AICP’s 22nd Annual Conference
Phoenix, Arizona
October 4-7, 2009
Conference Highlights
Conference Overview
Phoenix proved to be the place to “Rise to New Challenges” for our 22nd Annual Conference. We had 600+ attendees which included about 50 regulators representing 25 states. We also had about 150 first time attendees!
Starting Sunday afternoon, there were over 70 sessions conducted throughout the four-day period geared to all levels of compliance professionals, from beginner to advanced, and covering numerous aspects of insurance compliance, from product development to state submissions to market conduct issues. Sunday evening activities included an Exhibitors’ Showcase and Welcome Reception.
Our Keynote speaker for our Monday breakfast was Pamela Jett, CSP. Pamela was received with high enthusiasm as she identified blueprint-for-success strategies for top performers. Pamela also provided us with a workshop Monday afternoon — “Communicate, Lead, Succeed” — which stretched the walls for attendance.
We welcomed back our ever popular “View from the Top” on Monday morning. A panel of former and current Insurance Department Commissioners and other regulatory leadership provided back-to-back sessions, one for P&C and one for L&H, to address pertinent issues in today’s insurance marketplace and regulatory environment. We also brought back our regulator/industry one-on-ones to provide opportunities for members in our industry and regulatory communities to get together and discuss relevant issues.
On Tuesday we resumed with our numerous seminars. This year we also devoted an entire session to formalized networking opportunities. This was requested by numerous attendees at last year’s conference, i.e. to provide more networking opportunities, and quite a few joined in the networking activities. We finished Tuesday evening with Chapter Events at various venues.
Wednesday continued with seminars, and our attendee count for Wednesday was very high given that some folks had scheduled return flights on that day.
Go to Conference Photo Album — General Pictures
Program Summary
600+ compliance professionals joined together to discuss, learn about and present a variety of topics in our ever-changing industry and regulatory environment.
Program goals were to:
- provide focused and timely seminars covering the current hot topics as well as advanced and basic compliance material;
- increase networking opportunities;
- ensure one-on-one time between Industry and Regulators;
- include panel presentations that included both Industry and Regulators; and
- utilize expert presenters.
Compliance professionals, trade association representatives and regulators were on hand to present relevant, hot topics in all lines of insurance compliance that were of interest to both industry and regulatory communities, to those seasoned compliance professionals and those recently introduced to insurance compliance, and to everyone in between.
Go to Conference Photo Album — Program
Compliance Connections
Promoting relationships within our industry is a cornerstone of our Mission Statement. Therefore, it is little wonder that we added a new feature to our Program this year — Compliance Connections. This new session provided opportunities for compliance professionals to meet others in their specialty areas or areas of interest and to begin building or further strengthening their peer networks.
Go to Conference Photo Album — Compliance Connections
Exhibitors and Sponsors
The AICP was very pleased to welcome back many exhibitors who have supported us through the years as well as some new exhibitors. As we are rising to new challenges during a time when many of our employers have experienced downsizings, loss of funding for resources, curtailment of product development and the like, our exhibitors showcased their products and services to help with gain efficiency, effectiveness and information to help with our jobs.
A big “THANK YOU” to our exhibitors and sponsors for their continued support of the AICP and specifically our 22nd Annual Conference.
Go to Conference Photo Album — Exhibitors
Silent Auction
This year the proceeds of our Silent Auction were dedicated to the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation. Auction items were on display in our Exhibitor Showcase area, and bidding continued throughout Conference. Mr. Raoul Sada, Executive Director of the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation, gave us a presentation at our Wednesday morning breakfast.
Thank you to those who provided auction items in support of our Silent Auction, to those who took part and bid on items, and to those who donated by way of our donation jar. Due to your generosity we were able to provide Mr. Sada with a check for $3,350, and donations continued to come in after our check presentation.
Go to Conference Photo Album — Silent Auction
View from the Top
You asked that we continue and broaden our View from the Top, and we brought it back. Our View from the Top included current and former Insurance Commissioners and other regulatory leaders to discuss hot topics in our industry and the regulatory community. They had a P&C session, followed by an L&H session. Of course, with the current political climate in our county, healthcare reform was definitely one of the hot topics. They discussed other issues pertinent to the marketplace as well as addressed questions from out attendees.
Thank you for our regulatory leaders for making time to meet with the AICP at our Conference. We truly appreciate your support and time.
Go to Conference Photo Album — View from the Top
Keynote Speaker
We were fortunate this year to have Pamela Jett as our keynote speaker. Pamela provided us with a truly motivational presentation about “Success Is An Attitude.” When confronted by negative people or thinking, just remember — delete! High energy! Humorous! Energetic! Practical! Motivational! Professional! Encouraging!
Pamela also provided us with a workshop Monday afternoon — “Communicate, Lead, Succeed.” Her workshop was highly attended, and comments were richly positive to her subject material and her delivery.
Thank you, Pamela, for providing us with your insight, your practicality, and your sense of humor!
Go to Conference Photo Album — Pamela Jett
First Timers Orientation
We had 150+ first timers at Conference this year! The First-timers’ Orientation is designed to provide our first timers with some background on our organization, to give them an idea of how Conference will go, and to furnish an opportunity to meet other first timers’ in ice-breaker scenarios to make them feel more comfortable being at Conference. We heard about “best” jobs and “worst” jobs; but, so much more, we met new folks and laughed together. And, we did leave the orientation with a better sense of what the AICP Conference is about.
