Candidates are allowed 350 words to answer the question posed by the International President.
2024 Candidate Question:
Membership and member retention are both key components to the success of this association. For IAIP to attract new members and retain current members, the board and our task forces work to identify ways we can improve our membership experience and the benefits offered. One important benefit of membership is the leadership opportunities provided to all members at all stages of their career. These opportunities are created to specifically help members develop leadership skills that are transferable to their workspace and to identify the future leaders of the association. What do we need to do as an association to prepare our members to take on leadership roles within the association and how can we help prepare them to also advance in their own careers?
MEET BOTH CANDIDATES:
Sue Quimby, CPCU, AU, CIC, CPIW, DAE, CLP
SUE’S ANSWER TO THE CANDIDATE QUESTION:
Personal contact and baby steps are essential when trying to encourage and develop new leaders in our association. In this time of tech overload, it is too easy to lose connections. With less local associations and more virtual meetings, we have lost some of the camaraderie and opportunities to get to know each other. People often don’t read emails and may not be aware of all that IAIP has to offer. Reach out with a personal phone call or personal email.
Newer members may feel unqualified to take on bigger roles. They may be intimidated – as I was – by those in leadership positions. Asking them to help rather than “be in charge” cane be a great first step. Get to know them and see where their interests lie. Everyone has a talent, but it may take a little digging to find what someone is good at or interested in. Ask them to moderate a class as a preliminary step to teaching one. Ask for help on a committee or to be a co-chair so they are not alone. Baby steps means don’t overwhelm people with too many tasks. Give them something they can do well at and partner them with a good mentor whenever possible.
IAIP education programs are ideal for anyone looking to develop confidence and leadership skills. A key trait of a leader is confidence. Confidence While Communicating teaches how to be “cool” when speaking to others. CLP/CLPA programs have been used by a number of companies to train their staff. Train the Trainer gives members the skills they need to teach classes. Making sure our members – and better yet, their employers – are aware of these courses will help develop our members’ leadership skills and make them more valuable as employees.
Sue’s Resume & Experience
46 ½ years in Property/Casualty industry – from agency file clerk to service bureau Vice President. Published author – 200 articles in industry magazines . Experienced insurance trainer and rules and forms developer. Other duties include customer service – answering questions and solving problems for member companies and marketing to prospective clients and partners. I am Director of my company’s Continuing Education school – currently licensed in 13 states and expanding nationwide. I plan 8 webinars and a 2-day educational seminar each year. I manage our Media Plan and Vendor Partner Program.
IAIP – 35 ½ years. RVP Region 1 2019-21. Coordinated and led first ever virtual regional conference (with two weeks’ notice). Education Director 2018-2019; Worked on multiple conference committees. Chaired education multiple times and two first timers’ luncheons. Attended every regional conference for 25 years.
NJ Council Director – twice; Assistant to Council Director; Served as Awards chair multiple times and Nominating Chair; NJ Council NAIW School Director multiple years. Attended every state day for 31 years. Chaired several Council Days.
Insurance Professionals of Central New Jersey – Held all local offices multiple times plus served as chair of multiple committees.
National – Marketing and Publications chair – 4 years; Education – multiple years
Co-chair of Education (2022-2024) and Convention (2022-2023) task forces. Convention education subcommittee three years – chair 2022-2024. Attended 9 conventions, including the past 6 both virtual and in person.
Instructed countless IAIP Courses including I-CAN, CLP and CLPA and Continuing Education courses on all levels in multiple sates both in person and virtually. CWC instructor multiple times – in person and virtual. Taught initial virtual CWC class.
Designations – CPCU, AU, CIC, CPIW, DAE, CLP; Licensed Property & Casualty producer.
NJ CPCU Chapter – Past President; Scholarship Chair multiple years; New Designee Representative: I-Day Committee – 35 years Taught multiple continuing education classes.
Awards – 2022 International Insurance Professional of the Year; 2023 Region I Client Services Professional of the Year; Winner of two Legacy Foundation scholarships. 2022 Region I Confidence While Communicating winner. Region I Rookie of the Year 1991. Won various regional scholarships.
Rachel Shubert, CLP
RACHEL’S ANSWER TO THE CANDIDATE QUESTION:
Obtaining and retaining members is vital to our association. As a past young insurance professional I believe availability and access to other members is key. When I first started in NAIW/IAIP I was not too involved, but after finding a mentor and getting involved in my local association I felt like the sky was the limit for me in IAIP. I love the quote “you get out what you put into” the association. This for me means being involved and staying involved, and encouraging others to stay involved and take advantage of opportunities. This means we need to work with every member on every level to get them engaged and able to form lifelong bonds in our association.
I want all members to know I am only a call, email or message away. There is space for each member to grow with IAIP. I would like to find ways to connect with individual members as to how and where they would like to be involved. To prepare our members for these roles we should ask our members how they would like to be involved and with what. As your International Secretary I would like to have open discussions with members regarding leadership opportunities and the steps to take on IAIP and career leadership roles.
Communication is essential to ensure members know leadership is an option for all of us, from local to international, from small meetings to International Conferences. The same is true in our careers, we can lead in big and small ways, on or off stage. We just need to find the best space for success to get everyone involved in IAIP so that our association can grow and evolve.
Rachel’s Resume & Experience
Rachel started her insurance career with Auto-Owners Insurance Company in 2007 as an Associate Underwriter. She also joined NAIW/IAIP that same year. She has advanced throughout Auto Owners and the country and is now a Field Premium Auditor in Orlando, Florida.
Rachel along with other members helped develop the IAIP Young New Insurance Professional Award. She earned the following awards through IAIP:
Insurance Professional of Mid-Missouri Presidents Award for Outstanding Leadership 2014
Insurance Professionals of Mid- Missouri Professional Underwriter of the Year 2015
Insurance Professionals of Mid- Missouri Young New Professional of the Year 2016
Region V Professional Underwriter of the year 2017
Region V Young New Professional of the Year 2018
International Young New Professional of the Year 2018
She has also obtained her CLP designation and is working towards her CLP-A designation and APA Designation. She is also currently involved in a Mastermind Group.
Below is a list of some of Rachel’s IAIP involvement and positions she has held within IAIP:
• Treasure of Insurance Professionals of Greater Kansas City
• 2014-2015 President of Insurance Professionals of Mid- Missouri
• 2013-2015 RVP Advisor/Assistant for Region V
• 2012-2014 Missouri Council Membership Chair
• 2016-2017 Missouri Council Director
• 2017-2019 Region V Marketing Director
• 2018 and 2019 Legacy Foundation Committee
• 2018-2019 International Convention Planning Task Force
• 2019-2020 International Convention Co-Chairs
• 2020-2022 International Planning Committee for YNP and First Timers
• 2021-2023 Region 3 Regional Vice President
• 2023 Florida Council Keynote Speaker “ The Power of Being an IAIP Member”
• 2023 Online Moderator for CLP Class Organizational Trust Virtual Class
• July 2023 to Present International Committee/Task Force member Sponsors and Partnership Task force.
• 2023 NAIW/IAIP Legacy Foundation Nominating Committee
Rachel’s RVP slogan was “Where Membership is Fun with IAIP.” She chose this to encourage involvement and remind the members that our career can be simultaneously educational and fun. She knows there are many times in our field when we need to buckle down and get work done, but she firmly believes we can do that with a smile. She looks forward to working with the Board and our members old and new with a smile to keep IAIP the strong and notable association it has been for many years.