TWFG Rolling Strong Issue 3 - Convention Issue

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CONTENTS 30 04

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ON THE COVER TWICO sets the tone for the future of insurance.

ALL IN THE FAMILY Welcome TWFG's newest staff members and branch owners as they join us on our journey to #1.

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ON YOUR MARK From the TWFG Muddy Trails, the TWFG Grand Fondo, to The Woodlands Marathon, TWFG sponsorships helped these events surpass their goals, and inspired many here in the Home Office to lace up and hit the road.

Play video Click here to watch the TWFG 2016 National Convention video

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TWFG LOSES ONE OF ITS OWN

Saying goodbye to a heart of gold, Dan Cuevas.

SELF-EXPRESSION & LEADERSHIP Jennifer Divine and Carlos Cantu lead TWFG into a new era of making a difference in our communities.

TAKE IT OFF! Home Office Staff take on the USLI Wellness Challenge and drop a few pounds while discovering new health and wellness techniques.

OUR FEARLESS WRITER

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SEEING STARS The Dallas TWFG community gets together to chill out.

GOOD VIBRATIONS Whether it’s giving back to our communities, a ribbon cutting for a new branch, or celebrating the retirement one of our nearest and dearest, TWFG always goes all-in.

Gordy’s new segment, "Bunch on Business,” goes national.

BEST OF THE BEST OF THE BEST TWFG Fremont and TWFG The Woodlands earn their community’s highest honor.

BRINGIN’ THE HEAT TWFG Knockout Chili is The People’s Choice

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TAKING THE WORLD, AND THE WOODLANDS, BY STORM The 2016 TWFG National Convention was an inspiration to all, and the future of the TWFG Family has never looked brighter.

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IT TAKES TWO Well, really it takes 37. A special thank you to all 37 of our 2016 convention sponsors and exhibitors… we couldn’t do it without you!

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WELCOME TO TWFG! Kelly Bettencourt Executive Assistant to the President & CEO Tony Pascente Chief Financial Officer We are pleased to have Tony Pascente as our new CFO. Tony is a CPA with an extensive background in both Finance and Accounting. Tony joined us at year end 2015 and brings 30 years of solid accounting experience including statutory and GAAP accounting, financial analysis, budgeting and SEC reporting. Tony has worked at several large and small insurance carriers such as Arch, AXA Group and Interboro. He is looking forward to helping us build TWICO and participating in TWFG’s other growth initiatives. Tony moved from Long Island to The Woodlands with his wife, Marlene.

Kimberly Kinkaid Training Manager We are pleased to introduce Kimberly Kinkaid as TWFG’s new Training Manager for our Branch Agents.

Kimberly has 20+ years of hands-on insurance sales and management experience having worked at companies such as State Farm and Nationwide. Kimberly has already had the opportunity to teach two branch classes, and we look forward to her teaching many more classes as TWFG continues to add branches.

Kimberly will also be responsible for developing and introducing additional training sessions and webinars along with partnering with our carriers to host educational webinars and continuing education for our agents.

Cathy Maples Inside Agency Relationship Manager We are pleased to introduce Cathy Maples as TWFG’s new Inside ARM, she is part of the Inside Sales and Support Department. Cathy has eight plus years of independent agency experience. She will work with our branch offices to assist them when they need help.

Please join us in welcoming Tony, Kimberly and Cathy to the TWFG Family.

HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURES FOURTH OF JULY Monday, July 4, 2016

L ABOR DAY Monday, September 5, 2016 04

TWFG BRANCHES Kelly Bettencourt Executive Assistant to the President & CEO SEPTEMBER 2015

OCTOBER 2015

NOVEMBER 2015

Alexander Mojica, Asifa Shamim, Caryn Arrington, Darla Lindt, Diane Cornwell, Paul Messina, Ronica LeRoy

Ana Mohsin, Craig Andrews, Danny Moore, Edgar Reyes, Phyllis Benjamin, Sara Fry, Sean Meyers, Skip Bordelon, Steve Grzywacz

