(Photos also available on Google photo)

126th Annual Convention report

(WEBCAST ARCHIVES)

IIABSC's 2025 Board of Directors were installed at the 126th Annual Convention held Oct. 13-15 at the Westin Resort & Spa in Hilton Head, SC.

Robert "Robbie" Nalley of Creech Roddey Watson Insurance in Sumter was elected Chair of the Board by the general membership during the annual meeting. A. M. "Gus" Brabham, IV, CIC, of Brabham Griffin Insurance in Columbia was elected Chairman-Elect and Treasurer of the Board of Directors. Both are one-year terms. A. Zander Galloway, CIC, CRA, CWCA, ACRA of Peoples First Insurance in Rock Hill was elected Board Secretary, a two-year term.

Tonya S. Thomason, CIC of David A. Crotts & Associates, Inc. in Greenwood moves to the position of Immediate Past Chair.

Three new directors, Curtis M. Bull, CIC, AIP, of The Turner Agency Inc in Greenville, SC, C. Danielle Lambert, CIC, CISR, of Braddy Insurance Inc in Dillon and Thomas Outlaw, II, CIC of Adams Eaddy & Associates in Columbia, SC, were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Directors beginning Jan. 1, 2025.

Retiring directors A. Zander Galloway, CIC, CRA, CWCA, ACRA of Peoples First Insurance in Rock Hill, Lauren T. Huffman, CIC, AAI, of The Taylor Agency in Charleston, SC, and R. Lawson Walker, Jr., CIC, of CSP Insurance Services in Florence, SC, were recognized for their service and dedication to the association.

IIABA Chair of the Board Todd Jackson, CIC, Jules Anderson, AAI, of Anderson Insurance Associates Inc in Charleston, SC, and Thomas Bates Jr of Stokes-Farnham Insurance Agency in Travelers Rest, SC delivered oaths of office.

NEW Jon A. Jensen Legacy Award

Jon Jensen of Spartanburg, SC, is recognized for state/national industry contributions

Jon A Jensen, AAI, of Correll Insurance Group in Spartanburg, SC, has been a leader whose dedication, leadership, and vision have profoundly shaped our state association and the entire industry. His contributions have led our state association to the highest levels and also guided our national association through some of the most challenging times in recent memory. 

In honor of his achievements and their inspiration to future generations of the industry, IIABSC has created the Jon A Jensen Legacy Award, of which he is the inaugural recipient. This new prestigious award will be presented to agent members of the SC Big I who exemplify the same level of excellence, leadership, and dedication that Jon has shown throughout his remarkable career. It will mark individuals who consistently go above and beyond, shattering expectations, inspiring others, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Jon was the state association chair from 2006-2007, but he had already distinguished himself as an extraordinary leader by then. He was honored as Young Agent of the Year in 1998 and Agent of the Year in 2002. His vision built the foundation of  lasting success to the SC InsurPac initiative, and his influence extended nationally as he served on the InsurPac Board and chaired the Government Affairs Committee. Among his numerous accolades, Jon was awarded the prestigious Sydney O. Smith Award by the IIABA. In 2019, he ascended to the role of IIABA Chair, becoming the first person in history to serve two consecutive years in that role due to the COVID pandemic. His influence reached a global scale as he became the only IIABA leader to chair the World Federation of Insurance Intermediaries. Last year, the IIABA honored Jon with its highest distinction, The Woodworth Memorial Award.

This new award will ensure that Jon’s legacy of extraordinary service and unwavering commitment will continue to inspire future generations of leaders. 

NEW Industry Impact Award

IIABSC President Frank Sheppard is recognized for state industry contributions

Each year the annual convention awards banquet provides opportunity for our Chair of the Board to recognize individuals they feel are worthy of the spotlight, but sometimes a regular Citation is not enough. Therefore Chair Tonya Thomason created the IIABSC Industry Impact Award to honor individuals whose exceptional contributions have made a lasting and transformative difference in the insurance industry and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of South Carolina. 

IIABSC President G. Frank Sheppard, AAI has been a leader whose influence and diplomacy is so vast it stretches beyond his 32 years of service to the South Carolina Big "I." He started out in the insurance industry with Nationwide Insurance Company as an adjuster and was also a Marketing Underwriter with Marsh & McLennan Companies in Washington, DC. Prior to joining IIABSC, he was an independent agent with the Goldsmith-Theodore Agency in Columbia. 

Frank joined the Big “I” staff in 1992 and served in member services, communications and events before being promoted to president in 2006. His influence is not only felt within our state organization; his peers across the country admire and respect him for his deep knowledge of the industry, his collaborative approach and his passion for its future. On the national level, Frank has served on the Trusted Choice board, he was Chair of IAAE- the national Big “I” council of state association executives and was a founding member of the Co-Branded Website advisory committee.

He is widely respected for his insight, fairness and commitment to fostering dialogue and understanding between the industry and regulators as he advocates for insurance issues that directly affect our independent agency system at both state and federal levels. His ability to bridge these worlds is a testament to his leadership and the trust he has built over the years.

Frank's legacy of service, innovation, and advocacy will continue to impact future generations of leaders in the insurance industry for years to come. His remarkable leadership, his influence on the insurance industry at both state and national levels, and his steadfast commitment to excellence proves the need for this prestigious recognition only to be awarded in exceptional circumstances to acknowledge individuals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership and an unwavering commitment to excellence with long-lasting impact on the industry.

Agent of the Year

Lynn E. Hudson, CIC, CISR, ACSR, of Greenville, SC, is the 2024 Agent of the Year

Lynn E. Hudson, CIC, CISR, ACSR, of The Turner Agency Inc in Greenville, 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.

