Even sitting in Wisconsin, I think I can safely say that Winter is over, and Spring is coming! All the dirty, parking lot snow piles have melted, the grass is starting to turn green, and my landscaping company put down new mulch in my flower beds.
Now that we’ve made it through the harsh winter season, which was harsher for some then others, there’s a sense of hope and excitement in the air for things to come. I am feeling the same way about IAIP.
We’ve been working on all the administrative/behind the scenes things with Ngage and are starting to “Get our Groove Back” (Stella or The Emperor – the choice is yours). That means the exciting part is just around the corner, Growing the Association!
Part of that work involves the Task Forces. Member volunteers are the fuel that runs Insurance Professionals. Recently, a Call for Volunteers went out. If you missed it, no worries there is still time to volunteer. There are 7 Task Forces in need volunteers:
Convention – Planning for the 2026 IAIP International Convention in Norfolk, VA. Are there any secret (or not so secret) event planners in our mist? This one is for you.
Partners & Sponsors – Developing leads and/or reaching out to leads for new Corporate Members and Partners. Do you attend other industry events (PIA, NAMIC, Claims, NetVu, CPCU, Big I etc.) then this is the place for you.
Education Product Development – Developing new and renewal classes to keep our class offerings current and relevant. Is education your passion, do you have an idea for a new course? We need your input and expertise.
Education Program Management – Supporting our trainers, managing the class scheduled, reviewing designation applications and keeping members (and non-members) up to date on the classes available. This Task force needs detail-oriented people who like to keep things running smoothly and are there to answer questions.
Member Engagement – Supporting initiatives to encourage member engagement and leadership development. This Task Force is responsible for supporting the Mastermind Groups, the Special Interest Communities, new member outreach, and so much more. We need mentors, cheerleaders and members looking to share their knowledge on this Task Force.
Marketing & Publications – In short everything and anything to promote Insurance Professionals to our current members and the rest of the insurance industry. Looking for blog writers, promotion specialists, social media stars (read “influencers”) and more cheerleaders. Works closely with the Member Engagement Task Force.
Legacy Foundation – Promotes the Legacy Foundation to increase awareness and donations. This is the Task Force that creates all the Foundation fundraising events through-out the year. Another spot for promoters and cheerleaders to get the word out about the scholarships and grants available in addition to fundraising.
Later in the year we will be looking for member applications for both the Legacy Foundation and International Nominating Committees. Watch for those announcements this fall.
Now that I’ve outlined what we’re looking for, what caught your interest? The next step is to let us know by filling out a Volunteer Interest form. Did you know you can be on more than one task force?
There are also Micro-Volunteer opportunities listed on the form, and more will pop-up periodically. These are opportunities that are generally either short-term in nature or do not require a large time commitment (an hour here and there).
We all know the saying “many hands make the work light” so I urge you to consider serving on a task force this year. We have many “Super Volunteers” who serve on multiple task forces, and we love them dearly. However, we don’t want them to burn out and we want to give them a chance to share their knowledge. Hey wasn’t there a recent blog post on “Succession Planning”. Check it out if you missed it.
Volunteering for a task force also gives you a chance to put those newly learned leadership and customer relations skills to work and gain some real-world experience. Then the next time a new job opportunity presents itself, you can say “I just did (insert skill here) with Insurance Professionals” and this is what I learned/did; which then (hopefully) sets you apart from the other candidates.
Here’s to all the exciting new things to come – watch this space!
Lisa R Hardin, CPCU, CPIW, AIC, AIS, ACS, AINS, SCLA, DAE, CLP
IAIP International President-elect