Hai Nguyen, Sam Farhat, William Waldrep

DECEMBER 2015

MARCH 2016

APRIL 2016

Ana Canales, Angelina Guajardo, Cornel Cernat, Dustin Olivier, Juan Ibarra, Michael Belmonte, Nick Le, Will Cooper

Ann Tran, Hamilton Nguyen, Mark Glaug, Max Mehdipour, Son Pham, Ginger Pham

Tara Arena, Tim Martin, Damon Castillo, Keith Beck, Amy Apt

MAY 2016

JUNE 2016

Larry O'Neal, Laudy Yazbek (not pictured)

Angelia Varos, Chris Hawkins, Grace Pan, Malkit Sroya, Steve Howell, Waqar Khan, Wes Brooks, Tara King

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MUDDY TRAILS BASH Judith Wighaman Book Transfer Coordinator/Operations Support Associate The TWFG Muddy Trails Bash is a multi-faceted event featuring a chip-timed 5K and 10K trail run, a Little Muddy Kids’ Fun One-Mile Fun Run, a 2K-9 Fun Run and the Muddy Bowl Crawfish Cook-Off. Courses wind through the beautiful George Mitchell Nature Preserve Trails, located on 1,800 wooded acres adjacent to Rob Fleming Park in the Village of Creekside Park.

Competing in Muddy Trails from TWFG this year in the 5K event were: Kelly Bettencourt, Kimberly Snider, Sara Ramsey, Kris Snyder, Tiffany Baker, Judi Wighaman, and Tony Pascente. Alexis Wighaman and Baci competed in the Muddy Trails 2K-9 event.

Alexis Wighaman and Baci.

L To R: Kim Snider, Kris Snyder, Tiffany Baker, Kelly Bettencourt, Sara Ramsey and Judith Wighaman.

THE WOODLANDS MARATHON WEEKEND

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I went into this Half Marathon race rather nervous since my training runs had been a little slower than the 14:30 per mile pace needed. However, I wound up having a great race and getting a PR (personal record) of 3:22:23! The weather was great running weather, even if it was a little chilly at the start; and thanks to TWFG for letting me run this event as part of their sponsorship!

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LINDSAY SHOEMAKER Lindsay Shoemaker in front of the sponsor sign.

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TWFG GRAN FONDO RIDE Kelly Bettencourt Executive Assistant to the President and CEO The Gran Fondo is an official training ride to the big MS150 ride from Houston to Austin. You don’t have to do one to do the other and both benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society as well as the Gran Fondo benefiting the Texas Medical Center Orchestra.

With our title sponsorship TWFG had 20 freeride comps for us to use. The ride was Sunday, April 3 at 7:30 a.m. with the new start/finish location being Montgomery ISD Athletic Facility just west of Montgomery, TX. The event is dedicated to providing a great cycling experience for all ranges of cycling enthusiasts.

Families that want to introduce cycling to their family may choose the 32-mile route, the 46- and 68-mile routes that provide great training for those preparing for the BP MS 150, and the 90-mile route will challenge riders with hills and distance.

Volunteers for Gran Fondo: Claudia Mendez, Judith Wighaman, Kelly & Lauren Bettencourt.

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Those who volunteered this year at Gran Fondo were Kelly and Lauren Bettencourt, Judith Wighaman and Claudia Mendez. We had two people from the Home Office, Amanda Fields and Sara Ramsey who participated in the race.

Sara Ramsey completed the 32-mile Gran Fondo Ride.

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It was the first 5K I had run in about three years, and it was a nice feeling to have accomplished a goal I have had of getting back into running. I had a great time running with my co-worker, Kris, as well as another running buddy of mine. It was exciting representing TWFG while participating in such a big event for The Woodlands.

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The atmosphere was electric! The number of people, young and old, getting ready to run was motivation in itself, along with all the vendors and volunteers. Unlike the 35 degrees for the 2015 race, the weather was perfect. It was especially fun to run with someone I knew (Tiffany), knowing she was at the finish line waiting for me made me work harder!

I am looking forward to next year.

TIFFANY BAKER

KRIS SNYDER

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Tiffany Baker & Kris Snyder after the 5K.

