Steve Devine: Blog

Friday 21st October 2011

Hi folks, I’ve been wading through a spate of industry and trade magazine awards dinners.

The strain on my waistline is telling on me, much to my wife’s distaste. So to keep the peace I have increased my jogging schedule to try and burn off the mega calories that late night eating and drinking encourages.

My figure is not helped by the fact that I have inadvertently swapped dinner jackets with someone at a previous awards function (I don’t know which one!).

Seriously, if you were the owner of a Varteks dinner jacket size L38 and you ended up with an M&S M42 jacket, with a blue lining, I would be most grateful if you would contact me on 07870 909105 to arrange a swap. Your jacket, although very smart, is far too snug a fit for me, and you must be flapping around in mine. 

The latest event I attended was the Cover Awards, where I am pleased to report Exeter Family Friendly, who I work with on the PR side, won the best individual PMI award and came second and highly commended for their individual IP products.

Well done to all the team in Devon for doing such a brilliant job. Recently they also received a best customer service award from Which? subscribers for their IP product.

There is definitely a pattern emerging, and I have no doubt success will bring further success for Exeter Family Friendly. So it’s fingers crossed for them, as I write, at the Health Insurance awards at the Grosvenor. 

Also, hopefully I will get my dinner jacket back. If not, perhaps I can swap this one for a jacket that fits me. (Look out if you have a 42in chest!)

Another upcoming event, but no awards this time, although there is a connection, which I will explain, is the next Protect event on November 11.

Amongst a splendid list of speakers is Louise Colley, head of protection marketing at Aviva. Louise was voted the protection insurance personality of the year at the Cover Awards, and was also listed as the 20^thmost influential person in financial services in a recent listing of the great and the good by another publication.

I am really looking forward to her presentation in front of what should be a full house.

That’s it from me: take care and good luck.

* Steve Devine is chairman of Protect, an association of companies and individuals working in the UK protection markets.
steve@devineconnections.co.uk