MARCH 2010 - The National Capital Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFSP) recently hosted its 13th Annual Professional Night. The evening event, held at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, Va., drew insurance and financial service professionals from throughout Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. for networking with others in the profession. Keynote speaker for the event was Tucker Carlson, TV political commentator and journalist. Photos are of event attendees.

22 Photos

JANUARY 2010-The Baltimore chapters of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and the Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFSP) held their joint annual education meeting recently at the Sheppard Pratt Conference Center near Towson. Among other professionals in attendance were Adele Zilber of Belman Klein Associates, and Greg Jachelski, principal of Financial Solutions Group.

1 Photos

DECEMBER 2009-Brokerage Services International recently played host to a series of BSI Roadshows in Maryland and Northern Virginia for life insurance agents. Attendees received continuing education credits and heard product presentations from John Hancock and MetLife representatives. BSI staff involved in the event included Suzanne Sargent, Kathy Gabor and Jeanna Wolf. Pictured are of some of the attendees from the Linthicum, Md., event.

12 Photos

November 2009: For the second year, the Independent Insurance Agents of Maryland has provided an opportunity for agents to connect with their lobbyists, regulators and legislators through the IIAM Legislative Summit. Held in the conference center of The Maritime Institute in Linthicum, the event included an ethics and disclosure presentation by Vince Phillips, a lobbyist and consultant with Phillips Associates in Pennsylvania; remarks from state Sen. Thomas M. “Mac” Middleton and Del. Roger Manno; a regulatory update from Maryland Insurance Commissioner Ralph S. Tyler; and a panel discussion on contractual compliance featuring Pat McHugh Lambert, Lauren Ades and Drake Zaharris of Hodes, Pessin & Katz law firm in Baltimore. Photos are of various attendees and speakers.

17 Photos

October 2009: The NAIFA Baltimore Charitable Foundation held a reception at Libertore’s Restaurant in Timonium recently, to thank the original donors who created the foundation’s endowment in 1997. Project Chair Edel Blumberg, along with Ross Carozza, Foundation President Mike Leonard and Executive Director Melanie Morris greeted the NAIFA members who helped raise over $185,000 from 1997 to 2001. Original contributors in attendance included Emil “Buzzy” Budnitz, Jr., Chet Duke, Jr., Ross Carozza, Dick Patterson, L. John Barnes, Dennis Bauernschub, Edel Blumberg, Dave Derby, Haswell Franklin, Pamela Gilmour, Brian Hughes, Sanford Jacobson, Francis Kelly III, Charles Klein, Dan Konick. Sally Leimbach, Betsy Morrison, and Brian Walsh. Since the original endowment was formed, the foundation has spent more than $300,000 on community service projects including: The Hopkins Starbright Project, Thanksgiving in February, Habitat for Humanity, Children’s Hospital Christmas parties, Make A Wish, Ronald McDonald House, and the Central Scholarship Bureau. Charitable activities of the local chapter of NAIFA (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors) began in1922, when George S. Robertson, who at the time was secretary treasurer of what was to become the Baltimore Life Underwriters Association, took presents to the Harriett Lane Children’s Ward at Johns Hopkins Hospital. That tradition has continued every year since.

4 Photos

October 2009--The Maryland chapter of the CPCU Society recognized its 21 CPCU designees at its 57th Annual Conferment Dinner, held at the Sheraton-Columbia Inn in Columbia, Md. Five of the designees attended the event, where Maryland Insurance Commissioner Ralph S. Tyler and J. Howard Kucher, executive director of entrepreneurship programs at the University of Baltimore Merrick School of Business spoke to about 70 attendees. New officers, past presidents and the 2009 CPCU Champions were recognized. Photos of attendees, designees and others.

13 Photos

OCTOBER 2009: The Greater Washington Association of Health Underwriters (GWAHU) held its 13th annual charity golf tournament in October at Norbeck Country Club. The event raised funds for CureSearch, also known as the National Childhood Cancer Foundation/Children’s Oncology Group. More than 90 golfers were greeted by beautiful weather and a pristine golf course, and treated to lunch and dinner. Tony Covington, director of corporate relations for CureSearch and former defensive safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks (also standout player for the University of Virginia Cavaliers), spoke to the gathering about the CureSearch organization. Photos are of golfers and other attendees.

30 Photos

OCTOBER 2009 - The Insurance Roundtable of Baltimore held its 63rd annual F. Addison Fowler Fall Seminar at the Bonnie Blink Masonic Grand Lodge in Hunt Valley, Md. The seminar featured several presentations, including “Focus on Fraud” by Carolyn Henneman, fraud division chief for the Maryland Insurance Administration; a look at the Defense Base Act with Hal White of Chubb & Sons; and a look at directors and officers liability by Cary Meiners of Travelers Insurance. Founded in 1946 by Fowler, the roundtable was conceived to help keep the insurance community abreast of changes and to provide a format to foster a monthly exchange of ideas between agents, carriers and support organizations. Pictured are attendees and presenters.

