Conference Agenda and Presenters

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Registration Desk Open | Location: West Lobby in the Civic Center

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
All Day Break Service | Location: Matterhorn AB, in the Civic Center

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Welcome Wellness Hike Adventure | Location: Adventure Center

9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
The Total Cost of Workers’ Compensation Claims with Accident Fund’s Joe Elliott and Erin Mattord
Includes property walk. | Location: Matterhorn CD, in the Civic Center

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Buffet Lunch | Location: Matterhorn AB in the Civic Center

12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Artificial Intelligence: Moving Forward with Technology with SMART I.T. Services’ Jerry Fetty and Bryant Caudill | Location: Matterhorn CD in the Civic Center (Filed for 2 hour CE)

2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Building Bridges in a Hard Market with Panel Discussion | Location: Matterhorn CD in the Civic Center

Facilitator: Jennifer Jackson, Ron Jackson Insurance Agency, Kalamazoo
Panelist: Leah Robinson, My Member Insurance Agency, Saginaw
Panelist: Jerry Whitaker, Whitaker Muller Insurance Group, Portage
Panelist: Brian Barton, Pioneer State Mutual, Flint

Facilitator Jennifer Jackson — Jennifer Jackson

4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Reception and PAC Corn Hole Tournament | Location: Vienna Patio at the Mountain Grand Lodge

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Dinner | Location: Vienna & Vienna Patio at the Mountain Grand Lodge

7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
The Hallway Entertainment (Celebrity Game Show) | Location: Vienna & Vienna Patio at the Mountain Grand Lodge

9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Group Karaoke Outdoors with DJ Bill Da Cat – Karaoke | Location: Back Forty Biergarten

Thursday, June 6, 2024

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Yoga Wellness with Kamryn Ely | Location: Arlberg Ballroom

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Registration Desk Open | Location: West Lobby in the Civic Center

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
All Day Break Service | Location: Matterhorn AB in the Civic Center

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Bridging the Gap: Generational Differences in Insurance with Don Shampine | Location: Matterhorn CD in the Civic Center (Filed for 1 hour CE)

10:30 p.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Grab and Go Lunch | Location: Matterhorn AB in the Civic Center

12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Golf and Optional Event Zip Line / E-Bike

5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Reception | Location: Vienna & Vienna Patio at Mountain Grand Lodge

5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Barnga Teambuilding Activity - Communication Development with Emma Rogers & Raquel Perez (check back for details) | Location: Vienna & Vienna Patio at Mountain Grand Lodge

6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Banquet Dinner & Awards | Location: Vienna & Vienna Patio at Mountain Grand Lodge

8:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Eagles Nest Networking - Top of Mountain Send Off (Pizza night, bonfire, and DJ)

Friday, June 7, 2024

8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Breakfast (breakfast card provided to all registrants)| Location: Everett's at Mountain Grand Lodge

Conference Registration Includes Option to Purchase Sky Bridge Walking Pass at a Special Discounted Rate.

About our Presenters

Joe Elliott, CAWC

Joe Elliott began his career at AF Group in late 2016, returning to his home state of Michigan after spending 21 years in North Carolina. He has many years of professional experience in property and casualty underwriting and training, and curriculum development. Before joining the AF Group Agency Education team, he was a licensed P&C (and Accident Fund-appointed) agent.

Bryant Caudill, CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+, MCP, CMNA

Bryant Caudill joined SMART Services in 2000 as a beginner IT Technician and has worked his way up to VP of Operations, running the company on a day-to-day basis. Bryant also became a partner at Smart I.T. Services in 2018.

With almost 30 years of technology experience, Bryant's responsibilities and area of expertise range from R&D for a wide range of technology areas such as cloud computing and AI, designing solutions for and managing IT projects, mentoring and training local college students in IT as well as training and speaking on a wide range of technical topics.

Jerry Fetty, AIT, CDIA+, A+, Network+, I-Net+, MCP, CCNA

Jerry Fetty founded SMART Services in 1991, an Information Technology service company that helps independent insurance agencies boost productivity and profitability through advanced technology. He is also the creator of myAgencyCloud, a system that simplifies and streamlines technology operations for agencies.

With over 30 years of networking technology experience, Jerry holds numerous technology related certifications, and is a practicing expert in the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and Pinnacle System, having used these frameworks to enhance the operations and team alignment in his own businesses for decades. Beyond his own companies, Jerry serves as a facilitator and consulting for other businesses in the technology and insurance sectors.

Erin Mattord, MBA, CAWC

Erin E. Mattord, manager of Training Delivery and Education, began her career with AF Group in 2018, bringing with her nearly eight years of experience in the insurance industry — including practical training and education knowledge. Erin has a passion for teaching and does so with an engaging style, tapping into her unique combination of insurance and education experience.

In addition to her insurance-specific education and designations, Erin has obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration in business management and Master of Business Administration in analytics, technology and innovation from Cleary University.

Donald Shampine, CIC, CRM

Don is founder of Michigan Insurance Group, an insurance agency in Muskegon - not to mention a past president of Big I Michigan. As a regular user of AI at the office, Don is eager to share his first-hand knowledge of the ins and outs of this cutting edge technology and how it can help you keep track of the many tasks on your desk and save you time.