Date: Wednesday, October 12th, 11:30 AM

Location: IMT Insurance 7825 Mills Civic Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266

Speaker:  Gilmara Vila Nova-Mitchell

Topic: Join us at IMT Insurance to hear from Gilmara Vila Nova-Mitchell, enjoy a catered lunch, and network with your fellow CPCUs! If you're unable to join us in person, you may join virtually via Zoom! We will hear about the best practices for building an inclusive and diverse workforce in the industry. For virtual attendees, the link will be included in your confirmation email.

Please register here.

Greetings Chapter members!

As we transition to fall, that means that it's time to celebrate our new designees. I’d like to thank all of you who attended our September social event at SmashPark and helped to welcome our new designees to the chapter. It was a beautiful afternoon with food, fun and friends – both old & new.

I’d like to encourage you all to be on the lookout for your membership renewal notifications from the Society. They have transitioned from paper invoices to electronic, and you can renew your membership at any time over the coming months on the Society’s website.

If you’re looking for ways to drive your professional development in 2023, reach out to Abby-Jaye Larson to learn more about how you can get involved with our chapter’s leadership team. We have volunteer positions available that can help you develop a variety of skills including strategy & planning, project management, and leadership.

I’d also encourage you to join us for our October Chapter meeting which will be a hybrid meeting with options to attend in-person at IMT Insurance’s offices or virtually via Zoom. Gilmara Vila-Nova Mitchell from IMT Insurance will be discussing diversity, equity & inclusion and we’ll also be voting on our 2023 officers & directors during this meeting. I hope to see you there!

Sara VanWyk

Iowa CPCU Society Chapter President

Have an accomplishment, promotion or award you'd like to share with your fellow CPCUs? Email them to [email protected].

We will be voting on the following slate of candidates during our October meeting.

President: Abby-Jaye Larson

Vice President: Melissa Allen

Secretary: Barnes Kelley

Treasurer: Megan Eberth

Directors being elected to a two-year term:

Mary Calmer

Kara Heinzig

Neil Wysocki

Lori Myers has one year remaining in her term as director.

Megan Wilson-Crumb

Consultant, Sales Development

Nationwide Insurance

Please tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? I’m originally from California, but I’ve lived in Des Moines, IA for 22 years.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Grandview University in Des Moines, IA.

Where do you work and what do you do for them? I’ve worked at Nationwide Insurance for 13 years. I recently started a new position supporting the Commercial Agribusiness Sales Development team. I oversee agency-facing training programs, sales manager onboarding, marketing/communications, and miscellaneous sales projects/programs.

What caused you to pursue your CPCU? I wanted to develop a broader and more robust understanding of the insurance market.

Has the knowledge you gained from studying for the tests helped your work? Not only has it helped my work, but it has also given be a better understanding of insurance products I use in my personal life.

How did you study for your CPCU exams? I found that repetition was the key for me. I read each chapter, highlighted key pieces of info, and then created flash cards to re-review that information.

Now that you are done studying, what are some hobbies you are looking forward to enjoying again? I had a little boy in June, a couple of weeks after passing my final CPCU test. He is now 3 months old and I am looking forward to spending more time with him and watching him grow.

What’s one fun fact about yourself you’d like to share? I love to travel and have been to 6 different countries: Canada, Mexico, England, Malaysia, Italy, and Iceland.

Name: Ross Turner

Hometown: Des Moines, IA

Alma Mater: University of Iowa

Employer: Holmes Murphy & Associates

Title: Client Manager, PC – Construction Team

Insurance Designations: CPCU, CRIS, CLCS

Have you achieved any recent promotions, awards, degrees, etc.?: Promoted to Client

Manager in the Fall of 2021. Now in charge of managing some of Holmes Murphy’s larger

Construction clients.

Area of study: Finance

How long been a member of CPCU?: 2 Years

How has your involvement with CPUC influenced your career?: It’s allowed me to become more

confident in carrying out my daily tasks. The CPCU has motivated me to take on new

challenges.

What’s something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?: I’m an Eagle Scout

What’s the last book you read (personal or professional)?: The Last Green Valley by Mark

Sullivan

Words you live by: Wake up every day and put your best foot forward.

I-Day - Registration is now open

Thursday, November 3rd

Prairie Meadows

Dr. Brian K. Hornbuckle, professor at Iowa State University will speak to us on weather and climate change.

Lois J. Raiola, Holmes Murphy’s ESG Practice Leader will discuss the environmental, social and governance impact on the insurance industry.

Rob Galbraith, founder and CEO of Forestview Insights and author of “The End of Insurance as We Know It” will speak to us on innovation, insurtech, and the future of insurance.

Registration is now open at the following link.