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Fall 2018 Newsletter
Friends of the Brantley Center,

The fall has been very active and with classes cancelled due to a hurricane and final exams postponed due to a record snowstorm, it seems we’ve been playing catch up all semester. 

As you will read in the following stories, we continue to invest a substantial amount of effort and resources to engage students with the insurance industry. We are also particularly proud of the development of three new initiatives - AppRISE , Women In Financial Services and Building Insurance Talent . The outcomes of these initiatives are already evident in the increase in diverse enrollments and engagement with the industry. 

We wish you a joyful holiday season and look forward to an exciting spring semester.

David Marlett
Managing Director
marlettdc@appstate.edu
Gamma Officers and Brantley Center Team jumping with joyful anticipation of a great semester
Active Fall in the Brantley Center
The Fall 2018 Semester began with a Gamma Iota Sigma Leadership and Brantley Center Team Meeting where plans for the events, conferences, trips and student activities were planned. All the plans have resulted in a great fall semester for students, faculty and staff!
NC DOI and IIANC "Know Your Industry" Events Attended
Three faculty and sixteen students traveled to Raleigh to visit the NC General Assembly and the NC Department of Insurance. The students were able to learn about the legislative and regulatory process directly from professionals at both organizations. The next day, the group participated in a "Know Your Industry" event sponsored by the IIANC. We appreciate the significant commitment to our students from both of these organizations.

L-R: Brantley Board Members Neil Annas and Rick Pierce, Art Lyon, David Marlett
Art Lyon Scholarship Established
A new scholarship has been established through the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center at Appalachian State University by individuals who wished to express their appreciation to Art Lyon for his mentor-ship and extensive contributions to the insurance industry.

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L-R: Gilberto Ramirez, Manny Tsra, Ndjo Shosola Travelers Commercial Underwriter, (Appalachian class of ‘12)
Gamma Members Participate in Charlotte High School Career Fair
On September 27, 2018, two Gamma Iota Sigma members attended the Inaugural RISE Career Fair at Garinger High School. RISE (Reach-Invest-Support-Empower) is a mentoring program based out of Charlotte which seeks to empower students to make good life decisions and develop career aspirations in hopes of overcoming various barriers they encounter.

L-R: William Chisholm, TQ Searcy, Dr. Parson,
 Leah Thomas, Walter Lowe III
NAAIA Conference
As part of the Building insurance Talent Initiative, Dr. Jamie Parson and four Appalachian RMI Students attended the National African American Insurance Association Conference in Atlanta in September. The students attended workshops, networked with industry leaders and participated in the career fair.

Gary Bolt, BC/BS Vice President and Brantley Board Member presents Business Career Services with a check to fund their support of the retail office.
BC/BS Opens Retail Office
Blue Cross/Blue Shield has opened a retail office in Boone to provide customers with the option of face to face consultation on their policy and coverage questions. The Business Career Services department is coordinating the training of RMI students to serve in the office. The Boone office is one of only 3 in the state. The others are in Raleigh and Charlotte.
Research Initiative Update
AppRISE, is the new name for the risk research initiative. The group is busy and growing. They have completed a loss retention analysis for a small-to-medium sized farm-to-table agricultural concern located in the Southeast US, and are in the thick of work on Employment Practices Liability and the #metoo movement's impact on it.

Dr. Marlett Recognized
At a recent Walker College International Business Awards Luncheon Dr. David Marlett was recognized as an "Inspiring International Leader" for l eading programs to Bermuda and London for the International Insurance Markets course.

Women in Financial Services Initiative
The Women in Financial Services Initiative is a collaboration between the Brantley Center and the Department of Finance, Banking & Insurance that works to identify and develop high potential female Appalachian students for careers in financial services. Led by Dr. Lori Medders and Dr. Brandy Hadley the group recently traveled to NYC.

ISCEBS Symposium
Two Appalachian State University Seniors along with Dr. David Marlett attended the 2018 ISCEBS Employee Benefits Symposium in Boston, Massachusetts. The students, Aaron Camp and Reid Cooper, were invited to attend due to their participation in Employee Benefits classes. Appalachian added an Employee Benefits minor during the 2017-18 academic year.
Fall 2018 Career Fair in Holmes Center
RMI Career Fair at Walker Business Connections
The RMI Career Fair at Walker Business Connections took place on September 20 with 49 organizations recruiting our Appalachian State RMI and Actuarial Science majors and more than 40 interview rooms on Friday in Peacock Hall. Make plans to join us for the Spring 2019 RMI Career Fair at Spring Connection on March 21 & 22.

Rho GIS Chapter earned recognition for outstanding effort in all 6 rated categories.
Travel
Gamma Iota Sigma Conference - Sixteen Appalachian State University Risk Management, Actuarial Science, and Employee Benefits students and Dr. Karen Epermanis attended the 47th Annual International Gamma Iota Sigma (GIS) Conference at the Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois October 4-6, 2018. 

L-R: Joshua Johnson, Kate Ciesinski, David Marlett
More Travel....
CPCU in San Diego - Two Appalachian State University RMI students and Dr. David Marlett recently attended The Institutes CPCU Society Annual Meeting in San Diego, California.  

(L-R: Greg Langdon, Kirsten Beaver, Nathaniel Johnson, Madison Spurling, Brantley Center Board Member and outgoing IIANC Chair Jeff Haney, Morgan Mullis, Ben Todd and Charles Fisher)  
And Even More Travel
2018 IIANC Convention - Six Appalachian State University RMI majors, along with Brantley Center Associate Director Greg Langdon, attended the 121st Annual IIANC Convention at the Marriott Grand Dunes in Myrtle Beach, SC, on October 21-23. 

(L – R, Pedro Segundo, Tristan Pike and Brittany Patrick in front of the Westfield Inn)
2018 Westfield College Days - Three Appalachian State University RMI majors, Pedro Segundo, Tristan Pike and Brittany Patrick participated in the Fall 2018 Westfield College Days on November 7-9. While on Westfield’s Ohio campus, the students met with the company’s leaders, networked with other RMI majors from across the country, and learned more about internships and professional opportunities within Westfield.
 
2019 Golf Tournament at Grandover Resort
The 7th Annual Brantley Center Golf Tournament is moving back to the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, NC. Registration and Sponsorship information available H ere .
Read all the latest news of the Brantley Center at insurance.appstate.edu
BRANTLEY RISK & INSURANCE CENTER |  416 HOWARD STREET