Recognizing industry superstars

During the luncheon ceremony, PIANY presented the prestigious Distinguished Iinsurance Service award to one of the industry’s most well-respected veterans and two scholarships to rising stars.

David Isenberg, who recently retired president of D.C. White Agency, a division of the Lancer Insurance Group, as the pinnacle of a distinguished career of nearly 50 years, was awarded the Distinguished Insurance Service Award.

The award recognizes an individual who has established a history of service, dedicated leadership and attention to the concerns of our members and their clients.

Isenberg is a past president of PIANY and a director of PIA Management Services, the umbrella corporation that manages the PIA affiliates of Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York state. He has served as chair and director of the Excess Lines Association of New York, and as a member of the Professional Insurance Wholesalers Association.

“David’s dedication to PIA has been remarkable,” said PIANY President Richard Savino. “He is a well known among us all as a friend and a leader; and it is my privilege to present him with this award.”

Isenberg has served on nearly every PIANY committee, including the Education and Conference, Industry Liaison and Nominations. In 1998, he received the Louis A. Morelli award from PIANY and he was honored as the Council of Insurance Brokers of Greater New York’s Man of the Year, in recognition for all his work in the insurance industry. In 2010, PIA of New York recognized him at its Joint Annual Conference in Atlantic City, and he received the General Agent Executive of the Year award at MetroRAP in 2007.

Thanking Savino and PIA for the honor, Isenberg encouraged the audience to stay involved with their association, and looked forward to the future. “I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of this industry for 50 years,…a great industry,” Isenberg said. “In no small part has my career been affected by the people I’ve worked with at D.C. White, my broker friends and my wife …. But, the success of my life is reflected by my children, and they show what I’ve achieved more than anything else.”

Keeping with MetroRAP tradition, PIANY past President Shelly Kozel presented the Bernard I. Kozel Memorial scholarship, in memory of his father and the Arthur I. Moll Memorial scholarship, in memory of the PIANY and PIA National past president, to two PIANY-member employees: Jacqueline Gerbino, Personal Lines CSR with Kay Dina Insurance Agency in Marlboro N.Y., and Jennifer Nall, Customer Service Representative of Member Brokerage Service in Queens, respectively. Each winner received tuition to two Certified Insurance Service Representative seminars conducted by PIANY.