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Save the Dates!

May 5, 2026

Big "I" WV Board Meeting


July 23-24, 2026

Big "I" Women's Retreat

Charleston, WV


August 6-7, 2026

Big "I" Young Agents Summer Retreat

Adventures on the Gorge


October 14-16, 2026

Annual Convention

Stonewall Resort


December 9, 2026

Big "I" WV Board Meeting

 

7 Steps to Build an Independent Insurance Agency


Building an independent property & casualty insurance agency from the ground up, often referred to as a “scratch agency,” requires not just tenacity and carrier contacts, but the mindset that you’re steadfastly committed to the journey of becoming a successful independent insurance agent.


Experienced principals will tell you there are three essential elements to founding an agency: insight, fortitude and decisiveness. Ultimately, it requires a mindset where turning back is no longer an option.

5 Minute Fixes That Prevent E&O Claims



Errors & omissions claims rarely erupt from a single catastrophic mistake. More often, they grow quietly from oversights, informal shortcuts or assumptions that feel harmless in the moment but carry costly consequences later. The good news? Many of the riskiest behaviors can be corrected in under five minutes.


Drawing on guidance from underwriters, claims specialists, agency consultants and defense counsel, here are a series of quick, practical steps agencies can take to meaningfully reduce E&O exposure—without overhauling workflows or adding headcount—starting with the don’ts.


Insurance Implications When Property Owners Bring Their Energy Grid In-House


As energy reliability, cost volatility and resilience move higher on boardroom agendas, more property owners are taking a step that would have seemed extreme just a few years ago: bringing their energy supply chain in-house.


From rooftop solar and battery storage to microgrids and on-site generation, energy ownership is quickly becoming a strategic asset. For independent insurance agents, the shift creates both new advisory opportunities and new risks to manage.

How a Common Leadership Language Improves Efficiency


In industries such as insurance, where organizations vary in size, structure and specialty, ensuring a consistent leadership approach to culture is vital to business success. Research from the Journal of Organizational Change Management and Gallup found that organizational culture typically breaks down once an organization reaches 2,000 employees, due to a shift from personal connection to more systematic processes.


In large organizations, culture is no longer led by the CEO or upper management but by numerous individuals in middle management, which can create inconsistency in leadership.

The April issue is out!

Look inside!!


BIG I WV LEADERSHIP


Chris Parker, President

Ferrell & Hill Insurance Agency


Tony Deal, Vice President

Insurance Centers


Brady Campbell, Treasurer

Mountain State Insurance Agency


Suzette Raines Ashley , Immediate Past President

Ashley Insurance Group, LLC


Terri Dodrill, State National Director

McGriff Insurance Services


Dean Cornell, Young Agents Chair

Blue Ridge Risk Partners


Traci Nelson, Chief Executive Officer



DIRECTORS

Michael Winter

Bray & Oakley Insurance Agency


Beth Bailey

Bill Bailey Insurance Agency


Mike Cvechko

Cvechko Insurance Services


Charlie Robinson

Assured Partners dba Insurance Systems


Nick Dyer

Blueridge Risk Partners



A Letter From Our President

Dear Big “I” WV Members,


I hope this message finds you well as we move further into the spring season.



April has already proven to be an active and meaningful month for our association. Most notably, we had a strong and engaged West Virginia delegation attend the Big “I” Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. Our members spent valuable time on Capitol Hill advocating on behalf of independent agents and the clients we serve. These conversations are critical to ensuring our industry’s voice is heard on key issues such as legal reform, flood insurance, disaster mitigation, and the future of our marketplace.


Back here at home, we continue to focus on delivering valuable opportunities for our members. Our recent Northern West Virginia E&O continuing education course in Morgantown was a great success, bringing agents together for both learning and connection. Thank you to everyone who attended and to our partners who helped make it possible.


Looking ahead, we have several exciting events on the horizon, including our upcoming Women’s Retreat in July and the Young Insurance Professionals Summer Retreat in August. These events are designed to provide meaningful professional development while also strengthening the relationships that make our association so valuable.


I also want to take a moment to thank each of you for your continued support of Big “I” WV. Your engagement, whether through attending events, participating in advocacy efforts, or supporting initiatives like WVPAC—plays a vital role in the strength and success of our organization.

As always, we remain committed to providing the resources, education, and advocacy you need to support your agencies and better serve your clients.


If there is anything we can do to better support you, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,


Chris Parker

President, Big “I” West Virginia