Foronda Named National Outstanding CSR of the Year

Ronie Foronda, account manager for Finance Insurance Ltd., in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been awarded the 2009 National Outstanding CSR of the Year Award.

The Society of Certified Insurance Service Representatives (CISR) and the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) selected Foronda as the winner of this award from a field of 45 state winners. After five finalists were chosen from this field, a blue-ribbon panel of five judges evaluated the finalists based on their individual contributions to the insurance community, and the strength of their essays written on the topic: “Many in the insurance world believe that ‘the price of insurance becomes more important to the client in the absence of value.’ What are five ways a CSR can add value to the insurance-client relationship?”

Foronda was praised by his associates as “a perfect example of a customer service representative in our industry … always willing to go the extra step to accomplish excellent results for everyone.” His “aloha spirit” carries throughout his work with clients, coworkers, and carriers, and he is recognized for his positive attitude when dealing with stressful situations.

In his essay, Foronda cited (1) building genuine relationships; (2) establishing mutual trust; (3) growing through education; (4) acclimating to changing technologies and consumer behaviors; and (5) promoting value-added marketing, as five ways to add value to the insurance-client relationship.

Foronda receives a cash award of $2,000, a distinctive gold and diamond lapel pin, and his nominator receives a $1,000 cash award. Additionally, his name will be inscribed on a sculpture on permanent display at The National Alliance headquarters in Austin, Texas, and a scholarship will be awarded to his employer, Finance Insurance Ltd., for participation in any National Alliance program.

In addition to the selection of Foronda as the national award recipient, four national finalists were chosen from a particularly competitive field of applicants. Those finalists were: