The past year has been a very interesting one for our industry, much like the rest of the economy. The "Great Recession” as its being called has affected all of us, agents, insured’s and our carriers. We saw many things we could never imagine, the fall of some very good insurance carriers, and the bailout of others. Carrier purchases and mergers heated up again in 2009 and trend looks to continue for 2010. As in the past, our industry has faced many challenges and will continue to do so going forward. We have been successful in our bouts with those in the past who have tried to destroy our livelihood, and we will continue to win those new fights posed against us in the future by the rouge consumer activists and other special interest groups. None of these groups understand that what we do as independent agents is not only in the best interests of our clients, but benefits the entire insurance buying public as a whole. Independent agents create the free market economy for insurance. We provide the professional services to our clients that cannot be matched by any other distribution vehicle. More than ever our clients will look for us to guide them with best risk management consulting available to help them make the right decisions, and navigate these challenging times.

I want you to know that this association will continue to work hard on your behalf with our advocacy efforts to protect your best interest in 2010. Please watch our calendar for upcoming local events and make it a point to participate in your association your industry and your livelihood.

Sincerely,

Joe Gieson