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InVEST Launching Student Video Contest
As part of an effort to boost insurance knowledge during April Financial Literacy Month, InVEST will be launching a video contest on December 1, 2014 for any active InVEST High School, and we need your help getting the word out!
Start InVEST Near You
Looking to get involved with InVEST, but there are no programs in your area? InVEST can help! Just because there isn't a program currently in your area does not mean you can't start a new program using InVEST's free resources. Follow these easy steps to get a new program started locally. Don't forget, national InVEST staff is always available to help your local efforts.
Power Points Available for Classroom Volunteers
InVEST has updated many of its Power Points, and even added a few new ones to the mix. Login using your username and password, and click on Resources then Games and Presentations to access the supply of over a dozen presentations for volunteers to use in classroom. Choose from topics like managing risk, careers in insurance, teenage driving issues, and many more.Most of the Power Points even include talking points, making it even easier to present the topic in the classroom.
InVEST Continues to Make Strides with NAAIA
The National African American Insurance Association continue to encourage their volunteers to spearhead InVEST initiatives in their local area. Our alliance with NAAIA has proved to be a very beneficial relationship for both organizations and we're excited to continue working with them to increase new diverse talent in the insurance industry. Many chapters have already accomplished wonderful success implementing InVEST in their local areas and we look forward to expanding the reach even more.
InVEST Makes Rounds at Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship
InVEST attended the 46th Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship August 5-8, 2014 to educate the junior golfers about insurance careers and encourage them to share the information with their peers. As an incentive to stop by the InVEST tent, staff videoed the golfers on their experiences at the tournament and encouraged them to share the videos on their social spaces.
InVEST On the Move
InVEST staff is on the move in an effort to expand the program in schools and increase its volunteer participation. Check out a listing of upcoming events and locations. If you'd like an InVEST representative to meet with you or your staff while they travel to the listed areas, please let us know and we'll do our best to accommodate you! Many of these events InVEST is hosting specific information sessions. If you're interested in attending or want more information on the events, please contact Jennifer Robinson at email@example.com.
Travelers Executive Presented with Dach Award
The InVEST program awarded Tom Davis, CPCU, Travelers underwriting officer, with the Dach Award which honors an insurance industry volunteer who has made tremendous contributions in fostering the growth and development of InVEST. The InVEST program is a key driver to attract new talent to the insurance industry.
InVEST Awards 70 Academic Scholarships
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, has awarded $87,000 in scholarships to 70 students pursuing insurance-related degrees, breaking previous scholarship records. The program is a key incentive in attracting new talent to the insurance industry.
InVEST Annouces 2014 Teacher of the Year
ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 20, 2014 – Adam W. Zupkoff, who teaches at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Fla., is the 2014 InVEST Teacher of the Year Award. The program is a key driver to attract new talent to the insurance industry. "Great teachers, like Adam Zupkoff, are the backbone of the InVEST program which provides much needed financial literacy education and is critical for the success of the industry," says Robert G. Slocum, CPCU, CIC, InVEST board chair and president of The Slocum Agency, Inc., an independent agency in Warwick, R.I. "Mr. Zupkoff's dedication to his students and InVEST has resulted in a wonderfully successful program at Dr. Phillips High School. We are honored to present him with this year's InVEST Program Teacher of the Year award."
InVEST Graduate Zachary Robinson Thanks Donors
Zachary Robinson of Boone High School values the opportunities and connections InVEST has provided him, and the direction to pursue an insurance career.
Swimmer to Insurance Industry
How does a young man with dreams of becoming a professional swimmer dive into a promising insurance career? Through InVEST, of course. After enrolling in the InVEST program at St. Petersburg High School in St. Petersburg, Fla., Trevor Caldwell learned the insurance industry wasn't the dry and boring industry he always imagined. Armed with a semester full of successful insurance industry guest speakers, Caldwell was ignited with information on insurance careers, how policies are calculated, and even participated in a mock insurance agency in the classroom, discovering how real insurance rating software worked and how to market an insurance agency. Caldwell quickly realized the insurance industry could afford the exciting path he originally sought in a swimming career.
Unclaimed Auction Items Up for Grabs
The InVEST Silent Auction held during YAC Gives Back two weeks ago was a huge success, but there still remain a few unclaimed items that can be grabbed up by just the click of a mouse—all while providing scholarship dollars to InVEST graduates.
InVEST Scholarship Deadline Extended Until May 2
The InVEST Scholarship Fund has hit a program record high, at $111,000, and with all this money to give away, we want to extend the deadline to provide an opportunity for even more students to apply.
Best Practices Agency Hires InVEST Intern
Ben Patterson, president of Patterson & Associates Insurance (an Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (Big "I") Best Practices agency) in Richardson, Texas is a big supporter of InVEST, a non-profit program of the Big "I" dedicated to improving insurance literacy of students and attracting new talent to the industry. Last summer, Patterson's agency hired an InVEST intern from Woodrow Wilson High School, and although initially skeptical, his staff was thrilled with the result.
Young Agents Committee 'Pays It Forward' By Raising Scholarship Dollars For InVEST
The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big "I") Young Agents Committee (YAC) raised more than $48,000 this year for InVEST, a one-of-a-kind financial literacy program that educates high school and college students about insurance, risk management and financial services. This contribution brings the InVEST scholarship fund to a program record of more than $111,000.
Volunteer and Teacher of the Year Awards Up for Grabs
InVEST strives to recognize the top volunteers and teachers of the program by accepting nominations for the InVEST Teacher of the Year award and Dach Award (Volunteer of the Year) each year.
Attending the Big "I" Legislative Conference? Don't Miss YAC Gives Back
For the fifth year in a row, the National Young Agents committee is sponsoring YAC Gives Back: A Benefit for InVEST Scholarships, held 9 p.m. – midnight Thursday, April 10th during the Big "I" Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.
Dedham High School Students Visit Travelers Office
Dr. Dan Rouse, an InVEST teacher participant at Dedham High School, took 8 students on a field trip to the Traveler's Concierge Claim facility in Dedham.
Michigan Young Agents Council 2014 Charity Golf Outing
Michigan YAC is pleased to invite all IIABA members to join them for their annual charity golf outing the same week - Thursday, September 11, 2014 at The Meadows Golf Course on the grounds of Grand Valley State University.
Don't Be Shy, Volunteer with InVEST
Guest speakers during an InVEST class provide firsthand knowledge of what it's like to work in the insurance field, and students have a new appreciation for the industry after hearing a professional speak. InVEST provides all the materials needed to speak in a classroom, including PowerPoint presentations, quizzes and discussion questions. Topics can include ratings, claims, what to look for in a policy, how you have succeeded in the industry or specific insurance roles, like investigations and fraud.
Travelers, InVEST Team Up to Develop Young Professionals
Six Week Model Now Available
InVEST recently created a six week model which incorporates a small simulation piece to make it easier and seamless to implement the insurance education and career training program. The six week model focuses on auto insurance, insurance agency operations, marketing and branding an insurance agency and job roles within an agency.
InVEST Scholarships and Professional Awards Available
The InVEST Scholarship contest is just around the corner and InVEST needs your help in promoting the contest to students. Each year, InVEST struggles to get in more scholarship applications and encourage students from new schools to apply. We're asking your help to spread the word about our scholarship program in hope that with your help, we will have the most scholarship applications to date and in more states!
InVEST Students Visit IIABNY
43 students and three teachers from three local high schools toured the IIABNY offices in Dewitt.
Donations of Any Size Sought for InVEST Silent Auction
Put on your poker face and get ready for one of the premier insurance events of the year! The Young Agents Committee (YAC) is hosting for the fourth year in a row YAC Gives Back: A Benefit for InVEST Scholarships at the 2014 Legislative Conference and Convention. This casino themed party was one of the hottest events at past LC&C's, and is sure to be yet another hit in 2014!
What is InVEST?
InVEST, a school-to-work insurance program, teams with high school and college educators to provide a useful insurance curriculum for students. With the help of InVEST liaisons (insurance professionals), students could have the opportunity for job shadow days, internships or even careers after graduating from InVEST.
When I Grow Up
The InVEST Program, at its bare bones, has a very clear cut and simple objective: to improve insurance literacy in students and attract new talent to the industry. You may be thinking, "that sounds good but how does it work, and is it really necessary?" Here's the answer…
Black Friday Shopping? Consider Dropping a Donation in Your Cart for InVEST
As the holidays near, many are looking for ways to give back to their community, in addition to snagging that final tax write off before the year ends. Consider making a donation to the InVEST Silent Auction which, the proceeds benefit the InVEST student scholarship fund. Each year InVEST awards scholarships to InVEST graduates who want to pursue an insurance related degrees or careers.
Promote Insurance Careers with Videos
Looking for exciting ways to promote open positions in your agency or company? Don't forget about the InVEST student Website which provides great resources on careers in insurance, including detailed videos about positions within the industry.
