In a state with a reputation for strong agent associations andan era ripe with agency succession issues, the existence of astructured support system for new agents would appear to be agiven. However, as is often the case when people make assumptions,there is a gap between what is needed and what is actuallyavailable.

Until this past October, Florida was one of only a handful ofstates that did not have a Young Agents Council, better known as aYAC. Perhaps Jeff Grady, the president of the state's largestassociation, Florida Association of Insurance Agents (FAIA),finally had his eyes opened while attending national associationconferences and hearing about the benefits of the programs. In anycase, FAIA's YAC is now up and running after a kick-off attended bymore than 100 at the October Management and Automation TrainingSeminar in Orlando.

Melissa Champany was lured from her independent agent positionin the Crawfordville office of Rogers, Gunter, Vaughn to bestatewide YAC coordinator. In order to join FAIA's YAC, candidatesmust be employed at a member agency or company and be under 40 orin the business less than 10 years. Annual dues are only $50, with$20 of that going to the association's Political Action Committee(PAC).