PIANY Honors Hourihan, Jarvis, Seeks to Inspire and Build Agents’ Business at LI RAP
Hundreds of professional, independent insurance agents from the Long Island and greater New York area gathered on May 4 at the sprawling Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury for a day of networking, tradeshow, education and ceremony at the Professional Insurance Agents of New York State’s Long Island Regional Awareness Program.
Tradeshow
Long Island RAP offered participants the opportunity to connect with fellow agents, catch up with friends and make new contacts at its expansive trade show. With more than 50 exhibitors, a shoe-shine booth, a back massage station, and plenty of door prizes, the trade show offered participants the perfect venue to catch up with colleagues and stay up-to-date on the latest innovations, products and markets.
Awards Ceremony
During the Long Island RAP luncheon, Long Island RAP Chair Michael A. Loguercio, Jr. presented Jerry Hourihan, president of AIG Private Client Group, with the Executive of the Year award; and Dave Jarvis, vice president of agencies for Utica First Insurance Co. was presented with the Distinguished Insurance Service award.
Keynote Address: Marty Lyons
Marty Lyons, former defensive tackle on the New York Jets and member of the famed New York Sack Exchange, keynoted the awards luncheon.
Through his work with the Marty Lyons Foundation, Lyons has granted more than 3,000 wishes to children suffering from life-threatening or terminal illnesses. His efforts also led the Jets to name the Outstanding Community Service award the Marty Lyons Award, presented to the player who gives from the heart through charity and community involvement.
During his address, Lyons shared his experience working with his foundation to encourage the audience to make an impact by stepping out and serving others.
Lyons traced the history of the Marty Lyons Foundation and made note of three events that triggered his desire to do more than just play football: the sudden passing of his father, the unfairness of the death of a young man whom he mentored, and the birth of his son. Through these events, Lyons said he was pulled to use his football fame to make a difference in others’ lives.
“The game of football has enabled me to make a difference by giving me a platform,” Lyons said. “But surely all of you have that platform as well, should you choose to step on it.”
By recounting stories from his own life, Lyons challenged the luncheon audience to use their platform as business owners, insurance agents, and members of the community to make an impact.
“If you make an impact, you change the way people think and the way people act,” he said. “The only way to do that is to live by example and to understand that when you want to communicate, you need to connect.”The Long Island RAP luncheon closed with the PIANY-YIP Ice Cream Social immediately following Lyons’ address. The reception, which featured live music provided by Mark Newman, offered insurance professionals the opportunity to enjoy ice cream and desserts to cap off the day.
Education
Long Island RAP attendees had two chances to bolster their continuing education credits by participating in a morning and afternoon education session with insurance expert Bruno Falvo, CIC, CPCU, ARP.
During the morning session, Unlocking the Mystery of Insureds, Additional Insureds and Contractual Liability, Falvo explored the differences between insureds and additional insureds through the lens of the contractual liability exclusion.
“I want people to leave here knowing the difference between insureds and additional insureds because there are a lot of differences,” he said. “They have different coverage and should be treated differently. Even though a lot of people think they’re the same, they are dramatically different.”
In the afternoon session, attendees learned how to address errors and omissions claims more effectively in Errors & Omissions Loss Control by Example. The class focused on specific E&O issues Falvo has seen in the industry and how such claims can be better handled in the future.
“I try to share my experience being involved with E&O claims, so people can learn from others’ mistakes, and hopefully they won’t make them,” he said.