InVEST Graduate Leverages Connections and Builds Successful Career
Wentworth was part of a program called InVEST, a non-profit program of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America funded by insurance carriers and other organizations, which provides insurance education and career awareness to high school and college students. The InVEST program at Sacopee Valley High School taught by Dorothy Maxwell (Dorothy Neal), provided an opportunity for students to run mock insurance agencies and mock company roles and later move to onsite work study with various agencies in nearby Portland, Maine.
InVEST® Renames Award in Honor of Florida Educator
InVEST®, the insurance industry's premier classroom-to-career education program, is pleased to name the InVEST Teacher of the Year Award in honor of Florida educator Gary Preston. The award will bear Preston's name for the next five years in recognition of his distinguished career teaching InVEST for more than two decades.
InVEST Interns Excel Across the Country
Like many InVEST students and graduates, Elizabeth Demers is making a big difference on her way to a successful insurance career. Her story is like countless others across the country.
InVEST Graduate Anthony Weisler Thanks Donors for Scholarship
Guest Speaking at an InVEST Class? Don't Reinvent the Wheel
Whether you're speaking to students about a specific topic, like managing risk, issues in automobile insurance, careers in insurance or more, be sure to login to the InVEST website and click on resources to find helpful tools.
InVEST Graduate- Kim Farquhar
New Board Member- Craig Welsh
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom-to-career education program, recently announced that Craig Welsh, CPCU, AFIS, has joined its national board. Welsh is group distribution leader for Westfield Insurance.
InVEST Graduate- Amy De Lorenzo
nGI: Michael Charles-Hilson
The vice president at GBG discusses what legislative issues interest him, his advice for millennials, how to work with family and how employers can recruit young talent.
New Board Members- Mike Abate, Patricia Browne
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, recently announced that Mike J. Abate and Patricia A. Browne have joined its national board. Abate is MetLife Retail P&C Division assistant vice president. Browne is MetLife Property and Casualty Retail Division senior national sales manager.
Career Day Flyers and Information
If you plan on attending a career fair, or visiting an InVEST school to discuss insurance careers, be sure to utilize InVEST's free resources specifically for promoting insurance careers.
Illinois Young Agents Committee Hosts InVEST Fundraiser
The Young Agents Committee of Illinois hosted its third annual InVEST fundraiser Thursday, August 1st, benefiting the InVEST scholarship fund. The fundraiser, held at the Metropolitan Club on the 67th floor of the Willis Tower in downtown Chicago, gathered local independent insurance agents, carrier representatives and Chicago Public Schools staff members interested in supporting and learning more about the non-profit program. In addition, Jennifer Robinson, program director of InVEST and Quincy Branch, National Young Agents committee member, were in attendance.
InVEST Scholarship Winner Dillon Espey Thanks Donors
Thank you so much for making your InVEST donation that helped fund my scholarship. I have always known that I want to pursue a career in the insurance industry, and with your scholarship, I am one step further to achieving that goal.
2013 National InVEST Teacher of the Year
The National InVEST Teacher of the Year recipient is Marcelina Pascual an adult educator at Roosevelt High School in Washington, D.C.
Commercial Insurance Guide Now Available
The Commercial Insurance Guide highlights activities, textbook assignments, discussion questions and group assignments for students to discover what a commercial policy entails and how it's calculated.
Austin Tedesco Sends Thank You to Scholarship Fund Donors
Because of support like yours, Austin Tedesco was able to receive a scholarship which will help him achieve his goals to graduate with a degree in Risk Management and pursue an insurance career.
Florida Agent Earns InVEST Dach Award
This year, InVEST has awarded Lorrie Partridge, AAI, president of Blackadar Insurance in Longwood, Fla., with the Dach Award for her involvement in scholarship fundraising efforts and countless volunteer hours at Dr. Phillips High School, where she coordinates various activities including a highly successful mock job interview project.
Looking for New Talent?
Find the Next Top Producer for Our Agencies
2013 InVEST AWARDS 65 ACADEMIC STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, has awarded $70,500 in scholarships to 65 students pursuing insurance-related degrees, breaking previous scholarship records. The program is a key recruitment strategy in attracting new talent to the insurance industry.
Agency Simulation Guide Available for InVEST Programs
Mock simulations have been considered one of the most engaging and exciting parts of the InVEST program for students, and the guide makes it that much easier to implement one into a local program.
InVEST Graduate, Future Actuary
Megan Cornelius, 2013 InVEST graduate and scholarship winner, recently was provided with an exceptional opportunity because of her stellar performance in class. Megan dreams of becoming an actuary, and with the help of her $2,000 InVEST scholarship is attending the Rochester Institute of Technology this fall to begin her studies to achieve that goal.
4 Easy InVEST® Fundraiser Ideas
Summer is a great time to host a fundraiser for InVEST®, the insurance education program that's introducing more than 13,000 students a year to the insurance industry and insurance careers. By hosting an InVEST fundraiser, no matter how big or small, you will do your part to help attract a bright, talented workforce to the insurance industry.
2011 Scholarship Winners
Thank you 2011 donors, auction supporters and the Big "I" National Young Agents Committee. Because of your support, InVEST Awarded $47,000 in Student Scholarships for InVEST graduates pursuing insurance industry careers.
2010 Scholarship Winners
Thank you 2010 donors, auction supporters and the Big "I" National Young Agents Committee. Because of your support, InVEST Awarded $58,500 in Student Scholarships for InVEST graduates pursuing insurance industry careers.
InVEST Thanks Educators on National Teacher's Day
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, today applauds and thanks the hundreds of InVEST educators across the country. InVEST recently welcomed the 400th participating program.
YAC Gives Back Raises Almost $51K for InVEST Graduates
Last night the national Young Agents Committee raised $50,825 for insurance student scholarships during its casino-themed fundraiser at the Big "I" Legislative Conference. Proceeds from the event, which also included a silent auction, benefit the scholarship fund for InVEST®, the Big "I" nonprofit dedicated to improving insurance literacy of students and attracting new talent to the industry. Scholarships are awarded to InVEST graduates planning to pursue insurance careers or studies.
Help Fund Scholarships for Insurance Students
Agents attending the Big "I" Legislative Conference are invited to attend YAC Gives Back: A Benefit for InVEST Scholarships on April 18. The Big "I" national Young Agents Committee is hosting the casino-themed event, which aims to raise awareness and funds for InVEST® and its scholarship program.
New Board Member- Carol McClelland
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, recently announced that Carol McClelland, CAE, has joined its national board. McClelland is the executive director of the Independent Insurance Agents of Nebraska (IIAN).
InVEST Graduate- Ashley Riggs
When asked how she learned about the insurance industry, Ashley Riggs, commercial lines account manager is quick to mention InVEST. She attended Edgewater High School in Orlando Fla. and enrolled in a business entrepreneurial class which included the InVEST program.
Accepting Applications for Professional Awards
Is your InVEST industry liaison or InVEST teacher top rate—worthy of praise and recognition? Don't forget about awards that that can benefit your InVEST industry liaison or teacher in your state. The Dach Award is bestowed upon InVEST industry liaisons dedicated to their InVEST students; and the Teacher of the Year award is given to an outstanding InVEST teacher who goes above and beyond to affect the lives of their students. For more information on these awards or on InVEST, contact Jennifer Robinson (firstname.lastname@example.com) at 800-221-7917.
Help Wanted for InVEST Program
InVEST, which can be an important pathway for future diversity at your agency and in the overall insurance industry, is searching for volunteers to enter high school and college classrooms to open students' eyes about the industry and its incredible career opportunities.
Post Internships, Entry-Level Jobs on the Insurance Career Center
Want to fill entry-level positions? The Insurance Career Center is an online resource to help employers and job-seekers make career connections in the insurance industry. Early career professionals bring fresh ideas and new energy, and can keep agencies current with modern trends and tactics. So post a job on the Insurance Career Center to reach this audience. Visit the Insurance Career Center at www.insurancecareercenter.org.
Catching the Boomerang: InVEST Looks to Older Youth for Insurance Education
IIABA's InVEST program has been around for awhile, and is mostly associated with professional mentoring at the high school or college levels. But recently, InVEST has been getting creative, reaching out to college vocational ed programs and, in one very creative instance, with a national shelter program for throwaway kids.
InVEST Needs Volunteers to Promote Scholarships
Of the more than 13,000 students enrolled in InVEST last year, only 122 applied for scholarships. InVEST has determined the information is just not getting to the students, and it is seeking volunteers to visit InVEST classrooms, with ready-to-go PowerPoint presentation and handouts, to encourage students to apply for the scholarships.
InVEST Graduate- Amy LaVenture
I got my start in the insurance industry through the InVEST program. My high school, St. Petersburg Catholic, offered the program and it opened my eyes to the wide variety of careers within the insurance industry. I am so grateful to InVEST for giving me exposure to the industry. I feel like after I graduated from college, I had an advantage over my peers because of the training that InVEST provided.
