Capitol Conference 2020 - Triangle Members Meet with Representative David Price
It has been almost a year since our lives were turned upside-down by the pandemic. We were able to hold one of our most important and distinguished meetings, NAHU Capitol Conference (Cap Con), in it's normal format right before things shut down last year. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to offer the event live this year. So, where does that leave us? How are we going to conduct effective meetings with legislators without being able to sit in their offices and shake their hands? NAHU Vice President of Congressional Affairs, John Greene, discusses this in a short video. I'd urge you all to take a minute to watch: https://vimeo.com/507614611
Yes, the pandemic has forced us to move the lobby, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. I can personally attest to the fact that virtual legislative meetings work. Over the past couple of weeks, with the help of our NC lobbyist, Joe Stewart, the NCAHU General Assembly Action Committee (GAAC) has conducted virtual meetings with almost every member of the NC House Insurance Committee. Through these efforts, the GAAC, spearheaded by chairperson Michelle Wilson-Reynolds, has successfully laid the tracks for future political advocacy and consultation with these legislators. The meetings were convenient, efficient and well received by the legislators.
Therefore, I would argue that having to hold Cap Con in a virtual world is not a bad thing. These are the advantages as I see them:
Accessibility - more members should be able to participate as cost and travel are no longer a barrier.
Flexibility - take part in the meetings that you are able to attend based upon your schedule.
Convenience - participate from the comfort of your home or office.
I would urge everyone to attend this year's Cap Con. There really are no excuses and we need you there. Remember, power is in numbers. Power is also in knowledge, and there is no event that I have attended that has taught me more over the years than Cap Con. For anyone that has never attended, it is not just a forum for meetings with legislators. It is also a symposium type event with great speakers and relevant topics. You will walk away from the event in a better place to serve your clients and earn business. To sign up for this year's Cap Con, simply go to the NAHU website or follow this link: http://nahu.org/capitol-conference. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone (virtually) on February 22-24 at Cap Con.
With respect to NCAHU in general, I am happy to report that we are doing great. Our leadership team has been working hard on our initiatives and this year's Champions' Circle has been rolled out with huge success. We have also started a new program, the Champions' Series, with the first event taking place in conjunction with Mutual Med on February 9. Please read Carol's article in the President-Elect section for more information on that. I will have more to report next month as we announce even more new programs we will be offering that will add additional layers of value to your membership.
Best,
Dan
Excited about the Champions' Series!