gma february 2016

February 2016

GREEN MOUNTAIN AGENT

A PUBLICATION OF VERMONT INSURANCE AGENTS ASSOCIATION

7th

Green Mountain Agent is a publication of

600 Blair Park Road Suite 100 Williston VT 05495 Phone 802-229-5884 Fax 802-876-7912 wwwviaaorgVIAA OfficersPresident Daniel LussierVice President Peter RichardsSecretaryTreasurer Erin OdellIIABA amp PIA State National Director Ron Bixby

DirectorsChip AmsAlan KinneyPaul Plunkett

Staff Executive Director Mary Eversole meversoleviaaorg

GMA Publication DesignThorin Markison thorinmarkisoncom

In This Issue

February 2016

4 Message from the PresidentFeatures

6 An Open Letter to the Industry8 VIAA Young Agents News Brief11 Finding the Sweet Spot in Attracting

Millennials to Insurance Careers17 Sales Success Why Your Grandfather

Would Outsell Todayrsquos SalespersonNews

25 Richards Group26 Vermont Mutual28 Ohio Mutual

Are you trying to reach Vermontrsquos Independent agentrsquos

Do you have a great ad that represents your company and have nowhere to place it

Are you looking to hire

Place your ad in VIAArsquos monthly publication and have the opportunity to advertise and market to Vermontrsquos Independent Agents

Questions on how to place an ad

Contact Mary Eversole at meversoleviaaorg for placement options and advertising rates

Vermont Insurance Agents Association ATTN Advertising PO Box 1387 Montpelier VT 05601

4

Message from the President

I think we can do better The time to act and be part of this process is now Our Young Agents are hitting the road next month and will participate in the Keene State American Society of Safety Engineers ldquoThe Many Hats of The Safety Professionalrdquo Event and encourage college students to start a career in insurance I canrsquot think of a better way to recruit new talent to our industry Our new education center will be open for business officially February 15 We are excited to have our members visit the center while they attend CE classes Itrsquos a great space and also available to rent for your agency company or trade group

Dan Lussier VIAA President

Where Will You Be in 2020

Irsquod like to believe I will be on a golf course full time in 2020 There is no secret that our industry is aging Statistically twenty-five percent of insurance professionals are expected to retire by 2018 and 400000 insurance professionals will be needed to fill vacant positions by 2020 Not surprisingly less than five percent of Millennials express interest in working in insurance Thatrsquos a problem for a great industry that has been good to so many of usThis month InVest will join insurance carriers trade associations and industry partners in support of the first-ever Insurance Careers Month The event is the kick-off of a cross-industry multi-phased initiative designed to raise awareness of the opportunities in risk management and insurance and to recruit the next generation of industry leaders I encourage all of our members and company partners to get involved in this very important mission Another way to attract new talent to your agency is to become a Big ldquoIrdquo Best Practices Agency This program incorporates cutting-edge strategies based on studying the top US independent insurance agencies of all sizes for more than 20 years Your agency can join this elite group that operate at their highest potential competitive recognized as a place people want to work carriers want to be represented and customers want to do business Vermont currently only has one Best Practices agency and

6

John Hollarrsquos Legislative Update

httpinsurancecareertrifectaorg

An open letter to our industry colleagues and partners

Our world is rapidly changing with emerging risks that are as complex as any wersquove ever seen As a society how will we address climate change cybersecurity and water scarcity And how will we deal with the rise of drones biotechnology nanotechnology 3d printing and artificial intelligence

Our industry the insurance industry must play an important role in addressing thesechallenges Together we provide important strategic benefits to society and drive economic growth by enabling the pursuit of innovation the investment of capital and the creation of value

Without insurance there is no investment there is no innovation and there is no growth

Despite our essential role the insurance industry in the US faces a looming talent crisis 25 of insurance professionals are expected to retire in three years and 400000 positions are projected to be unfilled by 2020 Less than 5 of Millennials expressinterest in working in our industry

