They laughed, cried and recharged their batteries. Emotions ran high for the 1710 attendees of the 2008 Insurance and Investments Convention, held on Nov. 7 at the Montreal Convention Centre.

Nearly 30 well-known speakers shared their expertise at the 11th edition of this convention organized by The Insurance Journal.

During the 15 conference sessions, participants learned about the most important challenges facing the industry and discovered new sales techniques and business practices to help bring them to leadership status in their fields. With close to 65 exhibitors on hand, conference-goers also discovered the latest innovations in financial products and services.

The Convention was pleased to once again welcome the Million Dollar Round Table. Solomon Hicks, an MDRT member and financial services legend, inspired a packed hall of financial advisors by recounting the many hurdles he faced growing up as a black person in the southern United States and how he overcame these obstacles and emerged victorious.

The Convention wrapped up with a session featuring magician and entrepreneur, Alain Choquette, who encouraged attendees to look on adversity as an opportunity to rethink their plans and take themselves another step further in their careers.

The Insurance Journal and the Convention team thank all conference-goers, exhibitors and industry sponsors for making the 2008 Insurance and Investments Convention a resounding success. See you again in 2009!