March Meeting
Date: Wednesday March 23, 11:30 am
Location: St. Kilda – 333 5th St., West Des Moines
Speaker: Nataliya Boychenko Stone, MBA, CEBS, Client Executive, EB/Shareholder at Holmes Murphy

Topic: Trends in Employee Benefits: We are learning continuously as businesses have been adjusting to COVID pandemic and modifying employee packages post pandemic. During this session we will discuss what changes we are seeing in the marketplace, employee engagement, compliance updates, recruitment challenges, remote work landscape and emerging employee benefit solutions. We will also discuss three take away steps to improve your benefit offering.

If you have paid your 2022 CPCU Society dues, your registration is complimentary. If you have not paid your dues, it is $25.00 to attend. You can pay your dues by visiting https://www.cpcusociety.org/ or contacting member resources at (800) 932-2728.

Please register here.
President's Message
Greetings Chapter members!

I don't know about you, but I'm always happy when March arrives. I don't love the cold, dark months of winter so by February I'm ready for them to be over. March means longer days, warmer weather, and the official arrival of spring. It also means that I can start planting my vegetable garden. There's nothing better than fresh produce to add to your meals later in the year!

Just like I plant my vegetable garden, our CPCU chapter also plants some seeds in the spring. Each year we award scholarships to students pursuing a career in insurance. This year we are awarding two undergraduate scholarships and one graduate scholarship. If you know someone who would be interested in applying, send them to our Chapter website for more information. The deadline is April 1st.

I'd also like to recognize the work of Holmes Murphy & Associates and our chapter members there. Holmes Murphy is working with the Waukee High School APEX program to educate students about insurance careers. Board members Chris Murphy and Megan Eberth are among the many chapter members who have served as facilitators for some of their sessions with the students. Our industry faces a looming talent gap as a number of experienced professionals start to consider retirement. Programs like APEX that inspire future generations to consider insurance careers can help to bridge that gap and having the support of local employers and CPCU members can be critical to their success.

I'd encourage you to attend our upcoming chapter meetings. In March we'll be hearing about trends in employment and employee benefits from Nataliya Boychenko Stone of Holmes Murphy. And join us for the April chapter meeting to learn more about other seeds we're growing here in Iowa as the Global Insurance Accelerator joins us to share about their mission as well as to introduce some of the companies that are part of the current cohort.

Enjoy your spring everyone!

Sara VanWyk
Iowa CPCU Society Chapter President
CPCU Member Recognition
Mary Clayton was promoted to Sr. Claims Manager at IMT.

Have an accomplishment, promotion or award you'd like to share with your fellow CPCUs? Email them to [email protected].
New Designee Spotlight
Aaron McCann, CPCU
Senior Claims Adjuster - Workers Comp
EMC
My name is Aaron McCann, I attended Iowa State University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. I was born and raised in Des Moines and still reside here with my wife and two boys. I work for EMC insurance as a Senior claims adjuster and handle Workers Compensation claims for school districts in the state of Iowa. 
 
My CPCU journey began while I was employed with Sedgwick. After I obtained my AIC, I began taking CPCU courses. My wife had completed her CPCU designation, and I wanted a better understanding of the insurance business. Self- study was my mode of preparation for the exams. I also utilized the online quizzes and materials the Institutes offered to help in my successful completion of this journey. 
 
Now that I have completed my CPCU designation I plan to read for pleasure in my free time! We will also be getting a puppy sometime in the summer so I’m sure that will take up a lot of energy.  
 
Fun fact: I enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons with my friends. We have been playing for about 4 years now and it’s a lot of fun to have some time with friends without the kids.
Current Member Spotlight
Name: Daniel Kramer
Hometown: West Des Moines, Iowa

Alma Mater: Tippie College of Business - University of Iowa

Employer: Farm Bureau Financial Services

Title: Sr. Ag Training Consultant

Insurance Designations: AINS, AU-M, Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist (AFIS), CPCU, partially though my CIC

Have you achieved any recent promotions, awards, degrees, etc.? Yes, I received my MBA in 2021
 
Area of study: Finance and Management majors as an undergrad. I have also received a Marketing certificate and Risk Management and Insurance certificate.  

How long have you been a member of CPCU? 5 years

How has your involvement with CPCU influenced your career? Having my CPCU has helped me gain a better understanding of risks our clients face so I can help protect what matters to them.
 
What’s something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know? I have a hole in one in golf, 9 iron from 147 yards.
 
What’s the last book you read (personal or professional)? The Leadership Challenge 

Words you live by: "The most important investment you can make is in yourself" - Warren Buffet
2022 Scholarship Applications
The CPCU Iowa Chapter Scholarships have been awarded to deserving applicants for many years. We will be offering a total of 3 scholarships this year!
 
Scholarships offered are:
·         One $2,000 graduate scholarship awarded to someone currently working in the insurance industry
·         Two $2,000 undergraduate scholarships awarded to students planning a career in insurance
 
To apply for any scholarship or for more information, visit: https://iowa.cpcusociety.org/about/awards
Upcoming Events
April Chapter Meeting
Date: Tuesday April 12, 11:30am
Location: Des Moines Botanical Garden – 909 Robert D. Ray Dr., Des Moines
Speaker: Nicole Gunderson, Managing Director of the Global Insurance Accelerator
Topic: The Global Insurance Accelerator is a Des Moines based, business accelerator designed to foster innovation in the insurance industry. Nicole will share the GIA’s mission and purpose, their successes over the years and introduce some of the insurtech startups participating in the 8th year of the cohort. You will hear from the startups sharing their perspective and experiences participating in the cohort

May Chapter Meeting
Date: Wednesday May 11, 12:00pm (noon)
Location: Zoom
Speaker: Rita Williams-Bogar, MBA, CPCU, ChFC, President & CEO at Personal Development Solutions, LLC
Topic: Protecting Your Ethics. The environment in which we work and conduct business presents professionals with a number of potential ethical challenges. The remote environment has further compounded this fact. Join us to discuss a few of these challenges and come away with actions to mitigate them.
Iowa CPCU Society Chapter | https://iowa.cpcusociety.org