The TriCounty I.I.A. Installs 2015–2016 Officers and Directors

Albertson, New York – New officers and directors took the helm on June 15 during the Long Islandbased TriCounty Independent Insurance Agents Association annual installation dinner and awards ceremony. The gathering, held at Cheateau Briand in Carle Place, NY, set the TriCounty IIAA leadership for the 2015-2016 term. More than 200 agents and brokers, company representatives, vendors and other members of the insurance community joined the festivities of this special occasion starting with a bountiful cocktail reception.

Peter Phillips of Phillips Brokerage, Inc. with offices in Astoria, Bayside and Port Washington, NY was installed as president of TriCounty IIAA by his wife Joanna Phillips. Additional officers and directors were installed by Lisa Lounsbury, CAE, AAI, a Senior Vice President of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, Inc. (IIABNY).

Adam P. Erickson, of Carlstan North Hills Agency, Inc. in Floral Park will assume the position of Vice President and James G .Bastian of Advantage Partners, Inc. based in Astoria was installed as Treasurer. Ron Brunell, CIC of The Signature B&B Companies in Garden City, NY will be the group’s Secretary for the new term.

The TriCounty IIAA also installed the following directors:

Dean Aloia, Aloia McKinnon Insurance Brokerage, Brooklyn; Eileen Black, Abatelli Group, Inc., Whitestone, NY; Andrew Chong, ARC Underwriting Partners, Inc., Great Neck, NY; Alex Giraldo, Club Agency Insurance Brokerage, LLC Garden City; Elisa J. Grober of Grober Imbey Agency, Inc., Valley Stream; Neil Levy, CPA, CFP of CBS Coverage Group, Plainview, NY and Christopher Wukovits of AAA of New York Insurance Services, Inc. in Garden City, NY.

The ‘Insurance Person of the Year’ award was presented to Lisa Lounsbury for “Outstanding Deeds Furthering the Cause and Ideals of the Independent Insurance Agent.” Lisa is responsible for the ‘for-profit’ and membership activities for the association and serves as president of IAAC, the marketing branch of IIABNY.

TriCounty announced awards totaling $12,500 in scholarships this year. $2,500 went to each of three exceptional students of St. John’s School of Risk Management, Swarnema Taparia, Langmia Fonjoe and Thomas Fiorillo. Each student surpassed specified criteria, including insurance related study requirements, a high GPA average and service to the community.

The 2015 St. John’s Education Scholarship Program was sponsored by three major insurance carriers; NBIC, NatGeneral and Safeco.

Winners of two other $2,500 scholarships were announced and certificates were presented at their school’s awards ceremonies. Ariel Avgi, a graduating student from North Shore High School in Glen Head, NY was the Joel S. Pollack Memorial Scholarship award winner for her essay on ‘recommended penalties for texting while driving.’ Ariel was chosen from a large number of submissions from high school seniors in the boroughs of Nassau, Queens and Brooklyn.

The Stephen T. Dooley Community Service Award scholarship went to Yasmin Butt, a graduate of Staten Island Technical School for outstanding community service during his high school years. Checks will be mailed to their chosen colleges to be applied towards tuition or allied expenses.