Nonprofit to provide training and jobs for disabled veterans

Disabled U.S. veterans will find new opportunities for training and employment with the announcement of a new nonprofit organization in the insurance industry. Disabled Veterans Insurance Careers will provide education, training and employment for disabled veterans, develop job opportunities and provide meaningful employment.

“We will enable those who have served and sacrificed for our country the ability to become trained and licensed in sales and support for participating insurance agencies across the country,” said Gary V. Trippe, director and co-founder of the organization. “We will also minimize or eliminate the burdens often associated with their physical challenges.”

One means of reducing those burdens is by developing employment opportunities for a home office setting.

“One hundred percent of the work our people will train for can be accomplished with a telephone and a computer,” said Mr. Trippe.

DVIC will recruit disabled veterans through veterans and community organizations for its professional sales and customer service training. Recruits will focus on skills for sales support and cross-selling personal insurance products to an existing client base. DVIC will use state-of-the-art training techniques and the latest technology in its efforts.

The organization will invite participation of leading agents and brokers identified by leaders in the industry.

“It’s important to both develop trained professionals and to work with agents, brokers and insurance companies to create opportunities for them,” said James R. Pender, chairman and co-founder of DVIC.

Agents, brokers and insurance companies will initially work with DVIC by outsourcing sales and customer service functions to the veterans group.

“These skilled military veterans bring a great deal of knowledge and commitment to an organization,” said Mr. Pender. “The companies that adapt to employ them will benefit in ways they might not have even dreamed of.”

DVIC’s strategic board includes James R. Pender, BB&T-Oswald Trippe and Company, co-founder; Gary V. Trippe, BB&TOswald Trippe and Company, co-founder; Lee Knapp, Knapp Consultants, founding member; Brady Polansky, NetVU, founding member; Jon Bidwell, Chubb Insurance Group, founding member; Walter J. Gdowski, The Rough Notes Company; James R. Hackbarth, Assurex Global; Robert M. Menke, Bankers Insurance Group; George (Shad) A. Steadman III, Rutherfoord, A Marsh & McLennan Agency; retired U.S. Air Force Capt. Gerald J. Sullivan, The Sullivan Group; and John Wepler, Marsh Berry.

The organization’s operating board consists of retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Gary L. Bryant; retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James L. Dozier; Roger C. Mercado Jr., United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades; Pender; Trippe; Kathy Pender, Kathy Pender; and insurance agency executive Gay Trippe.

For more information, call (239) 433-8523 or visit www.DVIC.us. ¦