irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $0EDUCATION AND CONTINUING EDUCATION - BIG I NY'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS PROVIDE INSTRUCTION TO CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS, FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION TO MAINTAIN LICENSE, ETHICS TRAINING, SALES TRAINING, TECHNOLOGY TRAINING, COVERAGE TRAINING AND COMPLIANCE TRAINING.
- #2 $0MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT - BIG I NY STRIVES TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO ITS MEMBERS AND TO ADD NEW MEMBERS THROUGH ITS ACTIVITIES AND THE ACTIVITIES OF ITS NATIONAL, INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS OF AMERICA, INC. (IIABA).
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Advocacy & Political Engagement
Represents members’ interests in legislative and regulatory matters, recognizing individuals who advance the political effectiveness of the independent agency system.
Continuing Education (CE) Programs
Provides state-approved continuing education courses including ethics, compliance, and specialized training such as the "True Crime CE" series focused on real-world claims and risk management case studies.
Go Big Conference
Annual multi-day event offering professional development, technology demonstrations, AI workshops, and networking for insurance professionals across New York, with targeted tracks for CSRs, producers, and agency leaders.
NextGen NY
Initiative engaging young professionals under age 40 in the insurance industry through mentorship, leadership development, and networking events to ensure intergenerational continuity in independent agencies.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Insurance Industry Trade Association 2 activities
- Advance advocacy initiatives to reform auto and workers' compensation insurance policiesAdvocated for auto insurance reforms requiring insurers to explain premium increases, successfully contributing to provisions included in the New York State budget (enacted May 2025) and set to take effect August 24, 2026. Contributed to a ten-year trend of declining Workers' Compensation loss costs in New York through sustained policy engagement.
- Engage in legislative outreach and public policy dialogue on property and casualty insurance issuesParticipates in the New York P&C Insurance Summit to highlight marketplace challenges and meets directly with lawmakers in district offices to discuss the impact of fraud and excessive litigation on insurance costs and consumers. Conducts advocacy in Albany shortly after gubernatorial proposals are released, such as during the January 2026 auto insurance reform discussions.
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Professional Certification and Continuing Education 2 activities
- Deliver professional education and training programs for insurance professionalsProvides continuing education, ethics, sales, technology, coverage, and compliance training for current and prospective insurance professionals. Offers in-house training at member agencies, including designation preparation and skill-building, and delivers role-specific AI education through the live and on-demand Agency AI Labs program.
- Expand access to professional designations and skill development credentialsOffers members discounted access (20% off) to online courses from The Institutes for foundational, technical, and leadership skill development in risk management and insurance, supporting attainment of professional designations.
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Industry Research and Benchmarking 1 activity
- Conduct and disseminate industry research on compensation and operational practicesConducts and publishes Agency Comp 360, a comprehensive multi-state survey providing benchmarking data on compensation, benefits, and outsourcing practices within independent insurance agencies.
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Membership & Sponsorship Development 1 activity
- Foster membership growth and engagement in coordination with national organizationConducts membership development activities to serve existing members and recruit new ones, working in coordination with the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Inc. (IIABA).
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Professional Networking Events 1 activity
- Host leadership and professional development events for insurance industry professionalsHosts an annual Women's Summit featuring workshops, small-group roundtables, networking opportunities, and personal pitch development sessions. Also convenes multi-day events focused on industry innovation, growth, and networking, including speed mentoring sessions connecting young agents with experienced professionals and carriers.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Automate routine insurance claims processing using AI toolsUses AI to extract data from documents, analyze photos, verify policy details, and estimate repair costs for routine claims, accelerating resolution times and reducing service call volume for agent teams.
- Enhance claims management efficiency by enabling focus on complex casesImproves claims handling capacity by automating routine claims, allowing adjusters to dedicate more time to complex cases involving large losses, coverage disputes, and potential fraud.
- Support member agency operations through centralized resources and toolsOperates an Answer Center that provides support on licensing, continuing education, legal issues, market access, cybersecurity compliance, and coverage matters. Provides free full access to Catalyit, a suite of tools for technology assessment, selection, implementation, and optimization to improve agency efficiency.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.91M
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$2.09M72%
Investment income$338K12%
Other revenue$479K
expenses
Total expenses$2.67M
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$1.35M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.71M
Cash$349K
Investments$2.46M
Liabilities$1.13M
Net assets$2.57M
Liquid reserves12.6 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +17.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 7
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LISA LOUNSBURY | PRESIDENT/CEO | 19 | $373K |
| BRIAN BIXBY | PRESIDENT OF IAAC | 6 | $179K |
| KATHLEEN GLAHN | VP OF OPERATIONS & INFORMA | 15 | $139K |
| CHRISTINE NEET | AVP MEMBER ENGAGEMENT | 19 | $135K |
| KATHY LAWLER | AVP COMMUNITIES & RELATION | 24 | $124K |
| LISA NURNBERGER | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE - STAR | 21 | $114K |
| TRAVIS WATTIE | AVP GOVERNMENT RELATIONS | 32 | $81K |
board members · 15
- DAVID BODENSTEIN — CHAIR OF BOARD
- DAVID H BORG — DIRECTOR
- DEENA MCCULLOUGH — DIRECTOR
- DOUG BENZ — DIRECTOR
- EMMANUEL OSUYAH — DIRECTOR
- FRANK MURELLO — DIRECTOR
- JAMES BASTIAN — DIRECTOR
- KELLY GONYO — VICE CHAIR & SECRETARY/ TREASURER
- MARIANNE MCCORMICK — DIRECTOR
- MATTHEW MAGUIRE — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL ZWAS — DIRECTOR
- ROBERT BOWEN — DIRECTOR
- RONALD BRUNNEL — NATIONAL DIRECTOR
- SYDNEY ROE — DIRECTOR
- TED WALSH — IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
relationships · 42
Who they work with
- ACT (Agents Council for Technology) Partner — Cocreated Agency AI Labs to deliver practical, role-specific AI education for independent insurance agency staff.
