Memos from Madison

What’s New at PIA?

Pete Hanson, CAE, CISR — Executive Director, PIA of Wisconsin

Engage 2021 – A New Convention

I’m really excited that we’re going to hold a full-fledged convention, this year. This is not just because we all need to reconnect after the pandemic year, to share ideas and camaraderie. It is also because I can’t wait for you all to finally see the newconcept convention we originally planned to roll out in October of 2020. This convention has been in the works for a long time and I’m so proud of our Convention Committee and our staff for the hard work and bold ideas that went into planning it!

“Engage 2021 – A New Convention” will be held on September 29 & 30, at the Hyatt Regency in Green Bay. It will be set up so that members can come on the 29th to get some CE credits and/or attend a series of fun opening parties that evening. Additionally, it is also set up so that the annual meeting, trade show, awards luncheon and keynote speakers can all be done in one day, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on September 30th.

Those who wish to attend just for one day and catch the key events, may do that on the 30th. That day will also include two professional development tracks, in the morning. One will be aimed at agency staff to help improve their sales techniques, relationship-building and time-management skills. The second track will be aimed at agency principals will focus on digital strategies for agencies. Those who wish to make it a two-day event and stay overnight can attend all of the above.

The trade show will no longer look like a trade show. It will be called “Re-connect” and it will have no booths, per se. Additionally, it will not be in a separate room. Instead, it will be a more of an open-concept. A time for mixing and mingling with exhibitors, building a poker hand that could win you prizes and meeting a celebrity special guest (see the Engage 2021 insert inside to find out who!). The keynote speaker will be Weldon Long, a sales consultant and best-selling author who has a tremendous story to tell and sales philosophy to teach. You can learn more about him in the interview that starts on Page 18 of this publication, or on the convention page of our website: https://www.piaw.org/pia-events/ annual-convention/

Brand Refresh

In the coming months, leading up to Engage 2021, you will see our publications and our website get a fresh, new look. I hope you will let me know what you think!

New Logo

As part of our refreshed look, you’re going to see a new logo on everything from PIAW. You may have seen the new logo that PIA National rolled out, recently. Our new logo merges that design with our motto: Educate. Advocate. Collaborate. It will also help to establish PIA-affiliated organizations as one brand, nationally, reminding members of the suite of valuable benefits that PIA National provides for members. I don’t want to make you wait until the next edition of this magazine to see it, so I will leave you with a first look at the new logo.

I hope to see you in Green Bay for Engage 2021 – A New Convention, on September 29 & 30!

Are you evolving your sales & service for the digital age?

Winning @Virtual

Technology can establish and strengthen your agency’s customer relationships – if you have the right people and processes in place.

Our 3-part toolkit will help you make the most of today’s digital solutions. You can use it to: assess your virtual readiness; decide which technologies are right for you; calculate ROI on the solutions you choose; apply best practices for maximum results; and learn from other agencies.

There’s a big shift taking place in insurance. Visit WinningAtVirtual.com and discover how you can not only get prepared, but win.

Brought to you by The PIA Partnership – PIA’s national carrier council. Partnership companies include: