Ralph Cleveland Agent of the Year
This award honors a PIA Member agent who has excelled as an insurance professional and has demonstrated the highest ethical and service standards. They should demonstrate his/her dedication to the American Agency System, support the industry through involvement with PIA, actively support the community in which they live, and be dedicated to their profession by seeking life-long development opportunities. This award recipient competes with his/her counterparts from other state associations for the Professional Agent of the Year award at PIA National's annual convention held in the fall.
Our 2024 Winner: Joel Dunham of Ovation Insurance
Pictured: Joel with his wife, Jenna.
Pictured: Joel with his wife, Jenna.
Past winners include:
2023 - Lance Patterson, Merritt Hall Insurance
2022 - T.J. Hague, CIC
2020 & 2021 - David Neff, CIC
2019 - Kevin Wheeler, CIC, CPIA, CFI
2018 - Larry Mayfield, CPIA
2017 - Ray Gage, MWCA, CIRS
2015 - Steve Collins, CIC
2014 - Julian Duling, CIC
2013 - Julia Martin, LUTCF
2012 - Bill Ritchie
2011 - Jacqueline Worrick
2010 - Arnie Myers, LUTCF
2009 - Jay B. Bordner
2008 - James Douglas Todd, CIC
2007 - Paul Sites, CPIA
2006 - Steven Uphaus, LUTCF
2005 - James Funk Jr. CPCU, CIC, CPIA
2004 - John T. Smith, CIC
2003 - James H. Gislason
2002 - Marc D. Graber
2001 - Bill Baker
2000 - John Burnette, Jr., CIC
1999 - Douglas M. Charles, CIC
1998 - Karl Buetow
1997 - Ramon D. Folk
1996 - Dick T. Corle, CPIA
1995 - Kevin N. Wheeler, CIC
1994 - Paul C. Hardy, CIC,LIMI, LUTC
1993 - Kevin Krekeler, CIC
1992 - Pierre H. Miller, CPLU
1992 - Paul C. Hardy, CIC
1991 - R. Douglas Walker, CIC
1990 - James W. Funk, Jr. CIC
1989 - Gary Cleveland, CIC
1988 - Douglas M. Charles, CIC
1987 - Michael McCormick, CIC
1986 - Theresa A. Cleveland, CIC
1985 - Richard W. Byrd, CIC
1983 - Gary R. Webster, CIC
1981 - Philip E. Yunker, CPIA
1980 - Charles A. Colligan
1979 - R. Douglas Walker, CIC
1978 - David A. Diehm, CIC
1977 - William K. Nellans
1976 - F. Neal Johnson
1975 - Gene Duke
1974 - David B. Hunter
1973 - William Chapin, Jr.
1972 - Raymond Olinger
1971 - Charles A. Colligan
1969 - John Norris
1968 - Carl M. Tyler
1967 - Dale E. Amstutz
1965 - R.O. Wells
1964 - H.L. Musselnan
1963 - M. Higgins
1961 - Ralph Cleveland
Who is Ralph Cleveland? Ralph Cleveland is seen by many as the father of PIA of Indiana. He started the R.L. Cleveland Insurance Agency in 1948 – the agency, now known as Central Insurance Associates, is located in Indianapolis. He also started to run what was then the Mutual Insurance Agents Association of Indiana from the glassed-in porch at his house with his wife, Martha. This Association later developed into the Professional Insurance Agents of Indiana. Elected to the Professional Insurance Agents Hall of Fame in 1981, Ralph had also served on the Board at Indiana Farmers Mutual Insurance Company.