- Andover Companies Partner — Recognized as Outstanding Super Regional Personal Lines Company Partner in 2016 and 2014
- Ashley Engl Partner — Panelist at the Women in Insurance Summit Q&A session.
- Big I New York Network — Member organization participating in advocacy initiatives through the Group of 100 (G100).
- CNA Partner — Recognized as Outstanding National Commercial Lines Company Partner in 2014
- Carriers Partner — Collaborates with insurance carriers to understand and influence how AI is implemented in claims processing.
- Catalyit Partner — Provides members with free full access to its technology assessment and optimization tools for agency operations.
- Chubb Group Partner — Recognized as Outstanding National Commercial Lines Company Partner in 2013
- Cincinnati Partner — Recognized as Top Carrier Partner in Commercial Lines in 2025 and 2024 based on Big I New York Carrier Index Surveys
- Dryden Mutual Partner — Recognized as Outstanding Regional Commercial and Personal Lines Company Partner in multiple years
- Erie & Niagara Insurance Association Partner — Recognized as Outstanding Regional Commercial Lines Company Partner in 2015
- IMS Access Partner — Partners to expand commercial lines market access for members through carriers such as The Hanover.
- INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS OF AMERICA, INC. (IIABA) Network — Collaborates with the national organization IIABA to support membership development and expand services to members.
- Jacquie Kelly Kaden Partner — Panelist at the Women in Insurance Summit Q&A session.
- Jenn Urso Partner — Facilitator of a professional development workshop on personal pitching at the Women in Insurance Summit.
- Kelly Gonyo Partner — Panelist at the Women in Insurance Summit Q&A session.
- Kemper, a Unitrin Business Partner — Recognized as Outstanding National Personal Lines Company Partner in 2012 and 2011
- Leadership Academy Partner — Program offering leadership training for insurance agency professionals
- Liberty Mutual Partner — Recognized as Top Carrier Partner in Commercial Lines (> $100 million in NY written premium) in 2017 and as Agency Talent Development Champion
- Marya Propis Partner — Panelist at the Women in Insurance Summit Q&A session.
- Merchants Insurance Group Partner — Recognized as Top Carrier Partner in Commercial Lines and Personal Lines in multiple years based on Big I New York Carrier Index Surveys
- Midstate Mutual Partner — Recognized as Outstanding Regional Personal Lines Company Partner in 2010
- NGM Insurance Company Partner — Recognized as Outstanding Super Regional Personal Lines Company Partner (tie) in 2015
- NYCM Partner — Recognized as Top Carrier Partner in Personal Lines in multiple years based on Big I New York Carrier Index Surveys
- National Grange Mutual Insurance Co. Partner — Recognized as Outstanding Super Regional Commercial Lines Company Partner in 2012
- New York Central Mutual Partner — Recognized as Outstanding Regional Company Partner in 2008
- New York Compensation Insurance Rating Board Partner — Collaborates on Workers' Compensation loss cost recommendations and regulatory filings.
- New York State Department of Financial Services Government — Collaborates with DFS, which issued guidance to insurers on implementing new premium explanation requirements resulting from legislative reforms supported by the organization.
- New York State Department of Financial Services Government — State agency that reviews and approves loss cost multipliers for insurance carriers.
- New York State Insurance Fund Partner — Public insurer that applies loss cost multipliers to set Workers' Compensation rates.
+ 12 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Grassroots Advocacy for Industry Representationmethodology: grassroots_advocacyBy mobilizing independent agents through coordinated grassroots advocacy, the organization amplifies their collective voice in public policy debates, because sustained, on-the-ground engagement increases influence with regulators and legislators.
- Human-in-the-Loop AI for Fair Claims Processingmethodology: human-in-the-loop automationBy using AI to handle routine claims while reserving human judgment for complex or high-severity cases—especially denials—fairer and more accountable decisions result, because human oversight preserves ethical responsibility and contextual understanding.
- Regulatory Transparency to Enhance Accountabilitymethodology: regulatory-transparencyBy advocating for rules that require carriers to disclose primary rating factors behind premium increases, greater consumer understanding and market accountability emerge, because transparency enables informed decision-making and checks unjustified pricing.
- Trusted-Advisor Modelmethodology: trusted-advisor modelBy positioning independent insurance agents as trusted advisors who combine personalized service with diverse protection options, better customer outcomes are achieved because clients receive tailored, holistic guidance rather than transactional sales.