| Executive Committee | |
Jeffery W. Lamb
President
Dr. Alan C. Williams
Executive Vice President
Alan E. Hoffmann
Immediate Past President
John D. Meder
Past President
Lance A. Lancour
Secretary
Brian Bowerman
Treasurer
John Hammond
Vice President
Meg Allwein
Vice President
Josh Hart
Alumni Representative
Dr. RB Drennan
Faculty Representative
Christopher Place
Industry Representative
James Heuker
Student Representative
Noelle Codispoti
Executive Director
|
|
|
Dear Students,
Welcome to a new semester! We have just concluded the 2013 Presidents' Conference and couldn't be more excited and energized about the year ahead. Your chapters are in capable and motivated hands, and we urge you to get involved in the many events to come. Next up for the Grand Chapter is the 42nd Annual International Conference in October - see below for registration details! We look forward to hearing all that your chapters have in store to kick off the academic year.
Fraternally yours,
Noelle Codispoti, ARM Executive Director, Gamma Iota Sigma |
|
"Get Your Motor Running" at the
42nd Annual International Conference
Registration is now open for the 2013 Conference! The 42nd Annual International Conference will take place October 3-5 in Charlotte, NC and is co-hosted by the Rho Chapter from Appalachian State University. Be sure to check with your chapter officers or faculty advisor, as attendance is at the sole discretion of chapter leadership. Find all of the details, including the registration form, here. We look forward to seeing you in Charlotte!
Registration Fees
Early Bird (Student/Advisor): $25 by September 6
Late Fee (Student/Advisor): $50 after September 6
NOTE: all students registering are required to submit a resume!
|
|
2013 Sponsors Committed to Date
TITANIUM
Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers
Travelers
PLATINUM
AIG
Brown & Brown
The Hartford
Liberty Mutual Group
Lockton Companies
Markel Corporation
GOLD
Amerisure Global
Casualty Actuarial Society
CNA
Derek Hughes/NAPSLO Educational Foundation
RIMS
Spencer Educational Foundation
Swiss Re
Wells Fargo Insurance Services
SILVER
American Association of Managing General Agents
ACE Group
A.M. Best Company
Assurex
Atlantic Specialty Lines
The Institutes
International Association of Insurance Professionals
Lloyd's America
Munich Re
National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research
National Interstate
Pinnacle Actuarial Resources
PLUS
Towers Watson
Westfield Insurance
BRONZE
All Risks, Ltd.
Aon
BB&T Insurance Services
The Cincinnati Insurance Companies
Gen Re
IFGW Wholesale Insurance Group
Insurance Institute of Canada
Nautilus Insurance
State Farm
United States Liability Insurance Group
Westrope
Willis
Zurich North America
CAREER SPONSORS
Accident Fund Holdings, Inc.
ACTEX Publications
ARIA
Arlington/Roe and Company
EMC Insurance
Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan
Great American Insurance Group
The Griffith Insurance Education Foundation
The Motorists Insurance Group
Quirk & Company
State Auto Insurance Companies
Sponsor Listing as of August 28, 2013
|
|
NEW GIS Career Center!
Be sure to visit our new Career Center, exclusively for Gamma Iota Sigma members! We are excited for you to become familiar with the site and add your resume BEFORE we formally publicize it to employers in the next few weeks.
|
Spotlight on: Sharvis Dawkins '14
Middle Tennessee State University/Omega Chapter; Finance Major (Insurance Concentration)
Tell us about your summer internship. 
How did this MTSU student hit the internship jackpot?! Well it all started when went in to my Insurance Chairman's office, sat down and explained to him my excitement about the opportunity for insurance in the corporate/ business to business arena. Dr. Hollman sat there a minute glancing at the ceiling and I thought the silence was his hint to tell me to get out of his office. However, as I tried to leave he asked me whether I would like to do an internship this summer with Caterpillar Financial Insurance Services. I did not know anything about the company or the internship; all I knew is that I had to call GIS alumnus Danielle Steizack to set up my interview and that's exactly what I did. Danielle ended up being one of the two individuals that conducted my preliminary interview. I received such a boost in confidence knowing that a fellow Omega Chapter graduate was sitting across the table. As the interview went on I began to learn exactly how amazing the opportunity with Caterpillar Financial was going to be. As the insurance arm of a Fortune 100 company like Caterpillar, I learned that I would be able to see how the "big boys" do insurance. Needless to say, I would be in a completely different world than the personal property casualty and life insurance intern programs I'd already participated in. Sounds like a good time to me!
How has GIS helped prepare you for where you are now?
GIS has not just helped prepare me for where I am today, it would be much more fitting to say that GIS propelled me to the successful experiences and opportunities I have enjoyed as a young professional. When I got involved in GIS, I immediately began learning about the industry, meeting people, and making key connections. Also I got to engage the insurance industry with everything I had in me. Success in such a competitive job market is only as possible as the passion and drive a candidate presents for his or her craft. Passion will almost always elevate the quality of work done by one candidate above another, and employers know this. GIS is a place where students can cultivate, strengthen, and display personal qualities such as passion that are necessary to become great industry professionals.
How do you spend your free time?
