FEB 18 th
FEB 19 th
EVENTS
ELITExas- IIAH YIP's Salute to Exhibitors Social 2025
Houston Insurance Day 2025
YOUNG INSURANCE
WHAT WE DO:
Host EPIC ocial Events such as the Charity Corn Hole Tournament and Happy Hours
Volunteer with local charities such as Be An Angel, Houston Area Women’s Center, Kids Meals and IICF
Dedicated to help any insurance professional start or further their career
MEETING
Our mission is to empower our young insurance professionals with education, inspiration and opportunities that provide a platform to help launch their career and gain success! Our education, marketing, events and complete structure is focused on the Young Insurance Professional.
We encourage more experienced colleagues to get involved with our cause as well, great leadership and mentors are always welcome! No age restrictions, our committee is a team of individuals working together for a common cause. Our team is like a family, come and be apart of it!
Monthly meetings @ 2:30 PM via ZOOM For more info contact, ayla@iiah.org
COMMITTEES 2024 - 2025
are what breaths life into our association. With 9 active committees there are at least 100 people actively serving the association with their unique skills. We are always looking to put your skills to use, to further drive the association’s mission forward. No matter what your skills are, or what you are passionate about, we likely have something of interest to you. The end result is to better the industry we all serve. Join a Committee today and become part of the mission.
Charitable Projects/ Fire Poster
Vice Chairman: Sarah Beck
Education, I.T., CE
Chairman: Michelle Dennis
Vice Chairman: Katrina Masek
Houston Insurance Day
Chairman: Ashley Giglio
Vice Chairman: Nancy Euginio Vice Chairman: Matt Romano
Legislative
Chairman: Kyle Dean
Vice Chairman: Wes Kurtz
IMPACT
Chairman: Wes Kurtz
Recreation
Chairman: Amber Stevenson
Vice Chairman: Carisa Cole
Young Insurance Professionals
Chairman: Macy Bennett
Vice Chairman: Grant Pierce
PR/Media Matters
Chairman: Scott West
Social Media
Chairman: Daphne Clark
Vice Chairman: Cassie Shanks
Houston Insurance News
Chairman: Amy Weimer
Vice Chairman: Cassie Shanks
Happy New Year!!!
Wow, I remember when I thought 2025 seemed like an eternity away, and now it is here!!! We here at IIAH are ready to start our next 100 years after spending all of 2024 celebrating our first 100!! To all of you that participated, thank you for celebrating with us. For those of you that were unable to, don’t worry, we have lots of events in 2025 for you to make up for lost time!
Our biggest event of the year, Houston Insurance Day is rapidly approaching! Wednesday, February 19th will be here before we know it. Please mark your calendars now so that you will not miss this wonderful event. Renee and Ayla are working tirelessly to make sure that 2025 will be our best year ever.
We also have many other events scheduled, so please check the IIAH website for all of the pertinent information and details. Our events are always fun and we hope to see you at a lot of them in 2025!
2025 will be the 50th Anniversary of our Annual School Firefighters Poster contest. We are working on some great events to celebrate, so please be on the lookout for that and if you would like to be involved in the planning, please let me know and I will get you on the committee. This year we have 671 entries and we hope for our 50th Anniversary that we can get to 1,000 entries. With your assistance, I think that we can do it!
We will have two golf events this year. Our annual golf tournament will be in May at Blackhorse and we had such a great time at The Covey last September, that we will do a limited field event their again this fall. If you would like to get on the list, please let me know. It will be limited to the first 18 teams!
Again, thanks for all you do to make the IIAH the best local association in the USA! We couldn’t do it without you!!
ANNUAL SPONSORS
Titanium Elite Sponsors
Imperial PFS
Burns & Wilcox, Ltd.
CRC Group
Vintage Underwriters
Platinum Partners for Excellence
Brown & Riding
RT Specialty
Texas Mutual Insurance
WSG Specialty Underwriters
Gold Patron Sponsors
Chubb
Jencap
Travelers
UFG Insurance Company
WRIGHT Flood
New Affiliate Member
Liberate Innovation
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Jason Knecht
Susan Zipperer
Jesse Sanchez
John Collado
Ryan Beavers
David Wuthrich
Adam Harris
Chris Dowling
Tom Fitzpatrick
Chairman
Chairman Elect
Vice Chairman
Treasurer
Treasurer Elect
President & CEO
Past Chairman
Affiliate Liaison
Affiliate Liaison
Faith Boren
John Collado
Sam Houston
Dalton Humphries
Matt Leicht
Kathryn Noser
BOARD OF DIRECTORS STAFF
David Wuthrich
Renee Stager
Ayla Benavides
Deb McRae
Robert Oncken
William Peachey
Jesse Serna
Keaton Sumicek
Wes Weatherred
AFFILIATE SPOTLIGHT
How Can AI Help Your Agency Grow?
