My mother was a beautiful woman, but she hated her name. “Gladys,” she used to say, with a sigh and a roll of the eyes. She insisted on naming me “Regina,” for no other reason than it was the prettiest name she could think of.

Names define us. After a short-lived marriage to Mr. Baraban many years ago, I became known professionally as “Regina Baraban.” When I re-married (older and wiser), my new husband and I decided that changing my name again would be too confusing. Changing a name is a big deal, particularly when you have a professional identity or brand awareness to consider.

Our New Name

But when industries change, it's time to rethink industry names. It has been six years since the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 brought down the barriers between banks, insurance companies, and investment firms, dramatically reshaping the financial services industry. Today many of you, our readers, are part of the bigger financial services world. In a recent survey, 60 percent of ICPA members said they worked for a “financial services” or “insurance and financial services” firm. The fact is, Insurance Conference Planner magazine is no longer the voice of just the insurance meeting planning community. We're the voice of the financial services meeting planning community, of which insurance is an important part. In addition to expanded editorial content, our circulation has grown by 1,000 financial services meeting executives, and we expect to add more.

So it is with a great deal of excitement, and in tandem with a potential ICPA name change, that we announce a new name in conjunction with our November/December 40th anniversary issue: Financial & Insurance Meetings. While we've expanded our reach and embraced a broader industry, you can expect the same targeted information, ideas, news, views, and in-depth case studies on best practices that won us a 2005 American Society of Business Press Editors award for “Pru Plugs In” by Alison Hall, March/April 2004.

Changes at ICPA

As you read this in early September, ICPA members will have received ballots on a proposed bylaws amendment that would officially change the name of the association to Financial & Insurance Conference Planners (for details, turn to the ICPA Newsletter on page 38). I urge all to vote. A name change for ICPA makes sense for the same reasons that it does for ICP magazine. It would allow the association to better reflect the industry it serves, and to grow its member offerings in size and scope.

The partnership ICP magazine and ICPA began more than 40 years ago continues to flourish as we each emphasize our branding in financial services. Look for the official association newsletter in every issue of Financial & Insurance Meetings, and for additional reporting on association news in other sections of our magazine and our online newsletter, On the Agenda. I invite members and nonmembers alike to join me and ICPA headquarters staff at IT&ME, The Meetings Group booth number 810, September 27 to 29 in Chicago, to say hello in person and discuss the exciting road ahead.

Last but not least, all best wishes to one of the leaders of our industry, John Touchette, CMP, the current president of ICPA. As we were going to press in late August, John announced that he was leaving his post as assistant vice president, meeting management, John Hancock, Boston, to accept a position heading up the special events department at the Raytheon Co. in Waltham, Mass. He will turn over the ICPA president's gavel to president-elect Michael Burke, CMP, Allmerica Financial, Worcester, Mass., at the association's board meeting on September 26. John's dedication, intelligence, and experience has helped to guide ICPA to new levels of professionalism. I expect to hear great things about him in his new position.