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Welcome to "@AAMGA"
A Newsletter Exclusively for AAMGA Members
In This Issue
 AAMGA Annual Meeting Update
Plans are finalized for the 86th Annual Meeting of the AAMGA, May 6th - 10th, 2012 at the J.W. Marriott Hill Country Resort in San Antonio, TX. Hotel Reservations are now being accepted, with the room block already at 30% capacity within 10 days of being opened. For Room Reservations, please call today: 1-800-648-4462, or click here. If you are making reservations by telephone, please advise the reservations specialist that you are attending the AAMGA Annual Meeting.
The Resort has many family friendly venues, including the largest water park in the Marriott Hotel chain. We will be offering special events and registration rates for members wishing to bring their family members along to the meeting. Registration materials for the Annual Meeting will follow shortly.
This year's theme celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the AAMGA University. Since 1987 the AAMGA University is the only fully dedicated and accredited wholesale insurance provider, allowing members of the industry to "Achieve Excellence through Education".
Call for Entries: 2012 Advertising, Marketing and Community Service Awards
The AAMGA Marketing Committee has released its annual Call for Entries for members to submit their best advertising, marketing and community service projects for the past 12 months. The Committee will review the entries received and recognize the "best of the best" at the Annual Meeting in May. Click Here for the brochure and information, additional copies of which will be mailed to all member principals. Deadline for submissions is March 30, 2012.
AAMGA 2012 Automation and Technology Conference
The AAMGA Automation Conference is "Bringing IT Together" March 3 - 6, 2012 at the InterContinental Buckhead Hotel in Atlanta, GA. This exclusive insurance automation and technology conference allows attendees to meet with solutions providers, attend the trade show, participate in the daily technology sessions, network and exchange information with their peers. The Agenda of events is packed with valuable information you will, be able to take back to your office to increase efficiencies and opportunities.
Please Click here for registration information. Registrations are running head of prior years. Click on the link to see who's already registered for the AAMGA's 2012 Automation Conference.
AAMGA University East
Looking to get your annual continuing education requirements - and those of your staff members - completed early this year? It can be done, and it's all in one place. Click here for registration details of the AAMGA's Annual University East Educational Sessions, March 8 - 9, 2012 at the Intercontinental Buckhead Hotel in Atlanta, GA for registration information.
Highlights include:
- New courses developed by Georgia State University's RMI Department, ranked fourth in the nation by U.S. News and World Report
- New courses on emerging exposures, professional development, Lloyd's, and managing foreign risk.
- Garage Risks update
- UFO Leadership Track course: Communicate as a Trusted Leader
- Plus many chances to network and have the opportunity to meet our new AAMGA Chair of Risk Management and Insurance at Georgia State University.
Can't make it to U-East? Click here for a list of online classes offered through the AAMGA University.
AAMGA 2012 Directory
The Annual AAMGA Directory is in the mail to all member principal officers and branch offices. The publication contains updated contact and corporate information on all members, all Under Forty Organization members, state insurance commissioners and state stamping offices. As always, we are indebted to all our advertisers who make the publication of the Directory possible.
AAMGA Headquarters is on the Move
The AAMGA Headquarters staff is moving to new, brighter and expanded offices in March 2012. The new offices are located 1/2 mile from the current offices, and will be in the Freedom Business Center across from the Valley Forge National Historic Park. New address contact, telephone and fax details will be sent out shortly.
Executive Board Members Visits with AAMGA London Members
For the past 10 years the AAMGA Executive Committee has traveled to London for several days of meetings with members in the market, and with the Corporation of Lloyd's. Between February 7th and the 10th, 2012, AAMGA President Wayne Forest - Forest Insurance Facilities; Incoming President R.C. Chaffin - SeaCoast Underwriters; Immediate Past President Mark Rothert - Ron Rothert Insurance Services; and Executive Director Bernie Heinze, will participate in over 30 meetings with over 80 AAMGA members and Lloyd's representatives.
The purpose of the meetings is to engage in a dialog on the state and future of the marketplace, address issues and opportunities, and provide an update on AAMGA efforts. A full report will be provided to all members once the delegation returns.
AAMGA Committee Day - June 22-23, 2012
The AAMGA's Committee and Budget Planning Sessions will be held at the Chicago O'Hare Airport DoubleTree Hotel. AAMGA Incoming President R.C. Chaffin has scheduled the meetings to start Friday June 22nd with a working lunch and conclude Saturday morning by 10:00am following the General Session. The AAMGA's hard working committee volunteers will set their goals and objectives for the coming year, and have the chance to share ideas on how best to continue advancing the Association.
Interested in joining one of the Committees? You can join colleagues charting the course of our Association's engagement in Automation, Education, Governmental Affairs, Human Resources, Marketing, Membership, and its Operations. Click here to indicate your willingness to be considered for participating on the Committees and become a leader in the AAMGA and our industry.
AAMGA Future Annual Meetings
For your planning purposes, the AAMGA has scheduled its AAMGA Annual Meetings through 2016. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events:
- May 19 - 22, 2013: Marriott Hotel, New Orleans, LA
- May 18 - 21, 2014: Hilton Waikoloa Hotel, Hawaii
- May 17 - 29, 2015: Gaylord National Resort, National Harbor/Washington, DC
- May 22 - 25, 2016: JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort, Scottsdale, AZ
AAMGA Committee Updates
Automation - the Committee and its Chair Jim Mastowski of Jimcor Agencies, have announced the keynote speaker for the 2012 IT Conference on Monday, March 5, 2012 at the Intercontinental Buckhead Hotel in Atlanta, GA. Robert J. Sawyer, award-winning futurist and science fiction writer, whose book Flash Forward was the impetus behind the ABC television series of the same name. Rob will set the stage for thinking about the rapid pace of change that will inevitably affect our everyday lives. Learn how science fiction thinking and rapid adoption of cutting-edge technologies can aid businesses as they rush to keep sight of the future.