EZLynx Donates Insurance Rating Tool To InVEST
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, is pleased to announce that EZLynx has provided its online rating tool free of charge to the hundreds of InVEST teachers, agent liaisons and students across the country. EZLynx enables students to enter information once into a single interface and receive simulated rates directly from participating carriers for automobile and homeowner policies.
InVEST Graduate- Teresa Sheppard
After graduation I faced a work life confined to factory work, with no college education and it happened when I was laid off from that position my InVEST teacher called to see what I was doing. She had a friend in the insurance industry who was looking for a recent InVEST graduate to run their first computer system. Long story short, I interviewed, got the job (thanks to InVEST) and have been there with the same agency since 1980.
InVEST Graduate- Janie Ussery
In 1977, I was in an InVEST class at Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas. We were taught the basics of how insurance agencies and companies worked, as well as how to rate and type policies. As a part of the InVEST experience, I was given the opportunity to interview with an agency and they hired me. I graduated from high school on a Saturday and went to work for them on Monday. They allowed me to work part-time for them while in college, and I eventually became full-time. I now work for one of the agents who volunteered to be a guest speaker in my InVEST class.
InVEST Participates in National Job Shadow Day
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, actively supports efforts across the country for members of the independent agency system to participate in National Job Shadow Day and year round. Numerous InVEST students, agents, brokers, company leaders and other industry leaders participate each year.
ACORD Helps Promote the Insurance Industry to the Youth
InVEST teachers use the ACORD forms to illustrate risk factors important to insurance companies in the rating and underwriting functions. Many school districts across the country have added a personal finance course to the class schedule and insurance is a key component of those classes. ACORD forms help teachers bring insurance to life and improves insurance literacy.
Florida Agency Hosts InVEST Students
Bob Rollins, Rich Wurst and Don Dresback, all of Beacon Group Insurance Agency, met with the students and discussed the agency history, how the agency is organized from a staffing standpoint and what skills are needed in serving clients. Find out how to host a job shadow day or field trip for your InVEST students by visiting investprogram.org or contacting InVEST at firstname.lastname@example.com or 800-221-7917.
New Board Member- Denise Johnson
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, has announced that Denise Johnson has joined its national board. Johnson is vice president and insurance producer of ECI Agency in Piedmont, Okla.
Help Perpetuate the Industry
Donate to the InVEST Silent Auction and help InVEST students like Kita further their studies or get licensed in insurance and make an immediate impact on the perpetuation of our industry. 100% of the proceeds generated at the silent auction are used to assist InVEST graduates with expenses related to pursing insurance related careers.
InVEST Graduate is New National Board Member
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, recently announced that Lindsey Shank has joined its national board. Shank is BB&T Insurance assistant agency manager in St. Petersburg, Fla.
New Board Member- Brian D. Flemming
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, recently announced that Brian D. Flemming has joined its national board. Flemming is Harleysville Insurance vice president of marketing and agency relations.
Recent Graduates Still Searching for Insurance Positions
Looking for bright young talent and coming up empty? Promote your entry-level jobs and internships on the Insurance Career Center. Your postings are automatically pushed to thousands of InVEST graduates, promoted to more than 100 colleges offering insurance and risk management degrees, and shared with other young talent looking to jump into the insurance industry.
Travelers Executive Presented with Dach Award
The InVEST program awarded William "Bill" Allen, Jr., Travelers Select Sales Executive, with the Dach Award which honors an insurance industry volunteer who has made tremendous contributions in fostering the growth and development of InVEST.
Orlando High School Educator Awarded Teacher Of The Year
The InVEST program awarded Bill Daniel, 18 year veteran William R. Boone High School teacher in Orlando, Fla., with the InVEST Teacher of the Year Award. Daniel has served as a teacher for more than 20 years, including 18 years on the William R. Boone High School faculty. He has led the InVEST Program at Boone for the past 15 years and is well-known for his enthusiastic approach to the financial literacy program.
InVEST to Host Free Webinars
InVEST is hosting two free webinars to educate insurance professionals and teachers who are looking for more information about the nonprofit insurance education and career training program. The webinar for insurance professionals will be held Sept. 21 at 2 p.m. EST, and the one for teachers will be held Sept. 19 at 3 p.m. EST.
Why I Owe So Much to InVEST
InVEST graduate, Janie Ussery, is giving back by volunteering in an InVEST classroom. Read about her experience in the InVEST program and how she chose insurance as a perfect career choice.
Illinois Young Agents Host InVEST Fundraiser
The Illinois Young Agents, led by Illinois InVEST State Champion Michael-Charles Hilson, hosted an event this month in Chicago for InVEST, the Big "I" nonprofit program for insurance education and career development. The Aug. 2 event was attended by more than 70 people, including insurance carriers, agents and Chicago area educators.
Tap Young Talent
It's common for young professionals, like Hasson, to enter the insurance industry by chance, according to The Young Producer Study, a report produced by Reagan Consulting, which also produces the Best Practices study with the Big "I." But the insurance agency business is "one of the best kept secrets out there as far as where young people can go and do extremely well," says Bobby Reagan, CEO of the research firm that penned the young producers report in 2009. More agencies and brokerages need to work harder at attracting the next generation of producers, customer service representatives and agency managers, he adds. The insurance sales agent profession is projected to grow 22% from 2010 to 2020—faster than the average rate of 14%, compared to other industries, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
New Board Member- Daniel J. Mastrototaro
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, recently announced that Daniel J. Mastrototaro has joined its national board. Mastrototaro is vice president of business development at The Hanover Insurance Group.
A Teachable Moment
Matrone's mentoring and school-to-work program has brought his New England agency high-quality new talent over the years.
New Board Member- Ian Hoffman
InVEST is proud to announce Ian Hoffman has joined our distinguished group of board members. Ian's international marketing experience and commitment to education is a huge asset to the InVEST board.
Don't be Shy, Volunteer with InVEST
While you may remember what it was like to head to class when the new school year starts and worry who you'll sit next to in English class or if you've worn the hippest outfit to fit in, students don't judge the guest speakers that come into their class.
Grab Your Backpack, InVEST is Back to School
In the coming weeks, more than 400 InVEST programs will be kicking off a new year of educating students on insurance and risk management and career opportunities available within the industry. If there is an InVEST school in your area, why not volunteer to guest speak one day on an insurance topic that interests you? Or, contact a local school and offer to come in one day to discuss risk management or career options in the insurance industry. Visit Resource Tab for a list of resources available to assist you.
Why Keep Our Industry Such a Secret?
What in the world can we do to better get the word out about what an outstanding career the insurance industry can offer today's talented young people? InVEST already has relationships with the schools it works with. All we need to do is guest speak and connect with students. InVEST also has resources to help agencies start internships so students can have the hands-on experience of working in the industry. I encourage you to visit www.investprogram.org; the interactive map feature will show you if there is an InVEST school located near you. If there isn't a near-by school, don't despair. The organization can walk you through the steps to contact either a local high school or college to get a program started. Get involved today and share the successes of your insurance career and why young people too should consider insurance as a career choice. We desperately need more young people in our industry, and it is imperative that we get the word out.
2012 InVEST Awards 55 Student Scholarships
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, has awarded $61,500 in scholarships to 55 students pursuing insurance-related degrees. The program is a key incentive in attracting new talent to the insurance industry.
School's Out for Summer—But InVEST Isn't Slowing Down
It's the perfect time to begin working with local insurance professionals to build interest and start making a plan for the 2012-2013 school year. InVEST staff is available to make it easy to spread the word about the program. Contact Jennifer Robinson (firstname.lastname@example.com) at 800-221-7917 for more information.
Phil Swettenham Joins InVEST Board
"InVEST is proud to announce Phil Swettenham has joined our distinguished group of board members," says Heather Minkler, InVEST board chair and CEO of Clark-Mortenson Agency, an independent agency in Keene, N.H. "Phil's industry development expertise and diverse professional experience will be a huge asset to the InVEST board."
InVEST Offers Free Mini Caliper Test
The InVEST Student Center, www.learninsurance.org, was created to provide intriguing information about insurance careers and concepts students may not otherwise think of. The newest addition to the ever-expanding site is a free Caliper personality test for InVEST students, which provides them with their best insurance career fit based on the outcome of their assessment.
Young Agents Raise Record-Breaking Scholarship Dollars for InVEST
The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big "I") Young Agents Committee (YAC) sponsored a successful casino night fundraiser titled "YAC Gives Back: A Benefit for InVEST Scholarships" in conjunction with the Big "I" Legislative Conference & Convention and the annual InVEST Silent and Live auction. The same night that "YAC Gives Back" was raising money for InVEST in Washington, D.C., the NetVU Young Professionals Chapter held a fundraising hula hoop contest, Ula Hoopla, in conjunction with the annual 2012 NetVU Conference in Anaheim, Calif.