Whatrsquos clear is that the critical role our industry plays is not fully understood particularly among Millennials We need to do more to engage educate and enlist the best and brightest to join us During the last six months PCI MyPath ndash powered by The Institutes The Jacobson Group Valen Analytics and InVEST have been working on a strategy to address this issue Wersquore pleased to announce the formation of a cross-industry initiative to highlight career opportunities in insurance and we invite you to join us Wersquore not asking for funding Instead wersquore asking for the commitment of hundreds of carriers brokers and industry partners to join with us in spreading the word

Insurance is the career trifecta itrsquos stable itrsquos rewarding and itrsquos limitless

Phase one is Insurance Careers Month to be held in February 2016 More information on this cross-industry initiative is available online Register to pledge your companyrsquos support and yoursquoll receive more information about how to participate in Careers Month We look forward to collaborating with you and the Millennials already working in our organizations to engage their peers in a phase two launch slated for September 2016

An Open Letter to our Industry Colleagues amp Partners

COULD YOUR CUSTOMERS USE A PERSONAL UMBRELLA POLICY

Rated A+ by AMBest RLICORPCOM

CONSIDER THISExisting homeowners and auto insurance may not be enough to cover a lawsuit or judgment A personal umbrella policy will substantially increase your customerrsquos overall liability coverage beyond the basic coverage provided under homeowners and auto insurance policies

A SMART WAY TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY Yoursquoll find an RLI personal umbrella policy is a good idea

bull $1 million in additional insurancebull Backed by a financially secure A+ rated companybull Customers keep their current homeownerauto insurerbull Excess UMUIM availablebull New drivers accepted mdash no age limit on driversbull Up to one DWIDUI per household allowedbull Auto limits as low as 10030050 in certain cases

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN Thatrsquos why people have insurance However if your customers arenrsquot protected by a personal umbrella policy they could be putting their house or financial assets at risk This low-cost policy is designed to protect families against a catastrophic lawsuit or judgment

CALL TODAY FOR AN IMMEDIATE QUOTE The RLI PERSONAL UMBRELLA POLICY is available through selected agents and program administrators in all 50 states

CONTACT

April Shrewsbury8002217917 x5360AprilShrewsburyiiabanet








CONTACT


VIAA Young Agents News Brief

Next YAC MeetingFebruary 18 2016 Noon Vermont Mutual 89 State Street Montpelier Lunch sponsored by Vermont Mutual Insurance Group RSVP Kerri OrsquoConnor koconnornwjinsurancecom

AmTrust has a bouquet of coverage

for small businesses

Complementary workersrsquo comp and BOP coverage By offering a competitive businessowners policy (BOP) as an individual product or as an accompaniment to our workersrsquo compensation insurance or commercial auto products AmTrust has a selection that serves small businesses well

Better yet we offer a 10 discount on BOP for our existing workersrsquo compensation policyholders An umbrella policy is also available with limits ranging from $1 million to $10 million to fit over our BOP and commercial auto products

For more information about how you can write business with AmTrust please call 8775287878 or visit wwwamtrustnorthamericacom

Meet Stu from AmTrust Stu has some ldquostupendousrdquo ways to save your policyholders money

Smartphone usersTo quickly request a quote or visit our website please scan this QR code with your QR code reader app

Your Success is Our Policyreg

AmTrust North AmericaAn AmTrust Financial CompanyAM Best rating of ldquoArdquo

(Excellent) FSC X

The products you need

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Best in class quote and issue platform

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THE PRODUCTS YOU NEED From auto home and umbrellato watercraft classic car and moreSafecoreg has the products yourcustomers need most

Safeco Insurance with a principal place of business in Boston Massachusetts copy 2014 Liberty Mutual Insurance

Interested in becoming a Safeco agent Reach out to our VT Territory Manager Deb Bissell at DeborahBissellSafecocom for more information

123456789

10

10 Reasons to Attend the Big ldquoIrdquoYoung Agents Leadership InstituteSeptember 24-25 at the Fairmont San Francisco Find answers to social media questionsmdashfrom time management to ROI Find out how to tap your inner creative side to increase sales Make connections with other young agentsmdashshare your successes and challenges Hear from top insurance carrier executives on issues important to your agency Network with industry and association leaders Take away tools to help you work smarter Discover new marketing best practices Spend time with good friends and get great ideas Play a little jeopardy with our friends from the ACT Check out the sights and sounds of San Francisco Calif

wwwindependentagentcomevents

Perpetuatethe IndustryCheck

Donrsquot wait until the office is empty to find new talent ndash support InVEST and find new recruits now InVEST is a free classroom to career program designed to increase awareness of the insurance industry with high school and college students And InVEST has been making huge strides over the last year With a new student center career center and more scholarship dollars than ever before InVEST is touching more and more students daily InVEST a 501 (c)(3) non-profit is supported by financial contributions from insurance companies and individuals in addition to the active involvement of hundreds of insurance professionals For volunteer and donor opportunities visit wwwinvestprogramorg


