A Plan For Future Of African-American Agents

By Mark E. Ruquet

NU Online News Service, Sept.22, 4:08 p.m. EDT, LasVegas?African-American insurance agents seeking ways togain visibility and clout in their industry were urged to connectwith other African-American insurance professionals by a speaker atthe National African-American Insurance Association conferencehere.

Motivational speaker and author, George Fraser, saidAfrican-Americans as a group must begin a new fight toward closingthe income and wealth gap that exists today. He said that thisjourney will take 100 years and requires the "joining of the dots"between existing African-American groups to form a web of commoninterest.

"There is an old African proverb, ?When spider webs unite theytie up the line,'" Mr. Fraser said.

As the end of slavery and the battle for civil rights andequality were generational battles, this too will mean agenerational commitment to improvement that the African-Americancommunity must commit itself to, including members involved in theinsurance industry, he advised.

"We have come a long way, but we have much further to go," Mr.Fraser said.

He said that while many cultures have joined together in Americato improve their overall economic standing, the African-Americancommunity has failed to do so. He noted that NAAIA, based inWashington, D.C., is one organization that is beginning the trailtoward connecting a web of interests.

"Good ideas take time to grow," he said of NAAIA, noting that ithas laid the cornerstone to growing a network with otherAfrican-American insurance executives and agents throughout thecountry to "lead our people in this critical industry and guide usand those who follow in your footsteps."

He admonished those who might believe they cannot succeed in theUnited States. In America things are far better than for those ofAfrican decent anywhere else in the world, he said.

"In case you think you can't succeed, you must be a wimp," hedeclared.

A major portion of his discussion centered on the need fornetworking, which is one of NAAIA's objectives. He said businesssuccess is all about relationships. Having positive relationshipswith others builds a positive infrastructure that leads tosuccess.

The author of "Success Runs in Our Race: The Complete Guide toEffective Networking in the African-American Community," saidsuccessful business is all about networking and treating peoplewith respect.

"Business is all about relationships," Mr. Fraser said. "If youhave no relationships, you have no business."

"Effective people spend 14 percent of their time cultivatingrelationships," he observed. "But the top people spend 54 percentof their time cultivating relationships--at home, at work, and intheir communities."

He added that it is important for those in business tounderstand that in order for all African-Americans to succeed,individuals must look beyond what is in it for them.

"The key to building effective relationships is giving," hesaid. "If you want to get business give service."

He added, "If you ain't giving, you ain't getting."

Understanding ways to promote NAAIA's message became the centralfocus of a diversity discussion by a panel of association andindustry members.

Andre Urena, chief executive officer of the Latin AmericanAgents Association based in El Monte, Calif., said carriers havetaken notice of his association because it has grown in number to afew hundred members. Progress in getting noticed also came throughhis group's efforts to show insurance companies that theLatin-American community offers two things they desire--better lossratios and high retention, he said, adding that his association hadthe facts to back up their claims.

Mr. Urena said that his group was able to succeed in bringingmore insurance agents into the association, in part, by makingmeetings interesting-- with music and entertainment that spoke totheir heritage. He warned, however, that if the meetings lackedsubstance, the associations would be "dismissed" by carriers.

The biggest problem is getting people united and reaching out toone another in their communities, said Wendy L. Brown, president ofthe Atlanta Association of Insurance Professionals and anoperations manager with Zurich.

"There is too much ?What can I get out of this' or ?What's in itfor me,'" she said. "There are too many who don't understand thatthere is strength in the numbers."

Roosevelt Haywood III, NAAIA chairman of the board and presidentof Haywood and Fleming Associates in Gary, Ind., observed that foragencies to strengthen themselves they must reach out and buildrelationships. But they also need to recognize their strengths, hesaid.

"Image is everything," he noted. "An agency must look the partbefore it can assume the part it looks to play."

Alejandra Garza, head of emerging markets for Aetna, Inc., saidthat carriers clearly see minority populations as a growing marketand are moving to service them by providing the products andservices customers want and need. Companies also see the need todevelop relationships with associations representing minorityinsurance executives and agents because of their influence over thebuying public, she said.