InVEST Participates in Student Personal Finance Contest
In April, InVEST participated in the first-ever Governor's Challenge in Economics and Personal Finance at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. High school students from Virginia competed in either economic or personal finance challenges. This included an initial online testing portion, and then qualifying teams came to the in-person competition. The Governor's Challenge was conducted in partnership with the Virginia Council on Economic Education. Laura Fornash, Virginia secretary of education, addressed the group and reiterated the state's commitment to personal finance education. Virginia is one of the few states that has a personal finance graduation requirement for all high school students. Events like these continue to raise the awareness of educating students in financial decisions. InVEST is working to connect with other organizations to help improve insurance literacy and provide opportunities for insurance professionals to be involved on a local level.
Casino Night, Donations Raise More Than $55k for InVEST Graduates
In conjunction with the Big "I" Legislative Conference & Convention, the national Young Agents Committee hosted a casino-themed event and silent auction to raise scholarship funds for InVEST, a classroom-to-career insurance education program. Silent auction bids coupled with direct donations and sponsorships raised more than $55,000 for student scholarships, all of which will be awarded to students over the next few months.
InVEST Participates in Financial Literacy Day
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, recently participated in Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill.Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill was introduced in 2003 by the Council for Economic Education, Junior Achievement, and the Jump$tart Coalition. The annual event has evolved from a small gathering to a public event that attracts hundreds of financial education advocates, members of Congress and their staffs, and the general public. The location of the event alternates each year between the House and Senate sides of U.S. Capitol complex.
Washington InVEST Class Packed with Guest Speakers, Field Trips
The InVEST program at Roosevelt High School is in its second year and has support from local insurance industry volunteers, including their liaison, Bill Allen of Travelers. Teacher Marcelina Pascuel and Allen have established a schedule for the students, which includes numerous guest speakers and field trips to local insurance company offices, claims centers and other offices.
Student Scholarships Up for Grabs
Each spring, InVEST awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to program graduates who plan to enter the insurance industry as their career. If your state has an InVEST program, encourage students to apply today! Deadline for the higher education scholarship is April 13,2012; classroom-to-career applicants can apply year round.
InVEST School Competing for $100,000 Technology Tools
Groton Middle/High School is a top-12 finalist in a contest that could mean a significant amount of new technology for education. The school was recently named a top 12 finalist in Samsung's second annual Solve for Tomorrow contest. The school has a chance to be in the top five and receive $100,000 in technology. One of the spots will be picked by online voting. Help them earn money for their school.
InVEST Participates in National Job Shadow Day
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, is actively supporting efforts across the country for members of the independent agency system to participate in National Job Shadow Day. Numerous InVEST students, agents, brokers, company leaders and other industry leaders are participating today.
New Board Member- Jeremy Chaseley
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, recently announced that Jeremy Chaseley has joined its national board. Chaseley is CNA assistant vice president, producer and product development.
Consider Donating to InVEST this Holiday
Just as Santa doesn't really buy all the holiday gifts, InVEST also cannot have a successful auction without the help of great donors to provide the items. While shopping for the holidays, please consider dropping an extra gift in your sack to donate to the InVEST silent auction and make a difference to a dedicated InVEST student looking for a scholarship to pursue an insurance industry career. All donations are 100% tax deductible. In addition, monetary donations are also appreciated.
Volunteer as Guest Judge for Student Event
Serve as a judge at this year's Virtual Enterprises International Citywide Business Plan Competition, which will be hosted again by Deloitte & Touche, Two World Financial Center on Friday, January 13, 2012 in New York City. The competition will highlight the enthusiasm, talent, commitment and achievement of our students as they make the transition from school to college to career.
IIABNY Educates Teens On Insurance Careers
More than 50 high school students spent a day learning about career options in the insurance industry from the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York. Students from Dryden, Groton, and McGraw High Schools and Charles O. Dickerson High School in Trumansburg toured the trade group's offices near Syracuse on December 7.
Home for the Holidays? Young Talent Is—and Looking for Work
The holiday season is fast approaching, and it's a perfect time to have young, motivated talent intern at an agency or company. Students are home for the holidays and eager to make a few extra bucks, all while expanding their network and skills. The Big "I" allows free internship postings on its Insurance Career Center to put an agency or company in front of driven young professionals. Other insurance professionals have had great success in offering internships, and even hired the interns to work fulltime upon completion. "I sought out hosting an internship as my business partner and I started our agency from scratch and needed some help along with our desire to get our name out there in the community," says Michael Ludwig, principal agent at Strategic Insurance Services in Clearwater, Fla. "We were really excited about our intern's work ethic and motivation," Ludwig adds. "He ended up coming back to work summers with us and was able to get his 440 license and started doing some selling. We were fascinated with his sales ability. Since then we've hosted two more internships and they've all turned out to be great experiences." To list a free internship posting, go to www.insurancecareercenter.org and click on "employers."
New Board Member- James Bradner
"InVEST is proud to announce James Bradner has joined our distinguished group of board members," says Heather Minkler, InVEST board chair and CEO of Clark-Mortenson Agency, an independent agency in Keene, N.H. "Jim's dedication to the industry through his leadership at the association level and as the principle of an independent insurance agency will be a huge asset to the InVEST board." In 1988, Bradner started The Chesapeake Agency, an independent insurance agency, and in 2001 sold it to Towne Bank, a community bank located in Eastern Virginia. He remains on the team of the growing organization. Bradner has long been active in the association and formerly served on the IIAV legislative committee. In 1999, he was elected chairman of the Independent Agents of Virginia (IIAV) and was named IIAV Agent of the Year (Golden Eagle) in 2009. Bradner currently serves on the Big "I" national board of directors from Virginia.
Donate to Silent Auction- Proceeds go to Scholarships
Donate an item to the InVEST Silent Auction and support InVEST, the 501(c)(3) education foundation that educates students on insurance and financial services in high school and colleges. 100% of monies raised at the silent auction are added to the programs scholarship fund which provides assistance to InVEST graduates pursuing careers or degrees in insurance or risk management.
Support InVEST and the National Young Agents
A hiring crisis is just around the corner and InVEST and the national Young Agents Committee (YAC) have joined forces by hosting a fabulous evening fundraiser. The casino-themed evening will be held April 26, 2012, at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C., and is open to all attendees of the Big "I" Legislative Conference & Convention. This is a great way for your association or young agents committee to give back to the industry. There are two ways you can help now. Donate an item for the silent auction by contacting Jennifer Robinson at firstname.lastname@example.com or sponsor the event at $2500 for agencies and companies or $500 for state associations.
New Board Member- Lynn W. Mathis
"InVEST is proud to announce Lynn Mathis has joined our distinguished group of board members," says Heather Minkler, InVEST board chair and CEO of Clark-Mortenson Agency, an independent agency in Keene, N.H. "Lynn's dedication to the industry through her leadership at the association level and as the principle of an independent insurance agency will be a huge asset to the InVEST board."
InVEST Introduces New Textbook—Still Free
The new textbook still covers the same materials as the former book, however, we've included updated statistics, added relevant information such as texting and driving, developed a more visually-appealing and user-friendly layout and added two new chapters, including life and health and businessowners policy.
New Board Member- Kelley L. Erstine
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, recently appointed Kelley L. Erstine to its national board. Erstine is CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina (IIANC).
InVEST and NAAIA Announce Collaboration
The National African-American Insurance Association (NAAIA) recently announced a collaboration effort with InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program.
San Diego County Executive and Educator Awarded InVEST Teacher of the Year
The InVEST program awarded Bob Captain, an insurance executive with Barney & Barney LLC in San Diego and Grossmont College faculty member, with the InVEST Teacher of the Year Award. The program is a key driver to attract new talent to the insurance industry.
One Agent's Incredible Journey
Dallas-based agent James Chippendale shows how passion and perseverance can land an agent some of the biggest insurance writing gigs in the world.
Industry Needs Generation Y Now More Than Ever
The opportunity for young people to launch into a lucrative career is soaring with 60% of current insurance professionals looking to retire over the next 15 years. Furthermore, the compounding threat of a changing market requires new perspectives and skills to navigate. To be competitive in the industry, one must understand the new and largest entrant into the workforce – Generation Y.
Travelers Sales Executive Presented with Dach Award
The InVEST program awarded John Gist, Travelers of Florida sales executive, with the Dach Award which honors an insurance industry volunteer who has made tremendous contributions in fostering the growth and development of InVEST. The program is a key driver to attract new talent to the insurance industry.
New Board Members-Miller and Shoemaker
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom to career education program, recently appointed Peter Miller and Loren P. Shoemaker to its national board. Miller is president and CEO of The Institutes, and Shoemaker is The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company senior vice president and chief operating officer.
Fueling the Future
Baby boomers, a major segment of the country's population, are quickly approaching their retirement years and predictions are that the U.S. insurance industry, which employs more than 2.3 million people, may lose more than 50% of its existing workforce in the next 10 to 15 years. With such a mass exodus, the remaining 50% of the industry is wondering—where will new talent come from? There are thousands of InVEST graduates in the workforce today and InVEST aims to continue fueling agencies' demand for talent by building grassroots programs throughout the United States—but that will require help. If your city or school district is without an InVEST program, take the first step and find out more information by visiting www.investprogram.org. The future of the industry is in your hands.