The hard insurance market has been challenging for insurance agencies, but it has also created new opportunities. Policyholders have come to appreciate the value of having an insurance partner to find the best rates and most suitable coverage. Following consecutive years of rate increases, insurance shopping is now rampant. LexisNexis says auto insurance shopping has reached “nuclear” levels for the second quarter in a row. Since shoppers often want to find new coverage fast, the agency that responds first often earns the sale. Agencies can capitalize on the current market disruption to win new customers. First, though, they need to overcome their own challenges – namely, the trifecta of widespread talent shortages, surging overhead costs, and rising expectations for customer service. AI can eliminate the barriers to agency growth. Some agencies are already deploying AI – using it to deliver superior customer experiences without breaking the bank on additional support staff.
Cutting-Edge Voice AI Solutions for Insurance Agencies Recent AI advancements have led to a number of innovative applications. For insurance agencies, voice AI is one of the most promising solutions, and Liberate is one of the most well-respected partners in voice AI for the insurance space. Liberate’s voice AI gives insurance agencies an easy, cost-effective way to provide excellent customer service. There are no wait times for customers, no days off for representatives, and no hiring costs for agencies. “We offer well-trained, friendly AI agents that never have a bad day. They can answer an unlimited number of phone calls 24/7, and resolve complex quoting, servicing and claims requests,” says Amrish Singh, Co-Founder and CEO of Liberate. The solution has already been implemented within leading agencies throughout the nation, and agency owners are impressed with the results. AI agents are so humanlike that many customers don’t even realize that they’re speaking with an AI agent!
CHARITABLE BENEFACTOR
“To empower children and families through literacy and life skills.”
Literacy Now (originally known as Making It Better) was founded in 2006 with a vision to help children rise above their circumstances through tutoring, mentoring, and other services. Since its founding, our organization has grown from serving one school with 91 students to serving 2,500 children and their parents on 16 Houston and 4 Aldine ISD Title I elementary campuses and in multiple low-income community sites during the 2022-2023 school year. Literacy Now has empowered more than 24,000 children and their parents, and our impact continues to grow.
CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
Jason R. Knecht
jason.knecht@carrollins.com
As we prepare to turn the page on another year, I am reminded of the value of reflection and forward-thinking. The insurance industry thrives on preparation and planning, and so do our lives—both professional and personal.
The New Year provides us with a unique opportunity: a fresh start to set goals that inspire growth, encourage innovation, and strengthen the connections we’ve built with our clients, colleagues, and communities. Setting goals is not merely an exercise in planning but a declaration of our commitment to progress.
In business, goal setting helps define our path. It provides clarity, aligning our teams and resources toward a common vision. Whether it’s enhancing customer experiences, embracing new technology, or expanding our product offerings, each milestone we set and achieve becomes a steppingstone for the next level of success.
Personally, goal setting allows us to prioritize what truly matters. It’s easy to lose balance in a world that moves at a relentless pace, but setting intentions for personal growth ensures that we nurture our health, relationships, and passions alongside our professional endeavors.
As we head into the New Year, I encourage each of you to take the time to reflect on 2024. Celebrate your wins, learn from your challenges, and dream big for the year ahead. A new chapter awaits, and with it, endless opportunities to make a meaningful impact.
Here’s to 2025—a year of purpose, progress, and prosperity for all.
Warm regards,
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the YIPs November Happy Hour at Bungalow Heights last night! We had an amazing evening filled with great food, refreshing drinks, and fantastic networking opportunities. Here's to building connections and enjoying good times together. Looking forward to seeing you all
STRAIGHT LISTING
Name, Address, Phone, Contact Email
FULL LISTING
Name, Address, Phone, Contact Email, and website address
PLATINUM LISTING
Name, Address, Phone, Contact Email, website address, and unlimited lines of business
PACKAGE LISTING
Name, Address, Phone, Contact Email, website address, unlimited lines of business, and company logo on the Calendar of Event page of IIAH site
By: Regan Ellmer
IMPACT is the Political Action Committee of the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas. By contributing to IMPACT, you are supporting pro-business candidates who are looking out for agents’ interests in the Capitol. All of the money raised by IMPACT is contributed to candidates and campaigns that support the independent agent network
IMPACT Goal
Propose legislation that is in the best interest of our members and the independent agency system
Support legislation that provides consumer protection and preserves consumer choice
Oppose legislation that is harmful to our members
Increase awareness of IIAT issues among legislators
Support key legislators and candidates who align with our objectives
Provide important legislative information to our member
Raise sufficient funds to promote IIAT’s agenda in the Texas Legislature
Encourage our members’ engagement in the political proces
A huge shoutout and thank you to all 43 teams that joined us for our 2nd Annual Pickleball Tournament at Bumpy Pickle!
