The Alexandria, Va.-based group, which boasts some 300,000 members, this year will host its first joint event with the National African-American Insurance Association and the Latin American Association of Insurance Agencies. The four-day event kicks off Sunday, Oct. 29 at the Orlando World Center Marriott.

"One of the main focuses of this year's conference is on diversity in the insurance industry," said Jeff Myers, vice president of public affairs for IIAA. The group is focusing its efforts on promoting cultural and ethnical awareness and is encouraging more companies to write business in urban markets and inner city areas, Myers said.

The conference will also emphasize the role of technology in the industry, and how agents can use it to improve the operating efficiencies of their agencies, as well as the technological efforts of the association, Myers added.

Highlights of the four-day conference include keynote speaker Rev. Jesse Jackson, who will discuss the actions the insurance industry should take to boost diversity in its ranks on Monday; a government affairs panel discussion Monday afternoon featuring former White House press secretary Mike McCurry and political commentator Laura Ingraham.

In the largest ever InfoXchange exhibit hall, some 244 companies, including Allstate, American International Group, Chubb Group, CNA, Travelers Insurance, and SAFECO, will be showing off their latest in products and services.

The event will also feature an e-commerce workshop on Monday, entitled E-Commerce: The Cutting Edge of Technology. The session will feature a panel discussion on the best practices in technology for independent agents, and how to incorporate available technology into firms' operating systems.

For those who can't make it to Orlando for the event, the IIAA will Webcast the event at www.independentagent.com.

-- By Melissa Klein

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