2011 NAHU Leadership Conference...and "The Star Spangled Banner"

A couple months ago, I was helping to prepare for the Alabama Association of Health Underwriter's Conference in Birmingham, Alabama.  As part of the program of events, I was asked to use some of my musical contacts to acquire a group to perform "The Star Spangled Banner" to help get things going.  I contact my old high school and their band director was more than happy to get a small contingent together to play a beautiful rendition of our National Anthem.  However, day two would have no such pomp and circumstance and it was requested that I provide a solo version on my trumpet.  I was more than happy to oblige.  I prepared and did well.
Apparently I had done well enough that the main coordinator of the conference contacted the person in charge of setting up the Region 5 & 6 Leadership Conference which was to be help in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The next thing I know I am taking my local chapter President-Elect status and my musical abilities to New Orleans to kick off the conference there.  Needless to say I was both flattered and little nervous.
People are always amazed that I still get nervous after all my years of playing.  I'd be scared to know what it would feel like NOT to be a little nervous.  I feel nerves enhance what we do and show a deep level of concern that we really want to put our best out there for others to see.
This conference would be a combination of the two things I feel very strongly about...music and my abilities as a health and life insurance professional and an up and coming President of the Birmingham Association of Health Underwriters.  My rendition was well performed and well received.  When the cheers and thanks died down, I was in full "learn mode" so I could capture all I could from other NAHU leaders from all over the Southern US.
Feel free to check out the few pictures from the conference I loaded below:



Let me tell you what struck me the most that many of you reading this can relate to:
1 - No matter how much we believe in something, it's only until others give that positive experience feedback that we make a difference. Have you ever been a part of something and felt like you were the only one who really cared about what was going on in the group?  Have you ever tried to get others involved, only to be summarily turned down and made to feel that what you were doing was essentially a waste of time?  It's kind of like that with NAHU/AAHU/BAHU.  Until others hop on the train we won't truly see that together we can do something special for ourselves and our clients in our insurance industry. The rules apply to any group or organization.
2 - There will always be naysayers.  Don't fight their arguments, build your own beliefs and let them be heard.  They are everywhere.  The people who say, "No" and "Waste of time and money" and my favorite..."What's in it for me?" We all have those people in our work or our organizations.  While we look for solutions, they sit by idly and just fold their arms and grunt.  Forget them.  Get a plan and some people who will help you and watch the naysayers either hop on or disappear.  Either way is a better way.
3 - Some expect to just be entertained.  Do you really learn anything and make a difference by just watching?  Nope.  Last I checked life was not a spectator sport.  Neither are the things that matter to us.  If we want what we do to be viewed with importance and have a sense of excitement to it, then WE have to get going.  We can't just expect to "sit and get".  In fact, what you find many times is that those who have the "What's in it for me?" mentality would make great additions to a project or idea even they might have.
So, thank you for the invitation.  It may have been to provide a rendition of our National Anthem, but I got much more out of it that I hope I can take and use now and for years to come.
My question to you is this...would you like us to help each other?  Maybe you have an idea or a need and you're having a tough time getting your head wrapped around to starting it.  Contact me and I'd love a brainstorming session.  It doesn't even have to be about insurance.  Anything at all and we can get a ball rolling that may change lives and attitudes for the better.  I'd love to be a part of it if you'd like me to be. I'm always a phone call (205-370-8453) or an email (gene@generamsay.com) away.

Bugling Across Alabama...and Other Places Too.

I just finished attending the Trumpet Festival of the Southeast at the University of Alabama for the weekend.  The weekend was filled with meeting trumpeters from all over from novices to professionals.  Rehearsals, master classes, and the like were enjoyed by everyone in attendance.  It was also a great opportunity to keep the Bugles Across America name out there for future buglers in our organization.

I found out awhile back that if you never let people know what you do that you'll never progress to helping anyone.  I took this mindset last year as the Alabama group for Bugles Across America made its presence known at the Trumpet Festival of the Southeast (which was held at the University of Alabama as well).  When I found that the festival was again going to be close to home I was more than happy to accept Dr. Yates' (head of the trumpet studio at the University of Alabama) invitation to once again be there and talk about all things pertaining to our organization and to get people signed up who showed a genuine interest in helping serve our Veterans.
The event was an amazing time.  I was able to meet and recruit quite a few people.  Michael Sachs is the Principal Trumpet for the Cleveland Orchestra.  He was a guest artist and expressed an interest in participating with our group.  We also had young people in their early teens come by and talk about how their grandfather wanted them to play Taps for them at their funeral.  Story after story of people providing Taps for memorials and at the gravesides of fallen soldiers of all ages came through those two days.  It was good to be there.
Hopefully we have laid the groundwork for future Southeastern states to take their turns and make this into a yearly process of active recruiting and story sharing.  I tell people all the time when they ask about bugling and playing Taps for the deceased that it is literally the best non-paying gig I could ever be a part of.  It never ceases to amaze me how important what I do is to a family.  I know I believe in the service I am rendering, but to get that appreciative handshake or to see the look in someone's eyes as they thank you for what you've done...you can't buy that or begin to put a price tag on it.

For more information on Bugles Across America, please go to the link to the left on the main page here or just go to http://buglesacrossamerica.org .  There you can donate funds to a worthy nationwide cause or join the ranks of over 7,000 buglers across the nation. Also, if you know someone who has a loved one who is about to depart from the life and they served in the military...you can let them know that we're here to be sure they get the honors they deserve.