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ANNIVERSARY CLUB IS IN SESSION Principal Agents of the Company Gather at Home Office for Discussion and Re wards— Four States Represented. . a- '» jMgffipraa sti■< • M . 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 Slates 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 rite proceedings which have preceded. With the gathering of the Anniver sary Club each year, there is attracted to the home office the leaders jji 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 with them. The opening session of the club was held in the offices of the < ornpany, In the Cand'er building, Thursday morn ing, where the concluding session was adjourned this afternoon It was just six years ago that The Southern States Life Insurance Company was organ ized, and during that time has won and retained the confidence and approbation of the insuring public. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Wilmer 1.. Moore, the president of th< 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 his 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 has followed 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 < an obtain a sound ami successful growth except through the efforts of its agency force in the field, and which goes to prove that that all important department is of vital con cern to the company itself. 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 is 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 chib are secured in the fame way. To the agent who, after qualify ing, 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 KJ M. B. SMITH. Vice President From South Carolina. WITH THE SOUTHERN STATES LIFE force has written ever a half million dollars is 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 year. It was born of this rivalry 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- • Oi- M “ass Y-g. '' ■HHHBL' 'SfeßHaW' *; J|| f-Y Av - 1 / with Uwta ■BBSS? ■» ™ A 1 ■■ llf > fin W < ’ If > Ml ; •« ± • tMMFtW I.T 'HMETfIpE i ■ l . ?aS. i 1 A B iifc W I \ 'v - THE ANNIVERSARY ('LI B EOR 1912-13. lop row. ri'fit.lmjx from I<*H to ritrhl. Fred limes. 11. Willis H Second row. S. .1. Met nil, l)flvid A. Leon, 11. N. McAfee. *l. I W T eems. T. .1. Cottiiijzhain, O. •J. McDowell. Bottom row. Robert E. 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 Thomas Peters, Jr. cess the office of secretary of the An niversary Club, was unanimously ap pointed to the office he has held since the club was first organized. This is the fifth year of tile club, and out of the members of it there are three j who have never failed to secure mein- I bership. They are H N \l» As. «- G. J. McDowell and J. T. Weems. Fred Hines. W. L. Meador and Joe W. Vinson have been members of the club for the past four years in succession, and D. A. Leon and B. B. Murray have been members for the last three years, and H. Willis Hogg and M B. Smith, for two years. T. J. Cottingham, S. J. McCall. Thomas Peters. Jr., and J. C. Walden. Sr., are the new members of the club this rear. Last year was the firsi year of the i Keystone Degree, and the agents who attained that honor were H. N. Mc- Afee. G. J. McDowell and J. T. Weems, all of whom continued their membership Ibis year. There are also throe other members who secured this further hon or this year, s iz, 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 opiajrtqnity 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 Juno hasorl on the production lof a stated amount of paid-for ness. I R. N. Berrien, L. E. Black, Jr., W. N, THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. FRI DA Y. AUGUST 9, 1912. Bradley, William Dooley, C. H. Jackson, Rev. W. R. Lambert, Frank Leigh, J. L. 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 Moore’s 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 ready 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 this 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 j . and Joe W. Vinson were successful in | > having secured positions in five out of ! , the six months, and Thomas Peters, Jr., I ■ |and J. C. Walden. Sr., whose names I , had appeared four times during the pe- i , rlod. In the state honor rolls, T. J. (lotting. I ham won the prize as I'eader in South f Carolina, while S. J. McCall secured the leader’s prize in Florida. L. E. I . Black. Jr., was on th,* Georgia honor , roll four times out of six, as was T. J. I McCall in Alabama, and won prizes I while W R. Lambert was successful J from Florida, he having been on the -■ honor roll for that state for five months . in the same period. The three supervisors of agencies. of ■ the company—Frank E. Brodnax, of ITorida and southern Alabama: J. E Norment, of South Carolina, and W. S. f McLeod, of Georgia and northern Ala > bpnta—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 | f Opportunity." Mr. Brodnax is a force- i fu! speaker and his papers are always » heard with interest. lie was followed by W. S. McLeod, supervisor of ggents, whose paper, "The Banker's Agency I 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 MR*'' u z pw ' r ■ : « ■: u. I J. C. WALDEN, SR., Vice President the Anniversary Club. then heard from the home office staff 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 A L. M j S’ W'lvWi * AfriW |rt] ■rani II iliiiiiinn miiilntilMfii M> ..Jgl BURTON B. MURRAY, Vice President From Florida. Last Six months—What It Means to the Agent, to the Company and the 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 game DINNER AT CLUB. An elaborate dinner was served at the new Capital City club, after which the members attended the vaudeville bill at the Forsyth theater. The concluding business session of the club was held 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 tljp 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 ttye 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, candles