Big "I" Praises 'YAC Gives Back' Fundraiser
The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big "I") Young Agents Committee (YAC) sponsored a successful casino night fundraiser titled "YAC Gives Back: A Benefit for InVEST Scholarships" in conjunction with the Big "I" Legislative Conference & Convention and the annual InVEST Silent and Live auction. Collectively, "YAC Gives Back," the auction and direct contributions raised more than $48,000 this year.
Students Win Big
"It's awesome being involved with an event that helps so many students join the ranks of the insurance industry," says Young Agent Chairman Andy Beauchamp. This year the event earned more than $35,000 for student scholarships. Add to that direct donations and InVEST has more than $48,000 in scholarship money to give away in 2011.
Tribute to Bob Betters
Betters established the InVEST program at Charlotte Catholic in 2004 and since that time had taught more than 200 students the value of choosing an insurance career and how to be savvy insurance consumers. He took his commitment to InVEST seriously, both as an active board member and state champion, and he used any available opportunity to encourage other agents and schools to embrace InVEST, even volunteering his time to attend numerous conventions and training workshops to educate others about InVEST.
InVEST in More Than 200 Classrooms
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier classroom-to-career education program, recently hit a huge milestone as it surpassed the 200 mark in the number of high schools and community colleges across the country that have embraced its financial literacy and career training program.
InVEST Presents Dach Award to Florida Agent
The InVEST program awarded Lindsey Shank, CIC, with the Dach Award. The Dach Award honors an insurance industry volunteer who has made tremendous contributions in fostering the growth and development of InVEST. Shank is assistant agency manager and assistant vice president of the BB&T Insurance agency in St. Petersburg, Fla. She was an active and top InVEST student her junior and senior years at St. Petersburg Catholic High School. The school's popular InVEST program is hailed as one of the top in the country.
Department of Education Will Address InVEST Teachers
Phil Martin, the assistant for financial education and student aid at the U.S. Department of Education, will address attendees at the InVEST Teacher Workshop during the Big "I" Legislative Conference & Convention on March 4. Martin is responsible for developing the Department of Education's strategy for personal finance education across K-12, postsecondary and adult education. In his position, he works closely with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and other members of the interagency Financial Literacy and Education Commission.
InVEST Presents Dach Award to NY Industry Leader
The InVEST program awarded Dee Macheda of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York (IIABNY) with the Dach Award. The Dach Award honors an insurance industry volunteer who has made tremendous contributions in fostering the growth and development of InVEST.
Conneticut Teacher Awarded InVEST Teacher of the Year
The InVEST program awarded Gary Barcher of Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, Conn. 2009 Teacher of the Year. The Bloomfield High School insurance simulation program Barcher started has students create business cards, set appointments and overcome objections to sell their insurance product by explaining the benefits of insurance as one means of financial protection and responsibility. Students also price policies and adjust claims to experience the complete sales cycle. Barcher partners with Travelers Insurance and local agents to provide speakers, resources and internships.
Help Attract Talent to our Industry
As a reminder, the role of the state champion is to serve as a point of contact for national InVEST staff and be open to assisting other agents and teachers in the state when a new InVEST program evolves. The champion's time commitment depends on his/her desire to grow the InVEST program in their state. State champions can simply assist in finding liaisons for any new programs in their state, implement new programs or even guest speak at schools in their area.
Travelers Hosts Successful InVEST Job Shadow Day
Students from three schools, Bloomfield High School, East Hartford High School and Hartford Job Corps, all participated in the all day field trip at the downtown Hartford office. Prior to the trip, students were given the opportunity to choose the position they wanted to shadow, which included marketing, sales, planning, underwriting, etc.
Agency and Carrier Work Together
Rose & Kiernan Inc. and Travelers Insurance have committed $10,000 in scholarships for students at Hudson Valley Community College pursing insurance-focused business degrees. Rose & Kiernan, an East Greenbush, N.Y. property and casualty insurance agency, partnered with Travelers to provide two $1,000 scholarships per year for the next five years. The first scholarships will be awarded in December 2009 to new students seeking an associate's degree in business administration with an insurance focus.
InVEST- A Model Program
InVEST is a program that can work anywhere, it doesn't cost very much and it's not that time consuming." Robert B. Baxter, CPCU, CIC Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Dryden Mutual Insurance Co. Dryden, New York InVEST is a malleable program that provides the resources necessary to implement insurance education curricula at the high school, junior college and college levels. Nothing is carved in stone. In fact, the administrators of the program recognize that almost every one of the 235 InVEST programs across the country differs due to geographic location, community need or some other factor. But the mission—to provide insurance education that will produce knowledgeable employees or customers for the insurance industry—remains consistent.
IIABNY InVESTs in Future
Thirty-eight students enrolled in the InVEST program viewed their career potential recently, as they toured the suburban Syracuse offices of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, Inc. The young visitors spoke with more than 30 employees of IIABNY, a statewide insurance trade association, and discovered that employment in the insurance industry ranges from Web development to education, as well as sales and customer service. Laid to rest that day were many misconceptions of risk management, while new career opportunities in the insurance industry were born.
InVEST Program Key to Future of Insurance Industry
Future One, a collaboration of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big "I") and leading independent agency companies, recently released key findings from their biennial "Agency Universe Study" which revealed the need for more young, female and minority professionals in the independent insurance agency system. The survey results point to InVEST, a Big "I" program in dozens of classrooms across the country, as a solution, with 56% of respondents stating that the insurance industry should encourage high schools and community colleges to help students plan for insurance careers. Also, 45% of agencies said they would consider participating in an internship program to bring new people into the insurance industry.
Industry Pipeline to Diversity
Marvin Kelly, president of the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter Society says the insurance industry needs to diversify its ranks, adding more young people and minorities, and wants his organization to lead the charge. The CPCU Society's recent demographic study of its membership found that more than 84% are over the age of 40, Kelly said. It also found 1.9% are African-Americans, 1.7% are Hispanic and 1.4% are Asian. Kelly is proposing new programs for the CPCU Society and its members. One is a 30-year-old program called Project InVEST, supported by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, which involves professionals going to high schools and colleges teaching them about the industry as well as job shadowing at insurance agencies.
New Mexico Recognizes the War for Talent
With the help of InVEST and input from other industry professionals, the IIA of New Mexico has developed and launched a nine-week insurance program at Central New Mexico Community College. Jeff Straight, education director of the IIANM, led this project after attending the recent InVEST State Champions Workshop in Westfield Center, Ohio.
The War for Talent
The insurance industry will need to find approximately 90,000 people a year to fill new positions or positions opened up due to retirement. The War for Talent is starting, and the industry needs to prepare for battle if it plans on growing and thriving in the future. InVEST has proven to be a dynamic force that is helping the industry win this war. Click here for the entire article
Minkler, Montgomery, Siegworth Join InVEST Board
InVEST, the insurance industry's premier business-education partnership recently announced three new members to its national board: Heather Minkler, CIC, Neal Montgomery, CPCU and Lori Siegworth.
Young, Encompass Insurance Co. & Wolin, The Hartford
Young Industry Talent At the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America's Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., Insurance Journal covered a young agent's panel where carrier executives discussed issues facing young agents today. Cynthia Young, president of Encompass Insurance Co., says supporting, training and recruiting new talent into the insurance industry and the agency system is everyone's concern. She says carriers are helping but more can be done. The Hartford's Neal Wolin says that while recruiting new talent into the insurance industry may be a challenge, once young professionals enter the business they usually stay.
InVEST Graduate- Ashley Riggs
Ashley Riggs, Hugh Cotton Insurance
When asked how she learned about the insurance industry, Ashley Riggs, commercial lines account manager is quick to mention InVEST. She attended Edgewater High School in Orlando Fla. and enrolled in a business entrepreneurial class which included the InVEST program.
"We pretended to run an insurance agency and would rate insurance for classmates. It was a lot of fun and the guest speakers were wonderful. After high school, I didn't think much of it—no one dreams of being an insurance agent." said Riggs.
But, Ashley Riggs found an internship at Hugh Cotton Insurance and in five short years, moved to an assistant, then a customer service representative (CSR) and today is the commercial lines account manager with a 220 insurance license.
"It all happened back to back to back and the whole time I was still going to school. I proved early on that I have a good work ethic and they like it," said says.
Nights were devoted to INS courses at Valencia Community College, and by the time she earned her associates in arts, she knew insurance was the career for her. There was upward mobility and as a single mom, it gave her an opportunity to provide for her 5 year old and be a role model—her daughter thinks it's so cool she works at an insurance agency.
Interestingly, during her internship, Riggs connected with a mentor, Kevin Mangan a producer in the agency who just so happened to be a guest speaker during her time at Edgewater High School.
