Conference Schedule
September 14-16, 2023 | Palm Desert, CA
The largest P&C event in the west
Schedule at a Glance
Details Coming in Summer 2023
Schedule at a Glance
Join us Sept 22 – 24, 2022. All times are listed in Pacific standard time (PST).
Check back often for updates.
Thurs 22 Sept
Fri 23 Sept
Sat 24 Sept
Thurs 22 Sept
Thursday
22 Sept 2022
6:00 am
Golf Tournament Check-In/Registration
6:00 am
7:00 am
Golf Tournament Tee-Off
7:00 am
7:30 am
Conference Registration
7:30 am – 6:00 pm
8:00 am
Exhibitor Booth Set-Up
8:00 am – 6:00 pm
12:30 pm
Golf Awards Lunch
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
2:30 pm
CE: 2 Units
Commercial Auto Hints and Tips
Lynn DellaCroce, CIC, CISR, CPIW, LDC Educational Training
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
This course reviews the coverages included and not included in this complex policy. Many agents do not understand the importance of adding particular endorsements to the form to provide the necessary coverage. Agents do not always understand the exclusions. This course reviews the need for certain endorsements and coverages.
3:00 pm
CE: 3 Units
The Ethical Professional
(repeated Saturday at 1:00 p.m.)
Don Hodby, Jr., President, Retrospxt Holding, LLC
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
In this CE class we will review what it means to be an ethical professional in the insurance industry. Distinguish between legal and ethical behavior and legal but unethical behavior; Reinforce our understanding of proper vs. improper and honest vs dishonest behavior; and provide examples of good and bad licensee conduct.
5:00 pm
CE: 1 Unit
Avoiding Pitfalls in the Commercial General Liability Policy
Lynn DellaCroce, CIC, CISR, CPIW, LDC Educational Training
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
This course reviews some of the common areas of concern where agents oftentimes do not have a clear understanding of the coverage provided on the insurance policy. This course provides a detailed explanation of those areas.
6:00 pm
Welcome Mixer Sponsored by Capital Resources, LLC
6:00 pm- 7:30 pm
Fri 23 Sept
Friday
23 Sept 2022
7:30 am
Conference Registration
7:30 am – 5:00 pm
8:00 am
Workshop
Why, What & How for Earthquake Insurance
Deepak Menon, Chief Operating Officer, GeoVera Insurance
8:00 am – 9:00 am
Join us for an in-depth discussion about the importance of Earthquake Insurance in your agency’s portfolio. This workshop includes information on the California Marketplace, why it is critical to offer Earthquake now more than ever and valuable selling tips. Great opportunity to get your questions answered and meet the GeoVera team.
CE: 3 Units (Accident & Health or Sickness credit only)
Navigating Healthcare Choices
Mary Kananen, LyteSpeed Learning
8:00 am – 11:00 am
This course will educate attendees on the various different types of Healthcare plans available in today’s market, thus enabling agents to better advise their clientele looking for Healthcare coverage. (NOTE: credit for this class is only for Accident, Health or Sickness licenses, not P&C)
8:30 am
Workshop
Thinking of Selling? Unbiased Answers for You
Charles Goldblum, CFA, CFP, Personal & Business Advisor, Hurley Capital, LLC
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Selling your business can be a big decision…one worth getting right the first time. In this session you’ll learn about current trends in Insurance Brokerage M&A (Are rollups still paying high multiples?), choosing the right M&A advisor (Am I getting as much as I can? Are there conflicts?), and how to maximize your net proceeds (How can I pay less taxes?). What you learn will help to minimize stress and build confidence for what’s next, whether it’s a comfortable retirement or ongoing growth as part of a larger entity.
CE: 2 Units
What is the True Cost of a Workers’ Compensation Claim
Lynn DellaCroce, CIC, CISR, CPIW, LDC Educational Training
8:30 am – 10:30 am
This course reviews the hidden costs of a WC policy. Costs are much more than just a rate times a payroll. Experience Modifications are discussed as well as other costs such as employee morale, time, modified duty, safety precautions, legal expenses, rehabilitation, etc.
