Articles by Nicole Bissett

Vale Training Solutions Teams Up With the Insurance Journal Academy

From green risks to restaurant claims, there are many topics to choose from in this year’s webinar courses. Three Vale Training Solution instructors, with varying backgrounds, have one thing in common: They are bringing their expertise in insurance to students …

How to Conduct Annual Policy Reviews

Insurance Journal Webinar Instructor Balbresky Offers Tips on Effective Reviews When trying to get clients back in door for policy reviews, agents need to understand what drives that client. “People are not going to just spend an evening or an …

IJ’s Academy of Insurance Instructor Gears Up for Leadership Training

Kathy Ryan is no stranger to the challenges of leadership in the workplace. For two years, she’s been coaching executives of large companies on how to have those tough conversations with employees on performance. She is the president and founder …

Insurance Journal’s Academy of Insurance Instructor Ryan Gears Up for Performance, Leadership Sessions

How to Have Tough Conversations with Employees and Leadership Training Top Webinar Schedule Kathy Ryan is no stranger to the challenges of leadership in the workplace. For two years, she’s been coaching executives of large companies on how to have …

Specialized Independence

Top 100 Agency Profile Agency Name: The Horton Group Inc. Headquarters: Orland Park, Ill. Year Founded: 1971 Locations: 15 2009 Total P/C Premiums: $258.3 million Commercial Lines: $221.4 million Personal Lines: $36.8 million Other than P/C: $269.7 million 2009 Total …

Strong Attitude Backed by Superior Knowledge

Top 100 Agency Profile Agency Name: Mesirow Financial Services Inc. Headquarters: Chicago, Ill. Year Founded: 1937 2008 Total Premium Volume: $1.4 billion Property/Casualty: $397.5 million Other than P/C: $1.0 billion % Commercial: 24% % Personal: 12% 2008 Revenues: $90.5 million …

Age and Wisdom

Top 100 Agency Profile Agency Name: Marshall and Sterling Enterprises Inc. Headquarters: Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Year Founded: 1864 Additional Locations: 17 2008 Total Premium Volume: $342 million Property/Casualty: $289 million Other than P/C: $53 million % Commercial: 65% of total % …

A Century of Growing and Giving Back

Old age hasn’t set in at Barney & Barney yet and with almost 20 percent growth in each of the last nine years, it doesn’t look like it will take root any time soon. With $32 million in revenues and …

All About Teamwork

Fostering Close Working Relationships Is a Priority for The NIA Group Top 100 Agency Profile Ranking No.: 19 Agency Name: The NIA Group LLC Headquarters: Paramus, N.J. Year Founded: 1926 Additional Locations: 11 2008 Total Premium Volume: $953.72 million Property/Casualty: …

Social Networking in an Insurance World

Web 2.0 Tools Enhance the Face-to-Face Interactions in the Industry Insurance firms that have used the tools of Web 2.0 appear to be won over for good, and have little to say that is negative. McAuley, Woods & Associates, a …