2008 National Outstanding CSR Of The Year State Award Winners

<p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2"><strong>AUSTIN, TX (June 11, 2008) –</strong> The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research has announced the selection of the state winners of the 2008 National Outstanding CSR of the Year Award. Regarded as the foremost national award of its kind, this honor recognizes the contributions and commitment of customer service representatives within the insurance community.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">To qualify for the top state honor, candidates submitted an essay on the topic:  “What are the four most important challenges in developing accounts in a soft market?”  Additionally, entrants must have demonstrated commendable service to their agencies, their industry, and their community.  The only eligibility requirement for this award is that the candidate must be an insurance customer service representative, or have primary responsibility for insurance customer service duties. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">“The Outstanding CSR of the Year Award honors the exceptional customer service representatives who make protecting their customers and their property their top priorities,” said Danielle Janecka, vice president of The National Alliance. “In their essays, the state winners showed ingenuity, originality, and depth of knowledge for meeting the challenges of the soft market.”</font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Each state winner receives a framed certificate and is eligible to compete for the national honor, which carries a $2,000 cash award, a gold and diamond pin, $1,000 cash award for the nominator, and a scholarship for the recipient’s employer to any program offered by The National Alliance. Additionally, the name of the Outstanding CSR of the Year is inscribed on a sculpture permanently displayed at the national headquarters of The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research in Austin, Texas. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Outstanding Customer Service Representatives of the Year for 2008:</font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Alabama                             Hope R. Gardner, CISR, CPIW, CPIA, DAE<br> Arizona                              Marilyn K. Buzard, CIC, AU<br> California                            Debra Kay Stevens, CIC, CISR, CPIW, AIS, AAM, AU<br> Colorado      &nbsp;                     Robin L. Engram, CISR<br> Delaware                            Georgia A. Redmon, CISR, ACSR, CPIA<br> Florida                 &nbsp;             Andrea Creller<br> Georgia                              Martha C. Kitchens, CIC, CPIW, AU<br> Hawaii                                Joy Y. Arakaki, CIC<br> Idaho                                 Macie Naomi Plumley, CISR, CPIW<br> Illinois                                 Sharon Seibert, CISR<br> Indiana                               Debra Jean Craig, CISR, ACSR, CPIW<br> Iowa                                  Joyce S. Nelson, CIC, CPCU, CPIW<br> Kentucky                           Elizabeth M. Manley, CISR<br> Louisiana                            Jody Ostrowski Fox, CIC, ACSR<br> Massachusetts                    H. Patrick Bonner Jr., CISR<br> Maryland                            Kimberly A. Martin<br> Michigan                            Angela N. Maldonado, CISR<br> Minnesota                          Shirley D. Monson, CISR<br> Mississippi                          Helen P. Andrews, CISR, CPIW, AIC, AIS, DAE<br> Missouri                             Jackie S. Honomichl<br> Montana                             Vicki R. Chapman, CIC, CPIW<br> Nebraska                           Shannon Marie Trucke, CISR<br> Nevada                              Toni Schaudel, CISR<br> New Jersey                        Karen Adest<br> New Mexico                      Rebecca Groh<br> New York                          Pamela Tingley<br> North Carolina                   Kristi F. Lail, CISR, CPIW<br> Ohio                                   Bridgett A. Purpich, CISR<br> Oklahoma                          Sandra L. Vavrina, CISR<br> Oregon                               Wanda Arlene Aguirre, AAI<br> Pennsylvania                       Katherine L. Morean, CPCU, API<br> South Carolina                    Donna Leopard Franklin, CIC<br> South Dakota                     JoAnn Swenson, CISR<br> Texas                                 Brenda Renee Geldersma, CIC, ACSR<br> Utah                                   Kari K. Milburn, CISR, AIS<br> Virginia                               Shelia Pyle, CISR, ACSR, AIS<br> Washington                        Andrea L. Davidson, CISR, ACSR, CPIW<br> West Virginia                      Charlene K. Summers, AAI, AIS, CPIW<br> Wisconsin                           Christy Hewitt</font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research, the nation’s premier provider of advanced educational opportunities for insurance and risk management professionals, includes the Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) Program, the Certified Insurance Service Representatives (CISR) Program, the Certified Risk Managers (CRM) Program, the Certified School Risk Managers (CSRM) Program, the Dynamics Training Series, the School for Producer Development, and The National Alliance Research Academy.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">For further information, contact Danielle Janecka at The National Alliance,</font> <a href="mailto:[email protected]"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">[email protected]</font></a><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">; call 800-633-2165; website: </font> <a href="http://www.thenationalalliance.com/"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">www.TheNationalAlliance.com</font></a><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">.</font></p>