Cara Schoettes, Marketing Director
On May 18 and 19th, Mountain Empire Agency Alliance hosted its Annual Meeting once again in Kingsport, Tennessee. We welcomed almost 90 member agent principles and staff, over 50 carrier company representatives, and some prospective new members for two days of education and networking.
From the moment registration began, you could feel the energy in the room. Our Annual Meeting, a long-standing tradition, had been moved virtual the past two years due to COVID-19 restrictions. Finally, for the first time since 2019, this group of passionate agency owners and carrier representatives could gather together. The sounds of engaging conversation, new relationships forming, people reconnecting, and tons of laughter filled the conference center.
In addition to keeping our tried and true traditions in place, we added a few new features to our meeting this year, the biggest being a golf outing. We had 11 teams participate on Wednesday morning, soaking up a gorgeous spring Tennessee day. While a few teams won big, everyone experienced time with a small group of agents and carrier representatives to connect deeply over 18 holes. We are excited to continue this outing in the future as it was such a great way to kick off our meeting.
Once dinner rolled around on Wednesday night, the meeting was in full swing. Connecting over fellowship, and hearing from SIAA’s Vice President, National Sales, Jim Keane, about the past year and where the organization is heading in the future is always a treat. The evening ended with networking with our carrier representatives, and fellowship around the fire pits, a classic evening at our meetings each year.
By the time the sun rose on Thursday, our meeting was in full swing and it was time to dive deep into learning together. Our day consisted of presentations and a keynote speaker, as well as one-on-one time between carrier representatives and agents.
This year’s theme was, “Cultivating Agency Culture,” so our speakers and discussion topics all focused on this central idea.
As leaders in the independent insurance industry, it is critical to continuously reflect on the culture we create. Beyond creation, it is crucial to maintain this culture and to take actionable steps to cultivate a forward-thinking, top-tier agency that will stand the test of time. This year’s annual meeting will focus on how we take sustainable action toward leading an agency that will shape the insurance industry for decades to come. Sheldon Snodgrass with The Steady Sales Group, MEAA staff members, and other presenters will lead us through two days of asking discovery questions, analyzing the cultures that currently exist in our agencies, and cultivating agency cultures of continuous improvement and developing excellence.
Hearing our agents echo through the halls with new ideas and fresh energy to take their business to the next level gave us confidence that we were on the right track.
As we finished up our meeting together, we took time to recognize some of the incredible accomplishments MEAA agents had achieved over the past year. We celebrated our 6th consecutive year of achieving Top Performer status with SIAA, surpassing 150 member agencies across TN, NC, and VA, and over $450 million in Total Written Premium.
Finally, we presented awards to our 5, 10, and 15-year member agencies. Our agencies are the backbone of our success, and our motivation to grow each year. Providing resources, connections, and opportunities to these agencies is our central mission, and it is so rewarding to recognize them for years and decades of success.
Each year, the MEAA Annual Meeting is designed to bring MEAA staff, carrier representatives, and agency owners and staff together to learn, develop, and network together. With another successful meeting completed, we turn our sights to next year. We have seven months left in 2022 to reach our ambitious goals, and we look forward to our meeting next year where we can celebrate these accomplishments and continue to grow as a group. MEAA is all about the central idea that “Independent Doesn’t Have to Mean Alone,” which is never clearer than when we all come together.
Interested in joining us next year? Save the date for our 2023 meeting, which will be held in Kingsport, TN on May 3rd and 4th. Reach out to our team today about joining the #1 agency partnership in the nation.