volume 1 issue 2 Diana Crosby Debbie Enstedt Kathy Lockhart ...

A quarterly publication of American Income Life and National Income LIfe Insurance Companies
volume 1 issue 2
Diana Crosby 02
Debbie Enstedt 03
Kathy Lockhart 04
Denise Bowyer 05
2009 PR Summit 07
Hints and Tips 08
Reaching Endless Peaks 09
Congratulations 10

From the desk of
Diana Crosby
Sr. Vice President of Agency
Administration and Lead Development
‘Tis the Quarter to Get Moving
It’s hard to believe it’s just around the corner…the close
of another year! I’m sure we’ve all heard the saying,
“Time sure goes by fast when we are having fun.” And
as fast as 2008 has passed us by, we must be having the
time of our lives.
With 2009 quickly upon us, have you assessed your
success this year? Have you met or exceeded what you
set out to do in 2008? If you haven’t reached your goals,
don’t give up as there is still time. With slightly less than
two months left, you still have time to make that last
push! Schedule a child safe event! Get those last TG’s!
Make sure those last mailings get dropped!
If you are on target for Convention…Congratulations!
If you’re close, don’t go down without a fight! Work
hard at getting your mailings out to ensure card
credits count for this year. Yes, there is still time! The
guaranteed date for getting cards scanned and counted
for 2008 production is Dec. 29th. Don’t let the last few
weeks pass by without giving it all you’ve got. Don’t
procrastinate in getting those mailings completed in
efforts to enjoy reaching your goal and maybe even a
red carpet event in Beverly Hills!
While you are getting the last of 2008 mailings out,
don’t forget to look ahead and start planning for 2009.
December is the perfect month for that! It is a time to
reflect and evaluate 2008. What were your strengths?
What do you want to do differently? ‘Tis the time to set
your goals for the upcoming year.
It is also the most festive time of the year. This is
the best time to visit your groups and cement those
relationships. December is also a perfect time to develop
new relationships, new relationships that will help you
achieve your goals in 2009.
Everyone but the Grinch is in a good mood this time of
year, so drop by and spread that holiday cheer. Don’t
forget an orange or two is always welcome.
After all, ‘tis the season to be jolly….
“Fa la la la la, la la la la!”
Spread the Cheer
‘ Tis the Season!
02

We are Teammates
From the desk of
Debbie Enstedt
Vice President of PR Field Operations
The SGA Meeting was held in Las Vegas this
month. Diana Crosby and I spoke about how we are
teammates. Centralization brings many good changes,
but one thing that remains the same is the fact that we
are teammates.
There is absolutely no doubt that what we do is a team
sport. If I had to pick a team, this is the team I would
pick; this is the team I would want to be part of.
I would wager if you were to Google “teammate”
you would come up with over a billion definitions or
motivating synonyms to describe this word; however,
I do not believe you need me to describe to you what
being on a team means.
We are comprised of many teams in our infrastructure.
There are the SGA Teams, PR Teams, PR Director
and SGA Director Teams; and Home Office Teams,
there is Roger, Scott, and Rob. Diana, Denise, Debbie
and I, we are a team. And of course, there is the AIL/
NILICO Team, the team each of us is part of.
Each of these teams is important in our success. The
benefits of being on a team are obvious; it is fun, it
provides healthy competition, and it gives us much
needed team spirit and shared responsibilities which
drive our success.
It is absolutely impossible to succeed without each
other. Our company would operate much differently if
any of the teams were suddenly gone. It would be a
totally different company without PR, or without the
SGA infrastructure, or if we did not have the Home
Office support.
When it comes to generating ALP, the PR Teams and
the SGA Teams are connected at the hip.
The PR Team is committed to providing the highest
quality leads that will generate both referrals and ALP.
The PR Team is responsible for implementing the
most current tools we have in place to help the agents
effectively work the leads, tools like the Customized
Group Read-Off Letter, Group Commitment
Letters, Stop Steward Letters, and PR Training for
SGA Offices.
And as teammates, we need to work together on
providing a high level of customer service. The
rewards are great, a constant and quality lead flow
and continued growth in ALP. One way to measure
our success is by our track record with Incident Report
Forms. For example, last quarter we had 62 incident
reports, one for every 2,110 leads generated. When you
look at the big picture, we are doing a pretty good job,
and we can only continue to get better.
When you have to speak or write about something, you
have to focus on it. The more I wrote about our team,
the more I focused, and the more evident it became.
We already have a strong team connection. We are
working as a team, and it shows.
Coming together is a beginning. Keeping
together is progress. Working together is
success.” -Henry Ford
Teamwork!
03

