TX | On Friday, December 2, the employees of ILSA, a ReSource Pro company, came together to celebrate another successful year. 2022 certainly was a special one. In addition to the 25th anniversary of our founding, we also celebrated our first full year as a member of the ReSource Pro family of companies. While continuing to work closely with colleagues at ReSource Pro to complete the integration process, each of ILSA’s service delivery teams — Licensing, Corporate Compliance, and Surplus Lines — exceeded their growth goals for the year. 2022 also saw a record number of new clients choose ILSA to meet their insurance licensing and regulatory compliance needs.
The highlight of the day was the Employee Awards Ceremony. While every team member’s contribution is essential to achieving this level of success, this annual event recognizes the outstanding contributions of certain employees.
Service Awards
Providing regulatory compliance services for the insurance industry isn’t for everyone. It demands sustained attention to minute detail, endless intellectual curiosity, and daily creative problem-solving. It also requires high emotional intelligence and a commitment to customer advocacy. Above all, it takes perseverance. The longer people work in this field, the deeper their skill sets grow and the more valuable they become to ILSA and our clients.
This year, ILSA recognized the following employees for 5 years of service to our industry and clients: Riley Barkouskie (Operations), Marisa Boucher (Licensing), Delmira Butler (Licensing), Brittany Cooper (Sales), Nathan Dingler (Onboarding), Kelsey Kilpatrick (Corporate Compliance), and Kristie Washington (Corporate Compliance). Elaine Nance (Marketing) was recognized for her 10 years of service.
Performance Awards
Nominations for performance awards come from the front-line supervisors of our service delivery and operational teams. The company leadership as a whole then meets to review the nominations and the candidates’ accomplishments. Finally, they vote for award recipients. Advocacy is often passionate, and thus this year there were several ties.
Rookie of the Year
Some team members are exceptional from the very beginning. ILSA Rookies of the Year excel during their first year with our company or in a new role. They are self-starters who take the lead in helping their teams reach shared goals. They set the standards that inspire others to greater achievement.
For 2022, the following individuals were nominated for this award: Keston Price (Licensing), Jessica Spivey (Surplus Lines), Elizabeth Trevino (Accounting), and Lyric Woodall (Onboarding). Keston Price and Elizabeth Trevino both were named Rookies of the Year.
Extra Mile Award
While all our employees give their best efforts for our clients, there are individuals who are willing to go beyond what is necessary or even expected in order to achieve the desired outcome. We celebrate their outstanding level of commitment with the Extra Mile Award.
2022 nominees included: Amber Austin (Marketing), Shaneaqua Canada (Surplus Lines), Matt Isabell (Corporate Compliance), and Dustin Sanford (Licensing). Both Matt Isabell and Dustin Sanford were selected to receive this award.
Determination and Diligence
Maintaining a compliance program of ILSA’s scale and complexity takes tremendous, sustained effort. The Determination and Diligence Award recognizes the firmness of purpose, persistence, and hard work needed to overcome all obstacles to achieve the desired outcome.
ILSA recognized James Beard (Operations), Marisa Boucher (Licensing), Elaine Nance (Marketing), Miles Owen (Technology), Liset Rivera (Corporate Compliance), Amy Williams (Surplus Lines), and Amanda Willis (Sales) for their level of commitment and outstanding accomplishments during the past year. Elaine Nance and Amanda Willis each received a Determination and Diligence Award for 2022.
Outstanding Customer Service
The customer experience is at the heart of everything that ILSA does. Nominees for this award offer a level of service to internal and external clients conspicuously above the norm.
This year, the following individuals were recognized for their Outstanding Customer Service: Riley Barkousie (Operations), Kelsey Kilpatrick (Corporate Compliance), Charles Nance (Technology), Andrea Shields (Surplus Lines), and Colton Shields (Onboarding). Andrea Shields received the 2022 Outstanding Customer Service Award.
Employee of the Year
Candidates for ILSA’s Employee of the Year Award demonstrate consistent excellence in every aspect of their work performance and professional relationships. They truly are “the complete package.”
The 2022 nominees included: Delmira Butler (Licensing), Yvette Davila (Surplus Lines), Shelly Pope (Sales), and Kristie Washington (Corporate Compliance). From this group of remarkable individuals, ILSA leaders chose Yvette Davila as our Employee of the Year.
Leadership Awards
One of the keys to ILSA’s ongoing success is the remarkable stability of our leadership. Supervisors have an average of 12 years working with regulatory compliance; senior leaders average over 15 years with ILSA. This longevity enables them to develop a deep understanding of our industry and to build genuine relationships with clients and regulators alike. They are an extraordinary team. Even so, each year there are individuals who stand out.
Supervisor of the Year
Angela Dyer has long been one of the go-to experts on ILSA’s Surplus Lines Tax Filings Teams. Still, the shift from being a “doer” to a supervisory role, isn’t always an easy one. Angie made this transition at a uniquely challenging point in ILSA’s growth, and she did it with grace and her characteristic good humor.
fellow nominees Stefanie Cantu and Tameika Johnson
In 2022, she played a key part in taking the Surplus Line Team to a new level of productivity. As Lorenzo Houston put it in his nomination, What can I say? This lady does it all. If there is a mountain, she will climb it. There is no job too large. Angie has continued to expand her wings and has become a major player in the surplus lines industry.
Manager of the Year
The choice of a Manager of the Year is always a difficult decision. ILSA is fortunate to have an abundance of outstanding leaders. The challenges of our “integration year,” combined with unprecedented growth, tested the mettle of every member of our leadership team; and each rose to meet and then exceed expectations.
with Senior Manager Russ Foster
Sabrina Slater is our Manager of the Year for 2022 for many reasons. In addition to running one of the key service delivery teams at ILSA, she also took on a new challenge: Registered Agent Services billing and vendor oversight. After reviewing our existing process, she spearheaded the negotiation of a new agreement that provides even more cost-effective service for our clients. But it’s not just what Sabrina did that singled her out for special recognition; it’s how she did it. As Russ Foster explained, Her department is the place everyone wants to work, not because the work is easy or simple — because it is not. People want to be in her department because she and her supervisor [Tameika Johnson] have built something special.
Please join us in congratulating our 2022 award winners and nominees! And thank you for appreciating the efforts of all our employees and for choosing ILSA as your insurance licensing and regulatory compliance solution. We look forward to many more years of serving you.