9:15 am
CE: 1 Unit
Ethics (Suitability)
James Russ, CEO, Mike Russ Financial Training Centers, Inc.
9:15 am – 10:15 am
This course is designed to teach the agent how to ask the right questions to define what are suitable recommendations to meet the clients needs and wants. We will be doing a “clarity” experience to prioritize what is most important to the clients goals. This course is approved for 1 hour of CE for both licenses.
Workshop
Navigating a Payments Transformation
Brad Olivier, Chief Revenue Officer, ePayPolicy
9:15 am – 10:15 am
According to a November 2021 survey of 400 CFO’s by PYMNTS.com, 71% of insurance firms believe that payments digitization is the key to a healthy balance sheet, and 91% believe that digitizing payments has made their operations more efficient. How can companies make the leap while keeping in mind issues of security, cost and integration with existing software and processes? With the right guide and plan, the leap to modern payments solution isn’t as scary as it might sound, and the payoff for the companies who take advantage is real.
9:30 am
Workshop
Win Online: Get Found, Get Chosen
Lucas Hendricks, CEO, Lift Local
9:30 am – 10:00 am
I’ll provide agents with education on how Google ranks agencies in local searches. I’ll then provide practical ways agencies can easily and efficiently improve their search traffic and also get chosen more frequently. Get found. Get chosen.
10:15 am
Workshop
Your 30-Day Agency Fitness Plan
Vira Magallanes-Egli, Sales Director, Record Guardian
10:15 am – 11:00 am
This workshop is designed to help agency owners create a 30-day agency plan to increase staff motivation and engagement, increase retention, increase revenue, and develop a culture of open communication, exchange, and fun.
10:30 am
Workshop
Building the Modern Independent Insurance Agency
Clinton Houck, Director of National Partnerships, P&C Market, QuoteWizard
10:30 am – 11:00 am
Technology, when used properly, should enhance the personalized consumer experience, not replace it. Here we will look at the tools and strategies used to attract online consumers, blending agent expertise and technology, to build a scalable modern insurance agency.
10:45 am
CE: 1 Unit
Commercial Submission
James Russ, CEO, Mike Russ Financial Training Centers, Inc.
10:45 am – 11:45 am
This course is designed to educate the agent on what is needed by underwriters to put together commercial deals for general liability, workers compensation and commercial auto. We will also discuss technology that may be utilized in the process of writing the policies. This course is approved for 1 hour of CE for the P&C license.
11:00 am
CE: 1 Unit
Personal Lines Underwriting, Aiming for Excellence
Tyler Nicholson, Vice President, Marketing, Aspire General Insurance Service
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
One-hour of CA-approved CE will be provided for participants of this class. We will cover how to have quality underwriting practices to control your carrier loss ratio and how that will ensure strong carrier relationships.
11:15 am
Workshop
An Exponentially Growing Market: The Evolution of Cannabis Insurance
Jon Spratt, Leader, Aon Programs Agile Business Accelerator, Aon and
Walter Baker, Jr., Vice President of D&O Insurance, Golden Bear Insurance Company
11:15 am – 12:00 pm
A brief history of how Cannabis Insurance started and where it is today (market statistics, regulatory backdrop, growth potential, etc.) As well as the unqiue risks that Cannabis Companies face – with a focus on Management Liabilities Exposures and what agents should do to make sure their clients operating in this space are well protected.
Workshop
Grow Your Book with E&S Business
John Bowen, Vice President, Aspera Insurance Services and
Caitlin McMillan, Training & Development Specialist, Kinsale Insurance Company
11:15 am – 12:00 pm
Instead of referring hard-to-insure accounts to other agencies, learn how the E&S market can create new opportunities for your agency to grow its book.
