Sacramento, CA — Hundreds of insurance professionals packed the halls at the 2008 Alliance Convention & Expo to listen to keynote speaker George Joseph, founder of Mercury Insurance Group. Mr. Joseph and the attendees were surprised when Alliance President Debra Jackson announced the unveiling of the George Joseph Educational Foundation of the Alliance of Insurance Agents & Brokers.

“Mr. Joseph has spent his life educating producers and serving customers. He is a selfless industry icon whose tireless dedication to the insurance industry will now be memorialized with the creation of this educational foundation,” said Jackson.

The mission of the foundation is to support insurance training for association members, provide educational scholarships for the next generation of insurance professionals, and to promote consumer awareness. Throughout the year, the foundation will collect donations from company partners, association members, and other interested parties, and direct those funds to a variety of insurance training and education programs.

“Investing in the education of insurance professionals and helping consumers demystify insurance are some of the most important things we can do as an association,” said David G. Nielson, CIC, and Executive Director of The Alliance. “Through our Education Foundation, we will work closely with association members, company partners, and consumer groups to find the best ways to implement quality insurance training programs.”

Parties interested in donating to the George Joseph Educational Foundation of The Alliance of Insurance Agents & Brokers should contact the Alliance at (866) 497-9222.