I have played the piano for about ten years now, I do mostly jazz and I look forward to expanding my repertoire of scales and ridiculously fat chords to make sure that my sounds keep crowds hungry for more.
|
Spotlight on: Mike Kelly '14
University of South Carolina/Lambda Chapter; Finance and Insurance & Risk Management Majors
What were your best take-aways from the summer? 
Summer was great. I worked two jobs and did a lot of traveling. During the week I worked as an Insurance Broker/Intern for my father's company, Kelly Benefits and Financial Advisors. Our broker dealer is Transamerica, which I am sure most people are familiar with. I also spent the weekends and some weeknights waiting tables at a well-known crab house in Maryland named Jimmy Cantlers Riverside Inn. I was lucky enough to do a lot of traveling as well. In May I went to Argentina and Chile for 5 days each for an International Business class. I also had the opportunity to spend a few days in London and Adare, Ireland. Camping was also a big part of my summer, as I spent two weeks at my family's property in Covington, Virginia. I would say my best learning experience was experiencing an international side of business. It was something that I had never seen before and it was amazing.
What are your expectations for your senior year?
I would really like to obtain my dream job with The Capital Group Company in the Associates Program or one of my other top companies. Finding a good job is definitely the number one priority right now. As for the Lambda Chapter, I am excited to hopefully see our membership increase to over 75 members this year. I am also excited to announce a board expansion, bringing our board up to either 12 or 13. Finally, it will be great that the Lambda Chapter will be in attendance for Gamma Nationals this year and the other events we plan to execute for the first time.
What does GIS mean to you?
Gamma has honestly changed my life. After freshman year I wanted to get more involved with something. I never would have thought that I would become this involved, but every aspect is just great. All the conferences are a complete blast, but I think just the networking aspect of this fraternity is insane. I can't wait to see where #GammaIS in the next 10 years.
|
Two Valuable Trade Associations
AIMU and IMUA
American Institute of Marine Underwriters (AIMU) and Inland Marine Underwriters Association (IMUA) have been serving the United States marine insurance industry for a collective 198 years. They provide education in multiple formats, vision, leadership, networking opportunities, and other events for the benefit of the industry. Education and training are the key goals of AIMU and IMUA. This is achieved through classroom training with remote attendance options, webinars, seminars, fieldtrips, white papers, and multiple online resources. Today more than ever, the industry turns to AIMU and IMUA to educate marine insurance professionals in areas including underwriting, claims, and loss prevention.
A key need of AIMU and IMUA member companies is to attract the next generation of new talent as a vast pool of boomers are expected to retire over the next decade. Replacement and training for specialized lines of businesses and professions in marine insurance is critical. "The opportunities for young, talented college graduates in the marine insurance industry is unprecedented and we want to communicate that message to Gamma Iota Sigma," said James Craig, President of AIMU. Kevin O'Brien, President of IMUA, stated, "Our members recognize the value that Gamma Iota Sigma members offer and we want to be the bridge to bring that talent to our members. IMUA has offered scholarship opportunities to GIS students to attend their Annual Meeting in 2012 and 2013 and it has been a win-win for both IMUA and GIS." Four scholarship winners attended the 2013 IMUA Annual Meeting in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia. "The goal is to introduce GIS members to the marine insurance industry and hope that they will share their experiences with other GIS members and increase awareness of the many opportunities in the marine insurance industry. It's been a very successful initiative and we've had great feedback from scholarship winners," said O'Brien. One scholarship winner, Ms. Zitkus of the Katie School of Insurance (Illinois State University) commented:
I knew that being chosen to attend the IMUA Annual Meeting was a huge opportunity, but I did not realize how much I would learn. The information sessions/presentations about different parts of the Inland Marine industry were very informative and fun. The presenters knew how to keep our attention and keep it interesting! Everyone involved in IMUA was so welcoming and able to help with any questions I had. This was the first time I was around a huge group of insurance industry professionals for longer than a couple of hours and needless to say, I learned a ton about professionalism and networking. The meeting provided me with so much knowledge about inland marine and so many networking opportunities; it is by far the most unforgettable and most amazing opportunity I have ever received.
AIMU and IMUA now offer GIS members, as well as the faculty of the Risk Management Schools, reduced (member) fees on education. To learn more about AIMU and IMUA visit www.aimu.org and www.imua.org. For further information or details, contact Eileen Monreale, Education/Training Specialist for AIMU and IMUA at emonreale@aimu.org. |
The Institutes Announce Collegiate Studies for CPCU Program
College students can earn CPCU designation credits
The Institutes launched the Collegiate Studies for CPCU program and certificate as part of an industry-wide initiative to engage the next generation of professionals to actively pursue a career in risk management and insurance. Read the full press release here!
|
Featured Jobs with Our Partners
|
FREE Subscription to Best's Review!
Be sure to take advantage of the special offer from our partner company A.M. Best! Students and faculty can access a FREE subscription to Best's Review magazine - digital version. Link to the registration page here! Best's Review is the premier insurance industry monthly magazine, providing the latest global news and trends, plus industry analysis and featured articles. |
Are you a Recent Graduate or GIS Alumnus? Stay in Touch!
Help us keep your contact information current! GIS boasts an alumni base of over 15,000 individuals from our 54 chapters and we need your help in updating our current records. Alumni and soon-to-be-Alumni, please use the link below to update your information, and pass it on to as many fellow graduates as you can.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