11

Insurance isnrsquot ldquoSexyrdquo But It Could Be To Younger Professionals If We Position It Properly

Dax Craig via propertycasualty360comWhen you think of the insurance industry the words ldquocoolrdquo or ldquosexyrdquo might not immediately come to mind Unfortunately that perception has hindered many young talented workers from seeing the value of insurance as a career path and the industry recognizes something needs to be doneItrsquos no longer enough to simply provide stable job opportunities it is now crucial to find a way to make insurance relevant to a new breed of employees More diverse than ever before the next generation of workers differs with regards to age gender cultural backgrounds skill sets and working styles Studies have proven that they crave innovation independence and flexibility gravitating toward companies like Google and Facebook that have built empires around those same principlesWhile the first step is to attract that top talent the changes the industry needs to make do not end there Itrsquos not just about finding the right talent but accommodating that talent when they arrive How do we make insurance relevant and exciting to this incoming classmdasha workforce that is also more diverse than ever beforeOne of the biggest reasons behind why the industry needs to attract fresh diverse talent is because it will soon be losing of a good chunk of its workforce According to a survey from The Institutes 50 of current insurance workers are nearing retirement age while half of the total workforce will consist of millennials by the year 2020 Of this group only 5 are interested in an insurance career and an overwhelming 44 thinks the insurance industry sounds ldquoboringrdquoMillennials or those born between the years 1980 and 1996 are currently the largest generation in the US even surpassing the

baby boomers According to a recent outlook from Applied Systems Inc there are nearly 77 million millennials in the US with an average household income of $60000 according to the US Census Bureau They are also the most educated generation with nearly 1 in 4 holding at least a bachelorrsquos degree They are motivated bright and hungry for jobs that can give them purpose and are increasingly less of a monolithic force than previous generations They will undoubtedly become the largest customer base as well so having employees of the same generation and mindset will be invaluable Itrsquos important to note however that millennials come from a variety of backgrounds ensuring that no matter what insurance does to attract and retain them diversity has to be top of mind at all timesWhile insurance will need to focus on the overarching goals that millennials have the different skills sets and cultural backgrounds they bring to the table must be addressed as well Why is a diverse workforce so necessary Consider the followingbull Minority groups accounted for 87

of the national population growth between 2000 and 2010

bull Based on current projections the US will be a majority-minority country by 2042 That means that the majority of residents by that year will be comprised of racial or ethnic minorities as opposed to white non-Hispanics

bull The Hispanic personal-lines market is projected to grow to nearly $41 billion by 2020

bull By 2028 75 of worldwide discretionary spending will be controlled by women

Finding the Sweet Spot in Attracting Millennials to Insurance Careers

123456789

10






12

What do these statistics mean for insurance Well having a diverse workforce means your company will be better able to meet your customersrsquo needs that also include a diverse mix of life experiences backgrounds and skill sets The countryrsquos largest generation grew up in the digital age in which the world has slowly become smaller and smaller through the proliferation of technology That means that millennials arenrsquot just more diverse in terms of backgrounds but also in their ways of thinking Theyrsquove grown up in a world where everything they ever wanted to know was completely accessiblemdashand they expect that the industries they choose to work in to embrace that factAccording to Vertaforersquos 2014 Young Professional Survey 51 of millennials rate technology as ldquovery importantrdquo to keeping them in the industry Conversely technology jobs within insurance continue to be the most in demand and are expected to grow at an extraordinary rate with almost 75 of carriers expected to increase their tech staffs over the next 12 months

