NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 24—The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) launched a new initiative focusing on large agents and brokers during a special reception and dinner held in conjunction with the New Orleans InfoXchange.
At the dinner, IIABA unveiled its Large Agent & Broker Roundtable. This new group will focus attention on issues unique or inherent to large agents and brokers, including multistate licensing, human resources, technology, new producer training and more.
Rep. Richard H. Baker (R-La.) addressed the group, a veritable ‘who’s who’ of the insurance industry with more than 20 insurance company CEOs, large agents and brokers, and IIABA executives.
“This initiative will allow us to work for our larger members to achieve the best business environment for everybody,” IIABA CEO Robert A. Rusbuldt told the 150 attendees. Rusbuldt added that IIABA sought the expertise and participation of large agents and brokers to benefit all association members. “We recognize the need for resources to facilitate efficiency in operations and a focus on growth, and we are well positioned to bring those resources to bear on the issues, from a regulatory, advocacy and business perspective,” he added.
The members of the Roundtable are:
- Don Lewis, Hastings-Tapley Insurance Agency (chairman)
- Don Brain, Lockton Benefit Group
- Ken Kirk, Brown & Brown Insurance
- Gaines Lanier, J. Smith Lanier & Company
- Craig Smith, Fred A. Moreton & Company
- Roy Taylor, Talbot Insurance & Financial Services
- Louise “Bebe” Canter, Patterson & Smith (IIABA president-elect)
Baker, who serves on the House Financial Services Committee and is chairman of its Capital Markets, Insurance and Government-Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee, discussed numerous financial services and insurance issues, as well as homeland defense and international issues, with the agents and brokers and company CEOs. His subcommittee’s jurisdiction includes insurance oversight.
Baker believes a compromise bill for a federal terrorism backstop is near, probably in the next 10 days, but said tort reform issues remain the primary obstacle. He also said asbestos liability and regulation of insurance are priorities that must be addressed.
Founded in 1896, IIABA is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com .
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Baker, who serves on the House Financial Services Committee and is chairman of its Capital Markets, Insurance and Government-Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee, discussed numerous financial services and insurance issues, as well as homeland defense and international issues, with the agents and brokers and company CEOs. His subcommittee’s jurisdiction includes insurance oversight.
Baker believes a compromise bill for a federal terrorism backstop is near, probably in the next 10 days, but said tort reform issues remain the primary obstacle. He also said asbestos liability and regulation of insurance are priorities that must be addressed.
Founded in 1896, IIABA is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com .
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