WASHINGTON, D.C., April 13, 2012 — The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) today announced that Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio), chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures which has jurisdiction on tax issues, will address the association’s Large Agent/Broker and CEO dinner on April 26 during the Big “I” National Legislative Conference & Convention.
“The Big ‘I’ Large Agent and Broker Roundtable is honored that Rep. Tiberi will be addressing our annual event,” says John Murray, chairman of the Big “I” Large Agent and Broker Roundtable, and CEO, president, and director of Rose & Kiernan, Inc. headquartered in East Greenbush, N.Y. “As an advocate for small business and tax reform, Rep. Tiberi understands the challenges our industry is facing and we look forward to hearing his perspective.”
The Big “I” Large Agent and Broker Roundtable, a group which advises the Big “I” Board of Directors on topics important to large agents and brokers, hosts the annual dinner. The group has recently been working on issues such as agent licensing reform, technology and workflow efficiency, and industry workforce recruitment. Large agents and brokers from around the country, as well as regional and national carrier CEOs, will be in attendance.
“The Big ‘I’ has a long history of working closely with Rep. Tiberi on key issues that impact independent insurance agents and brokers, small businesses and insurance consumers,” says Robert A. Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO. “Rep. Tiberi is a resilient and outspoken champion for tax reform and efforts to promote small business and job creation by all businesses.”
Rep. Tiberi serves on the House Ways and Means Committee that has jurisdiction over tax issues, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and trade agreements. While he was Chairman of the Select Education Subcommittee, Rep. Tiberi wrote and shepherded the Older Americans Act, a law that reauthorized and improved numerous programs that help Older Americans, through Congress. The bipartisan effort was endorsed by a variety of organizations and was ultimately signed into law. Rep. Tiberi has been a lifelong resident of Ohio’s 12th Congressional District which is a mix of urban, suburban and rural areas in the central part of the Buckeye State. He is a 1985 graduate of The Ohio State University. He previously worked as realtor and served in the Ohio House of Representatives.
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 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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