CELEBRATING 2024’S TOP SCHOLARS

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

A.H.B. “SPOON” WOTHERSPOON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

The A.H.B “Spoon” Wotherspoon Memorial Scholarship was established in 1987, using funds from the devolution of the Greater Vancouver Insurance Brokers Association. “Spoon” was president of IBABC in 1976, and the scholarship is named in his honour.  

This award of $1,000 is presented to a student enrolled in a post-secondary institution. Candidates must possess not only an exemplary academic record but must also show a commitment to extra-curricular activities and community service. 

This year the recipient of this scholarship is Melissa Sayyad. Graduating from St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Secondary School this year, Melissa plans to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of British Columbia starting this fall with a goal of a career in healthcare.  

Outside of academics, Melissa demonstrates a strong commitment to community service and mentoring by coaching and refereeing volleyball, as well as tutoring science and chemistry through the STA Peer Tutoring Program. 

Melissa is the daughter of Paria Daneshvar, an insurance broker at InsureBC Ambleside. 

AUTOPLAN BROKERS LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP

The Autoplan Brokers Legacy Scholarship for $2,500 is administered by IBABC and CUISA. Recipients of this scholarship must be B.C. residents who are the child of an insurance industry practitioner, be enrolled or accepted in post-secondary education, volunteer in their community, participate in extracurricular activities, and demonstrate high academic achievements. 

Jaylene Lee is the 2024 recipient. Graduating from Templeton Secondary School this year, Jaylene has her sights set on pursuing a Fine Arts degree at the University of Victoria.  

Jaylene's passion for community service is unmatched. As a member of the Hastings Youth Council, she invests significant time each month planning and facilitating community events, such as clean-ups and food drives. Additionally, she has made a meaningful impact as a volleyball coach and a junior youth leader, mentoring and inspiring younger students.

Jaylene is the daughter of Jackie Lee, an insurance broker at TS Mckenzie Insurance Agencies. 

DENNIS MACNEILL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

The Central Agencies Ltd. Dennis MacNeill Memorial Scholarship awards $2,500 for the first year or subsequent year of a student’s post-secondary education. Applicants must show a commitment to community service and must be an employee or relative of B.C. insurance-industry practitioners. 

This year the scholarship has been awarded to Kendra Parent, an outstanding student currently attending Vancouver Island University (VIU) in the Bachelor of Kinesiology program.  

Kendra has been recognized for her academic and athletic dedication with awards such as the VIU Varsity Soccer Bursary, Erica Murphy Athletic Bursary, and Drs. Ralph & Suzie Nilson CLB Award, and she plays for the VIU Varsity soccer team and local clubs. She also volunteers with Special Olympics BC – Nanaimo and mentors first-year Kinesiology students at VIU, demonstrating her commitment to community service. 

Kendra is the daughter of Shannon Parent, an insurance broker at Johnston Meier Insurance in Williams Lake. 

JOE STONEHOUSE MENTORSHIP SCHOLARSHIP

The Joe Stonehouse Mentorship Scholarship, presented by Brody Stonehouse, AC&D Insurance, for $2,500, is awarded to a student related to someone in the insurance industry who demonstrates the attributes Stonehouse was known for – mentoring, dedication, and diverse personal interests. 

This year the scholarship is awarded to Keisha Bock, a part-time insurance adviser at Westland Insurance in Surrey and soon to be graduate from École Panorama Ridge Secondary. With aspirations to become an educator, Keisha will pursue a Bachelor of Education degree in General Studies at Simon Fraser University. In addition to this, Keisha plans to continue working as an insurance broker.  

Keisha's passion for helping children is evident through her 89 hours supervising at the City of Surrey’s summer camps and 22 hours at the Vancouver International Children's Festival, where she played a key role in planning and execution. Additionally, she has dedicated numerous hours to mentoring as a high school peer tutor and served on the executive committee for her school’s Hot Potato Club, raising funds to provide food for unhoused individuals. 

Thank you Brody Stonehouse and AC&D Insurance for this generous scholarship.  

JOHN M. TOOMER SCHOLARSHIP

The John M. Toomer Education Scholarship awards $5,000 to a post-secondary student with family connections to our industry. The funds for this scholarship have been generously donated by John Toomer. John, who is now enjoying retirement, holds the record for years of volunteer service to IBABC. During nearly 30 years of volunteering, he helped establish IBABC’s education programs, served as our first treasurer, and sat on the conference committee. 

This year, the recipient of this generous scholarship is Kiana Linde. Kiana will graduate from Thomas Haney Secondary School this year and has been accepted to Simon Fraser University, where she will pursue a joint bachelor's degree in social science and education, followed by a master’s degree in speech and language pathology.  

Kiana's commendable community commitment includes volunteering at Yennadon Elementary School, assisting young students, shadowing a speech and language pathologist, and serving as a student aide at Thomas Haney Secondary School, mentoring Grade 8 French students and aiding in lesson preparations.  

Kiana is the niece of Andrea Tylor, dedicated regional underwriter and trainer, Westland Insurance.  

