IIABSC 2021 Board of Directors were installed at the Board of Directors meeting held Dec. 2 at the IIABSC office in Columbia, SC.
James G. “Jay” Taylor, CIC of Kinghorn Insurance Agency of Beaufort was elected Chairman of the Board by the general membership during the annual meeting of the membership held via Go To Meeting on Oct. 28, 2020. Tonya S. Thomason, CIC of David A. Crotts & Associates in Greenwood was elected Chairman-Elect and Treasurer. Both are one-year terms.
Ashley Brady, CIC of First Charter in Marion was elected as National Director, a three-year term.
Three new directors were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Directors beginning Jan. 1, 2021: Angus M. “Gus” Brabham, IV, CIC of Brabham Griffin Insurance in Columbia; L. Amber Bryant of Robert Bryant & Son, Inc. in Orangeburg; and Renado Robinson of Crosswinds Insurance Agency, LLC, in Fort Mill.
Retiring directors J. Derrik Chandler of Chandler Insurance in Greenville and Andrew Muller, CIC, AAI, CWCC, PRIS of Mappus Insurance Agency in Mount Pleasant were recognized for their service and dedication to the association.
During the annual meeting, the membership also approved a bylaws change to address the effects COVID-19 has had on IIABSC leadership roles. The IIABSC Board of Directors now have authority to waive the term length of the Chair and Chair-Elect if the service of the position and ability to lead is interrupted due to circumstances beyond our control.
Watch IIABSC Chairman of the Board Jay Taylor as he recognizes the recipients of the Agent of the Year, Young Agent of the Year awards and more. Originally broadcast during the IIABSC Virtual Annual Convention the morning of Nov. 12, 2020.
Agent of the Year
Larry G. Joyner, CIC, AAI of CWS Insurance in Spartanburg has been named the 2020 Hayne P. Glover, Jr. Agent of the Year in recognition for outstanding community service and contribution to the betterment of the insurance industry.
Larry Joyner is a native of Columbia and a graduate of Wofford College. He got started in the insurance business with Covington, Williams and Stewart Insurance with great mentors, especially father-in-law Harry Williams and Grady Stewart. In 1986, Larry, alongside several business partners, purchased what is now known as CWS Insurance Agency, Inc. and built it into one of Spartanburg’s leading agencies.
He has served on the IIABSC Board of Directors, numerous committees, and continues to serve on the IIABSC Political Action Committee and the Group Health Insurance Trust. He’s also served on several insurance company regional advisory panels and has helped lead the agency in obtaining the IIABA “Best Practices” designation several times.
In the Spartanburg community, Larry is a leader in First Presbyterian Church, is the former President and Lifetime Board member of The Terrier Club at Wofford College, is an alumni of Leadership Spartanburg and former Board member of Spartanburg Area Conservancy, Spartanburg Little Theatre and the Country Club of Spartanburg.
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 first South Carolinian 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 is sponsored by AFCO Premium Finance Corporation in Florence.
Larry G. Joyner, CIC, AAI of CWS Insurance in Spartanburg is the 2020 Hayne P. Glover, Jr. Agent of the Year, sponsored by AFCO Premium Finance Corporation.
Young Agent of the Year
A. Zander Galloway, CIC of Peoples First Insurance in Rock Hill has been named the 2020 Young Agent of the Year.
Zander is the third generation to join the family business. He began his career with the agency in the summer of 2009 as an intern in the claims department and came back as an account executive in the commercial lines department after graduating from Davidson College in North Carolina.
Working in a variety of positions helped Zander learn the business from the ground up and continue his family’s legacy as president of one of the most established insurance agencies in the area.
Zander currently serves as Co-Chair of the Young Agents Committee. He is also on the Board of the Rock Hill Parks Foundation.
The Young Agent of the Year award 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 is sponsored by AFCO Premium Finance Corporation in Florence.
Zander Galloway of Peoples First Insurance in Rock Hill is the 2020 Young Agent of the Year, sponsored by AFCO Premium Finance Corporation.
Industry Person of the Year
Mary Ellen Lackey of Southern Trust and Southern Specialty Underwriters was named the 2020 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.
Mary Ellen started in the insurance industry with Seibels Bruce as a Marketing Representative. She later joined Grange Insurance as a Territory Manager and is now with Southern Trust as SC Territory Supervisor.
Throughout her career, Mary Ellen has been an active supporter of the South Carolina Big “I,” serving on numerous committees and currently serving on the convention committee.
Mary Ellen never meets a stranger and has one of the biggest hearts in our industry. Her generosity with time and money is always evident. Mary Ellen is an avid animal lover and an active supporter of the SCPA and local animal shelters. She also feeds local wildlife animals and helps rehabilitate injured animals.
She helps people too. After Hurricane Dorian devasted the Bahama Islands, Mary Ellen helped find places to live in SC for displaced Bahamian families. She organized fundraisers for families needing help with basic necessities and still sends supplies when items are difficult to find.
IIABSC President Frank Sheppard (far right) had the opportunity to recognize IIABSC 2020 Industry Person of the Year award winner Mary Ellen Lackey (middle right) of Southern Trust & Southern Specialty Underwriters in person along with Camden agents Victor Jowers (far left) and Lorie Sutton (middle left) of member agency Upchurch & Jowers, who nominated her for the award. CONGRATULATIONS, MARY ELLEN!
Outstanding CSR of the Year
Diana Rideout, CISR Elite of Correll Insurance Group in Hilton Head, 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 early in the year, and nominees are 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. This year’s topic was about evolving client expectations. You can read the winning essay in the Fall edition of our SC Agent & Broker magazine.
A colleague said that he believes serving people is at the core of who Diana is. That she exemplifies servant leadership with the agency and community. She is quick to volunteer and caringly walks beside a client during a difficult claim situation they may be facing to provide the guidance and reassurance they need.
This is exactly what customer service, and being a good independent agent, is all about.
Additional recognitions
Chairman’s Citations
Tonya Thomason, CIC, Robbie Nalley, Tommy Cook, Jerry Rhinehart, Megan Huebner and Anita Trevino were recognized for their service to IIABSC with Chairman’s Citations from Jay Taylor.
InsurPAC fundraisers
As always, there was an InsurPac fundraiser in conjunction with virtual convention activities.
Those who made contributions leading up to and following the conference were entered in a drawing to win a Wilmington Cape Fear Classic gas grill or several $100 gift cards. Those who contributed $1,000 or more throughout the year were entered to win a four-night stay for up to six people at a Costa Rica resort with three days of sportfishing aboard the 60-ft. SEA FIX, an adventure generously donated by Johnson & Johnson.
Winner of the grill was Tommy Cook in Myrtle Beach, SC. Jon Jensen, Tommy Cookm Drew Theodore, Lee Ellis, Jules Anderson, John Dawson and Tonya Thomason won gift cards. The winner of the Costa Rica trip was Jay Taylor in Beaufort, SC.
Other Drawings
Agency attendees who registered early were entered to win Early Bird doorprize cash drawings, and agency attendees who verified their attendance were registered for session doorprize drawings with a grand prize for those who attend all four sessions.
Krisi Johnson won $500 cash in the Early Bird prize drawing. Lori Kline won $350 cash in the Early Bird prize drawing. Deysi Higuera won the Apple Airpods grand prize drawing for attending all sessions. Sharron Hamill won a USB Hub, Cooper Carter won an Eno Hammock and Hilary Haines won an HD webcam.