Since the inception of the National Outstanding CSR of the Year Award in 1991, one exceptional customer service representative has been selected each year to receive the high-profile honor sponsored by The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research.
This year, however, the National Alliance announced that its blue-ribbon panel of judges narrowed the field of 36 state winners to five finalists, but was unable to fairly eliminate one of the top two. Consequently, for the first time, two winners were chosen to receive the top award in 2005: Miranda M. Wescott, and Misty L. Kriskovich.
Wescott is a personal account manager working with special personal lines account coverages at Chandler-Frates & Reitz Inc., in Tulsa, Okla.
Kriskovich, manages the commercial insurance department for Hobson Insurance in Hobson, Mont.
The judges evaluated the finalists based on their individual contributions to the insurance community, and the strength of their essays written on the topic, “The Four Most Constructive Things a Producer Can Do Now to Help CSRs.” To be considered for this award the candidate must be an insurance customer service representative, or have primary responsibility for insurance customer service duties.
Wescott and Kriskovich each receive a cash award of $1,000, a gold and diamond lapel pin, and their names will be inscribed on a sculpture on permanent display at National Alliance headquarters in Austin, Texas. A scholarship will be awarded to both of their employers for participation in any National Alliance program.
In addition to the selection of Wescott and Kriskovich as national award recipients, three national finalists were chosen from a particularly competitive field of applicants: Cathy M. Cassetta, with BB&T/Iler Wall & Shonter Insurance Inc., of St. Petersburg, Fla.; Diane L. Hodas, with Loesel Schaaf Insurance Agency Inc., in Erie, Pa.; and Carol “Cricket” Mitchell, with Premier Insurance in Twin Falls, Idaho. They each receive a gold and garnet lapel pin, and publicity in a national trade journal.
Barbara G says: 
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