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Fund will aid independent agents, families, industry colleagues |  Trusted Choice^® Goes Broadway |  Stiglitz Inaugurated as New Big "I" President; Soto Becomes President-Elect |  Donohoe Receives Highest Individual Honor | Durnin Wins Ultimate Producer Challenge |
  New Diversity Chairman Announced  |  InVEST Awards, Job Shadow Event |
  Bank on Big "I" Markets | Industry News

B I G   " I "   K A T R I N A   R E L I E F   F U N D
Fund will aid independent agents, families, industry colleagues

The Big "I" has established the Big "I" Katrina Relief Fund in order to assist those whose lives have been tragically altered by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

All donations received will assist insurance industry colleagues, including independent agents, brokers, their employees and their families in the impacted areas. At its National Board of State Directors meeting last week, the Big "I" unanimously voted to contribute $100,000 to the fund.

Thanks to all the groups and individuals who have contributed to the fund thus far. Among the contributions: OneBeacon Insurance donated $25,000; Safeco Insurance donated $25,000; the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents donated $20,000; Encompass Insurance donated $10,000 and the Japanese contingent of the Big "I" donated $1,000 during the Big "I" Convention.

Checks should be made payable to "Big ‘I’ Katrina Relief Fund" and mailed to:

Big "I" Katrina Relief Fund
c/o InsurBanc
10 Executive Drive
Farmington, CT  06032

If you prefer to contribute via credit card, please go to the Big "I" Katrina Relief Fund site on the InsurBanc Web site at https://insurbanc.com/vsitemanager/smartforms/default.asp.

All funds contributed to the Big "I" Katrina Relief Fund are tax deductible as charitable contributions.

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T R U S T E D   C H O I C E
Trusted Choice® Goes Broadway

Trusted Choice®, the consumer marketing brand for independent agents, hit the big time during the recent Big "I" convention in New York City.

The brand was featured on the ABC-TV Jumbotron located on New York’s famed Broadway in bustling Times Square for five days during the convention. Strategically positioned in Times Square at the junction of 7th Avenue and Broadway, the ABC Jumbotron is a focal point for visitors to the area.

Featured on the Jumbotron was the Trusted Choice® TV ad and flanking the huge screen were huge Trusted Choice® logos and a consumer call to action that could be seen for blocks up and down Broadway. The call to action instructed consumers to go to www.TrustedChoice.com to find a Trusted Choice® agency.

The ads debuted on the ABC Jumbotron on Thursday, Sept. 8, during an NFL Kick-off special and were featured throughout that day with other advertisers, including industry competitor GEICO. The advertising ran throughout that weekend ending late evening on Monday, Sept. 12.

The Jumbotron ads provided incredible exposure for Trusted Choice® and its more than 5,100 participating agencies and 31 company partners. More than 1 million people traipse through Times Square every date. In just five days, more than 5 million consumers were exposed to the brand and learned about the benefits of using a Trusted Choice® agency—choice, customization and advocacy.

The Time Square ads preceded a national cable TV ad flight that commenced Sept. 12 and runs through Sept. 25. Cable networks that will feature the Trusted Choice® TV ad include ESPN, Fox News, Turner Network Television, Home & Garden Television and The History Channel. Click here for the complete ad flight schedule.

This is the fourth Trusted Choice ad flight—third on TV—this year. Previous TV ad flights ran in March and May. An online ad flight of banner ads was featured on www.Homestore.com, the most-visited real estate Web site, for more than a month beginning June 19. In all, almost 200 million consumers have been exposed to Trusted Choice and its participating agencies this year.

For more information about the Times Square advertising, the September ad flight or to join the brand movement, contact Trusted Choice® at TrustedChoice@iiaba.net; 800-221-7917.

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B I G   " I "   C O N V E N T I O N
Stiglitz Inaugurated as New Big "I" President; Soto Becomes President-Elect

The Big "I" inaugurated William G. Stiglitz III as the association’s 101st president, and Alex Soto, CPCU, ARM as the association’s president-elect. Stiglitz and Soto were sworn in during the Big "I" Convention’s closing general session at the Hilton New York, in New York City.

Stiglitz is an account executive with the firm of Hyland, Block & Hyland, Inc., in Louisville, Ky. He was elected to the Executive Committee in October 2000. He has been active on all levels of Big "I" member organizations during his 35-year career as an independent agent. A past president and state national director for the Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky (IIAK), Stiglitz served on the state’s Board of Directors and Government Affairs Committee. He is a past president of the Louisville Board of Independent Insurance Agents. Nationally, he has served as a member of the Planning Committee and as planning liaison to the Executive Committee, and as a member of the National Dues Task Force.

Soto is president of Miami-Fla.-based InSource, Inc. As president-elect, he is slated to ascend to the national presidency in 2006. He was elected to the Executive Committee in October 2001. Soto also has been active in the Big "I" nationally and in the Florida Association of Independent Agents (FAIA) during his 33-year career as an independent insurance agent. He is a past chairman of the FAIA and also a past state national director. Nationally, he has served as chairman of the Big "I" Communications Committee, Branding Task Force and other committees.

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Donohoe Receives Highest Individual Honor

Mike Donohoe received with the Woodworth Memorial Award—the most distinguished honor the Big "I" bestows upon an individual—during the opening general session of the association’s 2005 Big "I" Convention in New York City.

