Nearly five decades ago, a young high school senior, bound for college with tons of ambition but little money, did a favorite teacher a favor and signed up for a new class called InVEST – Insurance Vocational Education Student Training. “Trust me,” said the teacher, “it will be a lot of fun!” Sure it will, I’m thinking, it’s about INSURANCE. Well you know what? He was right, and thus began a journey to where we are today.

In InVEST, I learned about the insurance industry, especially personal insurance. We formed and ran individual independent insurance agencies, selling one-month pretend auto policies to our fellow students. We took out a loan to start our business, contracted with insurance companies and performed all of the sales and service functions you still see today in every agency in America. We even submitted faux claims to the company to see how the industry delivered on its promises. It remains the best, most impactful educational experience of my life.

But, off to college I went and left insurance behind – or so I thought. About three months into my college experiment, I faced poverty and the unpleasant prospect of having to withdraw and go home to Fresno. Determined not to let that happen, I set off to get a job. But where? And doing what? The only real work experience I had in high school was behind the candy counter at the local Woolworth store (another Google reference for you). Then it occurred to me that I knew a little bit about insurance. So, I picked up the phone and called the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Los Angeles and spoke to a wonderful lady who told me she knew just the person for me to talk to.

I went to Beverly Hills and interviewed for a receptionist position with a gentleman by the name of Stephen Dach. To my surprise, he hired me on the spot! I worked there for four years, part-time while I completed my degree in Economics at UCLA. Because everyone in that agency encouraged me to learn more, I became a personal lines account manager and then moved into commercial. I was hooked. Upon graduation, I was hired as a full-time commercial lines account manager in that same agency where I stayed a couple more years. During that time, I began my studies toward the CPCU designation, along with my dear friend and former CPCU Society president, Betsey Brewer. Lifelong learning was not only encouraged, it was expected.

Due to a number of circumstances, I left that agency and moved to another where I became a producer, manager, and eventually an agency owner. There I completed my CPCU designation and proudly walked across the stage in 1981 in New Orleans, with Betsey at my side. Little did I know then that it would be just the first of many professional credentials I would earn during my career. Like I said, I was hooked.

It was years after I had left Los Angeles that I found out the reason Steve Dach had hired me so quickly. He was the creator of the InVEST program and he believed so strongly in it, that he had no choice but to see if it really worked. He liked to say that “Cheryl took to insurance like a duck takes to water.” And he couldn’t have been more correct. Insurance isn’t what I do – it’s who I am. And I’m proud to say that InVEST, created 50 years ago by Stephen Dach, remains an important development program for the next generation of insurance professionals, now sponsored by the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America.

When I relocated to Northern California, I was faced with another decision – work in another independent agency or hang out my shield as an educator and consultant. I decided that training and consulting offered an opportunity to interact with far more independent agents across the country. That’s when Agency Management Resource Group was born. We have been able to help many individuals and agencies achieve their goals and dreams and that vicarious success fuels us to this day.