A total of 874 attendees gathered together on May 22nd at the Allstream Centre in Toronto to make the inaugural Canada Sales Congress a spectacular event. The CSC was organized by The Insurance and Investment Journal, For Advisors Only and The Expert Institute.

With the theme, How the Masters Sell Insurance, the Canada Sales Congress (CSC) included presentations by seventeen of Canada’s top insurance advisors who inspired the audience by sharing their sales insight, experience and ideas.

The day also provided an ideal opportunity for participants to catch up with industry friends and make valuable new contacts. About 30 exhibitors were also on hand to showcase their products and services to attendees. Among them were the CSC’s main sponsors: Desjardins Insurance, Canada Life, Empire Life and Financial Horizons.

At noon, the Gala Luncheon was highlighted by a presentation from industry legend, Joe Dickstein, retired vice-chair of PPI, and the awarding of a new scholarship – named in honour of Joe Dickstein – to top Seneca College financial services student Kajenthy Santhakumar. She graduated from this year’s Insurance and Wealth Management Course at Seneca College-Centre for Financial Services.

The scholarship was introduced by Lawrence Geller of For Advisors Only and James Burton, chairman and CEO of PPI and presented by Grant Swanson, Executive Director, licensing & market conduct division, Financial Services Commission of Ontario.

A number of CSC attendees expressed their appreciation of the event.

“The day was wonderful,“ wrote Brian Shumak of Brian Shumak Financial Services of Markham, Ontario. “The speakers were superb, I reconnected with some people I had not seen in years, I made new friends and it was incredible to recall the old Ontario Congresses and I am sure in a few years we will reach that magnitude again. Hats off to all those who helped make the day a wonderful success.”

Dave Patriarche of Thornhill, Ontario-based Mainstay Insurance Brokerage Inc. and founder of the Canadian Group Insurance Brokers was a CSC speaker. He wrote, “I thought the event was one of the best I have seen in the 17 years I have been licensed and attending seminars, workshops and study groups. I specialize in nothing but small business employee benefits and initially thought that it would all be focused on the individual market and products that I don’t sell. I could not have been more wrong. The ideas, strategies and suggestions shared by the various presenters transcended any one area of specialization and was both a great reminder (and reinforcer about how much of the whole sales process has nothing to do with what we sell and EVERYTHING to do with the relationship we create and the value we add. You do NOT want to miss next year’s Congress.”

In the pages that follow, you will see several other testimonials from attendees highlighted. We look forward to seeing you at the next edition of the Canada Sales Congress in May 2014 in Toronto!