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ANNIVERSARY CLUB IS IN SESSION WITH THE SOUTHERN STATES LIFE Principal Agents of the Company Gather at Home Office for Discussion and Re wards—Four States Represented. 1- 3 > W 8 w ■ ' ■ - 7'7' Jgnlßll 08 JOSEPH W. VINSON. President the Anniversary Club. There will be brought to a close to night the sixth annual convention of the Anniversary Club of The Southern States Life Insurance Company. with an elaborate banquet at the Piedmont Driving Club, tendered the Anniversary Club by the officers and directors of The Southern States Life Insurance Company. The business sessions, which were conducted today, were the most inter esting in the history of the organiza tion and the advanced notices indicate that, the social gathering tonight will be in keeping with the proceedings which have preceded. With the gathering of the Anniver sary Club each year, there is attracted to the home office, the leaders in the agency force of this splendid company. These annual events are eagerly antici pated from year to year by the agents of the company, who achieve their membership through their own endeav ors. These conventions mark the close of a twelve months struggle to gain membership and the splendid rewards which go w ith them. The opening session of the club was held in the offices of the company, in the Candler building. Thursday morn ing. where the concluding session was adjourned this afternoon. I; was just six years ago that The Southern States Life Insurance Company was organ ised, and during that time has won and retained the < onfldence and approbation of the insuring public. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Wilmer 1.. the president of the company, has injected his wonderful personality not only into the home of fice. but into the agency force in the field, which is considered the most pro gressive and enthusiastic of any com pany now operating in the South. It is due to Mr. Moore and bis pains taking. conscientious and enthusiastic supervision that The Southern States Life Insurance Company has taken the leading rank which it now enjoys. The Southern States Life is operated upon a high, plane, with broad-minded princi ples and with the knowledge that he who builds slowly builds best; and this company lias follow ed'in the steps of other successful old-time companies, which are now so firmly established in business and in the confidence of the public. No company can obtain a sound and successful growth except through the efforts of its agency force in the field, and which goes to prove that that all important department ik of vital con cern to the company itseif. Realizing this fact. President Moore gathered into his office the leading agents of the company in June. 1907. and it was then that the Anniversary Club was organ ized. This club isj unique in that its mem bership' is not appointed, but must be won. An agent, to become a member, must produce personally and pay for applications amounting to over SIOO,OOO in order to qualify as a member, and then no credit is given for business written under any term plan nor upon the lives of agents of any life insur ance company. The selection of officers of the club are secured in the same way. To the agent who, after qualifying, gets the largest amount of business is given the office of president, and to the one who writes the second largest amount that of vice president To each state whose entire agency 'J Ik M. B. SMITH. Vice President From South Carolina. force has written over a half million dollars 4s accorded a vice presidency, and to that agent who wrote the larg est part of this amount is given the title of state vice president. All of this business, of course, must be writ ten during the qualifying period. The club secretary alone is appointed, and is from the home office staff, which in sures due attention to the business af fairs of the club. There has been healthy rivalry among the agents since the organization of the club.’ both as to membership and office. Those who have once attained membership use their utmost endeavors to have their names similarly enrolled on the club roster during each succeed ing that the Keystone Degrees, of which there are three, have been established as a reward for continuance of mem bership. In order to qualify for the first degree, an agent must secure membership ’ for four consecutive years. This done, he enters upon the first degree of the Keystone, which carries with it a suitable addi tion to the Anniversary Club badge, and besides is provided with a monetary prize, depending in amount on the re newal business written by such an agent. This year the membership of the club consists of fourteen agents, and the list of the members is as follows: From Georgia—H. Willis Hogg. W. L._ Meador, H. N. McAfee. Thomas Peters, Jr., Joe W. Vinson and J. T. Weems. From South Carolina—T. J. Cotting ham. Fred Hines. G. J. McDowell and M. B. Smith. From Florida —D A. Leon. S. J. Mc- Call. B. B. Murray and J. C. Walden. Sr. Agency Secretary Robert F. Moore, who has held with such splendid suc- - QMillp J C' ft a-- ' ■HKoaßr* - jßßMjhigri gw ■r H IW|||||- fey. - iMIL, . < r t case . ' • H•/:' A : ; ,? / r. ’ ‘t, ' - wll THE ANNIVERSARY (I.I’B F’OR 1912-13. Top row. reading from left to right. Fred Hines. H. Willis Hogg. Second row. S. -I. McCall, David A. Leon. H. N. McAfee. 