2008 event:

Congratulations to Carrie Johnson of Carrie Johnson Insurance in Myrtle Beach; she won free registration to next year's event at the Grove Park Inn by completing the onsite event evaluation survey.

Thank you sponsors, we couldn't have this event without you!
(Click on link to see complete list)

Photos:
Sunday -   Exhibitor reception,  Business meeting,  Poolside reception, Hospitality Suite

Monday - Opening session, golf & CE session, Chairman's Reception & Banquet

Tuesday - Closing session

IIABSC Annual Convention - "Opportunities on the Horizon"
October 5 - 7, 2008

Thank you, Sponsors
We couldn't have this event without you

Platinum Level
Companion P & C
IIABSC Insurance Agency
Johnson & Johnson, Inc., Mgrs, CMGA
Travelers Insurance
Westport Insurance Corp./ Swiss Re

Gold Level
Frontline Homeowners Insurance
Montgomery Insurance

Silver Level
Allied Insurance
Bankers Insurance Group
Berkley Mid-Atlantic Group
Encompass/ Allstate
General Casualty
Main Street America Group
Progressive Insurance

Bronze Level
Bass Underwriters
Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC
Central Insurance Companies
Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance
Grange Insurance
Jackson Sumner & Associates
Penn National Insurance
Safeco Insurance Co.
The Hartford
Zurich Small Business

General Sponsors
Auto-Owners Insurance Group
Continental Special Risks
Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes
Prime Rate Premium Finance
The Seibels Bruce Group/ Universal Insurance Co.
Summit

2008 Annual Convention Report         

IIABA Chairman C. Brett Nilsson, CIC delivered the oath of office to the incoming Board of Directors during their installation Monday night of the 110^th Annual Convention held October 5 – 7 in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Julius Anderson, Jr., AAI of Anderson Insurance in Charleston was elected the Chairman of the Board of Directors for 2009, and Kathy D. McKay, CIC, CPIW of McKay, Stelling & Associates in Charleston was elected the Chairman-Elect/ Treasurer for 2009.

Elected to three-year terms on the IIABSC Board of Directors were Larry G. Joyner, CIC, AAI of CWS Insurance Agency in Spartanburg; R. Scott Moseley of the Irmo Insurance Agency in Irmo; and James G. Taylor, Jr., CIC of the Kinghorn Insurance Agency of Beaufort in Beaufort.

Retiring directors Russell G. Parker of Riley and Associates in Mt. Pleasant and C. Ross Turner, III, CIC of the Turner Agency in Greenville were recognized for their service and dedication to the association over the past three years.

Agent of the Year

Avery B. Wilkerson, Jr., CIC of Columbia has been named the 2008 Hayne P. Glover, Jr. Agent of the Year in recognition for rendering outstanding community service and contributing to the betterment of the insurance industry.

This past spring, Avery was nominated by Governor Mark Sanford to the state Workers’ Compensation Commission. After a pretty grueling interrogation by the Senate committee, Avery was confirmed unanimously for appointment and began his term as Commissioner on July 1.

Wilkerson may be best known as the longtime Mayor of Cayce – a position he held until resigning this summer to become a work comp commissioner. Avery served his community through action – not talk – and his political involvement and personal connections were valuable resources for the association on a variety of legislative issues.

Avery is a former Board member of the state association, a former president of the local association in Columbia and has served on the Government Affairs and PAC committees for the Big “I.” Avery has served on a number of committees and study groups including the Governor’s workers’ compensation task force two years ago that helped lead South Carolina through major workers compensation reform.

Wilkerson began his insurance career with the old Industrial Commission, became a successful independent insurance agent with Fred S. James, Keenan Insurance, Keenan & Suggs and most recently with Countybanc Insurance.

The Agent of the Year Award is named for Hayne P. Glover, Jr., to honor his many years of dedicated service to the IIABSC state and national associations. Glover was from Greenville and is the only South Carolinian to serve as the national association president. Glover was an outstanding example of service to his community as well as the industry, which are the criteria used to evaluate nominees for the award.

The award was sponsored by Prime Rate Premium Finance in Florence.

Young Agent of the Year

Pee Dee-area insurance executive, Charles Paul Midgley , Jr., has been named the 2008 Young Agent of the Year.

