ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Sept. 19, 2014—David Walker, AAI, CIC, LIC, ARM, CRM, was installed as the chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) at the recent Big “I” Leadership Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Walker is president of Hartland Insurance Agency in Hartland, Michigan.
“Dave is a well-respected member of the business community in Michigan and a nationally recognized educator and advocate of the independent agency system,” says Robert Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO. “His more than 30 years of industry experience have more than prepared him to head the association. The Big ‘I’ is proud to a have him serve at the helm as Big ‘I’ chairman.”
Walker began his insurance career in 1979 as an agent with Guarantee Mutual Life Insurance Co. In 1981, he joined Hartland Insurance Agency as a producer, rose through the ranks and currently is a principal and serves as president of the agency.
Throughout his career, Walker has been an active association leader at the state and national levels. He served on the Michigan Young Agents Council, the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA) Education Committee (including three years as chairman), MAIA Legislative Affairs Committee and MAIA Agency-Company Relations Committee. Additionally, he has served on the board of directors and as president of the Genesee County Independent Agents and the MAIA.
At the national level, Walker currently serves on the Agents Advocacy Fund Committee and on the Planning Committee. Previously, he has served on the boards of the Big “I” and Big “I” Advantage. He has also served on the Finance Committee, the Professional Liability Committee and the Young Agents Committee. He is currently on the board of Consumer Agent Portal, LLC.
Walker has received numerous MAIA awards including the Young Charger Award in 1986, the Aschom Education Award in 1997 and 2000, the Forsetlund Award (Agent of the Year) in 2000 and 2003 and the W.O. Hilderbrand Award in 2006 for his lifetime service and achievement in the insurance industry and MAIA.
Walker is also active in his community having served on the board of directors for the Hartland Area Chamber of Commerce and the Fenton Area Public Schools as trustee and president. Currently, he serves as Tyrone Township Trustee and on the board of the Michigan Basic Property Association. Walker is also a founding member of the Hartland Rotary. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Fenton, Michigan, and have two grown children and two grandchildren.
Founded in 1896, the Big “I” is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network 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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