4. T. Weems. T. J. Cottingham G J ; McDowell. Bottom row. Robert F. Moore, secretary :J. C. Walden. Sr., vice president: Joe W. Vinson, president; Burton B. Murray, state vice president for Florida. Absent: W. L. Meador, state vice president for Georgia; M. B. Smith, state vice president for South Carolina, and Thuinas I’eters, Jr. cess the office of secretary of the An niversary Flub, was unanimously ap pointed to .the office he has held since the club was first organized. This is the fifth yeai of th.' club, and out of the members of it there are three who have never failed to secure 'mem bership. They are H. N. McAfee,’ G. .1. McDowell and J. T. Weems. Fred Hines. W. L. Meador and Joe W. Vinson have been members of the club for the past four sears in succession, and D A. Leon and B. B. Murray have been members for fne last three years, and H. Willis Hogg and M. B. Smith, for two years. T .). i'ottingham, S. J. McCall. Thomas Peters, Jr., and .1. ('. Walden, Sr., are the new members of the club this year. Last year was the first year of the Keystone Degree, and the agents who attained that honor were H. N. Mc- Afee, G. .1. McDowell and .1. T. Weems, all of whom continued their membership this year. There are also three other members who secured this further hon or this year. viz. Fred Hines, W. L. Meador and Joe W. Vinson, who for the fourth consecutive year have won mem bership in the club. In order to give an opportunity of joining in the convention to those who failed to make the necessary qualifi cations for membership and receiving the benefits derived therefrom, a prop osition was made by the company to the ageeny force during the months of May and June based on the production of a stated amount of paid-for busi ness. R, N. Berrien.. L. E. Black. Jr., W. N. THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. FRIDAY. AUGUST 9. 1912. Bradley, William Dooley, C. H. Jackson. Rev. W. R. Lambert, Frank Leigh. J. Newton. W. H. Powell and B. R. Strip ling were given a trip to Atlanta to the convention, as they succeeded in quali fying under the offer. On yesterday morning at 10:30 o'clock the convention was opened, when the annual, address of President Wilmer L. Moore was delivered to the convention. President Moores words of welcome were most happily received, for the president is always in his happiest vein when addressing the agency force of the company. He gave the membership due credit for having borne the burden of the battle and told them that the fu ture of the company lay largely in their hands. SPLENDID OVATION. The splendid ovation given his ad dress gave due emphasis to the high re gard in which the president is held by the agency force. By his close atten tion. personal co-operation with every agent connected with the company, he has impressed upon them the fact that he is a personal friend of each and every one and is willing and reads' to lend them every assistance looking to ward the furtherance of their mutual interests. It has come to be a fact that no agent, however disheartened, after a talk with the president, has failed to see the silver lining to the darkest cloud. Much of the credit for the splendid showing which is made annu ally by the company is ascribed to thjs wonderful co-operation between the%officers at home and the men on the field. President Moore inducted the various officers of the club into their stations, following which the certificates of membership and club badges were pre sented to the winners by Mr. Robert F. Moore, the agency and club secre- ■ tary. Secretary Moore also presented 1 the officers of the club the monetary prizes won by them, and also those se i cured by frequent appearance on the > roll of honor of the company. The latter were as follows: On the main monthly honor roll during the first half of this year. H. Willis Hogg and Joe W. Vinson were successful In > having secured positions in five out of , the six months, and Thomas Peters. Jr.. > and J. C. Walden. Sr„ whose names , hail appeared four times during the pe , riod. In the state honor rolls, T. J. <'otting ham won the prize as leader In South Carolina, while S. .1. McFall secured the leader's prize in Florida. L. E. , Black, Jr., was on the Georgia honor , roll four times out of six, as was T. J. McCall In Alabama, and won prizes while W R. Lambert was successful , from Florida, he having been on the ■ honor roll for that state for five months in the same period. 'I he three supervisors of agencies of • the lompasty Frank E. Brodnax, of Florida and southern Alabama; .1. E Norment. of South Carolina, and W S. Mcl.eod,. of Georgia and northern Ala i bama—were also present at the meet ing. ; Frank E. Brodnax read the opening paper on the first day's session, entitled ■ "The General Agent Making Good—-His ’ Opportunlt?." Mr. Brodnax is a fori e- i ful speaker and his papers ate always heard with interest, lb- was followed by W. S. McLeod, supervisor of agents, whose paper, “The Banker's Agency Contract." gave new food for thought to the club membership and will doubt less result in much good. "Literature and Its Uses” was the subject of the paper by J. E. Norment, supervisor of agents, and right well he explained the hypnotism of types and showed how very helpful was printer’s ink in all of its forms. The member ship discussed at length the many good points brought out in these papers, and jbihhihl iO' J wKm ’ Jet/ •• '• IwL ■ >* 7 ? ’S' 1 ™ J. C. WALDEN, SR., Vice President the