Unpacking the Minds of Two Insurance Organization Leaders: A Candid Conversation

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• John R. Costello, CIC, CRIS: John Costello, CIC, CRIS, is vice president and construction practice member at USI Insurance Services in Rochester, New York. Costello was installed as Big “I” chairman in September 2022. Throughout his career, Costello has volunteered in a variety of professional and community service organizations. He is former chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, past president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Monroe County and was the 1995 Monroe County Insurance Professional of the Year. He formerly served on the board of directors of the Big “I” and chaired the Big “I” Finance Committee. He is active in the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors and the Insurance Risk Management Institute. He was elected to the Big “I” Executive Committee in 2016. Costello has nearly 40 years of experience in the insurance industry. After graduating from Villanova University with a degree in finance in 1976, he worked as an underwriter for General Accident Insurance before serving as president for Costello Agency Inc. for 12 years. In 1995, he became partner at Costello, Dreher, Kaiser Insurance Agency and joined First Niagara Risk Management in 2003 as vice president.  Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, Costello served at Key Insurance & Benefits, then USI Insurance Services, specializing in the construction, manufacturing and hospitality industries. In his local community, Costello was the chairman of the board of Bishop Kearney High School and is past vice chair and treasurer of OASIS Adaptive Sports, a charity supporting disabled veterans. He is a former board member and past president of hospice facility Sunset House, former president of Brook-Lea Country Club, and is the former director and a current member of the National Ski Patrol at Bristol Mountain. Costello also serves as secretary of the board at Oak Hill Country Club. He resides in Fairport, New York. Founded in 1896, the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing more than 25,000 agency locations united under the Trusted Choice brand. Trusted Choice independent agents offer consumers all types of insurance—property, casualty, life, health, employee benefit plans and retirement products—from a variety of insurance companies. 
• Gerald F. Hemphill, CIC, LUTCF: President of National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA National) An independent insurance agent in the metro-Richmond, Virginia area since 1993, Gerald F. Hemphill represents all lines of insurance, specializing in commercial and life insurance risks. He was an agent for a large domestic carrier for five years and has been principal of his own agency ever since.  In 1996, Gerald earned his LUTCF (Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow) designation, and in 2002, completed his CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) designation. He is a graduate of Campbell University and Fork Union Military Academy. In addition to his designations, he holds a property and casualty, life, health, and annuity license. Hemphill was President of the Professional Insurance Agents Association of Virginia/DC in 2010 and has served on the National Board of PIA since 2013. He was named the PIA of Virginia/DC Agent of the Year in 2012. Gerald and his wife have two daughters, Ashley and Taylor, and three grandchildren.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.