From the desk of
Kathy Lockhart
Director of PR Administration
Putting the Power in Your Hands
Shortly after the first of the year we will be introducing
a powerful new PR application. This is a much-needed
tool and will prove to be the most exciting thing to
come to PR since the initial concept of Centralization
in 2005.
This application is designed to serve as a centralized
software system for Public Relations, both for the PR
Reps in centralized territories and for Home Office.
It is a web-based application, which means it will be
available to you anywhere you have web access. It will
serve as a powerful extension of Escaton, allowing
you to submit groups and related paperwork to Home
Office and track the progress of your TGs and Print
Packs through the system, always providing you with an
up-to-the-minute status.
Here is a small preview of some of the features you can
look forward to:
Tired of searching for emails regarding your groups and
printing, or perhaps missing them in the overwhelming
volume of email correspondence? It will help keep
you organized. Upon entering the system, you will be
presented with the “My Work” page, personalized just
for you, listing various TG and Print Pack related tasks
requiring your attention, and notifications informing
you of important information regarding your groups
and print jobs. Too busy to handle something right this
minute? Tasks remain visible until they are handled,
creating a handy task list just as the name suggests.
Tasks are clickable for speed and convenience, taking
you directly to the screen requiring your attention.
Example of My Work screen:
You will no longer have to rely on administrative staff to
submit your TGs. Gone is the need to complete paper
copies of AG-1584s, Print Pack instructions and TG-
13As, only to have to mail them to Home Office and
wait for them to be loaded. You will be able to complete
all documents online (a signed TG may be scanned and
attached or sent via mail) and with a click of a button,
voila’, a task appears for your AD&D Clerk and PR
Coordinator to review and approve the documents,
thus eliminating delays resulting from paperwork
routing, preventing loss of paperwork, and minimizing
the need for Home Office to enter information which
you have already completed once, thus enabling Home
Office to provide more prompt, efficient service.
Example of first TG Pack submission screen:
This truly puts the power in your hands! Stay tuned for
more exciting details about the upcoming release!
04

From the desk of
Denise Bowyer
Vice President of Public Relations
Un-Ordained Leadership
Seth Godin recently published a book called TRIBES
(we need you to lead us). Godin defines tribes by saying
“tribes are about faith – about belief in an idea
and a community.” We are part of the Tribe of
working families.
Godin speaks directly and candidly about the idea of
leadership – within a tribe, and our hesitancy to embrace
it, feeling as if we need to be ordained to leadership. I
ask you - ordained by whom? If not you as a leader -
then who?
Leadership opportunities exist all around us, and at
many different levels. As we prepare for this year’s
Summit, leaders will emerge within our tribes. As we
close out our year of lead production, leaders will step
forth with TG’s and return cards.
After completing the most important political election
of our time, with a sweeping electoral shift to progressive
majority in the House, what lesson can be learned
about leadership?
The most important lesson from this campaign cycle -
there is no such thing as being ‘ordained’ for leadership.
Barack Obama did not wait for ordination, nor did the
numerous underdog challengers up against entrenched
incumbents. No one waited for ordination.
I applaud each and every one of you who has done
your part in providing leadership in your local areas
during this political cycle. From delivering candidate
checks, participating in GOTV efforts, and promoting
the Employee Free Choice Act, it all has made
a difference.
Roger and I spoke last week about how the Employee
Free Choice Act had become one of the single most
important issues in this campaign. When we made the
conscious decision earlier this year to make EFCA a
priority, we had no idea it would become the Senate
wedge issue and that the anti-union movement would
spend hundreds of millions of dollars attacking this
Newly elected Colorado Senator Mark Udall, Mike Cerbo,
AIL’s Becky Cutler, and Political Director of
Teamsters Local 455 Ted Textor
proposal. We knew it was important to labor and
therefore important to us. We certainly cared about this
issue, but we were never ordained to be leaders!
A lesson on leadership: Stand up for what you know is
right, be passionate about your commitment, do not
let nay-sayers stop your efforts, and amazing results
are possible!
Call in the support
05

