President Tom Albrecht, Southern Insurance Underwriters, CMGA, and Executive Director Bernie Heinze held a series of meetings in the US Senate last Thursday. Enhancing the AAMGA’s presence on Capitol Hill in providing information to elected representatives and their staffs, the meetings also included an effort to support the initiatives underlying Senate Bill 929, the “Non-Admitted and Reinsurance Reform Act.”

Meetings were held with the legislative assistants for Senator Mel Martinez, (R. FL), who co-sponsored and introduced the Bill with Senator Bill Nelson (D. FL), Senator Jeff Sessions (R. AL) and his chief of staff, and with legislative staff members on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

The AAMGA Board of Directors has named this year’s golf tournament at the Annual Meeting, May 21, 2008, in memory of past president Baron Garcia, of the Oklahoma General Agency in Oklahoma City, OK. Mr. Garcia passed away several weeks ago after a valiant battle with stomach cancer.

“Next to his family, golf was always one of Baron’s passions, and we could think of no better way to honor him than by naming this year’s annual tournament in his memory,” AAMGA President Tom Albrecht said.

Be sure to check the AAMGA’s newsroom regularly for important information pertaining to the wholesale insurance market. You can view the articles on the AAMGA’s website, or by clicking here.

One of the greatest assets of the AAMGA is its Committee structure. As incubators of new ideas and implementing the strategic plans of the Association, volunteer committee members are responsible for moving the AAMGA’s initiatives forward.
President-Elect Euclid Black, Black/White Agency in Henderson, NV is currently soliciting interest from AAMGA member employees and principals to be appointed to the Association’s Committees. The Committees are:

• Automation & Technology
• Governmental Affairs
• Marketing
• Meetings
• Membership
• Under Forty Organization

Active Members of the AAMGA are currently
participating in the annual election process.

Ballots must be received by March 31, 2008.

Standing for election are:

• President-Elect
o Curtis Anderson, Risk Placement Services/Scottsdale
o Frank Mastowski, Jimcor Agencies, Montvale, NJ

• Eastern Region Director
o RC Chaffin, SeaCoast Underwriters, Coral Gables, FL
o Ken Kukral, International XS, Cleveland, OH

• Western Region Director
o Corinne Jones, Bliss & Glennon, Inc., Redondo Beach, CA
o Barbara Parker-Hatch, Yates & Associates Insurance Services, Santa Ana, CA

In two short weeks, AAMGA President Tom Albrecht will welcome over 1,200 premier members of the wholesale insurance industry to the Association’s 82nd Annual Meeting at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Scottsdale, AZ to focus on business in a relaxed atmosphere. Registration materials and a list of attendees can be found on the AAMGA’s website, along with an impressive list of business vendors whose service offerings and representatives will be on hand to meet personally with attendees.

With an 82 year history serving as a strong foundation, a complete year of the AAMGA’s accomplishments through the AAMGA Board of Directors, Committees, University and Headquarters staff, are all chronicled in this year’s Annual Report. Released to coincide with the AAMGA Annual Meeting, the yearly review summarizes the numerous achievements started at the inception of the fiscal year on July 1, 2007 to the present.