Full IWOGC Local History

This decade began with some decision among the membership. Since the association was so large, and we were such a diverse group, a number of members broke away from the original organization and formed another association which came to be known as Miami Valley Insurance Women. The year was 1980. In April 1983, another group of members broke away and became Northern Kentucky Association of Insurance Women. Today, even with all the changes in recent years in our industry, NAIW involvement is unique in this area because three local associations remain active and viable when many chapters have been forced to disband or operated with a significantly lower number of members.

So far as can be gleaned from records, the total number of members for CAIW was 159 for the fiscal year 1980-81. The following year, 1981-82 membership had declined to 93 (keeping in mind this is about the time Miami Valley Insurance Women was chartered). In 1983-84, membership increased to 104.

The name of our association remained Cincinnati Association of Insurance Women until 1984 when the membership voted to change to NAIW of Greater Cincinnati in order to be more easily identified with our national affiliation. The National organization adopted a complete restructure in 1987-88. As a result, we changed our name once again to the Insurance Women of Greater Cincinnati.

In 1984, Cincinnati was again the host association for the Regional Conference. The location was the Stouffer Hotel (now the Regal). Dorothy Crockett was President. Fran Hill served as Conference Chair. In addition to topnotch educational offerings, the conference also afforded the attendees wonderful entertainment, spearheaded by our own Dessie Davis, past president and longstanding member.

Her country music band helped establish the tradition of excellent Friday night welcome parties at NAIW Region IV conferences. The Saturday night banquet entertainment was provided by performing arts students from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.

It was at this conference the Insurance Women of Eastern Cincinnati received their charter. The association was sponsored by IWOGC to help provide NAIW benefits to those women who lived or worked in the Clermont County area. This was during the time of what was known as the “hard market” and as a result some agencies were not able to continue business as usual. Some of those members depended on agency support, and when that was gone the association was not able to survive and disbanded in about a year.

The 1984 National Convention was held at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. The convention theme was “Face the Future with Confidence” and Kathryn Callahan was National President. She was also the conferring officer for that year’s “I” Day new CPIW’s.

The first combined Industry Appreciation Night was held on 5/23/84 at the Harley Hotel (now the Four Points Sheraton). IWOGC; MVIW; NKAIW and the newly chartered Insurance Women of Eastern Cincinnati (sponsored by IWOGC) shared the evening giving recognition to sponsors and employers.

In 1986, Phyllis Sapp was awarded the Francis Herzog Insurance Woman of the Year given by the Ohio Independent Insurance Agents and the Ohio Council of NAIW.

The 1988 National Convention was held in Indianapolis, Indiana. Shirley Timmons was National President & the theme of the convention was “Challenge the Limits”. Phyllis Sapp was Local President and Delegate.

National Convention for 1989 was held in Hawaii, with Barbara Benson as President and Delegate.

Presidents During This Period:

• Dorothy Crockett (2 Consecutive Terms) 1982-83 & 1983-84

• Bonnie Chandler (2 Consecutive Terms-Now Deceased) 1984-85 & 1985-86

• Phyllis Sapp (2 Consecutive Terms) 1986-87 & 1987-88

• Barbara Benson 1988-89

• Nancy Moore 1989-90