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As e Se nI n It’s very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.

- George Sheehan

Have fun and good luck from your neighbors at TWFG, Official Insurance Sponsor of The Woodlands Marathon, 2016.

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www.twfg.com

TWFG FAMILY LOSES A GREAT MAN: DAN CUEVAS DANIEL F. CUEVAS

AUGUST 25, 1957 – JUNE 14, 2016 Daniel "Dan" Frank Cuevas of Slidell, Louisiana, passed away on June 14, 2016, at the age of 58, surrounded by his family.

He was a loving and generous husband, father and "Pops".

Son of Josephine Laneri Cuevas and the late August D. Cuevas.

Also survived by his wife of 31 years Alison Danese Cuevas; daughter, Megan Cuevas Treigle and husband Lawrence, Jr.; son Brett Cuevas and fiancĂŠ Malinda Hill; son Scott Cuevas and wife Amber. He was the loving and adored Pops to his two granddaughters Gabrielle and Kennedy Treigle. He also leaves behind his sister, Patricia Cuevas Smith and her husband James; his nephews, Taylor (Jordan) and Andrew Smith and a multitude of extended family and friends in whose memories he will live forever. He graduated from Tulane University and retired after more than 30 years in the insurance industry. He was a member of Theta Xi Fraternity and an active member and float lieutenant of the Krewe of Thoth. His zest for life and his contagious smile will be remembered by all who knew and loved him.

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE: THE LANDMARK SELF‑EXPRESSION & Jennifer Divine Branch ARM - North TX

FUNDAY CAREDAY As a child growing up on a rural farm/ranch operation, animals were a big part of my life. I recall my little Welsh Corgi, Beeps, being my best friend. Pets can greatly influence how we feel about ourselves and our lives in general. They truly are man’s best friend.

Carlos Cantu and I recently enrolled in the Landmark Self-Expression and Leadership program. In this program, you are required to come up with a project that you can use to help influence and benefit the lives of others. Carlos and I both have a passion for animals and for myself, also children.

I selected a project that would involve children who are at risk for learning or behavioral issues and assist them in interacting with dogs from Operation Kindness, a no-kill animal shelter. I was blessed to receive a reply from a teacher of a Stem-1 Charter school in the DISD school district. Most students from this school are zoned into poorly rated schools. Parents seek application into this school so that their children can have a better future.

Acceptance into this school allows them to pursue advanced

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studies in math, science and technology. There are a large number of students who are learning English. More and more children are coming from the war zones of Turkey and Syria. They are doubly challenged to learn English as well as their other studies.

I am creating a partnership with this school and the animal shelter to provide a summer program I call “Funday Careday” where these children and their parents can come to the shelter and interact with the dogs and cats by giving them care and attention. We plan to launch a reading program in August where Humane Education volunteers will bring their service dogs to the school so the children can practice their reading, by reading a story to the dog.

By helping these children have an opportunity to give care, love and attention to these animals, they, in turn, increase their self-esteem, lift their moods, help them feel less lonely and have something to care for. The dogs become more socialized with the love and guidance of the children which increases their ability to find a forever home quickly.

LEADERSHIP PROGRAM Carlos A. Cantu Branch Owner - Dallas

PAWS 2 WALK My project is called "Paws 2 Walk."

Too many people want to start a workout program to improve their health, but fail to act on that thought. Most do not want to pay for a gym or workout plans due to the costs. This especially applies to seniors on limited incomes. This lack of motivation trickles all the way down from adults to kids who are not getting enough exercise. At the same time working out by yourself might not be very motivating or entertaining.

Animal shelters have a difficult time finding enough volunteers to interact with the animals. These poor animals languish in cages while craving a chance to get out and experience playing with others. Sometimes as many as 30% to 40% of these animals may not get out of their cages for several days.

What I am putting together is to organize groups of volunteers who can help walk or play with dogs or cats. They can help by walking a dog one block or 10 blocks, whatever they want.

