50th Annual San Diego ‘I’-Day Takes Attendees on a ‘Wild Ride’

They came offering a wide array of products and services as the 50th Annual San Diego “I”-Day rolled into the downtown Convention Center June 1.

More than 70 exhibitors turned out for the event, which also featured a luncheon, awards session, and a speech by San Diego State University men’s basketball coach Steve Fisher.

Why did they come to this annual gathering, billed as “2001, A Wild Ride”? According to most industry representatives, it was an opportunity to showcase what they do best.

Mike Shea, a marketing executive with SAFECO Select Markets, said he has attended the show for the last five years. “It gives us an opportunity for broad exposure of our programs available to agents, and it is a great opportunity to interact with our competitors,” Shea said.

Lorena Macias, branch manager for Trinity Insurance Services Inc., said the show allowed her company to “scope out the field.” As Macias pointed out, “In order to survive in the insurance market, you have to go to as many of these shows as possible to get the word out about what makes you different from the next guy.”

For Shelby Krider, representing CIC Insurance Brokers Inc. of Placentia, it was his first time at the San Diego event. CIC serves the staffing service industry and provides coverages in a variety of areas, including general liability and property coverage, and employment practices liability.

“The California workers’ comp situation is a nightmare right now, and we feel we have solutions, so we’re here today to offer them and get [word] of our products out there,” Krider said.

San Diego-based ConfirmNet representatives Dan Vaughn and Steve Moffett were among those showcasing their company’s products, including the newest innovation, CertificatesNow. Launched in March, the program allows access to certificates of insurance through the Internet from any connected personal computer 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “We’ve gotten a lot of traffic so far and some good leads,” Vaughn said.

“An event like this gives us a chance to revisit and re-establish relationships,” Moffet commented.

Among the new kinds of technology on display was a product known as NexSure, being completed by Brea-based XDimensional Technologies Inc., which provides applications geared toward retail agents, brokers, general agents, and managing general agents and brokers. Franco DiAddezio, vice president of Internet risk transactions for XDimensional Technologies, showed off the NexSure product, which is a 100 percent web-based insurance automation system aimed at streamlining the transaction process.

NexSure provides Internet web access to client records and offers built-in e-mail integration, built-in word processor integration and built-in fax integration. The product offers carrier downloads where data will be stored for five to seven years on the company data center, and is also available to agents to download on a regular basis to their local network if they choose. “It was a group of people who came up with this product, and it offers performance, security, and adaptability,” DiAddezio said.

After several hours of networking, the crowd moved across the exhibit hall for a luncheon and awards presentation in which several individuals were recognized for their efforts in the industry over the years.

Fisher’s speech focused on commitments. Formerly the head men’s basketball coach at Michigan, Fisher has been rebuilding the program at SDSU, something he likened to the insurance industry.

Following the speech, Gene Brouillette, president of IBA of San Diego, closed the annual gathering with a few remarks, sending several hundred agents off to do what they do best—service the insurance industry.

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