Outstanding Big ‘I’ Members Recognized
By Will Jones and Olivia Overman
This week in Washington, D.C., the 2026 Big “I” Legislative Conference set the stage for celebrating standout members who embody the very best of the Big “I.”
Honoring those who’ve gone above and beyond, the awards spotlight individuals whose impact stretches across the insurance industry, their communities, and the association itself.
Here are this year’s winners:
- Young Agent of the Year Award: Miles Lee
- Inclusive Excellence Champion Award: Jeff Smith
- Maurice Herndon Award: Missouri Association of Insurance Agents
- Sidney O. Smith Award: Frank Jones
- Woodworth Memorial Award: Heather Minkler
- Jeff Yates Lifetime Achievement Award: Jeff Albright
- Dan Fulwider Award: Rosie Sebahie
Young Agent of the Year Award: Miles Lee
During the Emerging Leaders Luncheon, Miles Lee, transportation insurance broker at McGriff in Savannah, Georgia, was presented with the 2025 Young Agent of the Year Award.
“Under his leadership, their Young Agents Committee reached extraordinary heights in advocacy and fundraising, raising over $58,000 for InsurPac, with nearly $20,000 coming directly from 61 Young Agents,” said Cash McMillen, national Big “I” Young Agents Committee chair and executive vice president of operations at The Cashion Company in Little Rock, Arkansas, as he presented the award.
“Each year, the YAC chair selects a charitable organization for the annual YAC golf tournament. Under his leadership, the event had a record-breaking year,” McMillen said. “The event raised $77,903, supported by 58 sponsors and attended by 215 participants, including 132 golfers—all the highest totals in the event’s history.”
“Professional development was another priority for Lee during his term. The YAC Sales & Leadership Conference drew 190 attendees, including 78 first-time attendees and 47 brand new agents, again setting records,” McMillen added. “We honor someone who didn’t just meet expectations but redefined them.”
Inclusive Excellence Champion Award: Jeff Smith
For his contributions to the Big “I” Diversity Council and advancement of diversity and inclusion initiatives, Jeff Smith, CEO for the Ohio Insurance Agents Association (OIA) with the 2025 Inclusive Excellence Champion Award.
Smith is a member of the Big “I” Diversity Council, Diversity Best Practices Work Group and a dedicated supporter of the Right Start Mentorship program, bringing both passion and action to advancing diversity and inclusion across the independent agency channel.
“He is not only a leader in title, but a mentor in action. He invests his time, shares his perspective, and helps guide the next generation of industry professionals,” said Peter Perlman, Big “I” Diversity board member and president of Perlman Insurance Agency in West Bloomfield, Michigan, as he presented the award. “His willingness to support others as they grow is a powerful example of what inclusive leadership really looks like.”
Herndon Award: Missouri Association of Insurance Agents
Yesterday, during the Big “I” Legislative Breakfast, Charles Symington, Big “I” president & CEO, presented the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA) with the 2025 Maurice Herndon Award. The Maurice Herndon award is given every year to the state association that has done exemplary work on legislative issues and government affairs the previous year.
MAIA “has routinely increased its Legislative Conference participation and its InsurPac contributions,” Symington said as he presented the award. “It has members serving on both our Government Affairs Committee and our InsurPac Board.”
Notably, the association promoted the inaugural Insurance Campaign Institute—which encourages insurance professionals to seek public office—and provided technical expertise that led to a rollback of certain federal property insurance requirements. The association also played a role in successfully lobbying Congress to preserve the 20% pass-through deduction.
Sidney O. Smith Award: Frank Jones
During the Big “I” Legislative Breakfast on Thursday, Jim Murphree, Big “I” government affairs chair and president of Jim Murphree Insurance Agency in Oneonta, Alabama, presented Frank Jones, partner at Mints Insurance, Millville, New Jersey, with the 2025 Sidney O. Smith Award.
Jones serves as a lobbyist for Big I New Jersey, spending countless hours developing relationships at the state and federal level. He is a consistent and longtime major donor to InsurPac and regularly advocates for its support. This week, Jones also participated in the first annual Insurance Campaign Institute with a goal of increasing the number of insurance professionals serving in public office.
This award “is a way of honoring someone who has displayed true leadership, for rolling up their sleeves and going to bat for our businesses in the area of government affairs,” Murphree said. “It’s easy to see that when it comes to government affairs, this person is all in!”
“I love this industry,” Jones said. “It is an amazing privilege to be there for people at the worst times of their lives. We are uniquely positioned to speak to what constituents need, and I’m honored to carry our voice with those in elected office.”
