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Speakers Offer Inspiration and Personal Insights
The General Session on September 9 featured two memorable speakers: the CPCU Society's outgoing president talked about the Society's progress during the past year and shared some of her remarkable experiences; and the Keynote Speaker challenged attendees to re-examine their goals and dare to do the impossible.
Below is a sampling of highlights from:
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| President's Remarks |
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In her final speech as the 2006-2007 CPCU Society president on September 9, Betsey L. Brewer, CPCU, called on CPCUs to make a difference in the insurance industry. "Choice by choice, you can restore consumer trust, nurture industry talent, showcase ethical behavior, and above all else, provide leadership," said Brewer. She noted that her CPCU designation is one of her most cherished achievements. "I would not be the success I am today without that knowledge foundation. Make no mistake: Our industry is an intricate part of the world's economy—goods don't move without insurance, and repairs aren't made." Brewer also |
encouraged CPCUs to become actively involved in the CPCU Society. "Society membership will provide a business network to help you get answers, keep you current, help you sharpen your areas of expertise, support you at your community level, and provide you with opportunities to lead," she said.
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| Keynote Address |
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| Following the President's Remarks, Keynote Speaker James Bradley gave a riveting account of the true story of his father and the five other soldiers who were photographed raising the American flag on Iwo Jima, during the "worst battle in the history of the U.S. Marine Corps." The photo "created a sensation across the country" and became the most reproduced photo in history, said Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers. "To me, when I see this photo . . . it conjures up the concept of doing the impossible. I don't mean to suggest that it was impossible to get that pole up |
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| there that day. What I would like to tell you is, that a lot of geniuses thought it was impossible to get these guys on the island at all," he said. Then one leader said "We're going to do the impossible, and we're going to do the impossible well," Bradley said. "It was from the moment—when one leader stood up, thought outside the box, just picked up the needle and went to another groove—that World War II in the Pacific was won." |
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The three flag raisers who survived were asked to do the impossible again—to raise $14 billion in two months for the war effort. "Harry Truman looked at these guys, basically teenagers, and said, 'Boys, you fought for a mountain out in the Pacific. Now I want you to fight for a mountain of cash,'" Bradley said. It seemed like an impossible challenge for three young men who didn't feel like heroes. "They didn't raise the $14 billion. They raised $26 billion dollars in two months," he said.
Bradley emphasized the importance of having the right attitude. "I'm here to suggest that we take a look at the impossibilities in our own lives. I think you know what I'm talking about when I suggest the concept. It might be in a personal relationship. It might be in a business situation. There's some impossible dream that maybe we're letting slip. It might be just the way we're thinking about it," he said.
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