuring a $5,000 cash hole-in-one prize sponsored by Western Surplus Lines Agency.

The scramble was part of the annual Permian Basin Insurance Marketing Day or Big “I” Day, a dual-sponsored event involving the Midland Association of Insurance Agents and the IIA Odessa.

The groups are already busy preparing for this year’s event, to be held Sept. 25 at the Midland International Airport’s Confederate Air Force-High Sky Wing Hanger.

PANHANDLE

The Independent Insurance Agents of the Panhandle recently decreased their meetings from ten to four, held in January, May, August and October. But they’ve found plenty to do in lieu of those six meetings.

Last year, the IIAP established a scholarship endowment fund that provides annual scholarships to member agency employees’ children or grandchildren. It is administered by the Opportunity Plan in Canyon, Texas. The fund was established with an endowment of $15,000 and will be annually increased from the proceeds of the IIAP’s Big “I” Day.

Panhandle members enjoyed several quality programs throughout the year. Last fall, Tom Schaffner, Travelers Regional Vice President, presented a program to IIAP members on the state of the insurance industry, giving his company’s view of the changing insurance marketplace. He spoke on alternative marketing plans that different companies are implementing and discussed the beginning of the end of the industry-wide soft market.

Bo Gilbert provided IIAP members with a legislative update, explaining the laws that were passed as well as those that died in session. He also touched upon plans for the next session and their potential effect on the insurance industry.

Plans have already begun for IIAP’s Big “I” Day scheduled for August 16 and 17. This year, a social will be held at the Ambassador Hotel in Amarillo between 6 and 8 p.m., freeing agents to have dinner with company representatives. The annual golf event will be held the following morning at the Tascosa Country Club in Amarillo.

SAN ANTONIO

IIASA has developed a long-term partnership with the San Antonio Fire Department by sponsoring projects that both benefit the community and contribute to the insurance industry’s loss reduction efforts.

The first of these projects is the Fire Prevention Week Poster Contest held each October in all area schools. IIASA members are the judges in the citywide competition and furnish all of the trophies awarded to the winners. The second is funding the San Antonio Firefighters’ “Burn an Arsonists for Cold Cash” Program. It is one of the association’s primary projects.

Over the years, many arson crimes have been successfully prosecuted on the basis of information facilitated by this program, which includes a worldwide telephone hotline for receiving tips and a system of large financial rewards for anonymous leads to incidents of arson.

The Young Insurance Professionals Council, which aims at perpetuating the insurance business in south Texas and highlighting opportunities available to young insurance professionals, is very active. Several “business socials” and service projects are undertaken to acquaint members and to plan agendas leading to the “insurance operations of the future.” Also, the Council contributes significantly to IIASA’s accomplishments by working for membership events, supplying door prizes and sponsoring fundraising.

IIASA continues to produce an annual Independent Insurance Agents Junior Golf Classic qualifying round. It enables IIASA to spread the good will of the independent agents and serve the community at the same time. The IIAJC qualifying tournament is held each June and the winners attend the state finals in July. Chaperones and hotel accommodations are provided by IIASA.

The association has implemented Project InVEST with the cooperation of Robert E. Lee High School and the Northeast School District, and is now looking to carry the program on a junior college level within the 2000-2001 term. Through this unique partnership, IIASA aims to train young adults in insurance agency and company operations, and encourage them to pursue a career in insurance.

Classes are supported financially by IIASA and Member sponsors and are partially taught by various Agency/Company/Industry/Affiliate members of IIASA. This training is supplemented by actual work experience for the students in the offices of members during the summer months, and on a part time basis during the school year.

One of the most valuable and successful programs being carried out by IIASA is the Texas Continuing Education series, an unequaled service to members. These courses are available to all employees of all IIASA member firms at no cost, and the topics presented during the year will earn more than 30 hours of credit for agent and adjuster license renewal.

IIASA has also continued the tradition of presenting the Ben R. Binford Award for 22 years this year. Recognizing personal dedication and involvement, it is presented to a special person in the industry who has forged a path in which the rest can follow.

The Binford Award was initiated to honor Mr. Ben Binford, an IIASA member who gave much of himself for the betterment of the insurance industry. He served as president of the local association and the state association, the Texas Association of Insurance Agents. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the IIASA.

Another special award presented by IIASA is the Sally Walsh Downs CIC Scholarship during the annual installation luncheon in September. Awarded on the basis of commitment to the insurance function and involvement in the industry and community, the scholarship provides full tuition for a course of study leading to the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation. This includes five institutes with examinations covering Commercial Casualty, Commercial Property, Personal Lines, Life and Health, and Agency Management. Funded by GAINSCO, the scholarship is named for Sally Walsh Downs, former executive director of the IIASA.

A most important annual event is IIASA’s Big “I” Fun Day, where good golf and good companionship are enjoyed by all. Another outstanding social function, but one with a serious cause, is IIASA’s annual Las Vegas Night fundraiser. Attendees include agent, company and industry members as well as their families, clients and friends. Proceeds benefit IIASA’s service projects including the San Antonio Firefighters “Burn An Arsonist for Cold Cash” Program.

TARRANT COUNTY

IIA Tarrant County has been keeping busy over the last year with numerous events. In October, the association held its annual CSR Appreciation Day, honoring CSRs with a luncheon and gifts. A local radio disc jockey was the speaker and was a big hit.

In February, the association held its annual Tradefest, a one-day tradeshow at Woodhaven Country Club in Fort Worth. A huge crowd of agents and agency personnel, along with 40 exhibitors turned out for the event.

On April 13, 200 association members attended opening night at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie for a buffet dinner and some betting on the ponies.

The Big “I” Day golf tournament and awards luncheon was held May 1 at Woodhaven Country Club, giving agents and company reps a little reprieve from the recent tornadoes that swept through the area. Also in May, the association awarded a $2,500 college scholarship to a deserving local student.

TEXARKANA

Texarkana’s Independent Agents Association held its largest-ever Big “I” Day last fall at the Texarkana Country Club with nearly 100 company representatives from Texas and Arkansas in attendance. Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens was the guest speaker at the luncheon.

The association also continued its annual efforts to raise money for the United Way and Neighborhood Crime Prevention Program, donating $1,000 as an association to both causes.