From the desk of
Denise Bowyer
Vice President of Public Relations
Un-Ordained Leadership- Continued
I am proud to say that our collective un-ordained results
on the Employee Free Choice Act have truly been
nothing short of phenomenal!
• We are now known and recognized as the only
company in America speaking out publicly on the
importance of workers, union workers’ contributions
to the economy and our communities, workers’ rights
to organize, and why the Employee Free Choice Act is
good for business and workers.
• We have distributed over 35,000 Employee Free
Choice Act pamphlets, collecting over 7,000 signatures
for the million member mobilization.
• We have contributed over $50,000 directly to the
EFCA Media Fund and helped raise an additional
$30,000 to fund pro-EFCA television and print ads.
• SGAs and PR Representatives have published local
letters to the editors and have been public surrogates on
a workers’ right to organize.
• Roger’s opinions have received national publication;
online at Business Week, and a recent interview with the
Wall Street Journal.
• We have maximized our VOTE contributions
on every U.S. Senate Race, worked with allies in the
progressive movement and CTW to identify key House
races, and provided additional resources for GOTV
to targeted State Feds. We’ve been smarter about
leveraging those gives at a local level.
You see, leadership starts with a passion. Leadership
is not ordained! Leadership takes on a life of its own.
Recognition is merely the byproduct of your actions. I
am proud to be a part of the AIL Tribe, and the Tribe
of working families. I am proud of our results, and I am
hopeful for the future.
In closing, be assured, the only ordination you will ever
receive is to believe in the infinite possibilities born of
your passion. That choice is yours.
PR Manager Rachelle Valdez with
Nevada Senator Harry Reid
Mississippi AFL-CIO President Robert Shaffer, AIL
PR Rep Patti L. Morgan, and Former
Mississippi Governor Ronnie Musgrove
06

2009 PR SUMMIT
2009 PR Summit
Shhhh….can you hear it? If you listen very quietly
perhaps you can hear the faint, rhythmic sound of
distant drums…bump, bump….bump, bump…
much like the beat of your own heart. Be very still.
Close your eyes. Maybe you sense more than you
hear, the hypnotic vibrations as they are carried
gently on the warm, balmy breeze. Perhaps you
find yourself rocking rhythmically back and forth,
as if the beat has entered your soul. The animals
stop and perk their ears. Lizards and snakes pause
cautiously on tropical branches to test the air with
their forked tongues. What can it be? What can
this mean?
As the tempo increases and the vibrations
become stronger, you realize, “Yes! A message
is being spread.” What is it? Bump, bump….
bump, bump. Wait! A vision is slowly coming to
you. Through the haze you begin to sense people,
many people, great wisdom and great joy. Bump,
bump….bump, bump. PR….Summit….PR….
Summit. You awaken from your trance-like state,
refreshed and renewed, and you know. The plans
have begun. PR Summit 2009. You must prepare,
and you, too, must join in spreading the word to
all those who will gather there, those coming from
far and wide.
PR Summit 2009
1st Year PR Rep Training
January 22, 2009
General Session
January 23, 2009 – January, 24, 2009
Hilton DFW Lakes Executive
Conference Center
Grapevine, TX
Come, Witness the Explosion!
Last year’s Summit was a blast!
Come witness the explosion
07

