Chair of the Board's Message

A PERSONAL NOTE ON PERPETUATION

Greetings, fellow agents. This month’s message is bittersweet as it is my final article as the Chair of IA&B. I have loved everything about the role, from serving with and learning from the best agent board members, to watching a truly amazing staff in action, to launching some of the most exciting initiatives at IA&B, like our Insuring Careers Certification Program.

This month’s issue is about perpetuation, so it’s a fitting way to say goodbye. I’ve served proudly, and now it’s time for me to move on to the next endeavor while our Vice Chair, Andy Enders, takes over the helm.

Perpetuation is a topic very close to my heart, and at this moment, painfully so. I’m the fifth generation in my family to lead our 126-year-old insurance agency. My parents did it right. They gave me opportunity, we planned and prepared for years, and they had mostly exited the business. They did this with intention; gracefully, and at a Goldilocks pace – not too fast and not too slow. Sadly, and shockingly, my mother passed away on June 16 of this year. She was healthy, then she was gone.

Her fingerprints are everywhere in our business – from the culture she created, to the high standards she set, and the procedures she implemented. These fingerprints are the greatest gift she could give to me and are a testament to her legacy. While our family and employees are grieving, the business is standing strong because of my parents’ diligent perpetuation intentions.

I hope my story can inspire you to start or follow through with your perpetuation journey. You never know when it’s going to be your time, so start now. Speaking from personal experience, having a plan and seeing it through is the most meaningful thing you can do for your heirs, your customers, and your employees.

All the best,

Sarah Brown, CIC, CRM, AFIS Chair of the Board