Latest Iowa Headlines

Study Shows Iowa with Significant Insurance Industry Job Growth

Dec 12 2006 // A recent 48-page study by the Connecticut Economic Resource Center Inc. said that Iowa now surpasses Connecticut for insurance company job growth. From 1995 to 2005, insurance jobs in insurance companies in Connecticut...

It Figures

Nov 20 2006 // 2 percent Four of the Ohio’s five largest medical malpractice insurers have revised their rates to produce an average decrease of almost 2 percent for Ohio doctors this year, following years of increases, the Ohio...

Iowa State School Faces $10 Million in Costs to Repair Fire Damaged Building

Nov 14 2006 // It will likely cost $10 million for the University of Northern Iowa to restore a building that was damaged in a fire more than a year ago. At a Board of Regents meeting, officials said the Legislature paid $2 million to...

Democrats Seize Control in State Legislatures

Nov 8 2006 // The two major parties are no longer locked in parity in state legislatures. Wresting control from the GOP in all the chambers that changed hands outright, the Democrats now control the legislatures in more states than they...

Wellmark Commits $5 Million to Jobs Program in Rural Iowa

Oct 30 2006 // Des Moines, Iowa-based Wellmark Inc. has committed $5 million in venture capital to help encourage business development and expansion in rural Iowa communities. The effort is through the Iowa Farm Bureau’s Renew...

Sharing Power Seen as Option for Evenly Split Oklahoma Senate

Oct 30 2006 // Democratic and Republican state Senate leaders in Oklahoma may follow the lead of their counterparts in other states and share power if the chamber has a tie in membership after the Nov. 7 general election, officials...

Iowa Diocese Files for Bankruptcy over Sex Abuse Cases

Oct 13 2006 // The Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week, the fourth diocese in the nation to seek financial protection to deal with priest sex abuse cases. Bishop William Franklin said the diocese...

Iowa Principal Group to Expand Operations, Add 200 Jobs

Oct 2 2006 // Principal Financial Group Inc. is expanding its Des Moines operations and anticipates hiring at least 200 more workers by the end of 2007. The Des Moines-based insurance and financial services company said Friday it...

Iowa GuideOne, National Safety Council List America’s Safest Churches

Sep 28 2006 // The next time you go to church, you may notice security guards, controlled access, or a secure drop box for collections. These are just some of the innovative safety and security measures being implemented by churches...

Iowa Farm Bureau Ordered to Stop Free Memberships for Insurance Buyers

Sep 28 2006 // Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. can no longer give free Farm Bureau memberships to customers who agree to buy insurance, state insurance regulators said. Susan Voss, commissioner of the the Iowa insurance division, said a...

Iowa Hawkeye-Security Appoints Blue Valley and Garry & Associates

Sep 27 2006 // Hawkeye-Security Insurance, a member of Liberty Mutual Group, has added Blue Valley Insurance Agency located in Overland Park, Kan., and Garry & Associates Insurance Agency located in North Kansas City, Mo. to its...

Susan Voss, Iowa, Commissioner of Insurance

Sep 25 2006 // Iowa is perceived by other states as a model in terms of the number of companies domiciled in the state and those wanting to do business there, as well as having a very stable legislative and regulatory environment. But...

People and Places

Sep 25 2006 // Miami insurance agent Alex Soto has been inaugurated as the new president of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”), with Robert E. Fulwider and C. Brett Nilsson assuming the...

Iowa’s open dialogue and stable environment a ‘draw’ for insurers

Sep 25 2006 // Iowa is perceived by other states as a model in terms of the number of companies domiciled in the state and those wanting to do business there, as well as having a very stable legislative and regulatory environment. But...

People and Places

Sep 25 2006 // Schaumburg, Ill.-based Zurich Insurance recently promoted John LaGrassa to senior vice president and director of ceded reinsurance. In his new position, LaGrassa will be responsible for all of Zurich’s ceded...

People and Places

Sep 25 2006 // Miami insurance agent Alex Soto has been inaugurated as the new president of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”), with Robert E. Fulwider assuming the office of...

Sep 25 2006 // People Miami insurance agent Alex Soto has been inaugurated as the new president of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”), with Robert E. Fulwider assuming the office of...

Sep 25 2006 // People San Antonio, Texas-based Southwest Business Corporation announced that Nick Grant has joined SWBC as the chief executive officer of the Property and Casualty Division in the San Antonio office. Grant is responsible...

People

Sep 25 2006 // Miami insurance agent Alex Soto has been inaugurated as the new president of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”), with Robert E. Fulwider and C. Brett Nilsson assuming the...

In Iowa’s Healing Field, 2,988 Flags Honor Victims of Sept. 11 Attacks

Sep 11 2006 // The rippling of flags and passing traffic were the only sounds heard Friday as people milled about 2,988 American flags, each one representing a person killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The Healing Field of...