Important Dates
Thanksgiving 11.27.08
Christmas 12.25.08
New Year 01.01.09
Summit 01.23-24.09
SEP IRA/PR Matching Bonus
Independent Contractor SEP IRA/PR
Matching Bonus:
To encourage each self-employed PR Rep and PR
Manager to save for his or her retirement, AIL/
NILICO offers each of you an opportunity to
receive matching bonus contribution funds into
a qualified retirement account as a self-employed
PR person based on your years of service. The
rules are slightly different for U.S. and Canadian
contributions. It is important to review the
appropriate regulations for specific details
regarding contribution funds in the COPE 15,
OPEIU 277, and CEP 247 union agreements. For
more information, contact Danielle Wojchowski
at dwojchowski@ailife.com.
Year-End Cut-Off
Centralized Territories
It is hard to believe it is almost 2009! In
anticipation of the upcoming holidays and the
new year, it’s time to establish our year-end cutoff
dates for mailings. In order to avoid a drop in
response rates due to the holiday season, our cutoff
date for shipping printed jobs from the printer
to the PR Rep or group will be December 5, 2008.
Shipments will resume December 26th. Cut-off
for mailing to the members is December 12th.
Jobs being mailed direct to the members from
the printer will not be mailed between December
13th and December 25th, and PR Reps should
not mail any pieces between December 13th and
December 25th. If you receive a job and are not
able to get it in the mail by the 12th, please hold
the job until after December 25th.
Any job fully approved (meaning proofs approved
by PR Rep and group, with no outstanding
items needed for printing) by November 17th
will be printed and out, either to the PR Rep by
December 5th or, if the printer is mailing, direct to
the members by December 12th. Please work closely
with your PR Coordinator to make sure all needed
approvals are complete by November 17th.
Non-Centralized Territories
Can you believe it is almost 2009? As a result, it’s
time to begin thinking about year-end cut-off dates
for mailings in 2008. To avoid a drop in response
rates due to the holiday season, we suggest you drop
your mailings no later than December 12th, and do
not resume mailing until after December 25th.
Please remember it is important that you have your
TGs and letters in Home Office in plenty of time
to receive approval and still get them printed before
December 12th. Our volume increases significantly
so the approval process takes slightly longer than
usual around this time. Please plan accordingly.
Share your field experiences
Contact Kristin Ramsey at kramsey@ailife.com
08

ReachingEndlessPeaks
Figures are current as of September 2008.
*The asterisks shown indicate that place will be a year-to-date award winner. You can view the 2009
Convention Qualifications online at www.ailife.com or www.nilife.com. Check your production! If there is an
asterisk by your position, you could be on your way to the Beverly Hilton, home of the Golden Globe Awards!
The convention will be held May 14-17, 2009.
Chuck Hill
PR Manager PR Manager
*1. Chuck Hill 53,097 Cards Jatoft-Foti
*2. Malka Arony 52,831 Cards Los Angeles/Hartman
3. Susan Fuldauer 51,542 Cards HO IN
Rona Pileggi Spano
Category A
Al Wall
Category B
Kenneth Altizer
Category C
Category A
*1. Rona Pileggi Spano 24,806 Cards HO Chicago
*2. Chuck Hill 21,017 Cards Jatoft-Foti
3. Brenda Di Somma 20,408 Cards HO NJ
4. Larry Lozano 16,188 Cards Jatoft-Foti
5. Mark Gagliardi 15,559 Cards Jatoft-Foti
Category B
*1. Al Wall 29,245 Cards Josh Chalom
*2. Robin Andrade 24,438 Cards HO MA
3. Vivian Dwyer 17,407 Cards HO VA
4. Michelle Baxter 14,643 Cards HO IN
5. Cynthia Layton 14,173 Cards HO KS
Category C
*1. Kenneth Altizer 105 Groups HO WV
*2. Donald Spohn 58 Groups Surace-Smith
3. Richard Case 53 Groups Surace-Smith
4. Cheryl Cook 50 Groups HO PA
5. Jerry Hartnett 46 Groups Surace-Smith
09

Congratulations
Do you have an upcoming wedding or birth announcement you would like to make?
Let us highlight your next milestone in Without Borders. Send event details to
kramsey@ailife.com along with your contact information.
Nadine Boudreault gets Married
On September 20, 2008, Nadine Boudreault (PR
Rep, Cat. A) married Rod Palmer. The wedding took
place at the beautiful Third Avenue United Church
in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The groom, who is a
Journeyman Carpenter, is a General Contractor and
business owner. Nadine has provided AIL/NILICO
with 2 years of excellent service, and we look forward
to following her career as a vital member of our PR
force. Congratulations, Nadine and Rod!
I’d love to give Nadine my congratulations
on her recent nuptials and wish her and her
husband many, many years of happiness!”
-Denise Seniuk
I would like to pass my congratulations
on to Nadine and her new husband,
Rod, on their marriage. Now some
more great news - Nadine has qualified
for Convention, so Nadine and Rod can
have a second honeymoon in Hollywood,
California. Congratulations, and all the
best to both of you.”
-Leo Van Den Bussche
Congratulations, Nadine! I hope that you
and Rod lead a long, healthy and happy
life together! All the best!”
-Laura Mackin
“Life has taught us that love does not
consist in gazing at each other but in looking
outward together in the same direction.”
-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, from the
novel Wind, Sand and Stars, 1939
10