"He volunteers me for everything, so that I continue to learn," she said.
"Young people in the industry are willing to learn and are not set in their ways. A lot of time, when people have been in the industry for a long time, they don't want to do new things.
The technology is changing and if you have someone younger you have someone who is willing to learn. It's been a wonderful opportunity for me because I've had someone push me the whole way."
Today, Riggs is giving back to the industry and her community.
She is chair of events for the Young Agents Council of the Florida Association of Insurance Agents and is a zone coordinator for central Fla.
It was helpful that I was a member of the Young Agents Council because they gave me contacts that I wouldn't have access to. Instead of taking courses I didn't need I was taking courses that would help me in my career. My advice is to meet as many people as you can and take every opportunity that is handed to you. It's going to be a learning experience."
"Insurance is a wonderful industry with so much opportunity and it's not going away. Agency managers are always willing to invest in your education if you are willing to learn.
It's a dependable industry, people need insurance. Your day is different every day. It's always a learning experience and it's constantly changing and it's always different—it keeps it exciting."
InVEST Graduates
InVEST Information
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Get Involved
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Scoop Up InVEST Auction Items
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127 South Peyton Street
Alexandria VA 22314
Contact us at:
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WHERE IS InVEST
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Copyright © 2014. Project InVEST. All rights reserved. No portion of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the prior written consent of InVEST.
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text:
Magic Milo & the Magic Wands
Magic Milo & the Magic Wands perform "New Sensation."
Franco is jealous of Carly's close bond with Sonny.
Magic Milo & the Magic Wands perform "New Sensation."
Sabrina, Maxie, Ellie, Valerie, Sam & Lulu sing "Dear Future Husband."
Lucas says yes to Brad's marriage proposal!
Spencer interrupts Cameron & Emma's Tango.
Patrick & Emma bring the audience to tears with their sweet song.
Duke & Anna dazzle the audience with the Tango.
Julian congratulates Lucas on his engagement to Brad.
Maxie trips over Nathan & Ellie's arrival.
Dr. Obrecht crashes the Nurses' Ball singing "99 Red Balloons."
Carly exposes Ric and Hayden at the Nurses' Ball.
Nikolas tells Liz that Jake is really Jason Morgan.
Is Brad proposing to Lucas?
Will Lucas say yes to Brad's proposal?
Britt grills Brad about Nikolas's love life.
Britt pays Brad a surprise visit!
The season one champ makes a sizzling return!
Olivia is going to be fine...but is Lulu & Dante's relationship?
Actor Anthony Geary is the most honored actor in Daytime Emmy history.
Come for the dancing, stay for the drama.
"AJ! How did you get out of my purse?"
Valerie gushes about Dante to Lulu.
GH May will blow you away!
Morgan & Kiki find baby Avery at Silas's apartment.
Sabrina reveals that Michael was drugged.
Carlos is ready to take out Duke.
Shawn treats Jordan to a romantic breakfast in bed.
Spinelli ponders rejoining the cast of Magic Milo.
Hayden & Nikolas begin to go at it before Alexis interrupts them.
Silas administers Ava's life-ending medication
The good, the bad & the ugly. This is the story Luke Spencer.
Catch the last shocking moments of GH's 52nd Anniversary episode!
Lucas teases Carly about her crush on Jake.
Dr. Hardy & Dr. Brewer tend to Lena Spencer's head injury.
After his mother dies, an enraged Luke kills his father.
What the GH cast really thinks!
Spinelli challenges Nathan to a fight - the winner gets Maxie.
Daytime divas attempt to cry on cue.
Morgan & Kiki have a plan to make Michael look like an unfit parent.
Two teams compete for Port Charles glory!
Gurney Race mayhem on set!
Franco takes acid to be closer to Nina.
For a free assessment call 1 (800) Lex-Gets-UOff!
Magic Milo & The Magic Wands striptease.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Delivering OLTP Database Technology Aimed at Optimal Business Outcomes: IBM PureData for Transactions
Click here to download now
Overview: In this whitepaper IDC writes:
"Most enterprise datacenters are so cluttered with individually constructed servers, including database servers, that staff time is largely taken up with just the maintenance of these systems. As a result, IT service to business users suffers, and the agility of the enterprise suffers. Integrated systems represent an antidote to this problem. By dramatically reducing the amount of setup and maintenance time for the applications and databases they support, integrated systems enable the technical staff to spend more of their time supporting users and enabling the enterprise to thrive.
IBM PureData System for Transactions is an excellent example of such an integrated system. It not only includes optimal components from a single vendor for simplicity in support and meets all the requirements of such an integrated system, but also goes beyond the requirements by providing rich tuning capabilities through patterns."


text:
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Why is Gina in this.... my stupid crush forces me to see it and I have no desire to.
Universal has released the final trailer for the Fast & Furious 6. The irony here is in the number "6". After watching the trailer you just know that 7 is on its way.
The Plot: Agent Hobbs enlists the aid of Dom and team to help bring a rival gang, led by Owen Shaw, to justice. In exchange for clear records, they must put an end to their schemes, no matter how personal the cost.
Fast & Furious 6 features Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson and is directed by Justin Lin.
Fast & Furious 6 arrives May 24th, 2013.
Why is Gina in this.... my stupid crush forces me to see it and I have no desire to.
That looks like an absolute blast.
I wasn't a big fan of this franchise til the last film.
I just want them to reveal that part was a dream and never truly happened
Fast 4 got me back into this series. But the last was hands down almost the best of the series. I really hope this one pushes past that one.
I'm glad they were able to bounce back from the 3rd entry. Hopefully their reasoning for bringing Ms. Rodriguez back will be palpable and easy to digest. It's hard bringing back someone from death in a movie that's supposedly based in reality (lol… or some form of it) I'm just saying…
@Bryzarro– The 4th one brought me back into the series and the 5th one was definitely their best so far. I'm cheering for the 6th. Previews look good so far.
I have loved all of them. 2 was the weakest, but they have breathed new life into this series, no doubt. And agreed that Fast Five was awesome fun. The addition of the Rock was a huge plus. Fast 6 looks awesome. Cannot wait.
This actually looks like some good summer filmin right here.
People say this is mindless dumb entertainment, but heck, I grew up on the Canonball Run & Smokey. So what's different now?
You know I think a trailer is good (to me) when it interests me even slightly in this series that I felt was (here comes the pun) "Out of gas"....yeah. I know. But even though I enjoy the exotic cars and mindless action porn,I thought they could'nt pull me back in...but yeah...they are trying.


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It's a complete mayhem to get ATI drivers to work there (Except RadeonHD, it works nicely).
You can get FGLRX to run, but then the system gets unstable. (Besides I can't run OpenGL apps even with compiz/kwin disabled)
Phoronix: OpenSuSE 11.1 Release Candidate 1
Three weeks prior to the expected availability of OpenSuSE 11.1, the first release candidate is now out for testing. New packages in OpenSuSE 11.1 RC1 include the Linux 22.214.171.124 kernel, glibc 2.9, new translations, Amaraok 2.0 Release Candidate 1, and Zypper 1.0.1...
It's a complete mayhem to get ATI drivers to work there (Except RadeonHD, it works nicely).
You can get FGLRX to run, but then the system gets unstable. (Besides I can't run OpenGL apps even with compiz/kwin disabled)
I started using it at the Beta 4 stage and I love it. I've had many bad experiences with SUSE but 11.1 seems to be fast, responsive, pretty and very stable. I'm very impressed, will stick with it.. at least until Sidux adopts KDE 4
Personal aside: On my system it's been much more stable since beta stages than both Fedora 10 and Kubuntu 8.10.
Michael: I alredy mailed you about that. It's openSUSE, not OpenSuSE.
Yes Zajec is right, it is openSUSE.
openSUSE is one of the best, or maybe the best KDE distribution out there. Like Rahux has said, Kubuntu doesn't make a good job with KDE, but that is Canonical fault.
btw, openSUSE is so nice...
I'm waiting to the stable release on 18. Dic.
I loves me some openSUSE. Even in the dark days of 10.0 and 10.1, I still found plenty of it to love.
I've got Kubuntu on my Aspire One. Gotta say, I hate it. It's slow, it's buggy, it gets unresponsive at times, blah. And it's not just the KDE4 stuff. Somehow even the base system (read: boot up, nfs, and the like) runs slower on this than it did on normal Ubuntu. But I don't like Gnome. And I don't feel like spending time to make a USB stick out of something UNetBootin doesn't support (no mandriva 2009 yet? really?).
openSUSE, on the other hand. This is the stuff. Been running it since Beta4 on my main rig, and it's so good. KDE4 integration is top notch. Everything seems snappy, responsive, and stable. Zypper is much improved (making me seriously question what the big deal is about apt-get). The fingerprint reader in my Thinkpad Just Works.
