WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 9, 2009 — The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) announced that Lauren Cialone has joined the trade association’s government affairs staff as senior director of federal government affairs and John Prible has been promoted to vice president of federal government affairs.
“Lauren brings valuable experience on financial services issues to the Big ‘I’ through her service in both the House and Senate,” says Charles E. Symington, Jr., Big “I” senior vice president for government affairs. “She will make a great addition to our government affairs staff, and we are very pleased to welcome her to our Capitol Hill team.”
Cialone previously served as a legislative assistant to Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), a Blue Dog Democrat who sits on the House Financial Services Committee, and as his top financial services staffer. She also worked for Senator Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), a well-respected moderate and long-standing member of the Senate Banking Committee.
Cialone is a native of Upper Arlington, Ohio and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and Spanish from Butler University in Indiana. She joins a bipartisan lobbying team after Tom Koonce recently departed the Big “I” to head the Mortgage Bankers Association government affairs staff.
Prible joined the Big “I” team as assistant vice president for federal government affairs in 2006.
“John Prible’s extensive association, government and political experience has earned him the respect of countless decision-makers in Washington,” says Charles E. Symington, Jr., Big “I” senior vice president for government affairs. “We’re very proud of his numerous accomplishments on behalf of the Big ‘I’ and it’s a pleasure to announce that he has been promoted to vice president of federal government affairs.”
Prior to joining the Big “I” team, Prible was the director of government affairs for the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT). He worked for former Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.) and former Rep. Jim Davis (D-Fla.), and earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from the University of Florida. As the senior legislative assistant to Rep. Hooley, Prible helped draft several key pieces of financial services legislation.
Founded in 1896, the Big “I” 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, health, employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
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