Special thanks to long time friend Chuck Hirsch, Hirsch Communications Consulting, for letting me know that the Inter-Company Marketing Group (ICMG), named Allen Bress, president of AIM Marketing & Insurance Services, Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, as the recipient of the 2024 Don Kampe Lifetime Achievement Award.
ICMG is a non-profit association that fosters business networking among insurance and financial services companies, and the Don Kampe Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor awarded by the group. Allen joined ICMG in 1993 and has enthusiastically worked to expand membership and member involvement. The Kampe award was established in 2001 to recognize ICMG members who have made significant, ongoing contributions of time and resources for the benefit of the organization. The award was named in honor of Don Kampe, who served on ICMG’s first board of directors, was president for two terms, and continued to be active in board and committee work for 24 years.
A graduate of California State University, Northridge, in 1969 with a BA in Economics, Allen jumped into the insurance industry in 1978, founding AIM Marketing & Insurance Services. He has founded three successful companies in his 45-plus year career, developing and distributing brokerage supported insurance products and building strategic partnerships and alliances throughout the industry. With the invaluable help of wife Gail, owner and CFO, AIM Marketing provides a wide range of insurance products including term, universal life, whole life, annuities, long term care, living benefits, short term medical, travel medical, dental, disability, group ancillary products and retiree medical insurance utilizing more than 50 carrier partners.
Beyond ICMG Allen he has been active in many other conferences and organizations. He has served on multiple boards including the Mass Market Insurance Institute, PIMA, Voluntary Benefits Association, and the NAILBA Charitable Foundation. He has been inducted into the Workplace Marketing Association’s Hall of Fame and had a founding role in the California Association of Health Underwriters. He also holds membership in the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and the marketing group National Brokerage Agencies (NBA).
This year’s Don Kampe Lifetime Achievement Award was presented by ICMG’s executive director, Larry Sigle, who said about Allen, “It’s evident that his unwavering dedication, visionary leadership, and profound industry impact make him a deserving recipient.”
Allen has been a dear friend since the early 80s when our paths crossed at some conference, likely NBA or NAHU. From early on in my career I’ve found Allen to be warm, welcoming and an invaluable source of industry knowledge and education. I and countless others owe him a debt of gratitude for the advancement and longevity of our careers. Thank you Allen, and congratulations on an honor richly deserved![SPH]
