Make an Impact on Your Profession, Your Association and Your Industry!

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If you would like to make a difference in your profession and industry, I hope you will consider volunteering to serve on one of IIAV’s important committees. Simply put, while IIAV works to represent your interests before a wide range of groups and to provide you with the best possible programs and services, to continue to do so we need your input and assistance to ensure that IIAV remains relevant to you and our members for many years to come.

Try as we might, and I have to tell you that IIAV has some of the best professionals that I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with, your staff needs to hear from you on what programs and services we need to be providing. You’re the reality factor on what is important to our members and what IIAV should be working on. Please take a look at the following committees/programs and let me know if you have an interest in serving on any of them. If you don’t see something listed, but you have a particular interest in working on something for the association, let me know this as well.

Education/Career Development: IIAV is the largest provider of continuing professional education in the state for insurance professionals. IIAV is known for our quality programs and in-depth education courses. This committee will review classes, identify important topics, evaluate and recommend instructors. They will also look at the delivery method of education programs through in-class, correspondence, online and webinars.

Technical Committee: Frequently members come to IIAV with issues of concern. The Technical Committee reviews these issues and works to ensure that our technical bulletins are relevant to the questions and concerns of our membership. For example, it was the Technical Committee that called a meeting on Certificates of Insurance whereby we convinced the Bureau of Insurance that it was necessary for them to send out an administrative letter.

Legislative Committee: Somewhat related to the Technical Committee, the Legislative Committee addresses some issues and topics that can’t be addressed by education but need a legislative solution. This committee reviews recommendations by members for proposed legislation and evaluates legislation that has been introduced. This committee also serves as the Board for the Virginia Agents Political Action Committee. If you’re interested in politics, this is the committee for you.

Convention/Awards Committee: Annually IIAV holds its premier event that combines fun, networking, education and recognition at quality locations across the state. The convention program is designed to appeal to a wide range of professionals and is our major annual event. This is a fun and hardworking committee.

Trusted Choice/Public Relations Committee: This new committee will serve to explore how IIAV can actively promote the services of the Independent Insurance Agent – the consumer’s Trusted Choice. As all IIAV members will have the opportunity to participate in the Trusted Choice program this coming September, we need to do more to educate the consumer on the benefits of working with an independent agent. Together, IIAV and our members and company partners should be able to acomplish this goal.

Of course, there are other programs where you can get involved in IIAV such as the Young Agents program ( Agency Principals – PLEASE get your young agents involved in this critical networking opportunity) and the Virginia Association of Insurance Agents, IIAV’s educational foundation working to encourage people to look at the insurance industry as an excellent employment opportunity.

I look forward to hearing from you and look forward to your involvement in YOUR association. We need your input and support.

Sincerely,

Robert N. Bradshaw Jr., MAM
President & CEO