The Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) highlighted top achievers at the Awards of Excellence Gala, part of their Annual Convention. This year the Awards of Excellence were expanded to five categories to recognize more of the exceptional talent in the broker channel.
“I’d like to congratulate the winners and all of this year’s finalists,” said IBAO President Jeff Gatcke. “They were all very impressive and are a credit to the Association.”
Congratulations to the 2019 IBAO Awards of Excellence winners:
Brokerage of the Year – Over 10 Licensed Brokers—Duliban Insurance Brokers
2018 Brokerage of the Year Finalist, Duliban Insurance is a third generation brokerage led by twin brothers, Jason and Adam Duliban. This year they’ve invested in recruiting new talent and creating an engaging team experience, as well as launching Duliban University, an online training portal to get new recruits up to speed. Duliban is on track to hit their 3-year target of 6,000 new policies by the end of this year. Duliban prides itself on its community involvement, partnering with local charities and raising over $150,000 over the past six years. Throughout their rapid evolution, Duliban Insurance Brokers has continued to deliver the “Hometown Broker” experience they’re known for.
Brokerage of the Year – 10 Licensed Brokers and Under—KASE Insurance
Founded in 2016 by Stanislav Kojokin and Arian Ebrahimi, KASE is a specialty commercial insurance brokerage located in Toronto. KASE emphasizes customer service, assigning a dedicated account manager to every client, to meet their needs and proactively engage them on a regular basis. Despite being a relatively new brokerage, KASE’s high bar for customer service has earned them 30% growth year-after-year and a 98% retention rate. KASE invests heavily in its team, encouraging continuing education and building culture through employee perks and frequent staff events. They also contribute to local charities and volunteer at the Parkdale Food Bank. With a clear mission and a strong foundational team KASE is a valuable addition to the broker channel.
Innovation of the Year—Morison Insurance
In an intensive two-month development process, Morison, led by Fred Morison and their digital team, built a custom lead management system that integrated with their existing APIs to harness predictive intelligence. Morison’s Predictive Lead Management System was launched in April. By June, Morison had seen GWP increase 20% over May, and by July, they’d seen an additional 58% over June. This software allows them to see the exact GWP of each page of their website, so they can craft content designed for targeted lead generation, contributing to their month-over-month growth. By July the return on this new software was 1,250%. By remaining nimble and innovating the solutions they truly need, Morison Insurance has been a case study in digital transformation.
Young Broker of the Year—Adam Mitchell
No stranger in the industry, Adam is the President of Mitchell and Whale, the 2018 Brokerage of the Year and 2016 Innovator of the Year. In ten years Adam has taken a small family business and has built it into one of the most recognizable brokerages in Ontario. Beyond being successful, Adam has shaped Mitchell & Whale with culture in mind, making it a desirable place to work and attracting top notch talent. Adam also supports 100 Men of Whitby, which donates funds to a variety of charities. He volunteers on a number of committees, advisory groups and conferences to share his knowledge and approach to technology and the industry.
Affiliate of the Year—Insurance Brokers Association of Hamilton (IBAH)
IBAH, 2018 Affiliate of the Year, is an active Affiliate led by President Lynn Uildersma. They encourage engagement with a wide variety of events focusing on education, networking, and bringing people together to have a good time, including the BBQ & Trade Show, Broker Bash and Family Fun Bowling Day. They host and participate in a number of charity events including the Christmas Mix and Mingle and the Miracle Plane Pull. IBAH contributes to advocacy efforts, and published an article about the hard market on the front page of the Hamilton Spectator. By building upon the efforts that won them last year’s title, IBAH is an exemplary Affiliate.
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