With a view into the type of talent we need to recruit the next question is what changes need to be made in order to accommodate this highly connected diverse and tech-savvy generation The answer lies in utilizing technology such as big data and analytics to help bring insurance into the 21st century Even more importantly there is an opportunity for tech-minded talent to help make the industry more nimble efficient and able to create an engaging customer experience that allows insurers to attract and retain the best risksInsurance is playing catch-up in convincing the brightest talent that this is an industry ripe for innovation especially as it pertains to the millennial generation Weaving tech into the everyday analysis on how insurance is run is the key to keeping this diverse and dynamic workforce While insurance may not have been ldquocoolrdquo for some time there are ways to make it an attractive option by focusing on what the diverse millennial generation wants and needsmdashthe ability to innovate and use technology to improve peoplersquos daily livespropertycasualty360com


Vermont Insurance Agents Assoc_4Cindd 2 2216 336 PM

Alison Jones (978) 933-4187 | alisonjonesmeadowbrookcom | wwwmeadowbrookcom

Real Solutions To Meet Your Challenges

Our WC Product Rises Above the Restbull Fully Insured Markets Broad Range Classes

Deviations and Dividends Highly Rated Company Partners Superior Service

bull Personal Lines Private Client Portfolio of Products

bull Claims Management Services

bull Risk Control Services

bull Self Insured Group Management

Register Todayviaaorgeducation-center2016-continuing-education-calendar

viaaorgeducation-center2016-continuing-education-calendarinvestprogramorg

March 2016 InVEST Awareness Month

Join US

Promote Donate Volunteer Support

AwarenessBrought to you by InVEST

month

Help the InVEST Board of Directors in an industry-wide effort to expand the reach of InVEST and help transform the image of the insurance industry

investprogramorg


InVEST is a 501(c)(3) non-prot organization dedicated to improving insurance literacy in

students and attracting new talent to the industry More than 750 high school and college

classrooms across the United States are utilizing InVESTrsquos free materials to improve the

perception of our industry educate young people on insurance and help students

discover insurance industry career options

Insurance professionals volunteer in local InVEST classrooms as guest speakers and bring

exciting real-life insurance information and career inspiration to the next generation of potential

employees and customers

There are thousands of InVEST graduates in the workforce today and InVEST aims to continue

fueling the insurance industryrsquos demand for talent by building grassroots programs

nationwidemdashbut we need your help

What is InVEST Awareness Month


monthAs an industry we need to make a

collaborative eort to gain more visibility

traction and donations so InVEST can reach

more potential recruits

This call-to-action is echoed across the country by many in the industry but not everyone

is listening We want to continue to grow the InVEST program Insurance professionals

of all ages need to do their part to ensure a solid future for the industry that has provided

their livelihood

We need your home oce local branches agents and other stakeholders to join forces to

create a unied voice to support the InVEST programmdashand take action

Through InVEST Awareness Month the InVEST board of directors wants the increased

exposure to generate not only new donations but also encourage more volunteers to step

forward to support local classrooms

investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved

Here are a few ideas


InVEST Awareness Month will take place throughout March 2016 however supporters are welcome

to pick a week during the month to focus on promotion and participation

There are several ways your organization and sta can get involved during InVEST Awareness Month

Build AwarenessChange your Facebook cover photo to the InVEST Awareness Month image Use the campaign hashtag in your agent and employee-focused social media spacesHost an InVEST information session for your employees to explain how staff andor contacts (agentsvendors) can get involvedWrite or share blog posts or articles about hiring InVEST graduatesPost the InVEST Awareness Month banner advertisement on your website

Raise FundsDonate to InVEST so the non-profit program can educate more students about insurance and careers within the industryHost a fundraiser at your organization to encourage staff andor contacts to donateHost a ldquowear jeans to workrdquo day requesting participants donate $5 to InVESTConduct a 5050 raffle and donate proceeds to InVESTHost an agent happy hour with a suggested donation of $30 per person to benefit InVESTDonate an item to the InVEST Silent Auction a national event which provides scholarships to InVEST graduatesEncourage other carriers to support InVEST

bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull

VolunteerEncourage staff andor contacts to volunteer in the classroom Host a Job Shadow Day or field trip in your office Employ an ldquoInVEST Intern for the Weekrdquo

bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg

Take the PledgeJoin InVEST Awareness MonthJoin other organizations in this industry-wide effort to support InVEST this March Email InVEST (infoinvestprogramorg) to join the InVEST Aware-ness Month mailing list to receive a tool kit with materials to make your participation easy and seamless including sample press releases social media posts images stories and more