People who do not want to walk can play with the cats in rooms especially for them. Not only are there health benefits for people and pets, but there is also an enormous emotional benefit for both. People can experience unconditional love. Something we all could use more of. At the same time, these animals feel the love from people. This makes these animals more relaxed and adoptable. The quicker they are adopted, the better it is for these animals and others needing this kind of attention. I remind people what it feels like when you hug a pet. Let’s help everyone find that feeling.

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DALLAS STARS GAME Jennifer Divine TWFG ARM - North TX Congratulations to TWFG Insurance Services for winning the 2016 Safeco Network Contest! Your January new business results qualified you to win a Dallas Stars Hockey Suite! The event was held March 17.

The winners were Mike Underwood, Keith Tilghman, JR Zamorano, Kim Casida Milligan, Kathy Dumanski, Rick and Jean Burridge, Chris Rutledge, Marilyn Randazzo.

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01. Group Photo 02. Lea Ann Leslie and Jeff Breor 03. Jennifer Divine and Judy Rush

04. J.R. Zamorano and friend Gary 05. Kathy and Glenn Dumanski 06. Roma and Keith Tilghman

07. Kim Casida Milligan 08. Levi Rosas and spouse 09. Jean and Rick Burridge

USLI WELLNESS CHALLENGE Judith Wighaman Book Transfer Coordinator/Operations Support Associate Congratulations to Joe Ann Burton and Judith Wighaman — both top point winners of the USLI Wellness Challenge!

Several of us committed to the dedication and participation in the USLI Wellness Challenge: Renewed You 2016. It ran from January 11 to April 17. We were given different challenges each week — food tips, Yoga and exercise workout series. We visited countries around the world learning about their food, spices, special athletic events and implementing it into our daily routine.

The final goal: a healthy life is a habit; something we need to live every day to become a better me!

For our group here at TWFG, this has been an exciting challenge and a fresh new step into making ourselves healthy. Each week we get together and discuss the new food, exercises and the Yoga, we visit the “adventure” and learn a lot about the country from the material that is provided through the resources that USLI has prepared. We discuss the exercises for that week and give each other the support to complete them – if one says they

USLI Renewed You Award.

can’t do it the way it is explained, we talk about how they could make modifications to work for them considering their health issues. We have learned how to add spice to our meals to make them “extra” enjoyable. Some of us have learned to like water.

Some of us have realized our bodies can flex and bend. We have added fruit to snacks – increasing our food intake from a couple of meals a day to several small meals throughout the day.

We have tried new vegetables like Brussels sprouts, spaghetti squash, and different beans and have switched our grains from white to brown. We have cut out junk food, and we walk in the mall in the morning, before work. We really have enjoyed the Challenge so far; it has been fun, and lots of us see rewarding results. We have lost inches and pounds, and it is exciting each week to hear the results and congratulate each other. Our group in the last few weeks has been able to increase their hours of exercise, lose weight, and their health has improved per doctor’s acknowledgment. Some have been able to move to the next level of exercise intensity! We have all enjoyed it so much that we are looking forward to continuing the program in the coming weeks.

Judith Wighaman.

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COMMITMENT TO CHARITY Roxanne Davis Community Liaison - South Montgomery YMCA Thank you to all the community angels who supported the YMCA Angel Tree Program this year. Due to your generosity and passion, more than 500 children’s wishes came true this holiday season. A very special thank you to the National Charity League Chapters, Bluebonnets and Texas Laurels, for their countless volunteer hours organizing and wrapping more than 2,500 gifts, and to our gracious host, Faith Bible Church.

Please see the attached photos and enjoy the smiles on the angelic faces and the twinkle in their eyes. YMCA Angel Tree is the epitome of the YMCA’s mission at work and a reminder of who we are and our cause.

The YMCA is a powerful association of men, women and children of all ages and from all walks of life joined by a shared passion: to strengthen the foundations of community.

The Y is, and always will be, dedicated to building healthy, confident, connected and secure children, adults, families and communities. Every day our impact is felt when an individual makes a healthy choice, when a mentor inspires a child and when a community comes together for the common good. We know that when we work as one, we move people and communities forward. That’s why we are committed to providing support to our neighbors and opportunities for kids, adults, and families to give, join in or advocate in the name of stronger communities.

