CONGRESSMAN McHENRY TO ADDRESS YOUNG AGENTS & INSURPAC;
NORTH CAROLINA AGENT AWARDED HERNDON SCHOLARSHIP
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 7, 2005—First-term Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) will speak to young independent agents and brokers from nearly all 50 states, along with the state and national InsurPac leaders at the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America’s (the Big “I”) 29th annual National Legislative Conference. McHenry will address the Young Agent-InsurPac Luncheon on Wednesday, April 20.
Separately, Margaret Hunt with the J. Fletcher Willey Agency, Inc. in Nags Head, N.C., is the recipient of the 2005 Maurice Herndon scholarship. This scholarship was established by the Big “I” to help a young agent attend the association's legislative meeting for the first time.
The National Legislative Conference is the insurance industry’s best-attended, most effective legislative meeting. This year’s event will take place April 20 through 22 at the Grand Hyatt Washington with more than 1,000 independent agents and brokers expected to attend.
“Congressman McHenry is a very welcome, fresh, new face in Congress. Not only does his record of service in the North Carolina legislature demonstrate his ability to get things done, but his staunch commitment to the people of North Carolina and the people of America is very impressive,” says Charles E. Symington Jr., Big “I” senior vice president of government affairs and federal relations. “To have the youngest member of the House at our legislative meeting will present our young agents and state InsurPac chairpersons a great opportunity to hear from one of the brightest, most successful up and coming political figures in Congress about the importance of the political process and the role they can and must play in it to strengthen and secure their future and the future of their employees and colleagues.”
In 2000, McHenry accepted the position of Coalition Director in the Bush for President campaign. Following the Inauguration, President George W. Bush appointed McHenry special assistant to the Secretary of the United States Department of Labor.
A licensed real estate broker and agent, Congressman McHenry is the owner of McHenry Real Estate, a property procurement and management firm. Before his election to the House of Representatives, Congressman McHenry represented North Carolina House District 109, encompassing part of his native Gaston County.
Hunt, the Herndon Scholarship recipient, has spent much of her career employing efforts to work with flood, wind, and water guidelines, as well as business income limitations, which are vital to providing the protections and coverage the coastal areas of Nags Head, N.C., needs. Hunt has worked toward positive insurance legislation in her area, and is looking forward to the Legislative Conference.
Herndon directed the Big “I” Washington D.C. office from 1949 to 1976 and was known as “Mr. Washington” to independent agents and brokers across America. He was an extremely effective leader of the Big “I” government affairs and grassroots operations. The new annual scholarship fund was established in his honor after his passing in January 2003.
Highlights of the Big “I” National Legislative Conference will include an in-depth issues briefing session; the annual Big “I” congressional reception on Capitol Hill; appearances by numerous high-profile speakers; and hundreds of meetings on Capitol Hill between Big “I” agents and brokers and their elected representatives in the Congress.
Other prominent political leaders speaking to agents and brokers at the Big “I” event are Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), a leading voice among moderates in the Senate. Agents and brokers have heard from the previous three sitting U.S. presidents — Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton — and numerous congressional leaders, including the last three House Speakers: Tom Foley (D-Wash.), Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.).
The Big “I” provides young agents a special $100 registration fee. All agents and brokers can register online at www.independentagent.com by clicking on “Events and Conferences.” For more information, young agents should contact Leslie Mularski at (800) 221-7917 or leslie.mularski@iiaba.net.
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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