September 23, 2002

Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois
To Present Awards at Annual Convention

The following awards will be presented during the PIIAI 2002 Annual Convention, Oct. 2-4, in Springfield.

Williams-Manny, in Rockford, Ill., will be presented with the first-ever PIIAI Agency of the Year Award. The agency has exhibited a commitment to providing excellent customer service and to introducing new risk financing solutions, creatively responding to risk management and coverage challenges and using markets in an innovative way.

PIIAI will present Kevin Breheny of J.L. Hubbard Insurance and Bonds, in Decatur, Ill., with the Association's 2nd Annual Community Service Award. Breheny will be honored for his outstanding commitment to the city of Decatur. A monetary contribution will be made to Oasis Day Center for the Homeless on behalf of Breheny.

PIIAI will also award three college scholarships, the G.A. Mavon Memorial Scholarship, the Keith Payne Memorial Scholarship, and the Roy and Harriet Robinson Scholarship, to students studying business with an interest in the field of insurance.

As the recipient of the G.A. Mavon Memorial Scholarship, Joy Litwiller, of Danvers, Ill., will receive a $1,000 payment to her college for two semesters. Litwiller's winning essay focuses on "sharing the loss" and other basic principles of insurance.

Diane Jadwiga Skupien will be presented with the Keith Payne Memorial Scholarship. Skupien, a resident of Oak Lawn, Ill., wrote an essay explaining the importance of insurance, especially life insurance. As the recipient of the Keith Payne Memorial Scholarship, Skupien will receive a $500 payment to her college for two semesters.

The Roy & Harriet Robinson Scholarship will be presented to Kelsey D. Lading, of Polo, Ill. The scholarship will provide Lading with a $500 payment to her college for two semesters. Lading's essay focuses on her experiences working in the insurance industry.

The Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois is an association representing independent insurance agents throughout the state. PIIAI membership is comprised of 1,500 insurance agencies representing 12,000 licensed independent agents engaged in all facets of the insurance industry, including property, casualty, life and health. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. In addition to serving the professional needs of members, PIIAI works for the betterment of the insurance industry through legislative and consumer awareness programs. The PIIAI is headquartered in Springfield, Illinois. Visit PIIAI's consumer website at www.ChooseIndependent.com or agent website at www.piiai.org.

Note to writers and reporters:

October is Insurance Awareness Month in Illinois. The PIIAI Convention provides an excellent opportunity to review our trade show and interview agents regarding insurance topics of interest to consumers. For more information or to make arrangements to attend portions of the event, please contact Jennifer May, Industry Affairs Coordinator, at (217) 321-3020, (800) 628-6436, ext. 3020, or email jmay@piiai.org.

For an electronic copy of this release in text or Word format, e-mail jmay@piiai.org or visit our newsroom at www.ChooseIndependent.com.

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