STEVE GRZYWACZ RIBBON CUTTING Jennifer Divine TWFG ARM - North TX

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Steve Grzywacz joined TWFG in October 2015. He was previously a Farm Bureau agent for many years. He recently relocated his office to the Allen, TX area. He has joined the local Chamber of Commerce. Steve is pictured with staff members, Rona Hardy, Raissa Kamody and Christi Rose.

Bicycles given to the children on the YMCA Angels Program.

Presents for the YMCA Angel Tree.

HAPPY RETIREMENT JAY & BETSY BROKER! Kelly Bettencourt Executive Assistant to the President and CEO Jay Broker has been a member of the TWFG family since the beginning of our agency, and has been here in the Home Office the last several years. We wish Jay and Betsy the best in retirement and will miss the Candy Man at the Home Office.

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BUNCH ON BUSINESS Gordy Bunch President & CEO

BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND. Some entrepreneurs find themselves in unenviable situations when they are ready to sell their dream business. I am talking about business perpetuation. Every business needs to have a perpetuation plan that allows the founder to monetize or transition their business to the next generation of family or outside owners.

Monetizing or selling the business requires current ownership to be cognizant of how their business gets valued, common deal structures, potential buyers, transferability, and due diligence requirements.

What is the valuation method for your business? Many companies are valued at multiples of EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization). Some companies are valued by gross or net revenue multiples based on appraisals or some industry-specific methodology. Business owners need to know which valuation method to apply to focus their efforts in areas that build shareholder value.

If you are involved with partners, it is best to have pre-negotiated buy-sell agreements that are funded with company-owned life insurance policies. These agreements automatically buy the shares from the estate of a partner who unexpectedly passes away. You should also consider negotiated buyout language to deal with a disengaged partner or those wanting to exit the business.

Gordy Bunch

Internal employee perpetuation can work in smaller businesses but is more difficult as the organization becomes larger. Are you

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Family members who are not actively engaged or competent to operate the business should not be considered as viable new owners. Studies have shown that family-owned businesses decline in the second and third generations. Competitors may be your best solution for a sale, so be courteous to those you compete with since that could become part of your perpetuation plan.

Taking a company public through an IPO will require stringent financial reporting, audits, public relations, and formation or hiring of a team to navigate the regulatory environment. If an IPO is your future, you need to plan and implement these preparatory steps before initiating your filings.

Common deal structures include cash, earn-outs, employment agreements, non-compete clauses, and owner financing. It is important to understand how your industry transitions ownership so you can be prepared to negotiate accordingly.

Private equity buyouts have grown recently.

They offer competitive values, but with strings attached to earn out the full offer.

They often require current owners to work for the new ownership during a transition period from one to three years.

mentoring the next owner? Will the employee have the capital to buy you out or are you willing to owner-finance the transition?

Do you have a signed agreement outlining the value and terms for a future transition date?

Failing to understand the complexities of perpetuating a business ahead of time can leave owners with unsellable assets, lower valuations, limited options and liquidity. So, like so many other facets of business, your end game begins when you form your company.

BEST INSURANCE AGENCY IN FREMONT Mark Bartlett Branch Owner

L To R: Taylor Bartlett, Amanda Bartlett, Luci Estrada, Rose Morales, Cindy Bartlett, Mark Bartlett, and Tommy (TJ) Brown.

A young agent once asked me, “How do you make yourself different than every other agency?” I told him the single most important thing you need to do is provide superior service. If we treat people, the way we want to be treated we will separate ourselves from everyone else. This is the culture we have built in our TWFG Branch located in Fremont, California, which is part of the San Francisco Bay Silicon Valley. With a population of over

226,000 and almost 2,000 agencies, the residents of Fremont have voted our agency as The Best Insurance Agency / Agent for 2016. We consider this honor represents our commitment to our slogan, “Our Policy is Caring.” It is our ongoing commitment to put the customer first and represent TWFG as a whole to be the best Insurance Agency.

