quote:
Originally posted by BUB
LIKE HIM OR NOT THE LOSS OF DAVID SMITH IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST EVENT OF THIS MILLENIUM SO FAR. THIS MAN MADE OR DESTROYED PEOPLE. AS FAR AS I 'AM CONCERNED, HE WAS A TRUE ICON IN THIS INDUSTRY FAR BIGGER THAN DUKE.
THINK THIS OUT IF HIS WIDOW DECIDES TO SELL OFF ALLIED TO A CONGLOMERATE, THEY DECIDE TO DROP HALF OF THERE LESS FAVORABLE ACCOUNTS... WHO IS GOING TO PICK THEM UP.. MENDAL-- I DON'T THINK SO.HAAS AT WHAT PRICE WILL THEY WRITE YOU..TWICE THREE TIMES YOUR YEARLY PREMIUM.. THINK ABOUT IT. BROOKS AGENCY CHECK THERE RATES AND CARRIER RATEINGS C AND D LEVEL SYNDICATES. NOT IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND WHERE ELSE.
THE INSURANCE CRISIS IS THE BIGGEST STORY ON THE HORIZON!!!!! JUST ASK WORLD WIDE, ARBROO,J AND J, A OF A, AND YOU FILL IN THE BLANKS.
NO INSURANCE NO SHOW, NO RIDES, GAMES, FAIRS,TRUCKS,COMPENSATION, ETC.
ANY COMMENTS
Maybe in Sarasota David's passing on was the biggest event of the millennium but in the real world it matters little. Duke was the man and always will be. To the day he died he called the shots and even after, he had a system set up that still rules to this day. David was a good guy but was not the brains behind Allied. Duke was. How do I know?
I was on several shows with him including Coleman and Gillette shows. When he left Gillette, I took his place as lotman. My first concession managers job one I relied on his advice from afar. Last show on the road I was with him was his own Blue Ribbon shows. After that went poof, he went to join Don Day in the insurance business. I went on to be concession manager with several shows and sold my business in 1980 to join him in Texas with Frank B. Hall. I only went back on the road because Duke left FBH to go to St. Pete to start up Allied and my wife wanted to see her two kids graduate from their high school in San Antonio so I went back out on the road with Smokey's Greater Shows. She stayed with FBH until her last kid graduated and we then moved to St. Pete and she want back to work for Duke where she stayed until we got the offer from Reithoffer. I considered Duke my friend, my mentor and my family. I owe everything I have to the help and influence of Duke Smith. I was there when David was born. and I worked for Duke at Frank B. Hall in Texas for years and met my wife in his office. He was the man, make no mistake about that. And by the way, David's wife can't sell off anything. She only has a seat on the board. As I said, Duke left a fine running machine.
That being said, I agree insurance is a big problem as well as one of the biggest expenses. It's a problem. Shows have themselves to blame because of the enormous losses. The reason Allied is dropping some and not writing new business is because it's a loss to do so. They are being picky. Don't forget. Allied can't pass the losses off to an insurance carrier, they own the insurance carrier. It's called T.H.E Insurance company. Mendel and HWW are agents like Allied but the difference is they don't own a company. They lay it off and if the carrier gets burnt? So what, they find another. I know. I watched FBH burn two companies back in the 80s. One was Ambassador and the other escapes my memory.
This is based on pure fact and not a guess. I was there, my wife was there. And, she still keeps in touch with Allied on a daily basis in her capacity as Risk Manager for Reithoffer Shows. She knows every person in that building on Treasure Island.