(Toronto, ON) Last night, the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) acknowledged top performing brokers and brokerages throughout the province at their annual Awards of Excellence Gala. The event was held on the opening night of the association’s 97th Annual Convention at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa. With over 500 guests in attendance, it was one of the highest-attended galas in IBAO Convention history.

“Coming together to celebrate outstanding achievement throughout the broker channel is something I look forward to every year,” said IBAO President Traci Boland. “There’s such incredible talent across our membership that deserves wide recognition and praise. I want to congratulate all finalists for their accomplishments – it’s truly inspiring to see.”

Congratulations to the 2017 IBAO Awards of Excellence winners:

 

AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR
The London Insurance Brokers Association (LIBA)

LIBA’s involvement in the community, meetings, social events and activities keep their 300+ members engaged throughout the year. The association hosts a Free Education Day every year where members are invited to attend RIBO-approved seminars. They’ve proven not only to be committed to promoting young brokers through initiates like Meet the Grad which allow for outstanding recognition and networking opportunities, but to giving back to the community by participating in ongoing fundraisers, charity events and some of their own initiatives such as the LIBA Charity Fund.

 

YOUNG BROKER OF THE YEAR
Ashley Holmes, Roughley Insurance Brokers

Ashley’s proven her commitment to revolutionizing a 70 year-old brokerage by implementing key initiatives to bring the business in line with today’s market. With these changes Roughley Insurance experienced a sales increase of 25% and client retention of over 95%. Amongst her many initiatives was a VIP Program that resulted in an increase in referrals, the integration of numerous software and technology initiatives to digitalize the brokerage and an investment in hiring recent graduates. In the span of a decade, Ashley has gone from Administrative Assistant to Operations Manager at Roughley Insurance Brokers.

 

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR
Josslin Insurance

Josslin Insurance helped develop the Real Insurance App – a client-facing solution that moves data directly from Broker Management Software and improves service and interaction between brokers and their clients. Their vision was to offer a unique, personalized experience for their customers. They were involved in all aspects of the app’s design, from its initial development stages in the DMZ incubator at Ryerson, through to completion and launch. As a result of these initiatives, Josslin is looking to achieve a dedicated client base by offering meaningful services through personalized, digital communication.

 

BROKERAGE OF THE YEAR
BrokerTeam Insurance Group

BrokerTeam consistently participates in a wide range of events and activities that transpire into a great sense of comradeship for newcomers and the general public. Their mandate to serve and meet the needs of the GTA’s multi-cultural population has allowed them to expand and aid in the success of their own individual producers: CoreService, who offer services to a vast Korean community; and PrimeService, the largest Persian brokerage in Ontario. BrokerTeam operates in 14 different languages and were the first Ontario brokerage to partner with CAA Insurance.