Education - Committee Chair Kathy Suhm, Nautilus Insurance Company and her colleagues have been hard at work updating marketing initiatives for University events. Additionally, a handful of other locations are under consideration for the 2012 Garage Risk Seminar, including New Jersey and Hartford, CT. Finally, early planning for University West (August 17 - 19, 2012 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort, Scottsdale, AZ) is underway, as well as further promotion of the CIW/CMGA designations.
The Annual Call for White Papers has been sent out to all Colleges and Universities across the country. Two winners will be chosen to each receive a $1,000 scholarship and attend the Annual Meeting.
Governmental Affairs - The Committee, and its Chair Josh Korver, The Insurance Center, have been following and providing written comments on the continuing and changing developments with implementation of the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act NRRA). The effort is to advocate that wholesale insurance agents and brokers need a uniform and simplified manner in which to pay the surplus lines premium taxes on multi-state risks.
The Committee also worked with Lloyd's on revising conflict of interest, anti-money laundering and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) compliance standards and guidance for coverholders. Executive Director Bernie Heinze also provided written comments to the Federal Insurance Office on insurance regulatory modernization in conjunction with the FIO's efforts on reporting to Congress how, and to what extent, further oversight and control by the federal government is required.
The Committee will attend the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers annual legislative conference, in Washington, DC on February 7 - 9, 2012, to which all AAMGA members are also invited. Click here for registration details.
Human Resources - Committee Chair Dianne Shelton, RPS Continental, and the Committee have been implementing an aggressive agenda to roll out and update HR tools to AAMGA members. Click here for the Committee's webpage and access to all the HR resources and benefits they have put together. The group is also looking into leveraging its contacts list for recruiting opportunities in different markets, adding a career tab on the AAMGA website to generate more interest in E&S job prospects; and has worked with the Education Committee on the HR track and courses for AAMGA University sessions.
Marketing - Committee Chair Mark Maucere, AmWINS Transportation and the Committee members have completed the membership-wide brand and identity survey, the results of which have been reported to the AAMGA Board of Directors for further action. The Committee is also making great progress in developing a social media policy, working with the Automation Committee on developing an on-line membership directory, and sending out regular marketing tips to members.
The AAMGA's quarterly "Wholesale Insurance News" or "WIN" Magazine continues its rise in distribution, with over 242,154 insurance professionals having received the Fall issue in over 40 countries. The March 2012 issue will contain articles on technology, climate change, and an interview with Tom Kuzma, president of Nautilus Insurance Company.
Membership - Committee Chair Teri Black, Black/White Associates and Committee members are well on the way to meet President Wayne Forest's objective of brining 20 new members into the Association this year. The Committee is also looking for ways to enhance AAMGA member benefits.
Operations - Committee Chair Gary Gibson, Coastal Brokers Insurance, and his Committee have put in hundreds of hours completing the second volume of "Proud History - Bright Future," a history of the AAMGA since 1926. The last version was released in conjunction with the AAMGA's 65th anniversary, allowing the second 200 page volume to contain how the Association's reputation and strength continued to grow over the past 21 years. Our sincere thanks to Tom Stamm of Markel-West/Scottsdale for taking the lead in organizing the writing of all the chapters, collecting the photographs and the hundreds of hours spent in producing this next chapter of the Association's legacy and integral role in the industry. Electronic copies will be placed on the website and hard copies will be provided at the Annual Meeting in May, with an option to purchase additional copies. The committee continues to assess the definitions and eligibility of affiliate and associate members with potential amendments being executed through future voting on By-Laws. The Committee is also working with the Board on a project to accurately record and collect fees for members with multiple branch office locations.
Under Forty Organization (UFO Update)
UFO President Ken Distel, Joseph Distel & Company, and his fellow Board members have been leveraging the success of the UFO's Annual Meeting in September to continue expanding the networking and activities of the next generation of leaders within the wholesale insurance industry. The joint initiative between the AAMGA University and Georgia State University provides opportunities for members to take a 4 track leadership curriculum, providing invaluable training and resources as their career journeys advance. The 2012 UFO Annual Meeting will be held September 20 - 22, 2012 in Park City, UT.
AAMGA Strategic Plan
During the past year, the Board of Directors spent time working on a Strategic and Tactical program to keep AAMGA steady and heading in the right direction. President Wayne Forest has now appointed Incoming President R.C. Chaffin to serve as the Chair of the strategic planning committee comprised of the other AAMGA Board members. President Forest also developed a Strategic and Tactical Planning Guideline and a Work In Progress reporting spreadsheet to measure progress being made. The initiatives will provide a continuity and sustainability plan to keep the Association moving forward, and ensure its mission remains at the forefront of our efforts to sustain the AAMGA as the premiere Association of the wholesale insurance industry and its many hard working and dedicated professionals.
International Seminar
A few spots are still available to join the Incoming President (2012-2013) R.C. Chaffin and First Lady Suzanne Chaffin, at their International Seminar to England, September 23 - 30, 2012. The trip begins in London at the Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel, September 23 - 26 www.thelondonmarriott.com, and continues on to the Bedfordshire Luton Hoo Golf and Spa Resort, September 27 - 30, www.lutonhoo.co.uk. For more information, please contact R. C. Chaffin at: [email protected], or 305-774-9977 for more details.
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This communication has been sent to all AAMGA Member Contacts.
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