THE DIRECTOR’S CORNER Facing Challenges

By: Tyra Dressel

Executive Director of Big I Oregon

FACING CHALLENGES

As Big I Oregon’s Executive Director, I often experience new challenges. Just as many of our principal agency members, I’ve experienced the once a in life-time challenge of leading an organization through a pandemic. I’ve utilized skills and directed resources that I never thought imaginable. I’m happy to report that we’ve been able to expand our membership and offerings, update our brand, transfer our online database, and in quick order went viral with education and events. We’ve seen our members rise to the challenges of the times and it’s been extraordinary. For the first time, in over two years, I traveled to a national executive meeting end of July. State Execs from across the country gathered to connect, learn, and collaborate with the primary focus of strengthening our association for our agency members. We heard from outstanding speakers, an IIABA Panel including Bob Rusbuldt, President & CEO and IIABA Executive Committee Members Jon Jensen, Bob Fee & John Costello; speaking of their continued commitment to meet our agency member’s needs through innovation and keeping ahead of the curve.

We balanced our week’s working sessions with interactive networking. We quickly bonded and have developed important connections that wouldn’t have been formed so seamlessly via a virtual event. Seasoned State Execs shared their “My Favorite Things/Great Ideas Ignite”. I came away with a plethora of new ideas and a more in depth understanding of the many benefits and resources available to our members. There was discussion on more targeted and efficient communication and an introduction to Levitate as a new membership benefit. Big I Oregon will begin testing in the coming months to evaluate a recommendation to our agency members. I met with E&O gurus and attended round tables on what state affiliates are doing to enhance their members’ experiences. Many had experience on how to better utilize social media for optimal member engagement.

Experiencing an in-person event, after so much time had passed, reinforced how important it is to be physically together. Our NextGen group had also had a socially distanced event at TopGolf, midsummer. It was well attended and gave a glimpse of things to come. We were thrilled to be planning our annual convention, InsurCon 2021 for this upcoming October. I never would have guessed that in just 4 short weeks, following the State Executive meeting, that we would be faced with the decision to cancel our highly anticipated event. However, we’ve once again have had to make hard decisions on behalf of our association members given the increased community spread in Deschutes County, the strain on their hospital system (potentially creating worstcase scenario for our attendees if they were to become suddenly ill or suffer an injury) as well as exhibitor and sponsor attendees having to limit travel to large gatherings based on corporate guidelines.

Navigating an association during a pandemic has made “turning lemons into lemonade” Big I Oregon’s mantra. So, while we have not been able to gather for the last 2 annual conventions, we’ve decided to double down and go “All In” for Insurcon2022 and hold our annual convention at Sunriver Resort, August 21-23rd! We’ve already turned our sights and efforts to Sunriver with their newly renovated guest accommodations, expanded venue offerings for both attendees and their families as well as the opportunity to accommodate an even larger attendee roster with an excess of 44,000 square feet of flexible areas as well as a creative culinary team and incredible staff that will ensure that InsurCon2022 will be the convention to attend where we are certain to support, connect, and engage!