WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 2, 2011 — The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) today announced that Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) will address the Annual Young Agents & InsurPac State Chairpersons Legislative Luncheon at the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention.
The event will be held on Wednesday, April 25 at 12:00 p.m. and will also feature the presentation of the annual InsurPac National Championship awards, Young Agent of the Year and Eagle awards.
“Rep. Schock is a rising star in the Republican Party and the Big ‘I’ is honored that he will be addressing our young agents and InsurPac leadership teams,” says Robert A. Rusbuldt, Big “I” president and CEO. “His freshman year in Congress, he was selected by his peers to serve as Deputy Republican Whip and continues to make an impact on Capitol Hill. As the youngest member of Congress, our young agents are especially interested in his perspective.”
Rep. Schock was first elected to represent the 18th congressional district of Illinois in 2008. The 18th district is comprised of 20 counties and three metropolitan areas (Peoria, Springfield and Jacksonville) in the Prairie State. For the 112th Congress, he was appointed to serve on the Ways and Means committee including the Trade, Oversight and Social Security subcommittees. Schock also serves on the Committee on House Administration. He previously served on the Small Business Committee and the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Prior to being elected to the House, Schock served in the Illinois State Legislature and was a small businessperson.
“InsurPac is one of the largest insurance political action committees in the country and Big ‘I’ young agents are the next generation of independent agency leaders,” says Charles E. Symington, Jr., Big “I” senior vice president for government affairs. “These two forces are among the most influential in the industry and will greatly benefit from Rep. Schock’s unique perspective. We look forward to continuing to increase our young agents’ activism in the political process to secure the future of our industry.”
The Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention is the insurance industry’s best-attended, most effective legislative meeting. This year’s event will take place April 25-27 at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel in Washington, D.C.
The legislative conference is an opportunity for Big “I” agents and brokers to discuss important issues with their congressional representatives. Top issues this year include: insurance regulatory reform, extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), agent licensing reform, medical loss ratios (MLRs) and other health care topics, tax reform; the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP), and other economic challenges facing independent insurance agents and the industry.
Other highlights of the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention include in-depth issues briefing sessions; appearances by numerous high-profile speakers discussing important insurance and national issues confronting lawmakers as well as agents and brokers and hundreds of meetings on Capitol Hill between Big “I” agents and brokers and their elected representatives in the Congress.
For registration and hotel information, go to www.independentagent.com and select the “Events and Conferences” link. Journalists interested in attending, please contact Margarita Tapia, director of public affairs, at (800) 221-7917 or margarita.tapia@iiaba.net for media registration.
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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