BEST OF THE BEST OF THE BUNCH Alex Bunch Chief Creative & CMO

BEST

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Picks 2016

COMMUNITY FAVORITE P re s e

WINNER TWFG scored a double win when The Villager newspaper readers picked the agency as “Best Insurance Company” and then broadened their opinion by selecting it as “Best Employer” of the more than 2,000 companies operating and headquartered in The Woodlands. That honor was reinforced by the Woodlands

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Online community portal that asked their interactive participants to name “Best of The Woodlands 2016.” Gordy has said the popular vote confirms the importance of our company’s commitment to TWFG’s slogan, “Our Policy is Caring.”

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2016 AGENT CONVENTION: THURSDAY Alex Bunch Chief Creative & CMO The 2016 TWFG National Convention in The Woodlands was our best yet!

Special guest Paul Overstreet and his good friend and guitarist, Mike Loudermilk, gave us a rare insight into Grammy and CMA award–winning songwriting and performing for some of Country music’s top legends. In addition to an inspiring corporate update and vision for the future from Gordy, Troy Korsgaden was brought in to be our Keynote Speaker, and he shared invaluable business strategies and philosophies that are sure to have a positive impact on the businesses of all those who attended.

There were several breakout sessions Friday morning and afternoon, and one that was credited with the most impact was the compliance session delivered by Katherine Nolan and Judy Rush. The Family Fun Day at Carlton Woods Club on Saturday brought us all together for

“friendly” competition, the champion of which was later decided by a winner–takes–all rock–paper–scissor round. Team Green prevailed with an impressive scissor–beats–paper final round this year, much to Gordy’s chagrin. The Awards Gala Saturday night was spectacular, and several new members were inducted into The President’s and Million Dollar Club. To top off the evening, our first ever recipient of the Excellence in Customer Service Award was announced, kicking off the beginning of what will be TWFG’s most coveted accolade. Sunday’s Triple Secret Session did not disappoint, and if you weren’t there, you missed out. In a word, it was Epic. Next year we return to The Waterway Marriott in The Woodlands, which can better accommodate the over 300 attendees we had this year alone.

MARK OFF JUNE 22 – JUNE 25, 2017 FOR NEXT YEARS NATIONAL CONVENTION ON YOUR CALENDARS, AND WE’LL LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING ANOTHER YEAR OF SUCCESS WITH YOU THEN!

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2016 AGENT CONVENTION: FRIDAY

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2016 AGENT CONVENTION: SATURDAY

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND DOWNLOAD PHOTOS FROM THE SATURDAY FUN DAY AND AWARDS GALA

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND DOWNLOAD PHOTOS FROM THE SATURDAY FUN DAY AND AWARDS GALA

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AWARDS GALA DINNER

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND DOWNLOAD PHOTOS FROM THE SATURDAY FUN DAY AND AWARDS GALA

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND DOWNLOAD PHOTOS FROM THE SATURDAY FUN DAY AND AWARDS GALA

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AWARDS GALA WINNERS 01

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01. Million Dollar Club 02. President’s Club 03. New Excellence in Customer Service Award 04. Brittany Traylor (CSA finalist)

05. Erin O’Connor (CSA finalist) 06. Shea Jones (CSA winner) 07. President‘s Club Award 08. Awards Table

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09. Brandon Richey (Personal Lines Growth Agent for TX) 10. Carlos Cantu (Commercial Growth Agent for TX) 11. Jerry Offner (Rookie of the Year) 12. Kerry Landry (Commercial Growth Agent for the East)

13. Roger Larson (Personal Lines Growth Agent for the West) 14. Lisa Knight (Personal Lines Growth Agent for the East) 15. Jeanie Kim (Health Agent of the Year) 16. Todd Golden and Bobby Counts; Team Green with scissors to win

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2015 TWFG AWARD WINNERS PRESIDENT’S CLUB (20 TOTAL MEMBERS):

MILLION DOLL AR CLUB (68 TOTAL MEMBERS):

