The conference opened Sunday, June 13 with the PIANJ Annual Business Meetings, where PIANJ’s new board members were installed, including newly elected President Donna M. Cunningham, CPIA, co-owner and president of ADP/Statewide Insurance Agencies Inc., Cedar Knolls, N.J. During her inaugural remarks at the Monday night awards banquet, Cunningham talked about her favorable experiences with the association and commented: “We must continue to strengthen the independent agency system in order to guarantee its perpetuation.”

(more—see Foreword, page 4)

“Insurance professionals face a wide variety of changing issues in today’s marketplace,” said Kevin M. Ryan, CIC, PIANY president. “Once again, the Joint Annual Conference delivered the cuttingedge knowledge agents have come to depend on from PIA to enhance their businesses, as well as giving them the opportunity to share ideas with industry colleagues.” Both associations honored some of the industry’s most dedicated professionals at Monday night’s banquet. In New Jersey, PIANJ past President Jack Lynn, CIC, CPIA, account executive for Brown & Brown of New Jersey, Glassboro, N.J., received the Distinguished Insurance Service award in recognition of his more than 30 years if work on behalf of the American agency system. Lisa Tepper, regional president for the downstate New York/New Jersey region of Travelers Insurance Co., was honored as Company Person of the Year for her commitment to professionalism and service. Paul Monacelli, CIC, CPIA, PIANJ past president, CEO of ADP/ Statewide Insurance Agencies Inc., Cedar Knolls, N.J., and recipient of last year’s Community Service award, received a special presidential citation in recognition of his extensive work in Nicaragua, building homes for the less fortunate. PIANY also presented several awards. Mark LaLonde, CIC, CPIA, AAI, vice president of Bailey, Haskell and LaLonde, Oneida, N.Y, was named Professional Agent of the Year for his excellence and achievement in insurance marketing and service, his personal commitment to professionalism and his contributions to PIA and the community. Additionally, PIANY past President David Isenberg, president of the D.C. White Agency, Long Beach, N.Y., received the Distinguished Insurance Service award in recognition of his history of service, dedicated leadership and attention to the concerns of independent agents and their clients.

This year’s conference offered attendees access to nine diverse education sessions, which began Sunday, June 13 with the timely session Navigating generational gaps in your agency and in the insurance marketplace, led by PIANY President-elect Donna Chiapperino. The course gave attendees a look at how generational differences impact today’s Main Street agent.

Steven D. Lyon, CPCU, CIC, CRM, AAI, ARM, AIS, CRIS, taught two courses: Exploring business income and Insurance to value and adequate liability limits. Sheldon Hansen, CIC, CRM, presented Current economic trends and their effect on the insurance industry and Issues in insuring coastal properties. Jack Monahan, CIC, CLU, ChFC, CPIA, AAM, taught agents the Economics of customer service: retention, referrals and E&O and addressed a common concern in So, you want to go paperless! Cathy Trischan, CPCU, CIC, AU, AAI, CRM, CRIS, rounded out the course load with her own dual sessions: Data breach—privacy compliance and coverage and Ethical issues in E&O. The conference also included an expansive industry trade show, featuring more than 190 exhibitors.

The industry’s rising stars took center stage on Monday, as New York and New Jersey Young Insurance Professionals honored their award winners. NY-YIP President Amy Bryan commenced the luncheon by recognizing Dennis D’Amico of Sprint Insurance Agency Inc. as NY-YIP Insurance Professional of the Year. NY-YIP also honored Jennifer Berger of D.C. White agency as YIP Volunteer of the Year. New Jersey YIP President Danielle Priori announced that Tom Wilkins of Atlantic Highlands, N.J., had been named NJYIP Director of the Year on Sunday during the association’s annual business meeting and awarded NJYIP Past President Kristen Scott as NJYIP of the Year.

Producer Compensation Disclosure

PIANY President Kevin Ryan made a special point to thank PIA volunteers on the Agent and Broker Compensation Disclosure task force, who have spent years in discussions with the industry, fighting the now infamous regulation 194, which will require producers to disclose their compensation upon request.

“Despite the loud and ongoing objection of PIA and other industry groups, the regulation is slated to go into effect next January, and has been cited as a potential prototype for other states. PIANY’s officers and our entire board of directors have sacrificed untold hours conferring on the issue, meeting with industry and regulatory representatives to protect producers on this very troubling issue,” he said. “Since the regulation was promulgated in February, PIANY has taken on the task of negotiating with the Department to protect producers as it establishes the regulation’s final compliance rules—a function that other producer groups cannot undertake as they are involved in a lawsuit to block the regulation.

We continue to meet on a regular basis with the Department, to mitigate potentially burdensome and confusing provisions of the regulation. We are committed to conveying agents' concerns making sure that the Department’s Circular Letter is clear and easy to comply with.” Ryan reported that during a recent meeting with the NYSID, department officials reviewed primary disclosure language drafted by PIA, as well as a comprehensive list of agent concerns we compiled in response to member input. “I’m pleased to report that earlier this month, the Department confirmed that the disclosure language we developed will fully comply with the regulation’s primary disclosure requirements, so that any agent doing business in New York can use it with confidence to comply with the regulation. In addition, the Department agreed it would address each of the issues we’ve brought to them in its draft Circular Letter and, in many cases, directly incorporate PIA's recommendations and draft language.”

“On behalf of our entire membership, I’d like to thank our volunteers, who have and continue to work tirelessly on this critical project. There is much work to be done, but we should be proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.”

Fun Run Raises $143K

Hundreds of professionals ran the fabled Atlantic City Boardwalk for the 26th annual New Jersey Young Insurance Professionals’ Fun Run to benefit Special Olympics. Over the years, NJYIP and PIANJ have raised a combined total of more than $2.6 million for this deserving cause. NY-YIP accepted the challenge from NJYIP to see which organization would have the fastest total times. And after years of disappointment, for the first time since the challenge was initiated in 2006, the NY-YIP prevailed.

Some 186 runners took part in the five-kilometer race. Christopher Mignone, a member of the ADP/Statewide Insurance team, finished first for the men with a time of 18:12; Meg Ogle, of the Franklin Mutual Insurance team finished first for the women with a time of 20:25. Top fundraisers included top individual: Ron Lovatt of MAPFRE USA/American Commerce, $7,500; top agency: Jimcor, $10,842; and top company: Franklin Mutual Insurance, $53,673.

More than $143,000 was raised for SONJ at this year’s event.