I loved this distro until I broke it. Somewhere between the 4.2 snapshot repo and setting up to compile /trunk from subversion, I broke my login manager, fingerprint reader, and removable device permissions. Whoops.
Ah well. The distro goes gold next week, so I'll just start fresh. And once it's final, I'm definitely going to throw it on a USB stick and see how it does on the Aspire. They've always had good, clean init scripts. Should be a perfect match for the Atom.
You can download the final already on this mirror in this thread.


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Please note: Gemstone color may vary.
Part of the Gem Insider™ Collection. Made in China. All weights pertaining to diamond weights are minimum weights. Additionally, please note that many gemstones are treated to enhance their beauty. Click here for important information about gemstone enhancements and special care requirements.
Earring Back Types
Butterfly Back: A double looped piece resembling a butterfly that fits over a post. Variations on this design are called push back clasps. The basic post and butterfly back are usually used for stud earrings and lighter weight drop earrings.
Hinged Snap Backs: This clasp features a hinged post that snaps into a groove on the back of the earring. It is commonly found on hoops. Sometimes the hinged post is curved to provide more room to fit around the ear, sometimes called a saddleback.
Hook Backs: This earring backing is simply a long, bent post that fits through the piercing. Hooks have several variations, most notably the shepherd's hook and the French hook. While thin wire hooks reduce the weight of long earrings, making them more comfortable, they aren't as secure as other clasp styles.
Lever Back: A hinged lever snaps shut against the curved post to form a closed loop around the ear lobe. This clasp is very secure and good for large or medium sized styles that drop just below the ear.
Omega: Also called French clips, this clasp has a straight post and a looped lever. The hinged lever closes around the post and is held against the ear with pressure. The omega clasp is the most secure clasp, especially for the larger, heavier earrings.
Screw back: This backing is a slight variation of the standard post and butterfly nut back. Instead of pushing on the back, the nut twists onto the threaded post. A screw back post design is often preferred for expensive diamond stud earrings that require increased security.
Sterling silver, also called fine silver, is a beautifully lustrous cool-toned precious metal favored in fine jewelry among other products. The most reflective of all metals (excluding mercury), sterling silver looks stunning by itself and brings out the best hues in an array of colorful gemstones.
Sterling silver can be polished to a higher sheen than platinum. In fact, Ag, the chemical symbol for silver, comes from a word that means "white and shining." The surface of silver can boast that shiny, polished appearance, or can be brushed, satin, matte, sandblasted, antiqued or oxidized (chemically blackened).
In order to be called sterling silver, a metal must be made up of a minimum of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% alloy (meaning other metals), including but not limited to copper and nickel. The alloy is added to pure silver to make the metal more durable, tougher and harder. Sterling silver is designated a fineness of "925." Pieces with sterling silver may be marked "sterling."
Finishes on Sterling Silver Finishing, or plating, is a common treatment with sterling silver. Popular types of plating are rhodium plating, gold plating and anti-tarnish plating. Plating is used to extend the life and sheen of the jewelry. After sizing or buffing a piece of jewelry with a machine, it must be re-plated to restore the finish.
Caring for Sterling Silver Sterling silver becomes tarnished as the result of a natural chemical process that occurs when sterling silver is exposed to chemicals in the air, rubber, wool and latex. Humidity also plays a role in accelerating tarnishing. It's easy to keep your sterling silver sparkling, though, by taking a few steps to prevent tarnish and other wear and tear.
Amethyst, the most precious member of the quartz family, exhibits purple shades ranging from pale lilac to deep purple, sometimes exhibiting reddish or rose overtones. Very deep-colored amethysts are the finest and most highly valued. Some stones are so over-saturated with color they have areas that are blacked out, which can negatively impact their value. Paler shades, sometimes called "Rose of France," were common in Victorian jewelry. Banding—darker and lighter zones of color—is also a common occurrence. Occasionally, amethyst is even found combined with its sister quartz, citrine, into a single stone called ametrine.
The birthstone for February, amethyst is an extremely popular gem for jewelry because of its regal color, variety of sizes and shapes, affordability and wide range of hues. It also is the recommended gem for couples celebrating their 6th and 17th wedding anniversaries. With a hardness of 7.0 on the Mohs Scale , amethyst can occur as long prismatic crystals that have six-sided pyramids at either end, or can form as drusies that are crystalline crusts that only show the pointed terminations.
The ancient Greeks believed that amethyst made one immune to the effects of alcohol. In fact, the name even comes from the Greek word amethystos, which means "not drunken." Legend has it that the amethyst originated from Bacchus, the god of wine. Bacchus became angry at the mortals and vowed that the next mortal to cross his path would be eaten by tigers. Amethyst, a beautiful young maiden, was on her way to worship the goddess, Diana. Diana turned her into colorless quartz to keep her from being eaten. Bacchus observed the miracle and repented his hasty decision. He poured wine over the young maiden, leaving her feet and legs colorless. This is the reason that amethyst crystals are usually uneven in color and have a colorless base at the bottom. Because amethyst was believed to prevent drunkenness, wine goblets were often carved from it in ancient Greece. Today, the gem still symbolizes sobriety.
Amethyst has been a part of history throughout the ages. Evidence suggests that prehistoric humans used amethysts for decoration as early as 25,000 B.C. Legends suggest that the Egyptian queen Cleopatra wore an amethyst signet ring, as did Saint Valentine, who bared an amethyst engraved with the figure of Cupid. During medieval times, people used the stone as medication to stay awake and alert. Leonardo Da Vinci claimed that amethyst could dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence. In some legends, the stone represents piety, celibacy and dignity. In the Middle Ages, for instance, the gem was an important ornamentation for the Catholic Church and other religions. It was considered the stone of bishops, and they still often wear amethyst rings. In Tibet, amethyst is considered sacred to Buddha and rosaries are often made from it. Amethyst has also long been a favorite of kings and queens for its royal purple hues that symbolize wisdom, strength and confidence. Amethysts are even featured in the British Crown Jewels and were worn by Catherine the Great.
Amethyst's availability and magical qualities make it the stone of preference in ancient lore and mysticism. As a meditation stone, it is said to quiet the mind, promote contemplation, sharpen psychic powers and uplift the spirit. It is a stone of deep wisdom. Folklore says it can quicken the wit, calm fears, ward off anger and overcome alcoholism. It has a royal purple essence that is said to lend courage to travelers, scare off thieves and protect travelers from harm, sickness and danger. Placed under the pillow or worn to bed, there are claims it promotes peaceful sleep, pleasant dreams, and the healing of tired joints and muscles. Amethyst can also be worn to supposedly make the wearer gentle, amiable and happy.
The stone is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina, as well as in Zambia, Namibia and other African nations. Very dark amethyst in small sizes also is mined in Australia. But the ideal for fine quality amethyst was set by a Siberian variety, often called Russian or Uralian amethyst, which is now considered a defunct source. Generally, South American amethyst tends to come in larger sizes than African amethyst, but the African variety has a reputation for having deeper color intensity and is therefore considered more valuable. The African version also is harder to come by than amethyst mined from South America. Most of today's amethyst comes out of Brazil.
With its uniquely mystical appearance, quartz was the "rock crystal" used in ancient times to make crystal balls. It was believed to attract energy and is still considered to be spiritual today. The gemstone was once believed to be a compact form of ice. In fact, the Greeks originally named quartz "krystallos," meaning ice, but this terminology soon applied to any type of crystal.
Often identified by its six-sided prism shape, quartz is the most common mineral on Earth, found in nearly every environment throughout the globe. With a ranking of 7.0 on the Mohs Scale, it is a component of almost every rock type and occurs in virtually every color imaginable. Quartz has a great amount varieties that are well-known by other names, including amethyst, citrine, ametrine, rock crystal, agate, druzy, chalcedony, tigers eye and many more. There are also several varieties that hold the name "quartz," including rose quartz, smokey quartz and rutilated quartz.
The pale pink color of quartz is known as rose quartz, the traditional gift for couples celebrating their 2nd anniversary. It is a delicate powder pink color that ranges from transparent to translucent. Transparent rose quartz is quite rare and is usually so pale that it does not show much color, except in large sizes. The translucent quality of rose quartz is much more common and is used for jewelry and carvings.
Rose quartz is probably one of the most prized stones for its mystical properties. Known as the "Heart Stone," it is believed to have incredible powers to balance emotions and open the heart. Folklore says rose quartz can comfort brokenhearted people, bringing healing and clarity to the heart and allowing the wearer to learn to trust again. The stone is also said to foster happiness and the joy of life by bringing about contentment in love and filling one with optimism, tenderness and gentleness.
In addition to helping with romantic love, rose quartz is believed to enhance all other forms of love as well, including self-love, platonic and maternal. Its loving, nurturing energy is said to take away fears, resentment and anger and replace them with feelings of higher self-esteem and confidence. This soothing stone is also thought to balance emotions and heal emotional wounds. It is said to be especially powerful in times of stress or loss, bringing peace and calm to the wearer.
