We have a Fantastic over the top Membership Contest in California, dreamed up by our Membership Chairman, Sandy Joslin. Our sponsor is Enterprise Rent A Car and the grand prize is a trip for four to Disneyland. The trip includes four Park Hopper Passes, a weekend stay at a nearby hotel and a discount on your rental car from Enterprise. The contest is a drawing, to be held at the end of our term. The entrants in the drawing will be the new member and the person who brought in the new member. Each time you sign up a new member, that member, plus you, will be entered. You can enter as often as you get a new member!

The California Council Meeting was a resounding success, if I do say so myself, (and I do). The Insurance Professionals of Santa Barbara did an outstanding job. What a beautiful venue! Scores of members worked on various committees to make the business of the council click along very smoothly. We held our elections. Our new leaders for the 2013-2014 term are:

CA Council Director-Elect: Kim Cameron, CPIW, DAE, who works for DiBuduo & DeFendis Insurance and is a member of the Insurance Women of Fresno

Public Relations Chairman-Elect: Sandy Joslin, AU, CIC, CPIW who works for Allied Insurance/Nationwide Insurance and is a member of the Insurance Professionals of Sacramento

Membership Chairman-Elect: Renee Fazeli, CIC, CISR, ACSR, CWSC, CPIW with McDermott-Costa Company, Inc., and who is a member of the Contra Costa Chapter of NAIW

Our By-Laws were approved as presented including various updates. Most notably, the name of our Council is changed to "The California Council of IAIP". Many thanks to go Tish Riley, CIIP, DAE and her committee Nancy Hudson and Shirley Leone, who spent hours perfecting the document. Another motion was brought forth through the "Recommendations" process, which was amended and approved by the delegates. The outcome of that motion is that I appoint a committee to study the prospects of keeping our council in place (or not) past the year 2014. We have been given the option of doing that by national. In compliance with our Delegate's recommendation, I have appointed Member at Large, Sue Zeider, CPCU, CLU, ChFC, CPIW, from Farmers Insurance Group as the Chairman of the newly formed "Trailblazer Committee". We're trailblazing into our IAIP future! Her committee will explore and research all aspects of the future of our Council, from its funding, leadership structure, the number and timing of meetings, projects, protocol, compliance issues, etc.. They are also charged with considering the idea of folding our Council entirely if that is the outcome of their research. Sue has a number of volunteers who have committed to serve and she will be seeking a few more. Should you wish to join the committee, please contact her.

Our CWC contest is always a nail-biter. Four brave souls ventured on to the stage to present their three-minute prepared and one minute impromptu speeches: Tony Barr, Kim Cameron, Kathleen Kerstenbeck and Kathy Marshall. I'm so glad that I wasn't a judge, as they were all so great! It was a mystery to us all, up until the Awards Luncheon, just who the winner was. That honor went to Kim Cameron from the Insurance Women of Fresno, who is also going to step into my shoes next year as Council Director. She will proudly represent the California Council at the Regional Conference CWC Speak Off in Las Vegas.

Our keynote speaker was attorney John Hager from the law firm Hager, Dowling, Lim & Slack. He spoke about the Japanese philosophy of "Kaizen", which means continual improvement. How appropriate a topic for our association founded on education and leadership?! He also talked about developing relationships, which fills out the last leg on our IAIP triangle. Huh. And speaking of improvement, we have some real superstars in our numbers, and we recognized them with our Council Awards this year. Way to go, ladies. Their names and awards are listed on the Awards page of www.cacouncinaiw.com.

Two reconfirmation of bids were made: 2013 the Insurance Professionals of San Joaquin County, which will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Stockton, and 2015 the Contra Costa Chapter of NAIW. Tri-Valley& PIWA have withdrawn their 2016 bid.

One last important announcement was made before the gavel came down, and that is that our own Tish Riley, CIIP, DAE, from the Tri-Valley Insurance Professionals has announced her candidacy for the position of 2013-2014 International Secretary. Way to go, Tish!

Now that the Council Meeting is over, it's on to the next thing. I'm visiting the Local chapters where I can, and sending other California Council Members in my stead to the others. I look forward to speaking with you all. Until then!

Wendy Pike, CPCU, CIIP - CA Council Director