Donohoe is currently an owner and agent in the James R. Weir Insurance Agency in Mankato, Minn.

"Mike Donohoe has performed exceptional and meritorious service on behalf of the independent agency system," said Big "I" President Thomas Grau. "He is a longtime champion of independent agents and brokers, and he epitomizes the volunteer spirit of all Big ‘I’ members. We are indeed fortunate to have such a selfless, tireless individual working on behalf of this association. Mike is truly one of our most respected and accomplished leaders."

The Woodworth Award was established in 1925 in memory of C.H. Woodworth of Buffalo, N.Y., the second president of the association. It is awarded annually to the Big "I" member who best demonstrates outstanding service benefiting independent insurance agents and the entire insurance industry.

Donohoe has contributed to the independent agency system in a variety of ways, including serving the Minnesota Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers (MIIAB) as its president and as its representative on the National Board of State Directors. He was named Minnesota Young Agent of the Year in 1979 and 1981. Donohoe, who has been instrumental to the success of the Big "I" Virtual University, has served as the chair of the VU Oversight Task Force since 2001.

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Durnin Wins Ultimate Producer Challenge

Diane Durnin of J.D. Fulwiler & Company Insurance, Inc. in Portland, Ore. was named "The Ultimate Producer," the winner of the IIABA’s own reality program The Ultimate Producer Challenge during the Big "I" Convention.

Durnin participated with eight other producers in a series of group and individual sales exercises and tests. Producers advanced through the competition based on their performance as determined by the judges. Durnin and first runner up Roosevelt Haywood III of Gary, Ind. outlasted seven other finalists for the title of Ultimate Producer. The Ultimate Producer received a $2,500 prize and three 90-minute coaching sessions via teleconference with Roger Sitkins, host and judge of the competition.

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New Diversity Chairman Announced

At the 4th annual Big "I" Diversity Luncheon, Tim Manaka of FIA Insurance Services, Inc., in Pasadena, Calif., became the Diversity Task Force’s new chairperson.

"I take this opportunity very seriously," Manaka said. "This is a great honor, and a big challenge. If we all work together, there is so much we can accomplish."

The luncheon allowed agents and brokers the unique opportunity to share experiences, insights and ideas while learning how others deal with comparable challenges.

Big "I" President-Elect Alex Soto of InSource Inc. in Coral Gables, Fla., spoke at the luncheon. He discussed his experiences growing up in a new culture and challenged all Diversity Task Force members to more actively recruit. Soto also encouraged agents and company partners to educate potential association members on all of the organization’s benefits.

The Diversity Task Force is a cooperative industry group comprised of Big "I" agents and brokers, members of groups representing Latin-American, African-American and Asian-American agents, and eight leading insurance companies charged with fostering a profitable independent agency force that reflects, represents and capitalizes on the opportunities of the diverse U.S. population.

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InVEST Awards, Job Shadow Event

InVEST, the only education program that promotes insurance education in order to attract individuals to pursue employment in the industry, announced its 2005 Teacher of the Year and Dach Award winners.

The Teacher of the Year award is given to a teacher who has made substantial contributions to his or her InVEST students. This year’s winner is Renee Dubber from Jones High School in Orlando, Fla. Dubber received $500 for classroom use and $500 for personal use.

The Dach Award is given each year to an InVEST volunteer for his or her involvement in fostering the growth and development of InVEST programs. The award is named in memory of the program’s founder, Stephen Dach. This year’s agent-volunteer winner is Angelyn Treutel from Treutel Insurance Agency in Bay St. Louis, Miss. Treutel received a $1,000 award for use in her local InVEST classroom.

During the InVEST "job shadow" event, InVEST hosted 47 students from Bloomfield High School from Bloomfield, Conn., and East Hartford High School from East Hartford, Conn.   for breakfast and a tour of the Big "I" Convention Exhibit Hall. During the job shadow event, mentors networked with students and discussed how they got involved in the insurance industry and shared advice on achieving career goals within the industry. St. Paul Travelers, a longtime supporter of InVEST, generously sponsored the buses that brought the students into the city.

Also held during the Big "I" Convention, the annual InVEST Silent Auction raised $18,000 for its student scholarship program. Items were donated by insurance carriers, independent agents and brokers, the IIABA, its state affiliates and others committed to perpetuating the independent agency system.

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B I G   " I "   M A R K E T S
Bank on Big "I" Markets

If you have a prospective bank customer, Big "I" Markets and St. Paul Travelers are here to help. St. Paul Travelers offers banks management liability (D&O) coverage that includes explicit company liability coverage (as opposed to just directors and officers and indemnification coverage). If an insured bank corporation is named in a suit, coverage can be structured to apply to the bank corporation directly. Even if your local bank is publicly traded, you can free them of those annoying "corporate allocation" worries. An array of complementary E&O-type coverages are available through St. Paul Travelers with various available insuring agreements. Examples of this coverage include Bankers Professional Liability with lender liability, employment practices liability, ERISA/fiduciary liability and coverage for a bank's trust operations. Limits of liability are available for up to $25 million and you can structure coverage to apply separately for Management Liability (D&O-type claims) and other related exposures (E&O-type claims).

For more information or to request a quote, click here. Not yet registered for Big "I" Markets, the online market access program available exclusively to Big "I" members? Click herefor online registration.

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