For more informationcontact Jennifer Andriany (Jenniferandrianyiiabanet)

investprogramorg



20

Why Your Grandfather Would Outsell Todayrsquos Salesperson

With the development of the internet social media and the ldquonewrdquo relationship and solution selling techniques there seems to be a belief out there that todayrsquos salespeople are superior to those of the past As you can probably gather from the title I donrsquot necessarily agree Herersquos whyThree key factors that give the old guard an advantage over the new guard

Preparation and sales skillsWhen my dad went for training at IBM in the early 60s it was primarily sales training Yes you learned the product too but they made sure you knew everything about selling getting through the gatekeeper to the decision maker how to present your product overcoming objections closing follow up and how to build solid long-term relationships Everything was scripted and you role played until you could recite everything verbatim if someone woke you from a sounds sleep at three in the morning They also covered the important basics such as how to dress the right way to shake hands and to pop a breath mint before a sales call while avoiding garlic during the workweekThese days I am amazed by the lack of sales skills I run into on a daily basis If I walk into almost any sales meeting and blurt out objections stalls and other prospect obstacles they have been running into every day for years salespeople stall stammer and trip over their tongues as if itrsquos the first time theyrsquore hearing what Irsquom throwing at them I even give people objections during the interview just to see what their best current response is to something simple like ldquoI can get it cheaper down the streetrdquo If theyrsquove been in sales for any length of time theyrsquod better have a good quick response to that one Add to that the fact that many salespeople these days seem to be much

more lax with dress manners and etiquette in general Knowing how to sell having a good handshake and other ldquobasicsrdquo should be common sense but that common sense which was common decades ago is more the exception than the rule in todayrsquos selling world Dedication and commitmentWhen it comes to dedication and commitment yoursquore not going to beat The World War II Generation They were also tough to beat when it came to living up to promises and their word When you hired someone from that generation they understood that they had an obligation to the company their boss and their family for whom they needed to provide Regarding one of the biggest issues today accountability decades ago people were responsible enough to hold themselves accountable My dad tracked his calls and kept a call sheet but these were success tools as opposed to something his manager used to make sure he was doing what he was supposed to be doing My dadrsquos generation would never consider fudging a call sheet or hiding out in a coffee shop or movie theatre when they were supposed to be out making calls Yes there were a few of those people back then but not many and they werenrsquot employed with that company for very long When it came to another major issue motivation simply putting in an honest dayrsquos work for an honest dayrsquos pay along with taking care of the company the customers and onersquos family was all the motivation one needed It didnrsquot matter how you felt on a given day the question was about the obligation and commitment you signed up for That generation also brought character traits and a work ethic to the job that we rarely see these days All of this comes back to the dedication and commitment they felt toward others and the obligation in

Sales Success with John Chapin

21

knowing that if yoursquore taking a paycheck from someone you owe them your best Focus on people

The World War II Generation would never be accused of being the ldquomerdquo generation My dad was the number one sales rep in New England for over 30 years for IBM and Diebold Banking Equipment because like most people of his generation his objective was to help and serve other people Decades ago I think there was much more of a focus on other people and more of a ldquothe-customer-is-always-rightrdquo mentality While many talk about past salespeople beating people up and having one more close than they had objection I find that the best of the best have always sold the right way with a focus on the other person And by the way there is no ldquonewrdquo relationship selling Even 60 years ago the best have always focused on the relationship and whatrsquos best for the other person thinking of themselves their product and their company secondAll of the above said are there hard workers out there today who are committed Yes Also social media technology and new sales ideas are tremendous tools to warm up cold calls pinpoint prospect pains and continue to connect and communicate effectively with prospects and customers So although Irsquoll take the work ethic and character traits of someone from the World War II Generation using a car pay phones and keeping track of prospects on index cards every day of the week and twice on Sunday imagine the best of both worlds Start with someone hungry with a blue-collar mentality and a thick skin who isnrsquot afraid to show up early leave late and pound the pavement making more calls than anyone else Combine that with someone who cares about people studies their craft and knows their product Who practices drills and rehearses their presentation answers to objections closes and anything and everything theyrsquore

likely to run into during the day Finally add knowledge of social media and technology using it in a supporting role in the background and not as the foundation for their sales efforts Yes those people are out there No they are not easy to find Time to get to work