2015 NEW MEMBERS (3):

2015 NEW MEMBERS (20):

Brandon Richey Kerry Landry Roger Larson

PRESIDENT'S CLUB EXISTING MEMBERS: Carlos Cantu Buffy Doiron Hooper Carlton Kon Bobby Counts Mark Bartlett Kelly Lee Rick Rogers Anthony Voiron Marilyn Randazzo

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Russell Knapp Jenny Xu Darren Monteith Stephen Lovecchio Holland Brothers John Sparks Brian Johnson Betty Loick

Michael A. Crafts Jerome A. Offner & Linda F. Rogers Daniel Chang Monika Mir Shannon Hartgrove Judy Lam Don Oh & Jeanie Kim Alla Mokritsky Derek Benavides Thomas Phan Monica Pedraza Lea Ann Leslie Jerry Peter Amin Betsy Henslee Jimmy Goodwin Jane Wang John Robnett Jason Schmitz Samantha Thomas Melanie Head

MILLION DOLLAR CLUB EXISTING MEMBERS: Marilyn Caldwell Melissa Khan Denise Davis Chris Forman John Keefer Lisa Knight Ashley Floyd Dale Ratliff Lane McKinney Tom Blasutta Reed Wilcox Bobbie Gail Torres J.R. Zamorano Terry Cauthen Noel Sanchez Norma Pineda Lisa Newman Todd Golden Wendy Guerrero Jennifer Vargas Harlivleen Kaur Randall Kent Susan Stover Randy Costa

Julio Manchego William Woodall Vlada Denisova Mike Underwood Alison Cuevas Thuy Cao Estela Portillo Joseph Vu Adrian Saman Brandon Mangum Barbara Mitchell Jean Burridge Ann Moore Amber Pillsbury Brian Stamper Jennifer Ly and Paul Ly Shaileen Smith Clay Hudnall Greg Armstrong Maury Saunders Katie & Jeff Cannon Jennifer Wragge Bentley Fitch Chad Gunal

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Jerry Offner

PERSONAL LINES GROW TH AGENT OF THE YEAR: East: Lisa Knight TX: Brandon Richey West: Roger Larson

COMMERCIAL LINES GROW TH AGENT OF THE YEAR: East: Kerry Landry TX: Carlos Cantu West: Daniel Chang

HEALTH AGENT OF THE YEAR: Don Oh & Jeanie Kim

LIFE AGENT OF THE YEAR: Steven Wu

ANNUIT Y AGENT OF THE YEAR: Debi Moore

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BEHIND THE SMILEY FACE Chris Sekin Creative Director - Johnson & Sekin Let’s be honest. Most homeowners insurance companies aren’t exactly looked upon in the most favorable light. And typically, their logos are void of personality, relying solely on the letters of the typeface to do the heavy lifting. This means the advertising and marketing surrounding the brand must convey the spirit and attitude of the company.

With the design of the new logo for twico™, we decided to address these hurdles right out of the starting gate. So we created a warm, welcoming, approachable logo with a graphic element that resembles

a smile. This human characteristic gives people the feeling that “everything’s going to be okay.” It also serves as a carrier for the twico™ name as well as other personalized messages. At the same time, it implies that customers will always be able to speak with a real agent.

The typeface that accompanies the logo uses all lowercase letters so that it feels less “corporate” and friendlier. This, along with the vibrant, green color palette, evokes feelings of trust. Which is important, since our job is to prepare our customers for the unforeseen.

 Play video Click on the image to view the TWICO/TWFG Brand Video

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BUNCH ON BUSINESS Gordy Bunch President & CEO

THE HIGH COST OF HIGH-TECH DISTR ACTIONS

In today’s fast-paced world, the attention span of our potential clients has never been shorter. The digital age has rewired our brains so that we now have only seconds to make an impression, communicate a message, and engage a prospect online or in person.

Just how short? According to “A Marketer’s Guide to Understanding the Vanishing Attention Span of Consumers,” you have less than three seconds for your web page to load, 10 seconds for someone to commit to staying on your site, and 30 seconds to give what used to be a two-minute elevator speech.

