(Excerpts from President Shan Rickett's Inauguration Speech)

I heard a funny story some time ago and researched it to see if it was true and I found out it was!

The story is of a radio transmission from a ship off the coast of Newfoundland on October 10, 1995.  The ship saw a light ahead of it and the radio chatter went like this:

U.S. Ship: Please divert your course 0.5 degrees to the south to avoid a collision.

Reply: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision.

U.S. Ship: This is the captain of a U.S. Navy ship.  I say again, divert your course.

Reply: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.

U.S. Ship: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER U.S.S. CORAL SEA.  WE ARE A LARGE WARSHIP OF THE U.S. NAVY.  DIVERT YOUR COURSE NOW!!

Reply: This is a lighthouse.  Your call.

As I read this I kept trying to picture our Association and our industry with all its carriers, agents and agencies as that aircraft carrier and how we were prepped for battle.  But the more I studied it I realized that we aren’t the aircraft carrier at all…we are the lighthouse.

We are always there protecting people whether they notice or not.  We are there when times are good and they really don’t see any need for us.  And we are there when times are very, very bad and they would be destroyed but for us.  Those times when someone in their family is sick and they just need someone who understands to tell them what that plan document, that they didn’t read before, says.  Someone who sold them what they needed in advance so they could focus on their family and not on the bills in the time of crisis. 

You are the lighthouse.

Each one of you in this room represents literally thousands of individuals.  Even if you are a new agent and only have 25 groups covered with an average of only 10 employees per group, you protect close to a thousand people when you count dependents.  The carriers, agents and agencies represented in this room cover thousands and thousands of people here in Georgia.

“But”, as Herman Cain said last night, “they aren’t hearing from you enough”.

We are at war.  Our newest opponents are organized.  They believe in their aircraft carrier and the destruction it can bring to those who oppose it.  But we are the lighthouse.  And when you destroy a lighthouse, people just get hurt...not only now, but in the future.

I know that all of you are busy.  Working hard is what made you successful enough to be here today.  But you are going to have to take some time to make your voice heard because “they aren’t hearing from you enough”.

You can say, “I’m too busy…I don’t have time to call my legislator or respond to that Operation Shout”, but if you don’t, you may soon have a LOT of time on your hands.

You see, if you don’t start being your customer’s advocate right now…they aren’t going to HAVE an advocate in the future. 

You represent thousands of people.  The legislators, both state and federal, they need to hear from YOU.  You are the lighthouse.  So I’m asking you…I’m begging you, please...get active.

You are the lighthouse, and your customers are counting on you, but your legislators “aren’t hearing from you enough”.

Make your voice heard, because your voice needs to be heard.  Thank you.