1. Your name and region. Do you belong to a local association or are you a MAL? How long have you been a member? Helen Andrews, ACSR, AIC, AINS, AIS, CISR-Elite, CPIW, PIAM – Region III (The ONLY place to be!)
2. What inspires you to be part of Insurance Professionals, and what prompted you to join? I was inspired by the industry mentors and wanted to join due to the educational opportunities to help me grow and succeed in this industry.
3. Describe a memorable collaborative effort, such as a committee, task force, or program, where you worked effectively with others to achieve a common goal. Honestly, I have enjoyed the Legacy Foundation Task Force. This team works well in collaborating and hashing out ideas to promote the Legacy Foundation and secure its future.
4. What is one of the most memorable experiences you’ve had as a member, whether it was a meeting, a specific project, or a challenging situation you encountered? I love all the meetings and have many memories. The one that truly sticks with me is the council memorial where I had the honor of remembering my good friend and fellow IAIP member, Mary Kirk King (aka the lipstick queen). I find these memorials to be so meaningful and provide insight into the person and how special they are to IAIP and each of us.
5. What is a good tip on how to share the benefits of membership with an employer? I let my employer know of the many networking opportunities that have allowed me to meet and potentially work with others in all lines of our industry. I also mention that many of my designations have been earned by scholarships I have been awarded through IAIP. This shows my employer that I have gained the knowledge and skills to be effective in my job and that I have contacts that I can go to when seeking information or coverage for an insured.
6. What Insurance Professionals programs have you taken that you would highly recommend to another member? The I-CAN series is a fantastic program to get your feet wet in the IAIP programs.
7. Our organization’s vision statement includes: Insurance Professionals is the leading provider of education, skills enhancement and leadership development to members and partners of our industry. Which part of our Vision statement do you feel has had the biggest impact on your personal or professional growth? Actually, all three had a major impact on my growth, both personally and professionally. I see these interact in that, through education, you gain skills enhancement. With new skills, leadership development and opportunities are opened for you. Each provides an additional level of confidence in ourselves to set new goals for success. With education, skills and leadership development, I have received several IAIP awards at the local, council and regional level. With the new-found confidence, I have served in several local Board positions, been Council Director two times, as well as chaired or co-chaired several committees on all levels.
8. What are your hobbies, interests, or a particular cause that you are most passionate about? I enjoy jigsaw puzzles, reading and watching my grandson’s archery. I would have to say I am most passionate about education. I truly feel that knowledge is power and cannot be taken from you.
The Hidden Heroes of Insurance Professionals is a collaboration of the Member Engagement and Services and Marketing and Publications Task Forces.