25 Photos

JUNE 2009 -- The Independent Insurance Agents of Maryland installed its new officers for the 2009-2010 term at their annual installation dinner, held recently at the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, Md.
Lars Olson of Olson Inc. in Gambrills, Md., will serve as chairman of the agents’ association. Bill Knobloch of Knobloch Insurance in Manchester, Md., will serve as chairman-elect and Dennis Lawson of Wetzel & Lanzi Insurance in Lutherville, Md., is the new vice chairman.
The state national director for the new term is Michael McCartin of Joseph McCartin Insurance in College Park, Md., director-at-large is Angela Ripley of V.W. Brown Insurance in Columbia, Md., and G. Bradford Reeves was confirmed as past president representative.
Angela Ferguson of Brothers Insurance Associates in Westminster, Md., will serve as immediate past chair. The IIAM also appointed two new board members: Christopher Smith of The Barbour Group of Westminster, Md., and Rick Raley of Raley, Combs & Reeves.
The officers were installed by Elmer Rhody, who is celebrating his 62nd year in the insurance industry.
Former Baltimore Colts' running back Lenny Moore attended and signed autographs at the event.

12 Photos

JUNE 2009 -- The Baltimore chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals held its annual meeting at the Baltimore Country Club June 3. The gavel was passed from outgoing President Nelson Hyman to Thomas Ogle Jr., both NAIFA members. Other officers for the 2009-2010 membership year are: Edward Soper Jr, president-elect; Kalen Baxter, vice president; and Adele Zilber, treasurer. New directors serving two year terms are Donald Arnold, Jeffrey Lang and Kelly Stahl. Directors remaining on the board are Jim Ehrich, Haswell Franklin Jr. and Michael Kitces.
The featured speaker was former Gov. Bob Ehrlich, who spoke on many local and national issues coming up in the Maryland General Assembly and Congress.

13 Photos

MARCH 2009 - The National Capital Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFSP) recently hosted its 12th Annual Professional Night. The evening event, held at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, Va., drew insurance and financial service professionals from throughout Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. for networking with others in the profession. Keynote speaker for the event was George Stephanopoulos, host of ABC’s This Week Sunday morning talk show, and former staff member in the administration of President Bill Clinton. Photos are of various attendees from the event.

8 Photos

JANUARY 2009 - Alan Meltzer (left), CEO of The Meltzer Group, was congratulated for becoming Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company’s (MassMutual) “2008 Agent of the Year” by Stuart Reese (center), MassMutual Chairman and CEO, and Jim Van Eperen, CEO of The Washington Group of MassMutual. Meltzer has won the agent of the year award from MassMutual for 17 years. In 2008, Meltzer led the company in overall first-year commissions and life insurance first-year commissions, achieving this honor 16 times in his career.

1 Photos

FEBRUARY 2009 - Members of the Baltimore chapter of the National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors, the NAIFA Charitable Foundation, and about 50 friends and family were on hand to dedicate a NAIFA-sponsored Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity home to the Valeria Foster family Feb. 21, 2009. Members not only contributed financially, but also hammered nails, put in flooring, and other tasks, along with Ms. Foster, to make a home for the Foster family. "With the handicapped accessible ramp, I will no longer have to carry my son and his wheelchair up and down flights of steps each day," said Foster. This is the 140th completion for the Chesapeake Chapter of Habitat for Humanity and plan on completing 20 more. "These projects cannot be done without the 'sweat equity' and finances of fine organizations such as NAIFA-Baltimore", said Project Superintendent Ian Bukowski.

2 Photos

MAY 2009 - Agents and brokers from all over Maryland gathered for the Maryland State Expo, co-sponsored by the Maryland Association of Health Underwriters and the Maryland chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and held May 20 at Martin’s West in Woodlawn, Md. Among the topics discussed at the day-long event, featuring an awards dinner, trade show and continuing education credits, were how to operate an insurance agency in the current economy and dealing with regulatory changes coming from Annapolis and Washington, D.C. Pictured are attendees, speakers, award recipients and trade show exhibitors.

49 Photos

MAY 2009 -- Freedom Broker Services recently held its annual golf tournament to benefit the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, a group that helps soldiers injured in recent wars. The regional brokerage agency, with offices in Vienna, Va., and Towson, Md., had 52 golfers take to the course at the River Creek Country Club in Leesburg, Va. The event raised $2,500 for the coalition through a putting contest and other donations. Pictured (from left to right) are Lcpl. Joel Klobnak, Airman Laura Narvaez, Freedom Broker Services President Kevin P. Conley, and Specialist Robert "B.J." Jackson.

75 Photos

MARCH 2009 - Keith M. Eig,a principal with Bethesda, Md.-based Greenberg, Wexler & Eig, was awarded the 2009 Bernard L. Wilner Award by the Greater Washington Foundation of Insurance & Financial Advisors March 19. The award is given annually to recognize insurance and financial service professionals who demonstrate high standards of professional conduct and service to their community. Eig began his insurance career in 1989 with Phoenix Home Life. In 1998, Eig began his affiliation with the M Financial Group, becoming partner at Greenberg, Wexler & Eig in 2003. A member of NAIFA-GW since 1990, he served as president in 2005-2006.

15 Photos