From thrilling rallies to hard-fought matches, each team brought amazing energy and sportsmanship to the courts across all three divisions: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. It was a fantastic day filled with competitive spirit and community fun!
We couldn’t have done it without each of you—thanks for making this event a smash hit! Can't wait to see everyone next year for more fun and fierce competition.
Congratulations to our winners!
1st Place Advanced Division Frost Insurance Agency
1st Place Intermediate Division Service Master Restore
1st Place Beginner Division Cover Desk
49th Annual Fire Poster Contest Winners
Kindergarten
1st Place – Katherine Murillo – Jessup Elementary School
1st Grade
1st Place – Aayun Maknojia - Commonwealth Elementary
2nd Place – Eleanor Burrow – Oak Forest Elementary
3rd Place – Layla Galvez - Commonwealth Elementary
2nd Grade
1st Place – Samaira Bhushan - Commonwealth Elementary
2nd Place – Swasti Ramakrishnan - Commonwealth Elementary
3rd Place - Ariadna Funes – Red Bluff Elementary
3rd Grade
1st Place – Carla Georgian Rodriguez – Oak Forest Elementary
2nd Place – Nora Fuhrmann – Oak Forest Elementary
3rd Place – Chayanne Garcia - Richey Elementary
4th Grade
1st Place – Michelle Castro – Richey Elementary
2nd Place – Braden Lucas – Oak Forest Elementary
3rd Place – Raunak Pandey - Commonwealth Elementary
5th Grade
1st Place – Annie Dai – Oak Forest Elementary
2nd Place – Emiliano Saldana – Morris Middle School
3rd Place – Sloane Keller – Oak Forest Elementary
6th Grade
1st Place – Diana Dang – Dulles Middle School
2nd Place – Robert Handy – Milstead Middle School
3rd Place – Jianna Alea Gomez – Rogers Middle School
7th Grade
1st Place – Priscila Acuna – Spring Forest Middle School
2nd Place – Minh Luong – Beverly Hills Intermediate
3rd Place – Wonjun Lee – Beckendorff Junior High School
8th Grade
1st Place – Jahzeel Ruiz – North Shore Middle School
2nd Place – Myriam Castillo – North Shore Middle School
3rd Place – Kerri Ward – Fairmont Junior High School
9th Grade
1st Place – Zahia Akhter - Austin High School
2nd Place – Penelope Esguerra – Austin High School
3rd Place – Yen Tran – Dobie Ninth School
10th Grade
1st Place – Jyuan-Au Lin - Austin High School
2nd Place – Hannah Morales – Dobie High School
3rd Place – Katelyn Manahan - Austin High School
11th Grade
1st Place – Amaris Montalvo – Austin High School
2nd Place – Kendall Ashworth - Dobie High School
3rd Place – Leena Gamal - Austin High School
12th Grade
1st Place – Abigail Pham - Austin High School
2nd Place – Ayesha Mutazn - Austin High School
3rd Place – Jennifer Le – Austin High School
1st
Place – Abigail Pham – Austin High
2nd Place – Jehzeel Ruiz – North Shore Middle
3rd Place – Amaris Montalvo – Austin High
49th Annual Fire Poster Contest Winners
Priscila Acuna – Spring Forest Middle
Jennifer Le - Austin High School
Penelope Esguerra - Austin High School
Jyuan-Au Lin – Austin High School
Thank you for joining us for lunch & networking at The Houston Marriott Westchase on November 14, 2014. We heard from two distinguished experts, Lee Parsley from Texans for Lawsuit Reform and Nathan Morris, Senior Litigation Policy Counsel, Chubb who helped educate us on the key issues surrounding Texas and Nationwide Tort Reform and how we can affect positive change.
Worried About Cybersecurity? Start with Password Management!
Cybersecurity is complex with many hardware, software, and training solutions needed to make your business secure. But all the best security solutions are useless without secure passwords. Let’s consider the humble password: Boring? Annoying? Ok, yes, but good passwords are the foundation of good security. Often, we work with businesses that have great security solutions, but they’ve put little effort into ensuring their employees are using strong passwords. What makes a good Password?