Woodworth Memorial Award: Heather Minkler
During the Friday breakfast, Angela Ripley, Big “I” chair and president of VW Brown Insurance Service in Columbia, Maryland, presented Heather Minkler, Northern New England managing director for Clark-Mortenson/Hilb Group in Keene, New Hampshire with the 2026 Woodworth Memorial Award—the highest honor the Big “I” bestows on an individual member.
Minker retired after decades of wide-ranging service to the independent agency channel, including national leadership roles as Invest chair, Trusted Choice board member and serving on the council for Best Practices. A steadfast supporter of InsurPac and association advocacy, she also led at the state level as board director, Big “I” state president and state InsurPac chair.
As a business owner, she led an award-winning agency recognized as a Best Practices Agency and an Insurance Journal Top 50 firm, while also serving on numerous carrier advisory boards. Beyond insurance, she made history as the first female chair of Claremont Savings Bank’s board of trustees.
“Our honoree this morning is an unwavering servant who has worked to improve her industry at the highest level,” Ripley said. “Her longevity in the independent agency system will forever be remembered by her varied contributions to the Big “I” and its members.”
Jeff Yates Lifetime Achievement Award: Jeff Albright
Many beyond the agent community contribute to the vitality and strength of the independent agency system and the Jeff Yates Lifetime Achievement Award, named in honor of former Big “I” co-CEO Jeff Yates, is designed to recognize those special people. It is the highest recognition in the nation that a non-agent can receive for a lifetime of work in the independent agency system.
During the Friday breakfast, Charles Symington, Big “I” president & CEO, awarded Jeff Albright with the Jeff Yates Award.
Albright led the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Louisiana for more than three decades and shaped major statutory and regulatory reforms, including eliminating the state rating commission, establishing a state-run insurance corporation, securing agent ownership of expirations, curbing certificate-of-insurance abuses, and protecting agent commissions and fees.
In addition to serving on numerous Big “I” national boards, Albright guided his state to an InsurPac Eagle award every year of his CEO tenure. Upon presenting him with the award, Symington described Albright as “a forward thinker,” “an impactful leader” and “a steadfast supporter of agents in the federal government affairs arena.”
“He understood the unique grassroots power of our membership and was never shy to activate that network. And he was always there when we asked—helping us with a number of important federal issues: most notably flood insurance and the defense of state insurance regulation.” Symington said.
Dan Fulwider Award: Rosie Sebahie
During the Friday breakfast, Trusted Choice® presented Rosie Sebahie, premier senior client advisor at USI Insurance Services, Mid-Atlantic Region, in Connecticut, with the Dan Fulwider Award for Community Involvement.
The Dan Fulwider Award for Community Involvement is named in memory of Dan Fulwider, an avid philanthropist and former government affairs coordinator and membership liaison for the Independent Insurance Agents of Iowa. The award recognizes the Big “I” member who has gone above and beyond the call of service to truly make a lasting difference in their community over the past year.
After the death of her son Alex, the Sebahie family experienced firsthand the power of community during a time of profound grief. That experience inspired Sebahie to transform loss into purpose by founding the Alex Sebahie Never Back Down Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting youth, families and individuals facing hardship.
What began as a single scholarship initiative has grown into a statewide effort across New Jersey, providing wrestling scholarships for both boys and girls, mentorship opportunities, volunteer programs and Acts of Kindness initiatives serving foster children, hospice families, kids battling cancer and special-needs communities.
The foundation emphasizes building resilience, encouraging perseverance and ensuring families feel supported during challenging times.
In addition, Sebahie also coordinates blood drives for the American Red Cross and serves as the Education and Library Department Chair for the Womens Federation, where she promotes literacy. Like Dan Fulwider, she dedicates herself to civic involvement.
“As an insurance advisor, I help clients prepare for uncertainty and recover from loss. Through community involvement, I work to strengthen the human support systems that help individuals rebuild and move forward,” Sebahie said. “I believe the role of an insurance advisor extends beyond professional responsibilities and into strengthening the communities we serve.”
“We protect what matters most, and that is through service,” she said. “We protect the fabric of our communities, whether it’s advocating for stronger legislation, guiding families through coverages, advocating for them, helping them with their decisions and lives, or simply being there for someone—we are their trusted advisor in every situation. Service is a foundation of trust.”
Will Jones is IA editor-in-chief. Olivia Overman is IA content editor.
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