PLEASANTON, CA, Jan. 7, 2020 --  The Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California (IIABCal) each year honors a number of member agents and brokers with awards and scholarships in recognition of their involvement in their industry, community and association. In 2019, the following individuals received recognition from association leaders during their Annual Forecast Luncheon:

Ramsden-Sullivan Memorial Award

Betsey L. Brewer received the IIABCal 2019 Ramsden-Sullivan Memorial Award, the most prestigious award IIABCal bestows on an individual, for her commitment to the independent agency system and the insurance industry, her outstanding record of service to IIABCal and to her community, and her work to improve the images of insurance brokers and independent agents.

Betsey is a Principal at EPIC insurance Brokers & Consultants. She received her CPCU designation in 1981 and has served the Los Angeles Chapter as President.  In addition, she served as a CPCU Society Governor and as the International President and Chair of the CPCU Society in 2007.  As part of the Big "I", she is past president of the IIABA of Los Angeles, served on the Insurance Skills Center Board of Directors, and as an IIABCal Board of Director and Strategic Planning Council Chair.
 
A big promoter of insurance & risk management education, Betsey is a founding member and serves on the Board of the University of Southern California (USC) Risk Management Advisory Council.  In addition, she has served as Secretary and Trustee of the CPCU-Loman Education Foundation and as a past Trustee of the American Institute for CPCU/Insurance Institute of America.

David F. "Bud" Wilson Award

Mike MacGillivray, Producer at Shaw, Moses, Mendenhall & Associates, South Pasadena, received the 2019 David F. "Bud" Wilson Award for his leadership as chairman of the IIABCal LeadUp Council.  For the past year, MacGillivray has led the efforts for InsurPATH 2019 and the IIABCal Pathfinder Project.

Taylor Armitage, Producer, The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers in Woodland Hills, was the 2019 recipient of the Harlan Miller Scholarship for his exemplary record of service to his community and his association. 

Armitage has served as a Director and is the current Secretary for IBA of Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena.  In addition, he serves on the Operating Committee and an Area Captain for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and is a Western Division Associate Board Member for the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation.  He also serves as a Junior Partner for Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters, Los Angeles. 

Harlan Miller Scholarship

The Harlan Miller Award is the first National Presidents Fund scholarship authorized by IIABCal in honor of Harlan Miller, who served as President of both IIABCal and IIABA. A $1,000 stipend accompanies the scholarship to be used by the recipient to attend the IIABA Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.

MacGillivray serves on the University of Southern California Marshall School Of Business Risk Management Advisory Council, the IBA of Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena Board of Directors and chairman of the IIABCal LeadUp Council. 

The IIABCal Board of DIrectors established the David F. “Bud” Wilson Award in recognition and appreciation of Bud Wilson’s outstanding service as President of IIABCal and IIABA. It is accompanied by a $1,000 stipend for the recipient to attend the IIABA Legislative Conference. 

Anthonly J. DiBuduo Award

Kelly Hodge, Vice President & Account Manager, Linn T. Hodge & Sons, Los Angeles, received the 2019 Anthony J. DiBuduo Award which is presented in memory of Anthony J. DiBuduo for his record of exemplary service to his community and association and for his participation in IIABCal and IIABA political action.

Hodge has served as an Officer and Director of the IIABA Los Angeles and is currently the Immediate Past President. He was the 2019 Chairman of the L.A. I-Day Conference, and a volunteer of the American Red Cross Disaster Relief and the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles Men’s Guild.  He is also a member of the FIJI Fraternity alumni association

The award was created in honor of Tony DiBuduo, founder of DiBuduo & DeFendis Insurance Group in Fresno, and a longtime business, industry and trade association leader at the local, state and national association levels. The DiBuduo Award includes a $2,500 stipend that the recipient may utilize as he or she sees fit to continue the good works recognized by this award.

Bobby Acquistapace Memorial Award Fund

The IIABCal Board of Directors established the Bobby Acquistapace Memorial Award Fund from contributions made by several local associations, including Central Coast and Monterey Bay. The award is named after Central Coast Past President, Robert “Bobby” Acquistapace.

The Memorial Award Fund proceeds are to be used to provide three $1,000 scholarships annually to individuals for service to their local association  and desire to further their insurance career. The recipients may utilize the scholarship to attend an IIABCal conference or education and/or training sessions. The three recipients of the fund in 2019 were:

• Sharon Ussery, Vice President, Personal Lines Manger, Lloyd S. Berkett Insurance Agency, Inc., Los Angeles

• Joe Hamilton, Producer, Hal Rakowski Insurance, Lakeside

• Kirk Kindy, Account Executive, NSE Insurance Agencies, Inc., Exeter 

IIABCal is the largest non-profit association of independent insurance agents and brokers in California, representing more than 14,000 insurance professional.