I’m privileged to announce that the National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies (NAILBA) presented Peter Holden, CEO of CPS Insurance Services, Newport Beach, CA, with the 2016 Douglas Mooers Award for Excellence, at a special awards dinner held November 18, 2016, as part of the association’s annual meeting, NAILBA 35. NAILBA’s most coveted and prestigious accolade, the Mooers Award honors distinction in brokerage and is bestowed upon the individual most committed to furthering independent life brokerage as a distribution system, and who demonstrates an exemplary record of community service.
Raised in Kenya and educated in Switzerland, Holden came to the U.S. in 1960, and has encouraged many others to become U.S. citizens since becoming one himself in 1963. He began his career in the insurance industry in 1964 as an agent for State Mutual. He founded CPS Insurance Services in 1974 with partner John Fazio, and CPS Insurance Services grew to become one of the nation’s leading independent brokerage agencies, specializing in Life, Annuities, Disability Income, and Long Term Care products—a distinction that continues to grow under the very capable hands of Holden’s sons Andy and Greg. Today CPS employs over 50 people and boasts 26 affiliate offices throughout the country.
In presenting the award David Long, NAILBA Immediate Past Chairman, noted that Holden is considered by many to have had a hand in building the independent brokerage distribution system that the vast majority of BGAs use today.
Holden served as NAILBA’s Chairman in 1994. He has also served as the President of Orange County Life Underwriters, the president of the California Life Underwriters, as a regional membership chairman to the National Association of Life Underwriters and received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors/California (NAIFA) in 2005. He was a member of the Board of Directors for Life Happens back when it was the Life Foundation. He has contributed to several major insurance publications including Broker World, and serves on BGA advisory councils for numerous carriers.
He is passionate about giving back to his local community. Holden supports an extensive list of local foundations and businesses, including the Foundation for the Arts, which keeps art programs alive in the local schools and community. He has served in numerous leadership roles for Orange County’s St. Joseph’s Catholic Hospital, including the Presidential Partners Committee, the Finance Committee, Care For The Poor Committee, and the campaign steering committee for the new Cancer Center that took nine years to build. He currently serves on the Advisory Board. Further, he has personally endowed a special care room in the cancer ward, a conference room in the surgery unit of the new hospital, and the healing garden in the new Cancer Center. He supports the Public School Foundation, which raises money for extra school programs, the Philharmonic Society, which brings children from all over the country to the music center for special programs, and the Lake Arrowhead Community Hospital, which enables the small, community hospital to exist.
With the help of some CPS team members, Peter recently developed the CPS EPIC Foundation, which gives back to the community through various fundraising efforts. The most recent fundraiser raised over $1,200 for the Orange County Women’s Transitional Living Center.
His family will tell you that his most significant commitment was always to them. He was a loving husband to his wife of 52 years, Gail, until her passing in 2013. Their two sons joined him as leaders in the brokerage community, and he is a doting grandfather to Emily, Max and Charlie.
Congratulations to Peter and the whole CPS family—recognition long overdue for a brokerage pioneer and a cornerstone of the industry we enjoy today.[SPH]
