Vertafore, the leader in modern insurance technology for independent agents, MGAs, carriers, states and regulators, discussed new initiatives, trends and industry solutions at 2019's Accelerate conference that attracts thousands of insurance professionals. Together, Vertafore and NetVU, the Network of Vertafore Users, recognized award winners at the annual Awards Gala on May 20.
NetVU kicked off the awards ceremony by honoring graduates of the Volunteer Development Program, Chapter MVPs and NetVU Online Community MVPs. This year's Chapter of the Year Award recognized U-VU Ohio for increasing attendance, communicating effectively and drawing in new members and sponsors. The Phoenix Chapter Award, honoring the most improved chapter, went to NetVU New England.
Chubb, the largest commercial insurer in the U.S., earned the prestigious Carrier Automation Excellence Award for its commercial lines digital marketplace to drive efficiency for agents. The award was accepted by Kulsoom Gul, Platform Program Manager at Chubb and leader of the Chubb Marketplace user experience. The Agency Automation Excellence Award was won by Jones Wenner Insurance Partners for leading technology initiatives as early adopters of Vertafore's solutions. The award was accepted by George Dadas, Joyce Sigler, Craig Hassinger and Whitney Malone.
Other award winners recognized at the gala include:
- Insurance Technology Advocate Award in Memory of Wade S. Dunbar, Jr., Rick Morgan of WAHVE (Work at Home Vintage Experts) for pushing carriers, agents and industry organizations to do better to evolve the agent and consumer experience
- Vertafore Champion Award, James B. Oswald Companies for providing Vertafore with valuable, constructive feedback on trends and their potential impact on solutions
- Vertafore Challenger Award, Higgins & Bolduc Agency for pushing Vertafore to develop a deeper understanding of the agent's day-to-day life and challenges
- Joseph M. Rackley Award, Shannan Broughan of Propel Insurance for leading change in her firm as well as tailoring training for her team so they could embrace new tools
- Vertafore Vanguard Award for Innovation, Cannasure for embracing new solution integrations to take the lead in a booming new industry market
- Leadership Award in Memory of Louie E. Woodbury, Jr., Bill Henson of Vertafore for serving as a mentor who goes above and beyond to ensure customers get the most from each of their solutions and integrations
- Volunteer Service Award in Memory of James M. Gibson, Jim Helton of Gulfshore Insurance, Inc. for dedicating his time to train and educate others, as well as serving as an active participant in workgroups to give feedback on future product enhancements
- Chairman's Awards, Russ Turrentine of Turrentine Insurance Agency Inc for volunteering his time to advocate for NetVU members, Vertafore products and independent agents, and Aartrijk for providing development guidance for NetVU's new brand identity and propelling NetVU into the insurance media
Additional highlights at Accelerate included keynote speeches by Vertafore CEO Amy Zupon and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and author Charles Duhigg. Zupon's keynote addressed industry trends such as consolidation, premium growth, the increasing use of data and analytics and the need to attract and empower a new generation of leaders in the insurance sector. The Vertafore team showcased its Customer Success Program, as well as the Innovation Lab, which provided attendees a look at future product upgrades and an opportunity to share their ideas. The team hosted breakout sessions and a TechHub exhibit to educate attendees on how to maximize the value of their technology investments.
"Vertafore serves more insurance industry customers than anyone else in the sector, so our users have a unique opportunity to make the most of their insurance technology investments," said Zupon. "Our Customer Success Program is all about helping them do just that, and it was gratifying to see such an enthusiastic embrace of the program at Accelerate."
To learn more about NetVU, please visit www.netvu.org. To find out more about Vertafore's suite of integrated insurance agency management solutions, visit here.
About Vertafore
For over 50 years, Vertafore, the leader in modern insurance technology, has built and supported superior InsurTech solutions to connect every point of the distribution channel. Vertafore's agency management, ratings, regulation, compliance, and connectivity products streamline workflows, improve efficiency and drive productivity for more North American insurance professionals than any other provider—including more than 20,000 agencies, over 1,000 carriers and 23 state governments. Through a continual focus on operational excellence, development of innovative solutions, and alignment with key industry partners, Vertafore is leading the way for customers of all sizes by delivering results that make a difference. For more information about Vertafore, visit here.
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About NetVU
The Network of Vertafore Users (NetVU) is an independent, national member organization committed to providing industry advocacy, world-class education and networking to the more than 25,000 insurance agencies, carriers, MGA/MGUs, and compliance organization, and over 500,000 users of Vertafore solutions. NetVU members reside in every state and are supported by over 55 local and virtual Chapters led by NetVU members. To learn more about NetVU, please visit www.netvu.org.