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Young Agents Flock to Kearney April 3-4
Spring Conference Makes Its Debut
More than half of the IIAN members attending IIAN's first-ever Spring Conference were young agents - age 45 or younger - joining almost 300 agents and industry representatives in Kearney. The conference continued the tradition of serving the needs of farm and rural agents for the 42nd year - moving from early February to Spring for the first time this year.
"It was great to see even more young agents at the conference than ever," commented IIAN president Sandra Ryks of LaVista. "Helping our Nextgen young agents succeed and get involved in the association continues to be a major Board priority." The conference trade fair on April 3 featured 40 exhibitor booths, along with "Lake Tahoe Vacation" PAC raffle cash drawings and piles of booth prizes.
The energy level was high on April 3 as agents rotated among their choices from 12 one-hour "mini-sessions" covering everything from Pivots to Ag Side Businesses to Climate Change, including a special Flood Disaster update in the wake of widespread flooding in Nebraska - and Dr. Ernie Goss' entertaining luncheon presentation on Nebraska's ag economy was a highlight.
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On April 4 attendees learned how to handle and insure an "Active Shooter" situation, how the "InsurTech Revolution" is impacting their agencies and clients, and the latest on Crop Insurance from a blue-ribbon panel, topped off with "Wild About Ethics". Tom Greco of LaVista was the lucky winner of the raffle prize - a Lake Tahoe summer vacation package - and the raffle raised $5,750 for Big "I" PACS and flood disaster relief! Sarah Zimmer with Jones Insurance in Ansley was the winner of the Conference Young Agent Scholarship, sponsored each year by Farm & Rural Agents committee chairman Jim Steider of Seward.
Before and during the conference, IIAN distributed $6,500 in gift cards to members, for distribution to their clients and communities, to help those devastated by the March floods - thanks to the IIABA Trusted Choice® Disaster Relief fund and Liberty Mutual.
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IIAN Achieves InsurPac Eagle Status - It's a Three-Peat!
"Circle of Eagles" Contributors Recognized At Spring Conference
For the third year in a row, IIAN achieved national InsurPac "Eagle" status, coming in fifth in the nation both in average dollars raised per member agency and total contributed by past state presidents, in 2018 - and helped InsurPac raise a record $1,131,739.
The 2018 Eagle award will be presented to Nebraska InsurPac chairman
Vincent Christensen
of St. Paul, on May 8 at the IIABA Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.
At IIAN's Spring Conference in Kearney,
Bob Hoppe
of Columbus, who serves on the national InsurPac Board of Trustees, presented recognition plaques to IIAN's "Circle of Eagles" contributors at the Gold and Silver levels.
IIAN InsurPac Chairman Vincent Christensen, right, accepted the 2017 national InsurPac "Eagle Award"at the Young Agents luncheon in Washington, D.C.
Bob Hoppe, center, serves on the national InsurPac Board of Trustees. They'll be there again on May 8 - along with IIAN President Sandra Ryks and a delegation of 12 IIIAN members - to accept the 2018 award!
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Making Tax Cuts Permanent
The Big "I" is lobbying to make the 2017 federal 20% deduction on pass-through businesses (subchapter S corporations, partnerships and sole proprietorships) permanent. Currently, the deduction is only available through the end of 2025. Approximately two-thirds of insurance agencies are organized as pass-through's. The 2017 tax cut made the 20% deduction for C corporations permanent.
Proposed Cuts To Crop & Flood Programs
The Trump Administration's budget includes $26 billion in cuts to the Federal Crop Insurance Program and proposed means-testing. The Big "I" has joined a coalition of insurance, commodity, farm, environmental, and lending groups to fight the changes. The Big "I" is also lobbying against the dministration's rpoposed cuts to the National Flood Insuranc Program.
Protecting both programs will be a top priority at the IIABA national legislative conference May 8-10 in Washington, D.C. A delegation of 12 IIAN members will be there to visit personally with Nebraska's U.S. Congressmen and Senators - including young agent scholarship winners Zak Morken, Justin Tollman, and Colten Zamrzla. Read about the issues.