Workshop
Agency Acquisitions: Top Considerations for Sellers
Mark Robinson, Esq., Founding Partner, Michelman & Robinson, LLP
11:15 am – 12:15 pm
Review of important issues and legal issues to consider when selling your agency in the current marketplace. We will discuss corporate housekeeping, selecting advisors, letter of intent and definitive agreement.
12:00 pm
Trade Show Floor Open
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Strolling Lunch (Open to all attendees)
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
1:00 pm
Workshop
Connected Insurance for a Connected World
Don Hodby, Jr., President, Retrospxt Holding, LLC
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
In this session we will review the current hardening insurance marketplace, the trends impacting the industry (Data, AI & embedded insurance), and what agents and smaller insurers can do to strive. Attendees will learn strategies to use data, AI, and find opportunities to sustain growth and lower operational cost in the coming years.
1:30 pm
CE: 2 Units
Interpreting Cyber Coverage
Mary Kananen, LyteSpeed Learning
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
In today’s world Cyber-crimes have increased tenfold. This course will explain the different components of a Cyber policy and why this coverage is necessary in today’s business environment.
4:30 pm
Drawings & Cash Giveaways on Trade Show Floor
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm
5:30 pm
A Very Happy Hour (Ticketed Event)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
6:30 pm
Company Hospitalities
6:30 pm onward
Sat 24 Sept
Saturday
24 Sept 2022
7:30 am
Conference Registration
7:30 am – 5:00 pm
7:45 am
CE: 1 Unit
Improving Customer Service Through Outsourcing
Diana DePaola, Director of Sales, Staff Boom – Outsourced Solutions
7:45 am – 8:45 am
This course is an introduction to outsourcing services for agencies, wholesalers and carriers. The course will review the typical services outsourced with associated benefits and challenges. We will review how to identify the right vendor, understand the technology and security issues, and the process from start to finish.
Workshop
Building Value in Your Agency in 2022 and Beyond
Peter Freidman, President and CEO, AgileCap and
Jon Jamieson, CIC, Senior Agency Advisor, AgileCap
7:45 am – 8:45 am
The year 2021 saw record high agency organic growth, as well as agency transactions and sales velocity. How did that activity, along with other economic drivers, contribute to the current financial landscape and how might it impact insurance agencies? How should you approach agency growth in this competitive market? Should you buy or build? If you choose acquisition, what should you look for as you seek an agency or book and go through due diligence? How can you endeavor to minimize financial risk as you plan to grow your future agency strategically? Join us for a no-nonsense, info-packed session, which includes a lively Q&A – get answers to your “real-world” agency growth questions.
CE: 1 Unit
The Future of the Independent Agent
John Fear, Owner, Premier Business Consulting
7:45 am – 8:45 am
With the advent of major retailers and product delivery services knocking at the door of the insurance industry, the future and relevance of the independent insurance agent continues to be challenged. The question is, what does the future for the independent agent look like and how can they differentiate themselves as licensed risk managers in an environment that has become increasingly “all about price”. This course will look at the future of the independent agent and how they can use the variety of tools available to them to uniquely identify themselves as a resource to protect client’s assets and businesses in an ever-changing marketplace.
8:00 am
Workshop
Social Media for Independent Insurance Agencies
Joel Zwicker, Evangelist, Agency Revolution
8:00 am – 9:00 am
Social media is a powerful tool for insurance agencies. It enables agencies to build their brand and attract new customers. With a wide choice of different platforms, it’s hard to figure out which to prioritize, let alone decide what to post or write. Luckily, it doesn’t need to be complicated. Developing a successful social media strategy is as simple as implementing a few proven best practices.
CE: 2 Units
The Importance of E&O, D&O, and EPLI Coverages
Mary Kananen, LyteSpeed Learning
8:00 am – 10:00 am
This course is designed to enlighten agents on the importance of Errors & Omissions, Directors & Officers, and Employment Practices Liability coverages. Expanding ones knowledge on these types of policies will allow agents to better assist their commercial clients to choose the most suitable coverages to protect themselves and their businesses.
