Exhibitor
GivEaways
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Jean Ellen Trapani winer of
money cube giveaway.
•;Jeff;Sopko:;JBL;wireless;speaker
and;Zoom;energy;pack;from
American;Public;Life;Insurance
Company
•;Justin;Veyna;and;Helena;Ruffin:
$150;gift;card;to;Ruth’s;Chris
Steak;House;from;BBSI
•;Daryl;Stern:;Bose;bluetooth
headphones;from;BBSI
•;Matt;Cooper:;Bose;bluetooth
speaker;from;BBSI
Continued on page 4
SAVE THE DATE!
STOP BY THE REGISTRATION
DESK TO SIGN UP FOR 2016
April 19-21
The Westin Diplomat, Hollywood, Fl
BY NATHAN SOLHEIM
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.— David
Contorno was named Benefits
Selling’s 2015 Broker of the Year
at the Benefits Selling Expo
Wednesday.
When Contorno was in the
7th grade, his school system in
Westchester County, New York
combined his middle school
with another local high school.
For most kids, the restructuring
probably passed without much
more than a little extra razzing
from the older students in the
hall. For Contorno, though,
it would prove to be a life-changing decision by the local
school system.
One day, Contorno passed
by the jobs board—which
targeted high schoolers—and
spotted a card from an agent
looking for someone to do
telemarketing for a major life
insurance company. He pulled
down the card, hopped on his
bike and rode five miles to the
agent’s office—only to be told
that he wasn’t old enough.
“He said he was looking for
a 16- or 17-year old,” Contorno
recalls. “I said, ‘I biked here
all this way so the least you
could do is give me a shot.’
The next thing I knew, I was
calling clients and setting up
appointments. I did so well, I
was able to raise my rates after
a time.”
And like that, Contorno was
in the life insurance business at
the ripe old age of 14—a time
in life when most young boys
mow lawns or wash cars to earn
some money. After a few years,
Contorno would move on to
a small three-man benefits
brokerage in Nassau County,
New York, and before starting
his own brokerage a few years
later. Now, even at the relatively
young age of 38, Contorno
has accrued more than two
decades worth of experience as
a benefits professional.
Contorno wins Broker of the Year
Continued on page 4
MotivatioN track
ROBERT SMITH
“Storytelling;to;Sales
Success”
9:30;a.m.;–;10:30;a.m.
Trailblazer;B
9:30Am
t
o
d
ay
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s
s
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s
s
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o
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l
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JAMES SLOTNIK
“What’s;Your;Number?”
9:30;a.m.;–;10:30;a.m.
Trailblazer;A
EducatioN track
9:30Am
kEyNotE sEssioN
MICHELLE MALKIN
“The;Obamacare
Disaster”
10:45;a.m.;–;12:00;a.m.
Trailblazer
10:45Am