Maria Carvalho

What lead me to join HAIP a number of years ago?  I had heard about the networking opportunities.  My employer AIG Hawaii at that time, who had always been a direct writer,  began expanding to do business with independent agents.  I thought the association would provide us the means to network with agents.  I made it part of my underwriters job objectives to be "active members" as they would be assigned to various agencies.  Many of you old timers may recall Joo, Jaimie & Tom were the Reservations Committee for a couple of years.  I was right.  While it made for a lot of extra work for them, it also provided them a wonderful avenue to meet so many insurance professionals: agents, other insurance companies, and vendors.  This provided us an engaging arena outside our own workplace.  This was my original motivation to join the association.  The downfall for me, if one would call it that, were the job offers that came their way from competitors!  LOL!

Then the association began to prepare for the Region 8 Convention.  WOW! WOW! WOW! No words can adequately describe the dedication, hard work, team work, planning, organization and stamina it took for all the members to pull off this great and wonderful regional wide event.  Incredible.  And while today I have many of you, during this phase of my membership Martha, Janice & Marian became my personal mentors, friends for life and  personal examples of women in the industry. The Region 8 Convention in Honolulu sucked me in for good!  Or like they say in a marriage... for better and for worse!

Over time, I have been blessed with association leadership responsibilities, attended several regional and international conventions, and have made countless life-long friendships and alliances locally, regionally and through-out the International Association of Insurance Professionals.

Our Honolulu Association of Insurance Professionals 100% exemplifies what IAIP is best known for: providing insurance education, leadership development and networking opportunities to its members!  And as John Cruz sings ...  we do it island style!  Me ke aloha to everyone who reads my story.