Anniversary Club. then heard from the home office staff I another series of interesting papers. ■ E. M. Veatch, medical secretary, de livered a most interesting address on . "The Agent’s Part in Medical Selec tion —The Rejection Experience of the K ’ f II 9% * 1 ; J •*»' W - ‘'r'-'W'- r i BURTON B. MURRAY, I Vice President From Florida, Last Six months—What It Means to the Agent, to the Company and th.? Applicant." He was followed by Sam uel Barnett, the actuary, who gave a most interesting talk on "The Part the Actuary Plays in the Selection of Risks.” These papers brought to a close the first day’s session, which proved to be one of the most entertaining as well as thoroughly instructive meetings ever held by the club. The annual photograph of the club membership was taken, which is pro duced herewith, after which they ad journed to the Transportation club for lunch, going later to Ponce DeLeon park to attend the ball gam** DINNER AT CLUB. An elaborate dinner’ was served at the new Capital Citv club, after which the members attended the vaudeville bill at the Forsyth theater. The concluding business session of the club was hold this morning in the Candler building, where the chief paper read was that entitled "Selling Points and Experience.” which opened the convention for an experience meeting and general discussion of the paper read. Adjournment was taken shortly after noon. During the afternoon the mem bers took an automobile tour of the city, stopping at Federal prison for a tour of that institution, and then at tended dress parade at Fort McPherson. With the banquet served in the danc ing hall of the Driving club tonight at 7:30, this social feature will conclude the convention. Artistic decorations In red. white and blue, the colors of The Southern States Life Insurance Com pany, already bedeck the banquet hall. These decorations are carried out in the cut flowers on the table and In the ices, candies and cakes. f -i—l—J—!-*X--s--r—-- BANQUET MENU. , t i < anapt \ncovies Bruxellois*- •? ’ Belgium Hoti Grapes -!• J 4- Almandes Sales Stuffed Mangoes -I- ■ Hives I'elerv •F ToinHii* Roy.ih Jumbo Bull Frogs Sauce Tartare •? I* inch aux lu-<u*<ii< tine <’ucun>l»prs V Breast of Long Island Duckling A (Parislenne) A A W ild Ric- Baked \pple Abu ngue A French \rt.chok Delmonicc •> A Frozen I’igs <’akes Garnls I .J. Demi Tasse A A A poll Ina ris A distinguishing feature of the deco rations anil the menu is the unique use of tile famous Keystone Arch, which is always identified with the literature of the compajiy. President Wilmer L. Moore will pre side as toastmaster and introduce in happy speeches the speakers of the coining, who will make the proper re sponse to the various toasts assigned. President .1. W. Vinson, of the Anni versary club, in honor of which the banquet is tende ed, will respond to the toast, "The Anniversary chib—the Tie That Binds." Mr. Vinson,/in point of service, is one of trie oldest agents connected with the company and this IV'c is the must prominent through I volume of business, for by his efforts I he has won the presidency of the club. Die is a splendid speaker and his re- sponse is looked forward to with keen anticipation. "The Southern States Life—a Good Name Is Rathe, to be Chosen Than Great Riches,” is the subject of the toast to which Mr. J. C. Walden, Sr., vice president of the Anniversary ciute will respond. Mr. Vinson was run a close second by Mr. Walden in the race for honors in this club. Mr. Walden is one of the most popular members of the agency force and is also one of its best producers. One of the Keystone Degree winners, Mr. Julian T. Weems, will respond to the toast on behalf of the agency force. His subject will be “The Keystone De gree-Reward of Merit." Mr. Weems and the Anniversary club are almost synonymous, as he has been one of its members so constantly. He has been longer with the company than any other agent and his productions are al ways among the best. The club has as one of its guests of honor tonight Hon. Harvey W. Laird, assistant commissioner of insurance of the state of Alabama, and one of the best known and most prominent insur ance men in the South. He will re spond to the toast. "Investments. Ma terial and Otherwise.” Mr. Laird is a speaker of note and is one of the most profound students of insurance in the South. A treat is in store in Mr. Laird's address. The concluding speaker of the even ing will be Dr. K. G. Matheson, presi dent of the Georgia School of Tech nology, one of the foremost educators in the South. His subject will be a most apt one. "The South- —Her Roys Their Opportunities.” Dr. Matheson al ways shines as a speaker, whether it be in college halls or at banquet board. His talks are always clear, forceful and attractive and in securing his presence - tonight the club considers itself, indee i ' fortunate. , At the close of the banquet the con , ventfon of the Anniversary club of 1912 . was brought to a close. ■ I The business of The Southern States •I Life Insurance Company for the first half , I of the year has been most satisfactory, as . from the half-yearly statement filed with 'he governor of the stale in accordance j with the law. shows the assets of the J company to be $1,045,268. while the re . I serve set aside on the business in force ■ as required by law has increased to $8211,- T 462. in addition to which the statement , shows s surplus over all other liabilities, . for