Congratulations to the 2010 Diversity Essay Contest winners!

First place –– Harry Waldron, CPCU

Second place –– Susan Cleaver, CPCU

Third place –– Tom Barnes, CPCU

The essays were judged on both style and content. And writing that was clear, articulate and logically organized. The winning essays demonstrated an outstanding grasp of the meaning of diversity and how our industry will look in a diverse insurance community. 

Please enjoy their essays. (pdf files)

CPCU Growth through Inclusion, by Harry Waldron, CPCU

Challenges of Diversity — It Takes a Society, by Susan Cleaver, CPCU

Own the Future, by Tom Barnes, CPCU

CPCU Society’s Diversity Committee is sponsoring our second annual Diversity Essay contest. The topic is:

"What specific solutions can you offer to address the substantial challenges that the CPCU Society and our industry face in recruiting and maintaining a diverse membership? We are specifically looking for suggestions and recommendations that could be used in an action plan to address these challenges.”

In the Committee’s efforts to diversify the CPCU Society’s membership, the Committee would like to get ideas and guidance from both Society and non- Society members. Please participate in this essay contest and provide us with your ideas about diversity in the insurance industry, which includes insurance carriers, agents, brokers, insurance-related associations, and others.

Deadline  April 30, 2010

   — Download Entry Form —

Prizes

FIRST PRIZE:
Fully paid registration (Includes General Sessions, Seminars, Congratulatory Receptions, Career Center, Society Expo, Expo Reception, AICPCU Conferment Ceremony, and Final Night Celebration) for winning entrant and guest for the CPCU Society Annual Meeting and Seminars in Orlando, Fla., Sept. 25 – 28, 2010, plus a $500 cash prize. Does not include hotel and travel expenses.

SECOND PRIZE:
Fully paid registration for one, (Includes General Sessions, Seminars, Congratulatory Receptions, Career Center, Society Expo, Expo Reception, AICPCU Conferment Ceremony, and Final Night Celebration) for the CPCU Society Annual Meeting and Seminars in Orlando, Fla., Sept. 25 – 28, 2010. Does not include hotel and travel expenses.

THIRD PRIZE: 
$300

Judging
Essays will be judged on both style and content. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. The winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the meaning of diversity and how our industry would look in a diverse insurance community.

Essay submissions will be evaluated in a fair and unbiased three-round judging process. Judges will be individually selected by the CPCU Society’s Diversity Committee members based on a demonstrated knowledge and understanding of diversity. To ensure the anonymity of our participants, essay cover sheets will be removed prior to judging, and each essay will be given a code for future identification. The participants’ names will not be disclosed to the Judges until after the contest winners have been selected.

Rules

• In concert with The CPCU Society’s increasing levels of support for ever-increasing professionalism throughout the property and casualty insurance industry”, The Diversity Committee is opening the essay competition to all entrants. CPCU Society and non-Society members.

• A cover sheet MUST include: the entrant’s name, phone number, address, and e-mail address (if an e-mail address is available). The entrants’ names should appear only on the cover sheet, not on the essay.

• An entry form should be completed and attached to the submission.

• Essays must be no fewer than 1,200 and no more than 1,500 words in length and must be typed and double-spaced. Submissions in Microsoft Word format is preferable.

• Entries are limited to one entry per entrant.

• The essay must be solely the work of the entrant. 

• The essay must be emailed no later than April 30, 2010.

• Decisions of the judges are final.

• The authors of the submitted essays transfer all of their copyrights of the essays to the CPCU Society. Submitted essays become the sole property of the CPCU Society and will not be returned to the authors. The CPCU Society can use the essays in publications, advertising, Web sites, and other media in its sole discretion.

• Employees of the CPCU Society, the American Institute for CPCU, Insurance Institute of America, the CPCU Society’s Diversity Committee AND their Board of Directors and their immediate family members are not eligible for this contest.

• Winners will be notified in mid July 2010, before the next CPCU Society Annual Meeting and Seminars.

Submit Your Essay
Send e-mails only please to: diversityessaycontest@cpcusociety.org  and attach your essay to your e-mail in Microsoft Word format. If you wish to verify our receipt of your essay, you must provide an e-mail address. We will send you an e-mail reply acknowledging receipt of your entry. If you have not received an e-mail notification within 24 hours, please send us an e-mail.