WIOTA gathers 728 years experience around the same table
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2012
Thu
19
Apr
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By Michael E. Stoker
Insurance Gateway® a division of Stoker Risk and ICT (Pty) Ltd
www.insurancegateway.co.za
The WIOTA group – April 2012
I was reminded of the “comradie” which exists within the insurance fraternity when I attended the WIOTA meeting last week. WIOTA, which somewhat tongue in cheek stands for the “West Rand Insurance Old Toppies Association” is an informal networking group of insurance folks from insurers, underwriting mangers and brokers who meet roughly once a quarter.
The venue is not fixed, the last meeting having been held in the quaint surrounds of the Al Fresco restaurant in Muldersdrift and it was quite a thought that a relatively small group such as this could amass 728 years of insurance experience around the table. Two of the attendees each had over 50 years of experience in the industry, while the overall average was some 40 years.
The group was started some four years ago by Eldred Braun to provide a forum where likeminded insurance practitioners can engage with others and discuss the challenges they face in the industry. At a time when the industry is undergoing major reform, forums of this nature can prove to be particularly valuable for independent intermediaries.
Despite the name, the group is open to young and old. Should you be interested in attending the next meeting, please contact Chris van Niekerk on 011 768 1441.
With the trend in thinking leaning towards “big is good”, it is easy to overlook the value of initiatives of this nature, because groups like this usually comprise of the “people on the ground”, who can tell you like it is. On the soft issues side the group most distinctly provides an emotional support system for folks on the coalface, who have to “hou die blink kant bo” everday.
Maybe there are other informal groups like this around the country…let me know if you are part of one, we’d like to publish that. If you don’t have a group in your area why not give some thought to starting one and let me know if you do?
Source: Insurance Gateway®
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