Several new officers for the Independent Insurance Agents &Brokers of America (IIABA or Big “I”) will begin their termsfollowing a board meeting held in conjunction with the annual Big“I” Fall Leadership Conference in San Antonio this weekend.

IIABA named Thomas J. Minkler chairman and DavidWalker as chairman-elect. Randy Lanoix and Joseph Leahy willserve as vice chairman and at-large executive committee member,respectively.

“The Big 'I' is pleased that such a distinguished group ofprofessionals will be among the association's leaders,” said IIABApresident and CEO Robert Rusbuldt. Tom Minkler, David Walker, RandyLanoix and Joseph Leahy, along with the rest of the executivecommittee and officers, are an outstanding team of industry leaderswho position us well for a productive year.”

Tom Minkler, CIC, currently serves as president of theClark-Mortenson Agency in Keene, N.H. He has previously held theposition of chairman of the New Hampshire Assn. of InsuranceAgencies, president of the Massachusetts Assn. of Insurance Agents,as well as being the New Hampshire director for the Big “I”national board. His involvement with Big “I.” He has served onvarious Big “I” committees including Government Affairs, CaptiveStudy and Professional Liability. Minkler frequently speaks onbehalf of the industry, having provided testimony before Congresson behalf of the Big “I” on several occasions.

David Walker, CIC, AAI, LIC, ARM, is president of HartlandInsurance Agency located in Hartland, Mich., the agency where hebegan his career in 1979. Locally, Walker has served on theMichigan Assn. of Insurance Agents Young Agents Council,Legislative Affairs Committee and Agency-Company Relationscommittee among others. With Big “I,” Walker's work includes beinga member of the Big “I” Professional Liability Committee andserving on the boards of the Big “I,” CAP and Big “I”Advantage.

Serving as president of Lanoix Insurance Agency in Lutcher andBrusly, La., Randy Lanoix held the position of president of theIndependent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana as well asthe Big “I” representative for the state on the national Board ofDirectors from 2005 to 2010. He is the recipient of the “Mr.Chairman” award for his work as the legislative chairman in theLouisiana state legislature and has been honored of the Lou Danielaward. Nationally, Lanoix has served as a member of theProfessional Liability Committee, the Trusted Choice Board ofDirectors, and served two terms as chairman of State GovernmentAffairs on the Government Affairs Committee.

Joseph P. Leahy is the co-owner of Leahy and Brown Insurance +Realty Inc., which he founded with his wife in Springfield, Mass.in 1989. Leahy's previous accomplishments include serving as chiefof staff to Massachusetts State Sen. Martin T. Reilly(D-Springfield) and being elected to the executive committee of theMassachusetts Assn. of Insurance Agents in 2001, serving aschairman in 2005, and representing Massachusetts as a director onthe Big “I” national board. Leahy has served on a number of Big “I”committees and task forces including the Government AffairsCommittee and the Tax Task Force.

Founded in 1896, Big “I” is the oldest and largest associationof independent insurance agents and brokers in the nation. Currentchairman Bobby Bramlett is president and CEO of Bramlett Agency inArdmore, Okla.