the further protection of the policy- holders of $180,635. The total amount of insurance in force on the company's books is $15,813,520 and the premium income for the last twelve months has been $547,- 237. Such a showing as this can not fail but bring increased confidence in this company, organized in the South by Southern capital and ably conducted by successful Southern business men. Any one attending any of the meetings could not help being struck with the fine body nt men who were ga titered together representing the general bodv of the agency force whiqh, throughout the four states of Georgia. Alabama. South Caro lina and Florida, are earuyir.g the mes- ’ sage from The Southern Stsites Life In surance Company to tin people of the t South Several of those i resent have been with the company almost from its organi zation J. T. \\ cents holds the record, lotting already entered his seventh year, ' while C. J. McDowell, Frank E Brodnax ■ and Fred Hines are within a few weeks ■ of completing their sixth year, thus giv- Social Features Are Proving Most En joyable—Brilliant Banquet at the Driving Club To night. .1 I U.W • ••' •\-x’ IgM E-a'i’S-T- ''Tjs ■ VT '43b| RiHI■ ■Kb JI- U. Ml HBLUHRH ROBERT F. MOORE, Secretary the Anniversary Club. Ing evidence that it pays the good pro ducer to connect himself permanently with the company. Joe W. Vinson, the president of the club, Is another who round it to his interest to associate him self with tlie company some five years ago after having had a most successful career with one of the oldest and strong est Western companies The club vice presklent, .1. C. Walden, Sr., is another one who has had considerable experience with older companies and, although he has not been with the company much more than a year, has proven to himself that he can do more representing this company than he has ever done before. The company’s two representatives tn At lanta. H. N. McAfee and W. L*. Meador are both experienced solicitors, but they I find the prestige of the company and the i esteem in which its officers and directors .are held not only in the city, but through out the state, enables them to more than hold their own even in cases of the keen est competition. Representatives from central Georgia, 11. Willis Hogg and T. Peters. Jr., tell the same story. Both nf them have waged the battle of insurance i for other companies for many years in their respective territories and with suc cess. but the firm belief of the Southern I people in their own institutions and the loyal manner in which they rally to the I support of same, confirms them in their judgment that a Southern company is the company of the future. FEELING IS UNIVERSAL. It is not only in Georgia that this feel ing prevails. From South Carolina M. B. Smith who, up to loss than two years ago had no thought of entering the life in surance business, has found it infinitely more profitable than any other line with which he has been associated, and T. J. Cottingham, from the same state, has found the time, although largely occupied as an officer in his local bank, to develop himself into one of the company’s most successful solicitors Florida tells the same story, and its rep» r’.scntatives at the convention. Burton B. Murray. David A. beon and Sam J. McCall, are all converts to Southern com panies. the two former were for several vears active and successful representa tives of one of the giants of the East, but their success for that company is a-s noth ing compared with what they have been able to do since they joined the ranks of this company. In its three supervisors of agencies, the compan; Is exceptionally fortunate. Prank E. Brodnax, in Florida and south ‘ »-rn Alabama, received his promotion from j t lie r inks .1 E. Norment has been with pile company something over two years ; ;'.s its chief representative in South Caro i Ima Ilf*, too, has found the difference [between representing Eastern and South ern companies. While W. S. McLeod, in ; Georgia and northern Alabama, has ■ proven to himself that his present com jpany is the best he has ever represented Hind as natural consequence has made a succr - I his position to the satisfaction of his company. In the Agency Department at the com pany s office, the difficult position of agency secretary is filled by Robert F. Moore, who has each year been elected to iho position of Secretary of the Anni versary (’luij. Robert F. Moore, or “Uncle Bob.” as he Is affectionately termed by his “Boys in the Field.” has ha<l a wide experience, not only in the rnanagement of agents, but also in the I work of the Home office. Entering the life insurance business some sixteen years ago as a solicitor in the middle West, he I gained a knowledge of the work of the ; field man. which has stood him in good stead in his present position. Mr. Moore has made a study of the business of life insurance from all standpoints and has proven a most valuable assistant to Pres ident Wilmer E Moore, not only in agenev work, hut also in hnmc office organization and in the literature of the company. As a writer Mr. Robert F. Moore’s articles as published in the agency organ of the company, The Keystone, are eagerly sought after and availed of many times by the insurance publications as well as by other companies which have requested permission to use them. W A’ - r,: < S-w »<'< • :'??? - "" U :■ ■ WILLIAM L. MEADOR. _ Vice President From Georgia. 9