9:00 am
CE: 1 Unit
Workers’ Compensation 101
James Russ, CEO, Mike Russ Financial Training Centers, Inc.
9:00 am – 10:00 am
This course is designed to give an overview of the workers compensation world including: data collection, rating factors, technology, underwriting process and more. This course is approved for 1 hour of CE for the P&C license.
CE: 1 Unit
Living in Earthquake Country…The Risk is Real!
Craig Justice, President & CEO/Agency Consultant, Arrowhead General Insurarnce Agency, Inc.
9:00 am – 10:00 am
This is a review of earthquake risk and exposures, including commercial and residential earthquake insurance solutions and sales techniques to help agents protect their customers and grow/maximize revenue to their agency.
Workshop
Guide to Videos for Insurance
Joel Zwicker, Evangelist, Agency Revolution
9:00 am – 10:00 am
Lights, camera… panic? Video is one of the most powerful tools available to insurance agents to engage their audience and develop deeper connections. Knowing where to get started can be scary—but have no fear, we are here to help you get started. During this session attendees will get a step-by-step walk through of everything you need to know to create and publish videos to promote your agency.
Workshop
Technology in the Insurance Agency: The Tug-of-War on Data Ownership
Jerry Fox, VP Carrier Relations, HawkSoft
9:00 am – 10:00 am
This presentation will cover the independent insurance agent of today including: Insurance Technology Stack (mobile apps, data analytics, business intelligence, 3rd party data provider, market automation, review management, and more); Data Accumulation; Flexibility; Data Security; Data Ownership, including the tug-of-war between client, carrier, technology vendor and agency, 3 questions to ask technology partners to clarify who owns your data, and a data autonomy checklist.
10:00 am
GENERAL SESSION: Keynote Panel Sponsored by Edge
Eric Hallinan, CVA
Managing Director, MarshBerry &
Andrew Katz
Senior Vice President, MarshBerry
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
11:45 am
Progressive $5,000 Cash Giveaway
(Only Full Producer Pass Registrants Eligible)
12:00 pm
Trade Show Floor Open
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Strolling Lunch (Open to all attendees)
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
1:00 pm
CE: 3 Units
The Ethical Professional (repeated Thursday at 3:00 p.m.)
Don Hodby, Jr., President, Retrospxt Holding, LLC
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
In this CE class we will review what it means to be an ethical professional in the insurance industry. Distinguish between legal and ethical behavior, and legal but unethical behavior; Reinforce our understanding of proper vs. improper and honest vs dishonest behavior; and provide examples of good and bad licensee conduct.
2:00 pm
CE: 1 Unit
Legislative Update 2022
Mary Kananen, LyteSpeed Learning
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
This course will provide an update on the latest legislative actions recently passed into Law that affect the insurance industry.
Dessert Sponsored by Zywave
2:00 pm
4:30 pm
Drawings & Cash Giveaways on Trade Show Floor
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm
5:01 pm
Exhibitor Booth Breakdown
5:01 pm – 9:00 pm
6:00 pm
Annual Members-Only Meeting & Reception
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Join us for a special VIP American Agents Alliance members-only hosted cocktail reception & brief meeting with the board of directors.
7:00 pm
Grand Finale Dinner Mixer Sponsored by Wright Flood Insurance (Ticketed Event)
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Join us poolside for dinner under the stars and live entertainment. Mix and mingle with friends and colleagues as you enjoy food stations and entertainment in this oasis setting.
8:30 pm
Casino Night (Open to all attendees)
8:30 pm – 11:30 pm
The casino opens at 8:30pm. All Conference attendees are welcomed at this fun-filled, casual event! There are no buy-ins – just grab your chips at the door and enjoy blackjack, poker, roulette and craps.