Grant Barra Receives GAMA International’s Brian H. Early Frontline Excellence Award

Oak Brook, IL, July 15, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Grant M. Barra, CLF LUTCF, has received GAMA International’s Brian H. Early Frontline Excellence Award. The honor recognizes superior frontline and second-line managers who are directly responsible for a portion of an agency or firm, including recruiting, launching and supervising new agents or advisors. Cited for outstanding leadership, Barra, who is a managing partner with a multi-line insurance and financial services brokerage (Barra & Associates), was among 15 managers who accepted the award at LAMP, GAMA’s annual conference, this past March in Washington, D.C.

The Brian H. Early Frontline Excellence Award allows companies to recognize managers who are role models for others and are seen as emerging leaders in their companies. Nominees must demonstrate outstanding success in helping to build their firm or agency through developing, growing and leading their units. Each company is responsible for determining the criteria it will use to select its nominee.

The award is named in honor of the late Brian H. Early, who was a managing partner with Northwestern Mutual and an active GAMA member. Before his untimely death in November 2007, Early served on GAMA’s Board of Directors, GAMA’s Leading Practices faculty and the board of the MDRT/GAMA International Mentoring Council. In addition to other honors, Early belonged to the Million Dollar Round Table and was a multiyear qualifier for GAMA’s International Management Award at the Diamond level.

Naming the award for Early is especially fitting, as he was instrumental in creating GAMA’s Leaders of Today and Tomorrow (LoTT), a program that accelerates the professional development of the industry’s rising leaders — the same group the Brian H. Early Frontline Excellence Award recognizes.

Barra and the other recipients of this year’s Brian H. Early Frontline Excellence Award appear in the July/August 2011 GAMA International Journal. They are also featured in the Celebration of Excellence Digital Gallery on gamaweb.com.