Ranging in color from nearly black to smoky brown, smoky quartz is transparent and owes its warm earthen hue to exposure to natural radioactivity. Care must be taken since its rich color will fade in the sun. Spelled either "smoky" or "smokey," this variety of quartz is often incorrectly called "smoky topaz."
Smoky quartz is believed to help dissolve negative energy, release stress and relieve depression. It is said to be a mild sedative with a relaxing effect that calms, soothes and restores balance and harmony. Folklore says the gem can embrace dark areas with light and love and therefore clear and cleanse the body both physically and emotionally. Smoky quartz is thought to be a warm, friendly and down-to-earth gem.
Rutilated quartz is a type of transparent rock crystal that contains long, fine needles of rutile crystals (titanium dioxide). These highly valued inclusions form a landscape of shining gold needles in an array of patterns that is breathtakingly beautiful. These golden inclusions are also known as Venus hair, Cupid's darts and fleches d'amour ("arrows of love"). There is a less well-known variety called tourmalinated quartz that, instead of golden rutile, forms black or dark green tourmaline crystals.
Although rutilated quartz is usually cut as a cabochon, it can be a difficult stone to attain a smooth surface without pits. This is because rutile ranks a 6.0 on the Mohs Scale, while quartz ranks 7.0. The difference in hardness between the two materials, and because of the way rutile forms inside, causes problems when cutting. Each final cut piece is unique, with no two being exactly alike. Modern folklore says rutilated quartz brings forth each person's strengths, originality and ability to relate to others.


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HI Everyone,
The build on my Skipjack and sub driver is going great. Finished mounting the electronics tonight. The question I have is I have been using Futaba radios in my aircraft for over 30 years without a failure. Sub driver recommends the sombra reciever due to superior electrical noise rejection. I'm having Radio South convert my fm radio to a surface frequency, should I stick with Futaba or go to sombra? Do any of you out there have any advice?
Ken Shapiro, Albany, Ca.


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33 posts found | |
So how are the pvp changes working out so far? I popped in to check Arcadia (totally dominated by Templar or Illuminati. There wasn't a close second on any of the servers I checked: Arcadia, Leviathan, Cerberus. Bad news if you're a Dragon. What do you think about how the changes are working out so far? EDIT: I just checked the official forums and FC said they are aware of the problems and will take the servers down and fix them tomorrow. I'm glad they are up on this and I'm happy with FC efforts and transparency. |
The cross server functionality isnt working - so we are not even seeing the efeects of the cross server battlegound technology. Servers come down in a few hours for a fix. Later in the weekend will be a better showing of what we can expect with the multirealm system moving forward. I did expect a lot more changes in geography, architecture layout, time to kill and well respawn timers. Its only opinion of course but I think they have lots more work to do. |
I'm glad they are aware of it and working on it. I'm back to Storm Legion till they get it worked out. I will pop into Fusang again this weekend and check it out.
The new PVP is a huge improvement. Each faction has half a dozen of roaming warbands tagging spawn points, attacking or defending, instead of one big zerg group as it was before. Plus the rewards are a lot more reasonable.
Too late for me with planetside about to release.
Yesterday the IL rule the cerber server and i recive great reward, but the fight was not equal and got borrowing. Today i didt want to logg of, but sadly have to. The fusang is now equal and the fight is hard and very good.
I still havent check out more than fusang. And next time i will log back. I like the new fusang, and there is a lot of player there finaly! |
If it had worked like this from the start I would have probably stuck with tsw and not bothered with gw2 though.
I'm glad to hear all the positive stuff. Gonna go log in right now :D EDIT: 2 hours later -- just had some of the funnest pvp I've had in a long time. Fusang is packed. Great battles going on everywhere holding facilities, wells, even finishing kill quests....I had to tear myself away to deal with some RL stuff. But I will be back later. I'm really glad and it should only be getting better. |
Glad the server merges worked out. I think next week will be better once a few tweaks are in.
Just played for an hour and Fusang is still jacked up. This morning was better, but the zerg has gotten worse. The underdog buff doesn't counter it. The zerg side is just getting way more marks than the underdog, making the equipment gap get even worse than before. Merging servers into battlegroups has also made the imbalance worse. There needs to be some caps to balance the sizes of teams in Fusang. The zerg side will just need to wait in f--king queue. That might encourage some of them to join the underdog, as well. I'll be playing Rift till this gets sorted. Fusang is messed up. How should FC fix this? Any ideas? |
Ah, it looks like the developers are aware that things haven't balanced out as well as expected... From Nophex ala the forums: "As everyone is aware we went out with some big changes to Fusang yesterday. We are very excited to see the amount of people participating. This morning we implemented the Fusang battlegroup merge to attempt to maximize the population in each map and make sure the factions are balanced properly. So they're aware of the problem, and are working at a solution. |
Crazy discussion going on over in the forums -- everything from it's broken, to greatly improved, to heading in the right direction with more tweaks needed. The fact that they are doing 24/7 PVP with no queues is something new, and balancing the zerg and rewards is the biggest challenge: Here's the talk since the server merges went in: http://forums.thesecretworld.com/showthread.php?t=61481&page=7 The really good news is that the devs have been very responsive and talkative about further tweaks to the system. |
But I do have to say that the pvp now is a ton better than before. Now today there is real pvp happening here all day, at least on Grim server. |
Fusang is absolutely 100% better. That's not to say it couldn't still use some tweaks here and there, but overall, it's a completely different experience, and that change is definitely for the better.
Hell hath no fury like an MMORPG player scorned. |
I agree. Fusang is absolutely 100% better if you're a Temp or Lumie. But in my battlegroup it's a 100% worse if you're a Dragon. You get more black marks just pve-ing and queueing for Stonehenge (even if you lose) than spending hours in Fusang. That's BS. FC needs to fix it for Dragon since we are a tiny majority, or just make this a 2-faction game and let Dragons xfer factions and bring whatever we have with us. 3-factions is not working here since so few NAs or Euros want to be Dragon. And I'm not re-rolling to join the zerg. Just get rid of Dragon and let us xfer, or give us a buff. Or do something. Just gonna play Rift some more, till this gets sorted. /end rant |
Yeah the offsets for the low pop factions not quite enough yet -- the new custodian needs to be startable from inside the HQ, so it doesn't get camped. On the right track though -- tuning needed!
Originally posted by Ortwig I'll looking forward to that tuning. I realize the devs needed a weekend off. Any word on whether Fusang is going to be patched when they patch in the raid? |
Originally posted by PWN_FACE There's a few things going in, but not enough to address the overall imbalance,. I'm sure they're still working on that and the reward system. PVP Notes from Test-Live 1.4.1PVP* Fixed an issue where the underdog custodians could sometimes go back into being shutdown after combat. * Illuminati Turrets can now also be upgraded. * Underdog custodians can no longer knock Gate turrets back. * Underdog Custodians Cleave attack now deals damage. * All Faction home bases now have a console that allows players to charge their underdog Custodian remotely. * The entrances to the home bases are now protected by turrets. * Increased the healing done by the underdog Custodian aura. * Reduced the amount of anima shards needed to activate the underdog Custodian. * It is no longer possible to heal the turrets protecting the facilities. |
Originally posted by Ortwig Thanks for posting this info, Ortwig. I'm glad to see FC is still working on it. I'm a bit sad to see I can't heal the turrets any more. As petty as it was, t was one of the few pathetic things I could do as a Dragon healer when we were being massively zerged down. It wasn't very effective, but at least I could mildly annoy the zerg by making it take a little longer to get the turret down :D I will still be looking for more changes to address faction imbalance in my battlegroup (for Dragon) before going back. I just can't stand the frustration when there are other games I could be playing. I miss TSW, though. |
Still a lot left until Fusang is good PvP it seems. A few times my battlegroup has been fairly balanced, and then it was lots of fun. Most of the time it's completely dominated by the same faction though.
The Underdog Custodians are not helping much, and it's really stupid that they let the dominant faction charge the custodian if they've kept the mission in the journal. The custodian should just fire up when a faction has no facilities for a certain tim. No mission required.Now it's not really an underdog custodian since anyone can charge it up as long as they picked up the mission at some time. None of this is fixed in the upcoming patch...
I think the only solution is to merge all dimensions into one group. This would lead to queues for the popular factions, but at least we would have a balanced Fusang. Now it's just free gear to the dominant factions.


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Diamond Detectiveby Gamehouse
Game objectiveMake chains to retrieve the stolen jewels, gather the evidence and put the criminal behind bars.Game controlsClick a gem to select it. Click adjacent gems of the same color to form a chain and click "submit". You can also drag the cursor over the gems you wish to select. The longer the chain the better. You can use the shuffle button, but it will make the thief move faster.Score and bonusFill the vault meter by submitting chains, longer chains will fill the vault meter quicker! Completely fill the vault meter before the thief has time to reach the escape route.
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