JOHN F. HAMILTON SCHOLARSHIP

The John F. Hamilton Scholarship for $3,500, established in 1999 in honor of Jack Hamilton—a broker, former managing director of the Insurance Brokers Association of B.C. (IBABC), and 1994 Insurance Person of the Year—recognizes students who show a strong commitment to community service and extracurricular involvement. Each year, it supports a university student with ties to the B.C. insurance industry. The 2024 recipient is Ruhi Kaur, a life sciences student at the University of British Columbia. 

A graduate of Seaquam Secondary School’s IB Diploma Programme, Ruhi consistently demonstrated excellence, earning her place on the Principal’s List and Honour Roll throughout high school. Now, as a first-year Life Sciences student at UBC, Ruhi is setting the stage for a career driven by her passion for science and healthcare.

Ruhi’s accomplishments extend beyond the classroom as she has spent years giving back to her school and community in various roles, including serving as an IB Retreat Leader, a member of the Green Team, and as a mentor in the STEMastery Club, where she encouraged younger students to explore science. In addition, she showcased her athleticism by competing in provincial-level cross-country events and represented her school in provincial and national pageantry contests.

Inspired by her grandmother’s journey with Parkinson’s disease, Ruhi aims to make a meaningful impact through her studies in Life Sciences. She is determined to contribute to advancements in science and medicine to help others, just as her grandmother was helped during her illness.

Ruhi is the daughter of Jasjit Kaur, a client service manager with HUB International in Burnaby.

RENATE MUELLER TRAILBLAZER SCHOLARSHIP, RECOGNIZING FUTURE WOMEN TRAILBLAZERS

The Renate Mueller Trailblazer Scholarship, Recognizing Future Women Trailblazers, presented by Westland Insurance for $2,500, is intended to go to a post-secondary school student who demonstrates a commitment to community service and a dedication to professional development. Applicants must also share how they plan to promote the advancement of gender equity and support for women in business. 

The 2024 recipient of this award is Katrina Jewell from Squamish. An accomplished student currently attending the University of British Columbia (UBC) and pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering. Katrina's passion lies in harnessing biology through engineering to create more effective and accessible treatments.  

Her academic excellence is demonstrated by her inclusion on the Dean’s Honours List from 2020 to 2024 and her receipt of multiple scholarships, such as the BC Tech Scholarship and the Trek Excellence Scholarship. Beyond academics, Katrina has served as Vice President of Communication for the UBC Engineering Undergraduate Society, advocating for student voices and organizing key community events.

Katrina is the daughter of Quan Jewell, commercial insurance representative at Squamish Insurance. 

VANCOUVER INSURANCE ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP

The Vancouver Insurance Association Scholarship awards $1,000 to someone working full-time or related to someone who works full-time in the B.C. insurance industry, who has high academic marks, and has been accepted to a post-secondary institution. The funds for this scholarship are provided by the former Vancouver Insurance Association.  

We are pleased to announce that Caitlyn Cheung is this year’s recipient.  

Caitlyn started working as an insurance broker at F. Adams & Associates Insurance Services in Vancouver when she was just 17. Over the last five years, she gained valuable experience and skills and by the age of 22, she was already managing a team of 30 people, showing her leadership and teamwork abilities as office manager.  

Currently, Caitlyn is studying for a Diploma of Finance at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She plans to continue her education with a Bachelor of Accounting degree and eventually become a CPA. She now works as a Junior Accountant at the Arbutus Club and continues to assist her brokerage in a contractor role with commercial fleets.  

Our thanks go to the members and executives of the VIA for their thoughtful donation to fund this scholarship.

CAIB AWARD RECIPIENTS

The CAIB awards are awarded to licensees who receive the highest marks in CAIB courses completed in the previous calendar year.

HUB INTERNATIONAL HERB OSEN MEMORIAL BURSARY

The 2024 HUB International Herb Osen Memorial Bursary for $2,000, which goes to the student who attains the highest cumulative mark on all four CAIB exams, and completed their CAIB designation requirements within the calendar year, is awarded to Manoharpreet Kaur Sohi from WBI Home Warranty Ltd in Surrey.

SANTBIR MINHAS AWARD

Simran Kaur, Hub International, was awarded the Santbir Minhas Award of $500 for the highest mark on the CAIB 1 exam in B.C.

CAIB 2 RELIANCE INSURANCE AWARD

The recipient of the $500 CAIB 2 Reliance Insurance Award is Melissa Logue from Acera Insurance.

RENATA M. MUELLER CONSULTANTS RECOGNITION AWARD

The $500 Renate M. Mueller Consultants Recognition Award for the highest CAIB 3 mark in B.C. was awarded to Gurkirat Thiara from A&T Insurance.

PARK GEORGIA INSURANCE INSURANCE AGENCIES RECOGNITION AWARD

For the highest CAIB 4 mark, the $750 Park Georgia Insurance Agencies Recognition Award recipient is Delvina Ng from BFL Canada.