John Chapin is a sales and motivational speaker and trainer For his free newsletter or if you would like him to speak at your next event go to wwwcompletesellingcom John has over 26 years of sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year Sales Encyclopedia For permission to reprint e-mail johnchapincompletesellingcom

Vermont Insurance Agents AssociationPartner Program

Thank you 2016 Annual Partners

Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners

Co-Operative Insurance Cos Hanover Insurance Group

Imperial PFSMAPFRE|USA

Patriot Insurance Company

Silver Partners

AllstateAmTrust North America Inc

Travelers

Bronze Partners

CNAForemost Insurance Co

Meadowbrook TPA Associates New England Excess Exchange LTD

NGM Insurance

DID YOU KNOWAGENCY EampO UMBRELLA IS NOW AVAILABLE THROUGHBIG ldquoIrdquo PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY

PROTECT your business

with an EampO umbrella

endorsed by IIABA

CONSOLIDATEcoverages with one

carrier and avoid

potential gaps

SECUREyour agencyrsquos future with

the largest writer of

agents professional

liability in the country

SUPPORTyour state association

while protecting your

business

A commercial umbrella underwritten by Swiss Re (rated A+ by AM Best) is now available exclusively to Big ldquoIrdquo members

Designed in collaboration with the IIABA to meet the needs of independent insurance agents

Broad coverage over primary casualty lines including EampO

Limits available up to $10 million over underlying primary EampO policy

Will be available in 50 states and the District of Columbia

May to be written over a variety of EampO carriers

Contact your state association to learn more

or to receive a quote today

wwwindependentagentcomEOContact

Insurance products underwritten by Westport Insurance Corporation Overland Park Kansas Westport is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia Insurance products mentioned may not be available in all states Please contact your state administrator or Westport for availability in your state

VIAS offers the most prestigious Errors amp Omissions carrier(s) in the countryWestport Insurance Company amp Utica National Insurance Group

Everything you insure is on your shoulders

Who do you trust to have your back

For a quote or for more information contact Helen Collins at hcollinsviaaorg or 1-844-609-1481wwwiiabaneteohappens

VIAS is a subsidiary of Vermont Insurance Agents Association viaaorg

25

Agency News

Richards Group Named One of 2016 Best Places to Work in Vermont

The Richards Group was recently named one of the 2016 Best Places to Work in Vermont an award created by Vermont Business Magazine the Vermont Chamber of Commerce the Vermont Department of Economic Development the Vermont Department of Labor and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) ndash Vermont State Council and Best Companies GroupThis statewide survey and awards program is designed to identify recognize and honor the best places of employment in Vermont benefiting the statersquos economy its workforce and businesses ldquoWe participated in this process for the first time this year with the thought that it would provide valuable insight and benchmarking on what we do well here at TRG and where we have opportunities to improve as an employerrdquo said Ben Taggard VP of Wealth Management at The Richards Group ldquoTo be acknowledged as one of the 2016 Best Places to Work in Vermont speaks volumes about the culture that we all contribute to and the outstanding colleagues that we work with every dayrdquo ldquoI always thought we must be a good place to work based on the long average

tenure of our employees and the very low turnover that we are fortunate to haverdquo added Peter Richards VP of Commercial Insurance ldquoBut it feels great to have this validated by an independent third partyrdquoThe Richards Group provides commercial insurance and risk management employee benefits consulting retirement plan and wealth management advisory services and personal insurance to clients throughout the region TRG locations include Brattleboro Bennington Norwich Keene Bellows Falls Ludlow Manchester Rutland West Dover Williston and Wilmington More information is available about TRG online at wwwTheRichardsGrpcom The final rankings for each category will be announced at a special awards presentation on March 31 2016 at the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center

