Exclusivefocus Summer 2012.pdf - National Association of ...

president’s letterThe State of NAPAAand NAPAA’S National EA Conference& Annual Board MeetingIn SolidarityBob IsacsenPresidentNAPAA/OPEIUGuild 17I just returned home today from New Orleansafter participating in our annual conference andboard meeting at Harrah’s Hotel & Casino, June20-22. The board meeting was held the day beforethe formal conference began and was attended bythe full board and several guests. With transparencyat the center of all we do, NAPAA membersare customarily invited and encouraged to attend.The board meeting lasted all day and into theevening. We reviewed our financial condition andagreed on the final budget for 2012 to 2013. I ampleased to report that NAPAA remains in strongfinancial condition and able to meet all of its financialobligations.In today’s economy, growing membership at allassociations is both difficult and challenging, butthanks to Allstate’s recent moves – such as cuttingagent compensation, extending TPP paymentsto 24 months and carrying out its unsavory andunwarranted agent termination plan – NAPAAsucceeded in growing its membership during thefiscal year that ended May 31st. Interestingly, thisdouble-digit growth in membership is taking placewhile the agency owner population is dramaticallyshrinking.It would appear that Allstate agents are muchbrighter than the company thinks, because in spiteof Allstate’s attempts to stymie the growth ofNAPAA, agents have not been fooled by the company’smore than obvious efforts to lull them into afalse sense of security. Even those agents who havebeen around for just a few years have seen theirdreams begin to shatter as the management teamhas waged war – albeit inconspicuously at times –on the agents of this great company. While mostagents understand that it is not possible to changea leopard’s spots, company leaders have recentlydonned a new face because they know they’ve gonetoo far and pushed too hard. If truth be told, theydon’t like you any more than they did last year; theyare simply trying to preserve their jobs. If leadershipwas really serious about making amends tothe agency force, Matt Winter would be the newCEO and Tom Wilson would be standing in theunemployment line. Thankfully, most of you seethrough the smoke and mirrors.Michael Goodwin, president, and Kevin Kistler,vice president of the Office and ProfessionalEmployees International Union (OPEIU), bothattended the conference. Michael Goodwin addressedthe board as well as the conference attendeesand has personally assisted us in our growthinitiatives and long-term strategies. OPEIU hasfurther enhanced our member benefit packagewhile giving us the resources and intellectual capitalthat is helping to level the playing field whendealing with a corporation the size of Allstate.When we affiliated with OPEIU, our membersbecame eligible to utilize their member benefits. Iam pleased to announce that one of our membersin the Capital Region won the $6,500 HowardCoughlin Memorial Scholarship award offeredthrough our affiliation with OPEIU. We have alsohad several agents take advantage of the E&Odeductible reimbursement benefit, which was designedespecially for NAPAA. This benefit pays20% of your E&O deductible up to $500. In thesedifficult and uncertain economic times, agentsneed all the help they can get.The following two additional member benefitshave been approved by your board and will be announcedshortly:• De-regulation of energy in Washington D.C,TX, MD, DE, PA, NJ, NY, CT, MA and IL hascreated an opportunity for NAPAA to sponsora discount Green Energy program provided byViridian and Ambit Energy, two of the leadingenergy providers in the U.S.• A new Prescription Drug purchasing paradigmis being sponsored by NAPAA and offeredby BidRx. Discounts over standard pricing are ashigh as 80% and are generally lower than the copaymentunder your prescription drug health plan.The guest speaker program at the annualContinued on page 8.6 — Exclusivefocus Summer 2012