Encompass Insurance is joining forces with the Wharton School to Provide Leadership Development for Independent Agency Owners

News provided by

Mar 24, 2016, 12:50 ET

NORTHBROOK, Ill., March 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Encompass Insurance announces the launch of the Center for Mass Affluent Research and Education (CMARE) which will include a program in connection with the Aresty Institute of Executive Education of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

CMARE is a center designed to provide valuable insight to independent agency owners to enhance their business development skills. Specifically, it includes a customized Wharton two-day pilot program that will help participants increase their awareness of consumers' core motivations and develop the ability to influence the buying decisions of the mass affluent client.

"Mass affluent consumers represent an incredibly large market opportunity for independent insurance agencies and other financial services providers, yet it has largely gone unrecognized," said Dan Maloney, Encompass vice president of Sales & Marketing. "CMARE was developed to help Encompass independent agency owners better serve this consumer demographic."

"The center's work is extremely important to the future of Encompass and our work with Encompass appointed independent agencies," said Mark Green, Encompass president. "Translating our insights regarding mass affluent consumers into actionable ideas for professional services providers will only add to our already strong differentiation in the personal insurance marketplace."

Bill Bishop, owner of Associated Insurance in Columbus, Ohio, was one of the first agents to sign up for the program. "At our agency we are always looking for ways to improve our professionalism and become a better advisor to our clients. For Encompass Insurance to provide access to such an outstanding institution like the Wharton School is extremely valuable to us and shows what a wonderful, supportive carrier they are for their agencies."

Hannah Copeland, Encompass Education manager says, "We are extremely excited to unveil CMARE's first program; Mass Affluent: Changing the Conversation. This seven-month program will be delivered to a cohort of producers. Demand for this program has proven to be very high and we're now in the process of reviewing nominations."

For more information on Encompass Insurance and the Center for Mass Affluent Research and Education, please contact Dan Maloney at [email protected].

About Encompass

More than 2,400 independent agencies sell Encompass's signature package policy and other personal insurance products to consumers with broad protection needs. Part of the Allstate group of companies, Encompass is one of the only national insurers distributing through independent agents to exclusively provide personal insurance protection. More information can be found at www.encompassinsurance.com.

About the Wharton School

Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates economic and social value around the world. The School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 9,000 annual participants in executive education programs; and a powerful alumni network of 94,000 graduates.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16 million households from life's uncertainties through auto, home, life and other insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance, Encompass and Answer Financial brand names. Allstate is widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate^®." The Allstate brand's network of small businesses offers auto, home, life and retirement products and services to customers in the United States and Canada. In the 20 years since Allstate became a fully independent public company, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate, its employees and agency owners have donated more than $405 million to support local communities.