Robert Plybon Receives John Newton Russell Award

"You have given your time and expertise by serving as an officer of other organizations in our industry," said John M. Ruckel, chairman of the 2003 John Newton Russell memorial award committee.

Plybon has served in many industry organizations, often as president, Ruckel said. Some of these include the North Carolina Association of Life Underwriters and the Greensboro Association of Life Underwriters–both of which named him underwriter of the year.

"My dad was a general agent, and he offered me a job in the life insurance business. I couldnt find a job, so he told me hed pay me $500 a month. I figured Id take $500 a month while I looked for a real job, and thats how I got into the life insurance business," said Plybon.

He currently is president of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting and a member of AALUs legislative circle. He also has served as a diplomat for the life underwriters political action committee, as chairman of the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education and as trustee of the Life Underwriters Training Counsel.

"Every time I put something in, I get more out of it," Plybon said in his acceptance speech.

Reproduced from National Underwriter Life & Health/Financial Services Edition, September 19, 2003. Copyright 2003 by The National Underwriter Company in the serial publication. All rights reserved.Copyright in this article as an independent work may be held by the author.