WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 5, 2013 — The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) today announced that Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) will address the Annual Young Agents & InsurPac State Chairpersons Legislative Luncheon at the annual Big “I” Legislative Conference.
The event will be held on Wednesday, April 17 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. Vargas is a rising star in the House 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. “As one of the newest members of Congress, and an experienced professional who worked in the insurance industry, our young agents are especially interested in his perspective.”
Rep. Vargas is part of the freshman class for the 113th Congress and represents the 51st congressional district of California. Vargas represents the California 51st Congressional District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County, all of Imperial County and California’s entire US/Mexico border. Prior to being elected to the House, Vargas served in the San Diego City Council, California State Assembly and the California State Senate. He also worked for two major insurance carriers. Vargas earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of San Diego, a master’s degree at Fordham University in New York and a law degree at Harvard Law School.
“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. Vargas’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 is the insurance industry’s best-attended, most effective legislative meeting. This year’s event will take place April 17-19 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: tax reform, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), insurance regulatory reform, agent licensing reform, health insurance, the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP), terrorism risk insurance, and other economic challenges facing independent insurance agents and the industry.
Other highlights of the Big “I” Legislative Conference 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.