On Monday, Her Majesty Queen Sofía of Spain presented the International Insurance Award (Julio Castelo Matrán) to Ohio Insurance Institute (OII) for its substantial and groundbreaking contribution to the insurance sector.
The award was one of many presented at the Fundación MAPFRE's 2015 Awards, an event that recognizes individuals and institutions for outstanding contributions to society. OII is the first U.S. organization to receive an award from the prestigious event since its inception in 2007.
The Julio Castelo Matrán award includes a prize of 30,000 euros.
It was OII’s launch of www.insurancecareers.org in 2012 that caught the attention of MAPFRE's jury. The website, a part of OII’s “Insurance Careers” program, helped connect job seekers with industry professionals. It has helped promote employment among students, military veterans and professionals looking to shift gears in their careers.
The website’s adaptability to other countries and its capacity to tackle Ohio’s pressing insurance employment needs was what won the jury over.
"We believe that to effectuate change and inspire others to join the burgeoning career field within the insurance industry, one must educate job seekers on the key tenets of how insurance is more than simply numbers on a sheet of paper, but a safeguard that truly helps people during what is often one of the most difficult experiences they will encounter," remarked OII Director of Government Relations Jeff Anthony as he received the award on behalf of the organization.
"With Ohio's insurance industry facing an increasing demand to fill over 26,000 jobs by 2020, we are aware of the challenge and excited about the opportunity to educate and inspire the next generation on the great opportunities within the industry," Anthony added.
OII’s website was developed following Ohio Governor John Kasich’s arranging of a CEO Insurance Education Taskforce in 2011to determine current and future workforce needs for the state’s insurance sector—considered one of the state’s largest employment and economic contributors.
"Because of OII's long-standing commitment to educating youth on insurance and safety matters, an insurance careers initiative was a natural extension for our association," said OII president and Governor's Insurance Education Taskforce representative Dan Kelso.
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