South Carolina Agent & Broker Winter 2019

People Pathways Purpose
IIABSC Annual Convention
Oct. 14–16
Hyatt Regency, Greenville, SC
Young Agent of the Year
Benjamin C. Myers, AIP of Russell Massey
& Co. Inc. in Columbia, SC has been
named the IIABSC Young Agent of the
Year.
Ben is a vice president at Russell
Massey & Company in Columbia, an
agency he joined in 2004. He began his insurance
career with Nationwide Insurance
in 2002 after graduating from Clemson
University.
Ben is a current member of the IIABSC
Board of Directors and vice chair of the
young agents committee. He has also been
active member of the young agents committee
as well as the junior golf committee
and our national tournament committee
this year. Ben also represented IIABSC
at this year’s national Big I young agent
leadership conference.
Ben has served on the State Auto
Insurance agent council and is a past president
of the Independent Insurance Agents
of Greater Columbia. He is a past president
of the Camden Jaycees, served on the
board of Camden Country Club and is a
member of Bethesda Presbyterian Church
in Camden.
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. It has been sponsored by AFCO/
Prime Rate Premium Finance in Florence
for more than twenty years.
Industry Person of the Year
John D. Miletti of Travelers Property
Casualty 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.
John serves as Vice President and
Government Relations Counsel for Travelers
Property Casualty, managing their
Personal Lines legislative and regulatory
affairs countrywide. He also serves on
the board of the South Carolina Wind &
Hail Underwriting Association. Travelers
Insurance is a valuable company partner
for many independent agencies, and John
Miletti has been a tremendous friend and
ally of independent agents across the state.
Outstanding CSR of the Year
Anna M. Kocuba, CISR, of Kinghorn
Insurance Agency of Beaufort, SC was
recognized as the SC Outstanding CSR of
the Year. The award recognizes those who
demonstrate exceptional customer service
on a daily basis.
Anna has been in the insurance industry
for nearly 25 years. She was her agency’s
very first Employee of the Year, and for
several years now helps coordinate with a
team of her co-workers the donations to a
local food bank.
A supervisor said this about her: “Anna
demonstrates mastery of skills in stressful
and complicated situations requiring high
levels of intelligence and understanding.
Anna serves not only as a useful individual
asset to our company, but also as a cooperative
and attentive team player. Her actions
consistently inspire and motivate other
associates.”
Her clients sing her praises too. A
health services commercial client said
that she is more like a private assistant for
his various insurance needs, and that her
charm, patience and personality always
makes him feel like a welcomed client. He
marveled at her grace under pressure in
handling losses/damages after the hurricane
season of 2017.
Chairman Citation
Lee P. Ellis, CPCU, CIC, AAI was recognized
for his service to IIABSC and the entirely
of South Carolina with a Chairman’s
Citation from Tom Bates. He organized
and led the state host committee as host to
the 50th and final Trusted Choice Big “I”
National Championship junior golf tournament
this summer on Daniel Island.
InsurPac fundraiser
Those who made contributions leading up
to the conference and onsite were entered
in a drawing to win a Saffire Grill, one
chance for every $100 contributed. There
was also a drawing for gift cards. Winners
did not have to be present.
Overall, InsurPac raised nearly $35,000
leading up to and during our convention.
The winner of the grill was Peter Burrous
of Johnson & Johnson in Charleston.
Winners of the gift cards were Cary Wilson
of Smart Choice Agents of South Carolina
in Greenville and Tom Bates of Herlong
Bates Burnett in Greenville.
Winter 2019 • South Carolina Agent & Broker 13