Midgley is a third-generation independent insurance agent in his hometown of Bennettsville where he still partners with his father in their agency, Midgley Insurance. Like the rest of his family, he is active in church, civic and political activities in his community.

Charles Paul has become a very active young agent with the Big “I” and is currently serving on the Board of Directors and as co-chairman of the young agent committee. He has joined the South Carolina delegation the past two years in Washington, D.C., for the national legislative conference and has attended state and national young agent conferences and leadership development programs.

The Young Agent of the Year Award is given to an independent agent, age 40 or under, who has rendered outstanding service to his or her community outside the field of insurance and who has contributed to the betterment of the insurance industry. It is sponsored by Prime Rate Premium Finance in Florence.

Industry Person of the Year

Lisa Vliet, CPIW, of Mt. Pleasant has been named the IIABSC 2008 Industry Person of the Year. 

The award recognizes insurance industry representatives – other than independent agents – who have contributed greatly to the insurance industry in South Carolina. Vliet is theSenior Sales Executive for Zurich Small Business and is especially attentive to independent agents.

Vliet is a native of Charleston. Her insurance career took her from a commercial underwriter at Johnson & Johnson to multi-state management and marketing positions with Zurich Small Business. And now she is working with Farmers/Zurich Small Business, which integrated on June 16, 2008. She is a member of the National Association of Insurance Women International and Charleston Association of Insurance Professionals where she has served in leadership roles on the local, state and regional levels. She also earned the Certified Professional Insurance Woman designation and received numerous awards throughout her insurance career.

She is married to Wayne R. Vliet and the mother of Jessica and Brandon Vliet. She is a dog lover and the owner of a Sheltie named Rudy.

Greenville insurance executive C. Ross Turner, III, CIC, has been recognized for his outstanding service to the IIABSC. 

Turner, president of The Turner Agency as well as an IIABSC board member and chairman of the Trusted Choice® consumer branding Committee, was named Committee Chairperson of the Year and recipient of the AAMGA Achievement Award sponsored by the American Association of Managing General Agents.

Henry G. Turner Memorial Golf Tournament

Lowest Gross Score: Wayne George
2nd Lowest Gross Score: Todd Hiott
3rd Lowest Gross Score: Lee Ellis

Lowest Net Score: Chris Bagwell
2nd Lowest Net Score: Billy Chastie
3rd Lowest Net Score: Matthew Cullen

Long Drive: Tim Smith

Closest to the Pin, #4: Ashley Brady

Closest to the Pin, #16: Lee Ellis

Door Prizes:

At the banquet, Oliver C. Ballington, Sr., of First South Insurance Agency in Lexington won the big Agent Drawing cash prize of $1,000. Richard Gilmore of C2G Capital Management in Summerville won the Second-Chance Drawing of $500. Tina Wommack with R. Carl Byars Agency in Easley won the $300 Spouse/ Guest drawing. Carrie Johnson of Carrie Johnson Insurance in Myrtle Beach won a drawing for a free registration to next year’s event for her and a guest by completing an onsite event evaluation form.

Other door prize winners included: Geoffrey Amidon of Travelers, Rita Ballington of First South Insurance, Leighton Besse CT Lowndes & Company, Tammy Blount-Wright of John T Cook & Associates, Barbie Bradham of the Bradham Insurance Agency, Mary Ann Cannady of the Padgett Insurance Agency, Matt Copeland of C2G Capital Management, T. Scott Derrick of the Derrick Insurance Agency, James Dyson of Palmetto Insurance & Financial Services, Brad Fickle of Commonwealth Insurance Group, Wayne Gosnell of Gosnell Insurance, Dana Groome of Peoples Underwriters, Bryan F. Hatfield, III of Palmetto Pride Insurance, Lynn Haynes, Henry Herlong, III of Herlong-Bates Insurance, Erica Kizer of the Padgett Insurance Agency, Kenneth F. Kobularcik, Felix McLellan of Dillon Insurance, Kenneth E. Middleton of the Middleton Agency, Jennifer Miller of Carrie Johnson Insurance, Diana B. London of BSI, Andrew Polansky of Travelers, Joey Powell of First Charter, Bill Silcox of CT Lowndes & Company, Brian Spachman of Belmont Insurance Services, Virginia Taylor of Anderson Insurance Associates of Pawley’s Island, Cary Wilson of Smart Choice Agents of SC, and RA Wright of the RA Wright Agency.