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2019 Day at the Capitol
March 6 Luncheon at the Mansion with Senators
IIAN's fourth annual "Day at the Capitol" event on Wednesday, March 6, drew 50 Big "I" member "Ambassadors", Nebraska senators and staffers, and Insurance Department officials to the Nebraska Capitol.
The event featured a luncheon at the Governor's Mansion attended by Nebraska senators and staff, along with IIAN members from their districts.
Senator Matt Williams, Gothenburg, chairman of the Banking, Commerce & Insurance Committee,
and Senator
Mark Kolterman, Seward,
spoke about bills introduced this year affecting insurance and agents.
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Unicameral Banking, Commerce & Insurance Committee Chairman Matt Williams, center, listens as IIAN President Sandra Ryks, at podium, kicks off IIAN's fourth annual luncheon for Senators |
The luncheon followed an issues briefing by IIAN legislative representatives
Jim Cavanaugh and Perre Neilan,
along with individual meetings in senators' offices to discuss IIAN's top issue,
LB 139
, sponsored by Senator Kolterman.
Interested in getting more involved in Big "I" advocacy?
Click here
to find out more about IIAN's Legislative Advisory Council and Ambassadors program.
IIAN Workers Compensation Independent Contractor Bill Passes
The 2019 Unicameral session is accelerating for Nebraska lawmakers, who returned on April 15 from a three-day weekend. Speaker Jim Scheer has scheduled "late night sessions" expected to run until 9:00 p.m. or later. The body continues to focus on property tax relief. This week's Unicameral Update.
LB 139, IIAN's new bill to address the problem of individual independent contractors who do not cover themselves for workers compensation, passed its "final reading" on March 15, and was signed by Governor Ricketts. The new law will become effective around September 6, 2019.
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This marks a huge victory for IIAN," commented IIAN legislative representative Jim Cavanaugh. "The passage of LB 139 caps a five-year IIAN effort to implement much needed reform of Nebraska workers compensation law regarding individual contractors and the limits of liability for workers comp coverage.
Read more about LB 139
and how it will benefit sole proprietor construction contractors, hiring parties, and insurance carriers in Nebraska.
IIAN will present an overview of the new law and how it will impact agents, insurance companies, and contractors as part of this spring's CE seminar series - May 21 in Kearney, May 22 in Norfolk, and May 23 at Mahoney State Park Ashland. Members can register for the afternoon session, and also get 3 Ethics CEUs - free for IIAN members. Register here.
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MEMBER BENEFIT HIGHLIGHTS
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April 30 webinar is fourth in new IIAN InsurTech demo series
IIAN's new Digital Task Force is reviewing dozens of vendors to help you select the right digital tools for your agency - everything from the latest CRM tools to website developers to lead generation companies.
Every month IIAN will be hosting a free, live demo with a new InsurTech vendor. Every demo will be recorded so that IIAN members can review information anytime.
View first three demos here - marketing web site, digital application processes, online hiring solution.
Our fourth free webinar will feature Total CSR on April 30, 11-12 a.m. CDT.
Total CSR
is finally everything you need to successfully train new hires and transition account assistants into CSRs... in just 2 weeks. Founded by owners of a 3rd
generation insurance brokerage, Total CSR was created out of the critical and ongoing need for practical insurance training.
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Join veteran educator Keith Wilts, CPCU, CIC for an enlightening and entertaining day of learning!
May 21 - Kearney May 22 - Norfolk
AM Session - Contractual Liability - Personal & Commercial Lines (3 PC CEUs*)
PM Session - New NE Workers Comp Law & Practical Ethics (3 Ethics CEUs*)
Click here for course details and to register.
Open to all agency staff!
*CE credit pending approval by NE Dept of Insurance.
Related article: Insuring Unlimited Contra
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July 14-15, 2019 Sioux Falls, SD
Join young agents from all over the Midwest and your company partners
Make Connections - Personal Branding with Talent Rebellion - Work-Life Balance On-site Escape Rooms - Have Fun!
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IIAN PARTNER OF THE MONTH
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Their support enables IIAN to present affordable, high-quality member programs.
Don't see your company's name on the list?
Click here to discover t he benefits of being a Industry Partner.
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