ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 11, 2012 – The InVEST program awarded William “Bill” Allen, Jr., Travelers Select Sales Executive, with the Dach Award which honors an insurance industry volunteer who has made tremendous contributions in fostering the growth and development of InVEST. The program is a key driver to attract new talent to the insurance industry.

 

“Bill Allen tirelessly promotes the insurance industry to young people: how it works, the variety of career options involved, and its relevance to the economy,” said Mike Donohoe, Big “I” 2011-2012 chairman and principal of the James R. Weir Insurance Agency in Mankato, Minn. “Bill’s numerous visits to numerous high schools further demonstrate his genuine commitment to educating students on insurance. Distance and time do not matter to him. He is a highly dedicated professional who knows how to motivate students to strive for success.”

 

Allen has worked with InVEST since 2008 when he got involved with Esperanza USA, an outreach organization in Philadelphia that works primarily with Hispanic communities and maintains a chartered school. He developed the program by forming a partnership with numerous organizations including Travelers and the Philadelphia Insurance Company. As a member of the National Capitol Central Maryland Chapter of NAAIA in Washington, D.C., Allen continued his efforts by forming a partnership through National Capitol Central Maryland Chapter, Travelers, Marsh and Chubb to bring the InVEST program to Roosevelt Senior High School in Washington, D.C. He also supports the Virginia Association of Insurance Agents by participating in high school career days and volunteering as a guest speaker.

 

“InVEST is a group effort and great mentors and volunteers, like Bill Allen, are the backbone of this amazing program which is so critical for the success of the industry and financial literacy,” says Heather Minkler, chair of the National InVEST board of directors and CEO of Clark-Mortenson Agency, an independent insurance agency in Keene, N.H. “Bill’s dedication to efforts that support urban markets and minority agent recruitment and development go hand in hand with InVEST’s mission and we are very proud to present the Dach Award to him for his countless contributions.”

Allen has risen through the ranks with Travelers over the past 39 years. He also spent one year as an independent agent. Allen earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and political science at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans.

 

The Dach award is named in memory of the program’s founder, Stephen Dach.

 

“The future of the independent insurance agency system and the industry as a whole depends on attracting new talent and InVEST is a major part of this development,” says Robert Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO. “We need InVEST industry professionals like Bill Allen to continue stepping up to train, inspire and teach the next generation of industry leaders.”

 

As a 501(c)(3) educational trust, InVEST benefits from the support of numerous insurance organizations, hundreds of agencies, brokers and volunteers. The program provides the insurance industry with motivated, talented and intelligent professionals through a support structure of state associations, board members, national staff, teachers and the many industry professionals who work in the field as classroom liaisons.
 
Founded in 1970 and based in Alexandria, Va., InVEST promotes insurance education in order to attract individuals to pursue a career in the insurance industry. Each year, the program prepares thousands of students for insurance-related careers with a hands-on curriculum taught in high schools, adult education centers and colleges. The high school curriculum is a business-education program that utilizes a hands-on approach which simulates an insurance agency and company operations to prepare students for various business careers and create more knowledgeable insurance consumers. At the college level, InVEST is an information-intensive curriculum of risk management and financial services. These courses provide students with a working knowledge of the basics needed to pursue careers in the insurance industry. For more information, go to www.investprogram.org.
 
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 approximately a quarter of a million 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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