The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - 23

IBAH's won Affiliate of the Year a few times now-
what does it mean to you?
LU: I was so grateful to be Vice President when we won the first
time, and President for our most recent win. It was wonderful
to be recognized amongst our peers, I was so very proud of our
team. It still makes me smile, thinking about hearing our name
announced as the winner.
MH: You know what-it's truly great validation. It makes you feel
that the work we're doing and the time we put in is well worth it.
Promoting the broker brand and doing right by our community
is such a good feeling. I think our success is a direct reflection of
the dedication and effort of our Board. These individuals work so
hard every day, then give what little extra time they have to better
Hamilton's broker community. It's really an honour to be part of
this team.
What's the secret behind your success?
LU: We have a strong education arm, we embrace social media
and we've improved our web presence. We speak with our local
MPs. We help charities and food banks within our community.
We're proud to be insurance brokers and do the best we can to
offer social events like our Meet the Underwriter Night, Mix &
Mingles, golf tournaments and bowling events. Above all, we work
well together, we take the work seriously and we love coming up
with new and exciting ideas.
MH: Besides having a great team, we don't overcomplicate things.
Our goal is to create meaningful experiences and opportunities for
brokers, and to give back to our community. If we're doing these
things, we're successful. It doesn't matter if we're winning awards,
but it's definitely the cherry on top when we do.
How has the pandemic impacted your association and
shifted some of the things you offer?
LU: We've been meeting over Zoom instead of in person. As much
as it's been a bit of a learning curve, we all seem to have fun with
it, especially those crazy hair days. We've had to cancel our inperson
broker events, so our focus has shifted to education.
MH: Like everyone, we've had to pivot. Many events were
cancelled, new ideas were generated, and we were able to create
an online offering for our Basic Broker course. Creating a virtual
option was a huge job, but it will be very beneficial in the long run.
How did you get involved with IBAH and why should
others get involved?
LU: A co-worker approached me to see if I'd be interested in taking
over her position as Membership Chair. I was a little nervous at
the time, but thought it'd be good to interact with other brokers
and company members. Being on the Board is so rewarding. I was
never a public speaker, but over time it's become easier. I've made
so many new friends I wouldn't have met if I hadn't joined the
Board. Being involved has created a skillset I didn't know I had.
MH: I attended many events over the years before I joined. Initially
my goal was to differentiate myself as a young broker, build a
broader network and give back to the community. I didn't know I'd
have so many opportunities come out of it-incredible friendships,
professional accolades, deep community roots. I hope others want
to get involved for these reasons. It's work-unpaid work and
time-but it's so rewarding, and it really fills my cup to do good for
our community.
You seem to attract young volunteers to your
Board-what's your approach?
LU: It's good to have a few seasoned members, but we recognize
young brokers are the future. We encourage them to offer insight
and new ideas. It's never good to be comfortable-we achieve
through discomfort.
MH: A lot of it is word of mouth. A few of our younger members
have friends in the industry-when we recruit, we try to put it out
to other like-minded individuals who want to be involved, grow as
a broker and make a difference.
" Our goal is to create
meaningful experiences
and opportunities for
brokers, and to give back
to our community. If
we're doing these things,
we're successful. "
What does IBAH's future look like?
LU: As the province opens up, so do we. In the near term we're
planning to hold in-person events, keeping in line with provincial
guidelines. We may keep our meetings through Zoom, but we
expect to be stronger than ever and invite brokers to join our
Board. New minds mean new ideas. Our goal is always for brokers
to know IBAH's here to support and guide them through their
insurance career.
MH: The future looks exciting! We've got an incredible team and a
desire to take the association to the next level. If the pandemic's
taught us anything, it's that time is precious. It's our goal to
create meaningful interactions and opportunities for our broker
community. The events need to pack a punch and be fun and
worthwhile.
VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 4
23

The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4

In This Issue
The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - Cover1
The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - Cover2
The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - In This Issue
The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - 4
The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - 5
The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - 6
The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - 7
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The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - Cover3
The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - Cover4
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