26

Company News

Vermont Mutual Recognized as a lsquoBest Place to Workrsquo

Vermont Mutual Insurance Group long recognized as a top 50 Property and Casualty insurer by the prestigious Ward Group was recently recognized as one of the 2016 Best Places to Work in Vermont by Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce Every year Vermont Business Magazine surveys companies to identify the best places to work in the state They review company policies systems practices and demographics Included in the assessment are anonymous survey responses from employees which account for 75 of the total evaluation Notably Vermont Mutual had an impressive 88 survey participation more than twice the required response rate for the surveyThe awards program which began ten years ago is presented in partnership with the Vermont State Council Society for Human Resource Management the Vermont Department of Labor the Vermont Department of Economic Development and Best Companies Group Upon announcing Vermont Mutual as one of the recipients John Boutin Publisher of Vermont Business Magazine stated ldquoIt is great to see Vermont Mutual Insurance Group make the list of the Best Places to Work in Vermont 2016 This distinction is not easy to come by and says a lot about the companies who make the list VBM is proud to include Vermont Mutual to this list and Vermont is very fortunate to have such a great company located hererdquo

ldquoBeing recognized as a Best Places to Work recipient is an honor we enthusiastically share with our employeesrdquo stated Dan Bridge Vermont Mutualrsquos President and CEO ldquoThe distinction speaks to the healthy and supportive work environment all of our employees endeavor to createan environment that is reflected in the industry-best results Vermont Mutual has earned year after yearrdquoldquoVermont Mutual has been a proud employer in Vermont for over 185 years and we remain grateful to our 250 employees some of whom have been with the company for decades for their dedication to Vermont Mutual our agent-partners and our customersrdquo said Vice President of Human Resources Sue Chicoine ldquoAnd wersquore very pleased to know that our employees think so highly of Vermont Mutual as a place to workrdquoThe Best Places to Work in Vermont 2016 Ceremony along with the announcement of the final rankings will be held March 31 2016 at the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science CenterTo learn more about Vermont Mutual both as an insurer and as a place to work please visit vermontmutualcom

IMPERIAL PFSreg IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE OUR NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH VIAAIMPERIAL PFSreg AND VIAA ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO CUSTOMIZE FINANCE PROGRAMS FOR MEMBER AGENCIES

To learn more about special programs for VIAA members contact Steven Abramovitz at 6179902364 or by email at stevenabramovitzipfscom

Visit us online at ipfscom or download our mobile app today using your Androidtrade or IOSreg device to get started

Imperial PFS is a trade name affiliated with IPFS Corporation (IPFS) a premium finance company Android is a trademark of Google Inc IOS is a registered trademark of Cisco Systems Inc andor its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries

28

Company News

Ohio Mutual Continues Trend of lsquoBest-in-Classrsquo Employer Recognition

Ohio Mutual Insurance Group has once again been recognized by Avatar HR Solutions a national human resources research firm as a ldquoBest in Classrdquo employer for Overall Job Satisfaction and for Employee Engagement based on results of a recent studyThese awards are given to organizations whose scores are in the top 10 percent of all Avatar HR Solutions customers based on anonymous surveys of client associates conducted by the companyldquoWe track our associatesrsquo engagement and job satisfaction by conducting regular anonymous surveys and the results of our most recent survey demonstrate that our intentional efforts to be an employer of choice in the insurance industry continue to be well-received by our associatesrdquo said Mike Horvath vice president of Human Resources ldquoIn order to provide the best products and best service to our customers we recognize the need to attract the best individuals to Ohio Mutual ndash this recognition aligns with our efforts and expectationsrdquoOhio Mutual has received ldquoBest in Classrdquo recognition for the past three surveys

Passionate Innovative Partnership

More than a promise 1725 Hopley Avenue PO Box 111 Bucyrus Ohio 44820-0111

4195623011 8006863011omigcom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 29 2016

Contact Todd Boyer4195630664

tboyeromigcom


BUCYRUS OH ndash Ohio Mutual Insurance Group has once again been recognized by Avatar HR Solutions a national human resources research firm as a ldquoBest in Classrdquo employer for Overall Job Satisfaction and for Employee Engagement based on results of a recent study