Length – Should be at least 12 characters but longer is better.
Complexity – Combine upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters.
Unique – Never use the same password with different apps.
Avoid Simple/Common Phrases - Especially if they relate to personal things about you. No Sharing - Never share your password with other employees.
Length Beats Complexity!
A long password using common words is more secure than a shorter, more complex password. For a strong password you can remember, we recommend using a passphrase with just a little complexity. Ex: “house!ocean2Drivecat”
You should never write down or store passwords in a file on your computer. Excel spreadsheets and Word documents simply are not secure enough for storing passwords. Use a Password Manager!
There’s a simple truth that we all must accept: It’s impossible to follow all the requirements for secure passwords without a Password Manager. While the built-in password managers on web browsers are better than nothing, a business needs a centrally managed password manager. Business grade password managers:
Help users create secure passwords.
Allows MFA/2FA codes to be stored which can lessens the need for authentication apps.
The system identifies bad passwords and they’re easy to change.
Users can share passwords as needed, and you can track access to shared passwords. Management access to all passwords for all users. Management can revoke employee access to passwords. And much more!
Strong passwords are essential to quality cybersecurity, but too often they’re overlooked simply because it’s hard or annoying to manage them properly. Neglecting passwords can undo all your efforts to implement effective security.
The good news is proper password management is inexpensive and can drastically increase the security of your business. Even better, your experience is improved by reducing the need to create and remember complex and unique passwords once you’re familiar with the manager.
Thank you to everyone who joined us last night at Kirby Icehouse Memorial to celebrate the holidays! Over 100 of you came together to enjoy drinks, tacos, and cookies as we kicked off the festive season in style. Your support and camaraderie made the night truly special. Here's to a joyful holiday season ahead!
Thank you to our to wonderful volunteers that helped during Brookwood's famous Poinsettia season on December 04, 2024. Our members helped sleeve over 500 beautiful poinsettia's as Brookwood gets ready to deliver them to stores and other locations. This is always such a fun experience; we look forward to supporting them again next year!
Please join us in welcoming Evan Zeller, our new Regional Underwriting Manager!
Evan has been in the P&C world for over 11 years working as a producer in sales and in underwriting throughout his career. He’s received his MBA, CPCU, CIC, AU-M and AINS. His favorite part of the insurance industry is that there’s always something new to learn! Evan is excited to join our CIG family and looks forward to working with you!
We are excited to announce the birth of baby boy Grayson King Hibbard to Micheal (Frost Insurance Agency) and Shelby (Higginbotham Insurance Agency) Hibbard on November 6, 2025 at 8:20 pm, weighing in at 7.1 oz and 18.9 inches long. Grayson is the grandson of Renee Stager of IIAH.
The Independent Insurance Agents of Houston (IIAH) is proud to celebrate a remarkable milestone: Renee Stager’s 27 years of exceptional service and leadership. As Senior Managing Director, Renee has been the backbone of IIAH, helping to shape its success and strengthen its presence within the insurance industry. Congratulations, here is to many more years of continued success!
WHO HAS... THE LAST WORD
Faith G. Boren
Where do you work?
Adams Insurance Service
What sound do you love?
Waves at the beach
If you could paint a picture of any scenery, you’ve seen before, what would you paint?
View from the mountains around Lake Tahoe
What was the first thing you bought with your own money?
New Honda Civic
If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?
My current age :)
What did you do growing up that got you into trouble?
I remember getting in trouble a lot for talking and laughing when I was supposed to be quiet.
What is something you learned in the last week?
I just learned lots about Captives. Shout out to Risk & Insurance Education Alliance!
Weirdest thing you have ever eaten?
It’s not that exotic, but almost every time I eat raw sushi, I think to myself that it is weird. It’s tasty, but weird.
What is your pet peeve in traffic?
I get SO annoyed when there is bumper to bumper traffic and drivers block the exit to private driveways and side streets. The lack of courtesy and consideration for other drivers makes me crazy.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I am bilingual, native English & Spanish speaker. It’s not totally hidden but not often known right away.
What is your favorite flavor of jellybeans?
Licorice
What is your LEAST favorite electronic device?
Scientific calculator. I never understood half the buttons and options available.
What is the longest car trip you have ever taken?
Roundtrip Houston to Orlando, 1,926 miles.
Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?
Sure, no problem.
Ninjas or pirates?
Ninjas
What was your favorite childhood television program?
Inspector Gadget
Are you a collector of anything?
Books, but not on purpose. I love to read and just keep buying more for myself and my kids.
At a movie theater, which arm rest is yours?
Neither needed. Those chairs are huge now.