If you are lucky enough to be in a conversation, you now have up to five minutes to cover a presentation down from 12 minutes over the last decade. They even determined goldfish have a longer attention span of nine seconds compared to today’s information-age consumers’ eight seconds.

What does all of this mean for your businesses marketing efforts, client interactions, training and presentations? It means there is no margin for error or you lose to your competitors who get it right. You have to be concise, deliver only relevant information, images and customized content to the target audience. This has to be true for your website, TV commercials, print media, customer communications, social media, internal and external communications. It also means you need to audit every aspect of your business to make sure what you are doing meets today’s consumers expectations.

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The attention span issue has an impact on other areas of your business since it’s not only our customers who are distracted with low attention spans but also our employees, suppliers, vendors, managers, executives and even ourselves. Social media, texting, Facebook, emails, smartphones and surfing the web is draining the life out of our once highly focused workforce. Businesses need to acknowledge these distractions and have a focused plan to deal with them. Utilize scheduled breaktimes and lunches as the appropriate time for employees to use personal devices, social media and take walks. Researchers have discovered that moderate exercise increases productivity.

Scheduling appropriate times for employees to reconnect to their over-connected world alleviates the withdrawal and anxiety of having to disconnect during their workday.

It is equally important for business owners to reflect on their own technology distractions in all areas of their lives. It is easy to justify being on 24/7 but difficult to quantify what we lose in productivity, relationships and quality of life. Work-life balance needs to be a priority to avoid burnout and regrets. My brother often states that “people on their deathbed never say they wished they’d worked more in their lifetime,” a truth that hits close to home for me. I will be working on how to disconnect from these distractions in order to reconnect with people I care most about, and I encourage you to do the same. I doubt anyone on their deathbed will ever utter any of the following: “Where’s my cell phone? I wish I could read one more email, send one more text or shop for one more thing.”

CONNECT. INSPIRE. ENGAGE.

MetLife Auto & Home® and TWFG are both committed to delivering solutions and services that exceed our customers’ expectations. Our relationship is built on a foundation of integrity, innovation and unwavering commitment to provide peace of mind to the families in our communities. Together we make a difference.

MetLife Auto & Home is a brand of Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates: Economy Preferred Insurance Company, Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan General Insurance Company, Metropolitan Group Property and Casualty Insurance Company, and Metropolitan Lloyds Insurance Company of Texas, all with administrative home offices in Warwick, RI. Coverage, rates, and discounts are available in most states to those who qualify. See policy for restrictions.

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ST. BALDRICK’S FOUNDATION CHILI COOK-OFF Judith Wighaman Book Transfer Coordinator/Operations Support Associate February 21st, TWFG sponsored the St. Baldrick’s Foundation 1st Annual Chili Cook-off with all proceeds going to the Children with Cancer Foundation of St. Baldrick’s. All enjoyed music, good eats, and a wonderful performance by the Children with Cancer Choir.

The TWFG home office team came up with the slogan “KNOCKOUT CHILI.” There were several corporations that created their chili for judging.

Our Knockout Chili cookers were: Michelle Gibbons - UND, Joe Ann Burton (ACCT), Apprille Moore (ACCT), John Scully

(IT), and Tony Pascente (ACCT). Taking home the honor of “People’s Choice.”

For the Promotional Tent to follow the theme creating a boxing ring, participants were encouraged to “KNOCKOUT CANCER.” The team consisted of Judith Wighaman (OPS), Dan Timmons (OPS), Shelley Sowell (GB-CSR), Shannon Bailey (UND), Angela Habbitt-Tate (UND), Lidia Muniz (processing), Kripa Sasidharan (IT), Claudia Mendez (Sales & Services), Amanda Rios (processing).

The team took home 1st Place for Tent Decorations.

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01. Knockout Chili tent 02. The tent decoration team hard at work 03. Another view of the Knockout Chili tent

04. Some customers that came by to participate in the boxing part of the theme 05. Claudia Mendez

06. Our awesome Knockout Chili cooks 07. Judith Wighaman 08. Michelle Gibbons

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THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS! PL ATINUM

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