SWCC

SWCC Trustpoint Insurance Scholarship

Trustpoint Insurance and Southwest are proud to announce the formation of new curricula to be offered in the Fall of 2012 at SWCC and throughout the Virginia Community College System. (Pictured left to right) Bob Iocco, Trustpoint Insurance; Jean McCall; Marco Warner, Trustpoint Insurance; and Dr. Mark Estepp, SWCC president.

Marco Warner, Principal of Trustpoint Insurance, realizing the need for training of individuals for the Insurance industry in this area, created the concept of the program. The diligent efforts of Dean James Dye, Dean Sharon Perry of SWCC and Jody Street Reynolds, past President of Professional Insurance Agents of Virginia and owner of Southwest Virginia Professional Insurance Agency, Inc. in Vansant, VA, made the program a reality.

The McCall Family, Marco Warner and Bob Iocco of Trustpoint Insurance presented a $5,000 gift, the first installment of a $50,000 scholarship, to Dr. J. Mark Estepp, President of Southwest Virginia Community College on Tuesday, July 19, 2012, to establish the Trustpoint John R. McCall Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship will benefit students who are interested in obtaining an Insurance Certificate or an Associate’s Degree in Business with a concentration in Insurance.

John R. McCall, grandfather of Marco Warner, was the founder of Clinch Valley Insurance Agency (predecessor of Trustpoint Insurance) and a dedicated professional of the Insurance Industry for more than forty years. The McCall Family stated that John R. was an advocate of education and would be pleased that his grandson was instrumental in establishing these curricula and that his legacy is being honored in such a distinguished manner. They also would like to sincerely thank Trustpoint Insurance for honoring John R. McCall with this scholarship to Southwest Virginia Community College.

John Marco Warner, a SWCC alumnus and Bob Iocco, a Daytona Beach Community College alumnus, each lauded the value of the education and experience they received through the community college system. Warner commented on the economic benefits and his pride in being part of the local community. He cited the need to train young people to enter the Insurance Industry as many current owners and top producers’ plans include retirement over the next several years. Dave Snebold, Senior Sales Executive for The Travelers Insurance Company, attending the presentation, echoed the sentiment saying, “The curriculum which SWCC has developed with Trustpoint, Marco Warner and Bob Iocco, comes at a point in many agent’s careers where retirement is on the horizon. The courses offered will help ensure that the next generation of Insurance professionals will be available to fill a looming personnel gap.” Snebold went on to say he knows first-hand the value of the Community College system and is proud to have graduated from a Pennsylvania Community College.

Both Warner and Iocco encourage and challenge other insurance agents to follow their lead in supporting and contributing to the scholarship program at SWCC. For information, contact Marco Warner at Trustpoint Insurance at 276.963.1021 or mwarner@trustpointins.com  or Susan Hagy at SWCC, 276.964.7304, or susan.hagy@sw.edu .

Students interested in the program(s) may contact the Business, Engineering and Industrial Technology Division at beit@sw.edu or at 276.964.7277 or at http://www.sw.edu/beit