The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) and the American Insurance Marketing and Sales Society (AIMS Society) have announced they will combine entities to “redefine the future of insurance education.”

A formal agreement was signed by both organizations and has been approved by their members.

For decades PIA has offered a wide array of education and professional development through its nationwide network of state and regional affiliate associations, while the AIMS Society is dedicated exclusively to marketing and sales education for the insurance industry through the Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) designation.

“This is a big win for PIA, the AIMS Society and the insurance industry,” said PIA CEO Mike Becker. “Our organizations will build upon the CPIA designation framework and utilize PIA resources to further empower the insurance professional of the future.”

“The strategic partnership between our organizations is especially appropriate, as the CPIA designation was originally offered exclusively by PIA until 1996, when PIA transferred it to the AIMS Society,” noted Becker.

PIA also recently installed new national officers at its board of directors meeting on Sept. 22.

Gerald F. Hemphill, CIC, LUTCF, of Richmond, Va., was sworn in as PIA president, along with Richard A. Savino, CIC, CPIA, of Warwick, N.Y., president-elect; Ariel Rivera, MBA, CIC, CPIA, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, vice president/treasurer; Mark A. Suhr of Seward, Neb., CIC, CPIA, secretary/assistant treasurer; and Anthony Curti, CIC, LIC, of Bloomfield Hills, Mich, immediate past president. All the officers will serve one-year terms through September 30, 2023.

An independent insurance agent in the metro-Richmond area since 1993, 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. He 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.