Alan Sterner, principal of Sterner Insurance, was selected to attend Westfield Insurance’s recent Legislative Conference. This conference held at Westfield’s home office was designed to provide agents with insight into the legislative process to equip them to become more involved with political issues. The conference included a congressional simulation exercise, a panel with two independent insurance agents who serve as representatives in their state governments, and an overview of current insurance/political issues. Insurance Alliance President and CEO Jane Koppenheffer, who is serving as President of the Westfield Agents Association in 2010, also attended.

The 2010 version of The Insurance Alliance’s Connections was a little different this year. A picnic in the Allenberry Meadow featured a variety of activities, including two dunk tanks.

Members of The Insurance Alliance and their members’ took turns in Tank 1, while carrier volunteers cooled off in Tank 2. It was all in good fun, but also had a purpose: to help raise money for Kids’ Chance of PA, an organization that helps with the education of children who’s parents were killed or seriously injured in a work-related accident.

Suzanne Emmett of the Eastern Alliance Insurance Group accepted a check from a dunked Alliance President and CEO Jane Koppenheffer for over $750 in donations.

Volunteering to get wet for a good cause were (in alphabetical order):

• Chuck Adams of Selective Insurance
• Mike Boguski of Eastern Alliance Insurance Group
• John Cyb of Travelers
• Dave Dyson of Hampson Mowrer Kreitz
• Randy Fulmer of The Donegal Insurance Companies
• Dan Gaynor of Harleysville Insurance
• Kurt Gjerde of Ohio Casualty
• Chuck Joiner of The Insurance Alliance
• Jane Koppenheffer of The Insurance Alliance
• Matt Macievic of Sterner Insurance
• Jim Pace of Christian-Baker Company
• Alle Parker of Mierrs Insurance
• Mike Telarico of The Cincinnati Insurance Companies
• Jon Zinn of Zinn Insurance

More than a few photos of the dunkers and dunkees are included in the Connections 2010 Flickr photo set.

At Connections 2010, The Cincinnati Insurance Companies were awarded Commercial Carrier of the Year honors for the second year in a row.

J.F. Scherer, Executive Vice President, and Bill Clevidence, Assistant Vice President for Sales and Marketing, were on hand to accept the award from Alliance President and CEO Jane Koppenheffer as well as participate in the event.

Alliance staff members cited their underwriter’s professionalism and commitment, responsiveness and attitude as some of the top reasons for their second trip to the podium.

Donegal Insurance took home the 2010 Personal Lines Carrier of the Year award at this year’s Connections event.

Rick Kelley, Senior VP, Sales and Business Development for Donegal and Jeff Jacobsen, Vice President of Commercial Lines, accepted the award from Alliance President and CEO Jane Koppenheffer.

Donegal’s commitment to aggressively writing business, ease of doing business and superior underwriting performance were key factors in being voted first by Alliance staff members for the second year in a row.

The Insurance Alliance made some changes to the annual Connections event this year. Instead of the more structured, presentation-oriented format of past years, a picnic in the Meadow at the Allenberry Resort in Boiling Springs.

Held on August 3, the event featured a picnic lunch, lots of informal networking time while playing volleyball, softball, frisbee and horseshoes, not one but two dunk tanks to benefit Kids’ Chance of PA, and the “Carrier Carnival,” where attendees could visit tables set up by exhibiting carriers, participate in carnival games, and earn tickets toward the raffle prizes.

At the end of the day, Connections awards, Personal and Commercial Carrier of the Year awards were handed out, and raffle prizes of Alliance beach towels, Keurig coffee makers, customized Flip video cameras and Apple iPads were given out to lucky Alliance and carrier winners.

Enjoy the sights of the day (over 300 of them) in our Connections 2010 Flickr photo set.

Jeffrey B. Barr, ARM, CPIA of Bethlehem has earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. A graduate of Bloomsburg University, Jeff has over 18 years of experience insuring commercial property and casualty risks and has been associated with Miers Insurance for the past 15 years. He was named a principal of the firm in 2007.