75 Years Strong … When it Comes to Teamwork, PIA is the Best!

Iwrite this article in the afterglow of the PIANJ/PIANY Joint Annual Conference, which took place June 8- 10 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. This event is particularly special to me for several reasons.

First, I have a personal connection to the event itself. In 2000, I was convention chair for the PIANY Annual Convention, which traditionally had been held in different locations around the state of New York: Saratoga Springs; Niagara Falls; the Catskills …. That particular year, the event was held in the old Granite Hotel in Kerhonkson, N.Y. Frankly, attendance at these events had started to wane a bit. It was at that time we had a discussion about the necessity of the event and how to improve it. Our sister affiliate in New Jersey was having a successful annual convention close by, and we had the idea to merge the two. The merged conference started out slowly, but it has become a great success. In fact, over the years it has become the biggest insurance show in the Northeast. It was nice to see all the old supporters as well as new vendors with some great products. Even more exciting is the company participation, which has grown bigger each year, with the carriers visiting with their agents, taking advantage of the venue. More New York agents attended the conference in Atlantic City this year than ever before, which shows they recognize the value of attending this event. There’s a Japanese proverb that says once you’ve saved a man’s life, you are responsible for him for the remainder of it. I have that kind of connection with the PIANJ/PIANY Joint Annual Conference. I’m also humbled to have been recognized this year with an award for community service—an honor for which I believe many of my colleagues are surely more worthy. As insurance agents, we all are active in either our communities or other associations. I won’t belabor my comments from that evening, but I had the opportunity to mention many such professionals, including the Savino brothers, who are active with ACORD and other progressive industry groups; Justin Fries, whose extensive charitable and industry work includes work with the UJA; Kevin Ryan, who sits on the boards of hospitals in the Hudson Valley and continues political activities on behalf of agents; Marshall Rubinstein, who has mentored a young agent even in his retirement; John Parsons and Mike Skeele and Tony Kubera, who each have been coaches or troop leaders, directors on local school boards or colleges; not to mention their professional affiliations with so many organizations. We are not unique: As professional agents and association members this is what we do, and I find it a great reward to work with fellow agents in the spirit of community.

There were also several milestones celebrated at the conference this year, in addition to the 75th anniversary and several professional awards. Two awards that were given to long-time PIA staff: Char Gaylord, PIA’s government affairs coordinator for almost 30 years, who is retiring this month, was recognized. Char is beloved by everyone who has worked with her and we wish her a happy retirement. Another award went to Kim Zielinski, PIA’s conference manager, who, working with Kim Zeoli the conference director, is the heart of this convention and the other major events PIA in Glenmont hosts. Her first year in this position was the first joint conference with New Jersey in 2001, and she’s been at it ever since—I offer her my heartiest congratulations for the well-deserved recognition. I would also like to thank the entire PIA staff for all their hard work. The convention was a success because of the planning and the professional staff carrying out the plan.

One of the best parts about the conference is that while I was there, I satisfied all of my continuing education requirements for the year with some really interesting classes and great instructors. I was able to meet with agents from as far away as Buffalo, and of course there were plenty of agents from the Hudson Valley, Long Island and New York City there to network, keep current with products and markets and earn CE credits, while actually learning things in classes that we can take back to our offices and use to make more money. In a conference of superlatives, the only downside I experienced was at the tables, where I made less than other years. Now that the conference is over and PIA has begun working on next year’s event, it’s back to the grindstone. We have significant problems to address, such as reform of New York’s unique Labor Law. Casey O’Brien wrote an excellent column in the May 12 edition of this publication on why this law should be changed. Even more pressing is our work to urge Gov. Cuomo to sign New York’s certificates of insurance bill, which we all have worked so hard to pass through both houses of the legislature. This bill’s newest incarnation answered the concerns the governor cited when he vetoed it last summer. I hope we will see the bill signed to relieve agents and their clients from the pressures put upon them by third parties asking for coverages that don’t exist in the policies.

In closing, I want to mention my sorrow at the passing of Joe Costa. Joe was an active member of the IIABNY, and was one of the finest gentlemen I’ve had the pleasure to know in this industry. He will be sorely missed by anyone who had the good fortune to know him.