Lynn Hudson's lifelong passion for insurance began in high school at Barnes Insurance, where her mother was the Agency Manager. Despite her mother's suggestion to pursue law, Lynn was drawn to insurance, starting full-time as a Commercial Lines CSR in 1990 while attending college at night. In 1996, she joined The Turner Agency, where her dedication and expertise led her to become Vice President of Personal Lines and Agency Operations over her 28-year tenure.

Lynn has been instrumental in the agency's growth, taking on diverse roles from mentoring and IT management to overseeing acquisitions and transitioning to new systems. Her leadership and problem-solving skills have made her a pivotal figure in the agency, earning her the respect of colleagues and clients alike.

Lynn's commitment extends beyond the office as she holds multiple professional designations including ACSR, CISR, CIC and Certified Personal Risk Manager. She is also a past recipient of the Travelers Personal Lines High Achiever Award. Lynn also volunteers for Meals on Wheels and participates in multiple community initiatives. Her unyielding work ethic, loyalty, and passion for insurance continue to drive her, the agency AND the insurance industry forward.

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 was 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 has been sponsored by AFCO Direct in Florence for 28 years.

Young Agent of the Year

Bret Carter of Lexington, SC, is the 2024 Young Agent of the Year

Bret Carter, PAHM, of Carter Insurance Group in Lexington, SC, has been named the 2024 IIABSC Young Agent of the Year.

Bret joined the family agency The Carter Insurance Group in March of 2017 and almost immediately got involved with the Big I Young Agents. Since joining the committee, he is always willing to help with anything Young Agent-related, whether it’s conferencing with committee members, volunteering at an event, coordinating activities with the national association or speaking publicly on behalf of the committee.

In addition to his duties on the young agent committee, Bret serves on the Big I state Board of Directors and has represented South Carolina at the IIABA Legislative Conference and Young Agent Leadership Conference.

Bret has a Business Administration degree from the College of Charleston and spent seven years working in direct sales with BlueCross BlueShield of SC before joining his agency.

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. The award has been sponsored by AFCO Direct in Florence for 28 years.

Industry Person of the Year

Robert "Bobby" Ream of National General Insurance, an Allstate company is the 2024 IIABSC Industry Person of the Year

Robert "Bobby" Ream of National General Insurance, an Allstate company 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.

Throughout his career, colleagues have witnessed firsthand Bobby’s exceptional dedication, commitment, and contributions to the insurance industry. With an impressive track record spanning over two decades as an agent and company sales manager, Bobby has displayed unwavering support for independent insurance agents and the SC Big I. Bobby has served on the Convention Committee and was a mainstay on our junior golf committee and the host committee for the 50th National Big I Golf Tournament.

Bobby has always taken a proactive approach and genuine belief in the importance of collaboration within the industry. He consistently goes above and beyond to assist agents, readily offering solutions to their problems. And his reputation extends beyond agents; he is highly respected among his industry peers at other companies, a testament to his professionalism and expertise.

It is because of Bobby’s extensive experience, unwavering support for industry organizations, and his reputation as a trusted and respected sales manager, that we recognize him as our 2024 Big I Industry Person of the Year.

Outstanding CSR of the Year

Katherine Watford, CISR of Sumter, SC

Katherine Watford, CISR, of Sumter Insurance Group in Sumter, SC, was recognized as the 2024 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.

All throughout the nominating materials it mentions her remarkable ability to empathize with customers’ needs and concerns, earning her a reputation as a trusted advisor within the community. They tell how she sets a high standard with her leadership, integrity and unwavering dedication to excellence in everything she does.

She says in her essay:   I think now is the time to showcase the reason why I wanted to get into insurance on the independent side in the first place; to form relationships. When things get tough, people rely on the trustworthiness of their insurance advisor to get them though things that they may not understand. That is the sort of comfort that I want to provide my clients with. By being informative and proactive with clients, we as CSRs are able to display our true commitment to customer satisfaction and make sure our clients are making informed decisions as it relates to their insurance.

This commitment and dedication is exactly what customer service is all about.

Chair Citation

IIABSC Immediate Past Chair and National Director Jay Taylor, CIC, of Kinghorn Insurance of Beaufort in Beaufort, SC,  was recognized for his service to IIABSC with a Citation from Board Chair Tonya Thomason.

InsurPac fundraiser

There were a few InsurPAC fundraisers going on during the annual convention. There was a Silent Auction during our Opening Reception Sunday night. Also, those who made contributions leading up to the conference and onsite were entered in a drawing to win a Big Green Egg MiniMax Grill & Smoker + Accessories, one chance for every $100 contributed. Those Young Agents who contributed $100 or more were also entered to win an Apple Watch. All who contributed $1,000 dollars or more in 2024 were entered in a drawing to win a trip to Costa Rica or Belize, winners choice.  Winners did not have to be present for any of the drawings.

Overall, InsurPac raised about $66,345 leading up to and during the annual convention, breaking their own record for the most raised during a single event.

The ultimate winner of the Big Green Egg grill & smoker was Jon Jensen of Spartanburg, SC, after Gus Brabham of Columbia was drawn, and he donated it back for auction by the SC InsuraPac Committee. The winner of the Apple Watch was Bret Carter of Lexington, and the ultimate winner of the Costa Rica/Belize trip was Matt Wiseman of Myrtle Beach. A bonus Costa Rica/Belize trip was then auctioned by the SC InsurPac Committee, the winner being  Elise Theodore of Columbia. 

The Apple Watch and grill/smoker were sponsored by IIABSC Agency. The initial Costa Rica/ Belize trip was sponsored by Jencap Insurance Services and Imperial PFS - Premium Financing.