Go to Conference Photo Album — First Timers
Volunteer Recognition
We are an association that is run by volunteers. And it is our volunteers who fill leadership roles, who participate in national and chapter activities, who sign-up for committee work, who are dedicated and committed to the AICP fulfilling its Mission, who drive us to be successful. Yes, volunteers. And of our 1400+ membership, we have 160 members who volunteer at the national level.
This year each national volunteer, those who could attend Conference and those who could not, were given a $25 gift card as a “thank you” for their efforts. Additionally, our President, Steve LeHew, hosted a volunteer reception in his suite to recognize and thank our volunteers.
We also brought back our Committee Fair that identified those involved in our national committees. If you were at Conference and did not happen to pick up a Committee handbook, or if you were not at Conference and would like a copy, please contact our administrative firm, Drohan Management. Thank you to Doug Simino for putting this together — a big undertaking and a wonderful committee handbook.
And, of course, a big “THANK YOU” to each of you who give time, no matter how much or how little, to further the efforts and initiatives of the AICP.
Go to Conference Photo Album — Volunteer Recognition
Education Designation Recognition
Providing learning opportunities is one of our Association’s keystones and is embedded within our Mission Statement. Recognition of those of our members who participate and guide their continuing education to become more informed and more equipped to face the challenges within our community is natural to us.
This year we held a special breakfast on Wednesday, hosted by the Education Committee, to honor those members who received their ACP and/or CCP designations, and those who received CE credits.
12 ACP, 8 CCP, 10 ACP/CCP designations along with 14 CE recognitions were awarded. Congratulations to each of our new designees and CE recipients.
Click here to see the ACP, CCP and CE requirements.
Go to Conference Photo Album — Professional Designations
Gala Event
There was plenty of “salsafication” to go around at this year’s Gala Event! Attendees were able to meet up with old friends and/or make new ones as they dined on southwestern cuisine and danced the night away to the tunes of the Dark Horse Band. A “quiet” area was also set aside for those who wished to chat with friends without contending with the sounds of the band.
Our Gala Event was outside, and the temperature dropped while the evening advanced, but fun was had by all.
Go to Conference Photo Album — Gala Event
National Officers
Annual Conference is the time for us to recognize our National Officers, say “thank you” to those who are leaving our Board of Directors, and say “welcome” to those who are staying on and are being added to our Board of Directors. It is also a time for a passing of the gavel from our President to our Incoming President.
Our Board of Directors faced a number of challenges this past year given the growth we strove for as well as the initiatives we pursued in order to enhance our association and our membership experience. A resounding “thank you” to Steve LeHew as our 2008-2009 President and his Board of Directors as they led and oversaw the many efforts of our association to further its value to our members and to our insurance compliance community.
Steve LeHew passed the gavel to our Incoming President, Ginny McHugh, at Tuesday’s business lunch. Ginny then introduced the members of her 2009-2010 Board of Directors. We wish our Board well as they continue to pursue initiatives to enhance our association and strengthen our value offering within the insurance compliance industry.
Click here to see a list of the AICP Board of Directors
Go to Conference Photo Album — National Leadership
President’s Award
Judy Wickens, AIRC, ACP, Senior Regulator Analyst for Forethought Financial Services, Inc. received the 2009 President’s Award.
The President’s Award was instituted a number of years ago to allow the AICP President to honor an individual who, in the President’s opinion, has been a noteworthy contributor to the success of the AICP during his/her presidency.
This year the AICP had a new initiative, the Canada Initiative. And Judy took up the reigns and, with her task force members, planned an outstanding meeting of Canadian compliance professionals as they met with the AICP Board of Directors in Toronto, Canada. We received two new memberships as a result of that meeting, and the potential to reach further into Canada to participate in the AICP.
Judy has also been the Vice President, President and Past President of the Midwest Forum, and most recently she was the Midwest Forum’s Regional Director. Judy has a quiet strength that drives to success, and she has been a supportive mentor to numerous members of her Chapter.
Congratulations, Judy, and a fully deserved honor — our President’s Award recipient for 2009!
Click here to see a list of other President’s Award recipients
Go to Conference Photo Album — President’s Award
Lennon Award
Penny Kilberry, CPCU, RPLU, ACP, AIS, MCM, Vice President of Regulatory Compliance for Monitor Liability Managers, Inc., was named the 2009 Robert Lennon Award recipient.
The Lennon Award was named after Robert Lennon, one of the association’s founding fathers, who was instrumental in our initial development as an organization and contributed years of service. He was so committed to our association that he even gave a session presentation over the phone — two days before he passed away. The winner of the Lennon Award is nominated by his/her peers, and the final selection is done by members of the Executive Committee.
The inscription of Penny’s Lennon Award reads: “In proud recognition of your drive, determination and outstanding service to the Association of Insurance Compliance Professionals through your various positions as National Secretary, National Conference Planning Vice Chair, National Conference Program Chair, P&C Chair, National Public Relations Task Force Leader, Education Committee Chair, Great Lakes Regional Director, and every single office position in the Great Lakes Chapter. Your contributions are much appreciated and are in direct accord with the caring spirit for whom this award is named.”
Congratulations, from the heart, Penny — a richly deserved honor — our 2009 Lennon Award recipient!
