Agent David Fierro of Glendora shares pitching grip advice with CEA CEO Glenn Pomeroy before Pomeroy threw out the game’s ceremonial first pitch.
Insurance agents, professional baseball, post-game fireworks, and earthquake insurance can make a for a winning combination. Who knew?
Epicenter Stadium, the picturesque home of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes baseball team, provided a natural setting for a very productive get-together recently between California Earthquake Authority (CEA) CEO Glenn Pomeroy, members of the CEA team, California insurance agents, and CEA customers.
The evening event was pegged as “CEA Night at the Ballpark” and included an awesome fireworks display after the game, which the Quakes won, making the evening a true “win, win.”
During the game, the CEA team mixed business with cheering for the home team as Pomeroy and Chet Davis, CEA’s Insurance Education and Sales Support Director, sat down with Agents Teresa Fukui Akahoshi of Rancho Cucamonga, Tim Cunningham of Ontario, Veronica Garza of La Verne, and David Fierro of Glendora for a roundtable discussion about getting more Californians prepared for the next damaging earthquake with CEA earthquake insurance.
From Left to Right: Tim Cunningham of Ontario, David Fierro of Glendora, CEA CEO Glenn Pomeroy, Teresa Fukui Akahoshi of Rancho Cucamonga, and Veronica Garza of La Verne discuss winning strategies for selling more CEA earthquake insurance policies.
Agent Fierro, an avid baseball fan and player, even had the chance to spend time with Pomeroy before the game offering tips and demonstrating pitching grips before the CEA's CEO made his way to the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch—which caught the right-hand corner of home plate.
The interaction was meaningful and productive as Pomeroy, Davis, and the agents tossed around various strategies for selling more earthquake insurance policies. Discussion topics included how best to educate consumers about the importance of having earthquake insurance, misconceptions consumers have about the need for earthquake insurance, consumer awareness regarding the current CEA policy and the wide range of deductibles and coverages now offered, and consumer understanding about retrofitting their older homes built before 1979 to make their houses more resistant to earthquake damage.
The agents all agreed the CEA-hosted roundtable discussion was a home run and helped further enhance their understanding of earthquake coverage and its benefit to consumers.
Davis said the get-together was a chance for him and Pomeroy to say thanks and to put themselves in the shoes (or in this case, the baseball cleats) of the agents, who are on the front line selling CEA policies.
Everyone agreed the evening was a grand slam home run!
Learn more about CEA insurance policies or take an agent training course to get your clients covered against earthquakes. And, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Mark Toohey is the Agent and Community Liaison for the California Earthquake Authority, having recently retired from a distinguished 25-year career with Farmers Insurance. In his role with CEA, Mark meets with and gives presentations to California insurance agents and community groups about the importance of earthquake insurance.