The Big I Virginia Winter 2019

STATE NATIONAL DIRECTOR
MICHAEL F.
FUNKHOUSER
mikehm@shentel.net
IIAV’S DIAMOND AWARD WINNING EDUCATIONAL TEAM
SUPPORTS YOUR CONTINUED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
It was an honor to watch IIAV’s Director of Education
& Professional Development, Carter Lyons, accept
IIABA’s Diamond Award for Excellence in Insurance
Education at the Fall Leadership Conference in Savannah
on September 12. This is the seventh consecutive year
that IIAV has been honored with this award. The Diamond
Award is the highest form of recognition that a state
association can receive on an annual basis.
The award is not a contest among peer Associations, but
instead meant to recognize and award state associations
and their staffs who have made significant contributions
to education for their members
and the insurance industry. The
key areas of qualification are class
offerings, continuing education,
professionalism, designation
offerings, industry collaboration,
planning goals, marketing, and
resources.
As we begin to embark on the end
of another continuing education
biennium, let’s not forget the
tremendous CE offerings, as well as
professional designation offerings,
our association provides for us over
a variety of platforms. We are all busy
and time is a valuable resource. IIAV
gives you the flexibility of attending
a class or taking a class online via
webinars.
In a world of cavemen and lizards,
one’s professional development
and knowledge can provide a world
of differentiation to the buying
public. Ol’ Ben Franklin’s quote
is one that should resonate to
everyone in your organization.
It seems that I write about
membership benefits a lot in this
column, but none is more beneficial than the educational
opportunities our membership affords. IIAV’s Diamond
Award Winning Educational team, led by Carter Lyons, is
there to support your continued professional development.
AN INVESTMENT IN
KNOWLEDGE PAYS THE
BEST INTEREST
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
10 THE BIG VIRGINIA WINTER 2019