PIA National Meets the PIA Western Alliance

It’s been a few years since we had PIA National management visit us in the Western Alliance. We value the new relationship the Western Alliance is forging with our new National CEO Mike Skiados and his team.

He traveled to Washington State last week and met with the PIA Western Alliance board of directors and PIA Western Alliance leadership. Skiados talked with Weekly Industry News about the reason for his visit.

"PIA National has established a strategic plan for the remainder of the year that will focus on four main pillars: Financial growth; enhancing the CPIA; strengthening affiliate relations; and expanding membership,” Skiados said. “These areas will be our focus for this year, and we look forward to working with our affiliate partners to create a larger, comprehensive strategic plan at the end of this year.”

His discussion with the PIA Western Alliance board of directors and the PIA PNW Services Corporation centered around those points.

"Doug Hartley, president of the PIA Western Alliance board and its board members, and Wendy Abel Hatzel, Rich Biggs, and the PIA PNW Services Corporation and are a forward thinking group,” Skiados said. “Our conversations were focused on understanding our shared goals and how to advance PIA across the nation.”

In an interview with Weekly Industry News, Hartley said he was impressed with Skiados’ energy and his open-minded approach. “He flew out here specifically to meet us,” Hartley said. “His enthusiasm is impressive. He knows the issues facing this association, he shared his thoughts and made a good presentation. But best of all, he listened.”

Skiados agrees.

"The meeting was exceptional,” he said. “PIA Western Alliance Executive Vice President Kim Legato and her team highlighted their recent accomplishments and created an open, engaged, and collegial environment for our conversation.”

Hartley said the PIA Western Alliance board and the 10 affiliates and its membership are looking forward to a new, better, and much different relationship with PIA National.

“Skiados has handled other associations and been in that world. He doesn’t have to have experience in the insurance world to run this association,” Hartley said. “Membership is an issue, always. He understands the need to focus on the benefits we are offering to current members and to potential members. Going forward, his goal and ours is to add more, and even better, products and services to them.”

Hartley noted the four pillar approach Skiados outlined is an impressive start.