These awards are given to organizations whose scores are in the top 10 percent of all Avatar HR Solutions customers based on anonymous surveys of client associates conducted by the company

ldquoWe track our associatesrsquo engagement and job satisfaction by conducting regular anonymous surveys and the results of our most recent survey demonstrate that our intentional efforts to be an employer of choice in the insurance industry continue to be well-received by our associatesrdquo said Mike Horvath vice president of Human Resources ldquoIn order to provide the best products and best service to our customers we recognize the need to attract the best individuals to Ohio Mutual ndash this recognition aligns with our efforts and expectationsrdquo

Ohio Mutual has received ldquoBest in Classrdquo recognition for the past three surveys

Ohio Mutual Insurance Group founded in 1901 and based in Bucyrus OH partners with nearly 400 independent agencies to distribute quality property and casualty insurance products throughout Connecticut Indiana Maine New Hampshire Ohio Rhode Island and Vermont Ohio Mutual has maintained a rating of ldquoA Stablerdquo from AM Best Co for 23 consecutive years and was named to the Wardrsquos 50 from 2009-2013 Additional company information is available at wwwomigcom

Helen Collins hcollinsviaaorg

Bookmark 3

7th






In This Issue

February 2016













4






6



















CONTACT









CONTACT













(Excellent) FSC X


247 claims


BEST OF A NATIONAL

uumluumluuml

Local relationships

Local claims staff


BEST OF A REGIONAL

uumluumluuml




123456789

10






11









123456789

10






12
















Join US



month


investprogramorg






















their livelihood






investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3






In This Issue

February 2016













4






6



















CONTACT









CONTACT













(Excellent) FSC X


247 claims


BEST OF A NATIONAL

uumluumluuml

Local relationships

Local claims staff


BEST OF A REGIONAL

uumluumluuml




123456789

10






11









123456789

10






12
















Join US



month


investprogramorg






















their livelihood






investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3

4






6



















CONTACT









CONTACT













(Excellent) FSC X


247 claims


BEST OF A NATIONAL

uumluumluuml

Local relationships

Local claims staff


BEST OF A REGIONAL

uumluumluuml




123456789

10






11









123456789

10






12
















Join US



month


investprogramorg






















their livelihood






investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3

6



















CONTACT









CONTACT













(Excellent) FSC X


247 claims


BEST OF A NATIONAL

uumluumluuml

Local relationships

Local claims staff


BEST OF A REGIONAL

uumluumluuml




123456789

10






11









123456789

10






12
















Join US



month


investprogramorg






















their livelihood






investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3








CONTACT













(Excellent) FSC X


247 claims


BEST OF A NATIONAL

uumluumluuml

Local relationships

Local claims staff


BEST OF A REGIONAL

uumluumluuml




123456789

10






11









123456789

10






12
















Join US



month


investprogramorg






















their livelihood






investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3












(Excellent) FSC X


247 claims


BEST OF A NATIONAL

uumluumluuml

Local relationships

Local claims staff


BEST OF A REGIONAL

uumluumluuml




123456789

10






11









123456789

10






12
















Join US



month


investprogramorg






















their livelihood






investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3


247 claims


BEST OF A NATIONAL

uumluumluuml

Local relationships

Local claims staff


BEST OF A REGIONAL

uumluumluuml




123456789

10






11









123456789

10






12
















Join US



month


investprogramorg






















their livelihood






investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3

11









123456789

10






12
















Join US



month


investprogramorg






















their livelihood






investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3

12
















Join US



month


investprogramorg






















their livelihood






investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3













Join US



month


investprogramorg






















their livelihood






investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3

investprogramorg






















their livelihood






investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3

investprogramorg

How to Get Invoved








bull

bull

bull bull bull

bull

bull


bull bull bull

bull bull

bull

bull bull

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3

investprogramorg



investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3

investprogramorg



20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3

20






21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3

21







Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3



Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners




Silver Partners


Travelers

Bronze Partners



NGM Insurance




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3




endorsed by IIABA


carrier and avoid

potential gaps



agents professional




business
















25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3






25

Agency News




26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3

26

Company News








28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3





28

Company News





4195623011 8006863011omigcom



tboyeromigcom








Bookmark 3


Bookmark 3

gma february 2016

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