Applied Systems Honored As Best Practices Study Sponsor

University Park, IL -- (SBWire) -- 02/22/2011 -- Applied Systems is among four insurance industry vendors and 12 insurance companies recognized recently for sponsoring the 2010 Best Practices Study conducted by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) and Reagan Consulting.

Sponsors were recognized at a banquet held during the Best Practices symposium at the Westin Mission Hills Resort in Rancho Mirage, California. The banquet honored the 224 agencies who earned Best Practices distinction in the 2010 study.

Applied Systems Chairman and CEO James P. Kellner accepted the sponsorship award for his company, which develops and supports insurance agency management systems and services. Applied Systems is the only agency management software company to sponsor the study.

In recognizing Applied Systems, Shirley Lukens, vice president of Reagan Consulting, noted that the insurance technology company was the first vendor to sponsor the study, beginning in 2003. Lukens explained that sponsors’ financial support funded research and development of the 2010 study, which will be updated in 2011 and 2012.

“Their support also allowed us to maintain the Best Practices Gateway Web site and to provide each Best Practices Study participant with an individualized agency performance analysis report,” Lukens said. “I can’t overemphasize how critical these people, and the companies they represent, are to the Best Practices Study. Quite simply, were it not for their support, the study would not exist.”

In addition to Applied Systems, other 2010 vendor sponsors are Addis Intellectual Capital, Imperial Credit Corporation and InsurBanc.

Carrier sponsors are Central Insurance Companies, Chubb, EMC Insurance Companies, Encompass Insurance, Erie Insurance, Great American Insurance Group, The Hanover Insurance Group, Harleysville Insurance, Kemper, Liberty Mutual, MetLife Auto & Home and Zurich North America.

The Best Practices Study is an annual benchmark of the top independent agents and brokers in the United States. The highly regarded survey provides a basis for agents and brokers to measure and improve their performance.