and cakes. BANQUET MENU. X Uanapp Ancovies Bruxelloise ’ 4- Belgium Hothoune Grapes X Ahnamles Sales Sluffed Mungoes Olives Celery X X Tomato Box ale •’« »*♦ Jumbo Bull Frogs Sau< e Tartare X ••• Punch aux B* .ledicijne (Trumbers *■• Breast of I mg Island i’uekling X (Parisienne) ♦> X Wild Rice Baked Apple Meringue <• French Artichoke. Delmonicu > Frozen I'igs Cakes Garnis X Demi Tasse X X Apollinaria X q. Cigars X »J <> i'**«**r'*»*X *F*F*4**i*****'F*l**l*“j***'**4**i**g*i"*i <> «**F A distinguishing foatqre of the deco rations and the menu is the unique use of the famous Keystone Arch, which is always identified with the literature of the conipiuiy President Wilmer E. Moore will pre side as toastmaster and introduce in liapjo speeches the speakers of the? evening, who will make the proper re sponse to tne various toasts assigned. President J W Vinson, of the Anni versary club, in honor which th* banquet is tendered, will respond to the toast, “The Anniversary <‘lub—the Tie That Binds” Mr. Vinson, in point of s» rvice, is one of Fne oldest agents connected with the company and this v u is the most prominent through ■ be has won the presidency of the club. He is a splendid speaker and his re- sponse Is looked forward to with keen anticipation. "The Southern StatesLLis a Good Name Is Rather to be Chosen Than Great Riches," is the subject of the toast to which Mr. .1. C. Walden, Sr., vice president of the Anniversary club, 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 membeis 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 Boys 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 1, ’ fortunate. , At the close of the banquet the con , I vention of the Anniversary club of 1912 > was brought to a close. • • ’1 he business <»f The Southern States ’ Life Insurance Company for the first half , oi the year has been most satisfactory, as , :irom the half-yearly statement filed with j Die go\ernor of the state in accordance ’[with the law. shows the assets of the jcompan> to be M. 045.268, while the re , serve set aside on the business in force • as required by law has increased to $829,- ’ 462. in addition to which the statement , shows a surplus over all other liabilities. > for the further protection of the policy holders of $1X0.625. 'rhe total amount of insurance in force on the company’s bool: is $L5;813,52<) and tin* premium income i forth? last twelve months has been $547,- 23. Such a showing as this can not fail but bring increased confidence in this company, organized in the South by Southern capital and abl\ conducted b\' 1 successful Southern business men. Any one attending any of the meeting.- ■ ould rot ii. lp being’struck with the fine body of men who were gathered together, representing the genet al body of the agency force which, throughout the four states of Georgia, Alabama. South Caro lina and Florida, ire carrying the mes sage from The Southern States Life In surance Company to the people nf the ; South. Several of those pr. sent have been ; with the company almost from its organi ! zHtion J. T. Weems holds th? record, laving already entered his seventh year, while C. J Me Howell. Flank 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. Hr w I ’MIL r fe ■> ' 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 hie interest to associate him self with the 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 president, J. C. Walden. Sr., la another one who has had considerable experience with older companies and, although he ha.® 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 U Meador are both experienced solicitors, but they find the prestige of the company and the 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, H. Willis Hogg and T. Peters, Jr., tell the same story. Both of them have waged the battle of insurance for other companies for many years in their respective territories and with suc cess. but the firm belief of the Southern people In their own institutions and the icyal manner in which they rally to the 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 Ln Georgia that this feel ing prevails. From South Carolina M. B. Smith who, up to less than tw r o 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 info one of the company’s most successful solicitors. Florida tells the same story, and its representatives at the convention. Burton B. Murray. David A. Ixson -and Sam J. McCall, ate all converts to Southern com panies. the two former were for several years active and successful representa tives of one of the giants of the East, but their success for that company is as noth ing compared with what they have been able tn do since they joined the ranks of this company. lu its three supervisors of agencies, the company is exceptionally fortunate. Erank E. Brodnax, in Florida and south ern Alabama, received his promotion from the ranks. J. E. Norment has been with the company something over two years as its chief representative in South Caro lina. He, 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 bis present com pany is the best he has ever represented and as a natural consequence has made a success f 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 the position of Secretary of the Anni versary Club. Robert F. Moore, or “Uncle Bob,” as he is affectionately termed by his “Boys in the Field.’’ has had a wide experience, not only in the management <>f agents, but also in the work of the Home Office. Entering the life insurance business some sixteen years lago as a solicitor in the middle West, he | 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 L Moore, not only in agency work, but also in home office organization and in the literature of the company. As a writer Mr. Robert F. Moore's articles as published in thp 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. WILLIAM L. MEADOR. . Vice President From Georgia, f . 9