​120th Annual Convention report​​​

IIABSC's 2019 Board of Directors were installed at the 120th Annual Convention held Oct. 14-16 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Greenville, SC.

Thomas M. "Tom" Bates, Jr. of Herlong Bates Burnett Insurance in Greenville was re-elected Chairman of the Board by the general membership during the annual meeting. James G. Taylor, Jr., CIC of Kinghorn Insurance of Beaufort was re-elected Chairman-Elect and Treasurer of the Board of Directors.

Two new directors and one returning director were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Directors beginning Jan. 1, 2019. Kelly Frontroth, API, AAI, CPIW of Hutson-Etherredge Companies in Aiken, SC, and Hilary McCarthy, AIAM, of Carrie Johnson Insurance in Murrells Inlet, SC, are the two new directors. Robert "Robbie" Nalley of Creech Roddey Watson Insurance in Sumter was re-elected to the board.

Retiring directors William C. "Cooper" Carter, CIC of Pinckney-Carter Company in Charleston, SC and Carrie Johnson, ChFC, CLU, AAI of Carrie Johnson Insurance in Murrells Inlet were recognized for their service and dedication to the association.

Joe Leahy of Leahy and Brown Insurance & Realty and IIABA Chairman of the Board delivered the oath of office.

Agent of the Year
Scott Moseley of Irmo is the 2018 Agent of the Year

Scott Moseley of Irmo Insurance in Irmo, SC, was named the Hayne P. Glover, Jr. Agent of the Year in recognition for outstanding community service and contributing to the betterment of the insurance industry.

Scott has been a very visible and active leader within the association since first becoming involved more than 25 years ago. He began serving on the association board in 2006 and served on the Insurpac committee, the Trusted Choice Big I golf committee and public affairs committee. He was named Young Agent of the Year in 2000.

Early on, Scott developed an interest in government affairs, and he has been working with Insurpac and chair of our state public affairs committee ever since. He was recognized in 2009 with the achievement award for his leadership of the Insurpac committee and this year was a co-winner of the Barney Burns award presented by the National Big I.

Scott and his dad are recognized leaders in the Irmo community and Scott is active with the Irmo Rotary Club and McGregor Presbyterian Church, where he serves in leadership roles.

The Agent of the Year is named for Hayne P. Glover, Jr. to honor his many years of dedicated service to the Big "I" state and national associations. Glover was from Greenville and is the only South Carolinian so far to serve as the national association president. Glover was an outstanding example of service to his community as well as the industry, which are the criteria used to evaluate nominees for this award. The award has been sponsored by AFCO/Prime Rate Premium Finance in Florence for more than twenty years.

Young Agent of the Year
Ben Myers of Columbia is the 2018 Young Agent of the Year

Benjamin C. Myers, AIP of Russell Massey & Co. Inc. in Columbia, SC, has been named the IIABSC Young Agent of the Year.

Ben is a vice president at Russell Massey & Company in Columbia, an agency he joined in 2004. He began his insurance career with Nationwide Insurance in 2002 after graduating from Clemson University.

Ben is a current member of the IIABSC Board of Directors and vice chair of the young agents committee. He has also been active member of the young agents committee as well as the junior golf committee and our national tournament committee this year. Ben also represented IIABSC at this year’s national Big I young agent leadership conference.

Ben has served on the State Auto Insurance agent council and is a past president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Greater Columbia. He is a past president of the Camden Jaycees, served on the board of Camden Country Club and is a member of Bethesda Presbyterian Church in Camden.

The Young Agent of the Year is given to an independent insurance agent age 40 or younger for outstanding service to his or her community outside the field of insurance and has contributed to the betterment of the industry. It has been sponsored by AFCO/Prime Rate Premium Finance in Florence for more than twenty years.

Industry Person of the Year
John D. Miletti of Travelers is the IIABSC Industry Person of the Year

John D. Miletti of Travelers was named the IIABSC Industry Person of the Year. The award recognizes industry representatives other than independent insurance agents who have contributed greatly to the insurance industry in South Carolina.

John serves as Vice President and Government Relations Counsel for Travelers Property Casualty, managing their Personal Lines legislative and regulatory affairs countrywide. He also serves on the board of the South Carolina Wind & Hail Underwriting Association. Travelers Insurance is a valuable company partner for many independent agencies, and John Miletti has been a tremendous friend and ally of independent agents across the state.

Outstanding CSR of the Year
Anna M. Kocuba, CISR of Beaufort

Anna M. Kocuba, CISR, of Kinghorn Insurance Agency of Beaufort, SC was recognized as the SC Outstanding CSR of the Year. The award recognizes those who demonstrate exceptional customer service on a daily basis.

Nominations are submitted to us early in the year, an nominees are then asked to submit materials to show their commitment to the industry through education, involvement and peer recommendations in addition to writing an essay in response to a relevant issue for our industry.

Anna has been in the insurance industry for nearly 25 years. She was her agency’s very first Employee of the Year, and for several years now helps coordinate with a team of her co-workers the donations to a local food bank. 

A supervisor said this about her: "Anna demonstrates mastery of skills in stressful and complicated situations requiring high levels of intelligence and understanding. Anna serves not only as a useful individual asset to our company, but also as a cooperative and attentive team player. Her actions consistently inspire and motivate other associates."

Her clients sing her praises too. A health services commercial client said that she is more like a private assistant for his various insurance needs, and that her charm, patience and personality always makes him feel like a welcomed client. He marveled at her grace under pressure in handling losses/damages after the hurricane season of 2017.

That's exactly what customer service, and being an independent agent, is all about.

Chairman Citation

Lee P. Ellis, CPCU, CIC, AAI was recognized for his service to IIABSC and the entirely of South Carolina with a Chairman's Citation from Tom Bates. He organized and led the state host committee as host to the 50th and final Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship junior golf tournament this summer on Daniel Island.​