A-O Summit
Join us for the Auto-Owners Summit this September! We are happy to announce that we will be offering two weeks again this year!
We have an exciting week planned for you! From high energy presentation to evening entertainment and prize giveaways, the Summit will remind you of all the reasons you love working with us.
We look forward to seeing you Sept. 21-24 and Sept. 28 - Oct. 1! Registration opens June 1.
A-O Summit Agenda
For more information view our Session Details
Monday
4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Registration Open
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Welcome Dinner- optional
Tuesday
Main Room
7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Registration Open
9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Opening Comments
9:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Guest Speaker
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Personal Lines 2026: What's Changing & What's Coming
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. IIHS: The changing vehicle fleet and its impact on auto insurance and safety
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Inside the Claims Process: How to ensure your customers have a successful claims experience
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Commercial Lines 2026: Market Trends & Growth Opportunities
5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Bingo Loco
9:00 p.m. - Midnight Karaoke
Breakouts
- 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Garage Coverage Decoded: Liability, Garagekeepers & "On the Hook" Explained
- Builder's Risk Without the Risk: Writing It Properly the First Time
- Sticker Shock: What Claims Really Cost (And What Happens Next)
- 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
- Commercial Auto Classifications: Building Confidence and Achieving
- Billing Made Simple: Options That Improve Retention
- Quote Smarter. Bind Faster. Earn More Commercial Business.
- 1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
- RCE Deep Dive: What's Driving Values (And How to Limit Increases)
- Billing Made Simple: Options That Improve Retention
- Quote Smarter. Bind Faster. Earn More Commercial Business
- 2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
- Leading Productive Conversations RCE's About Building Values
- When to Go E&S: Building Your Book with Atlantic Causality
- Where We Compete Best: Commercial Lines Appetite Update
- 2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Turn Personal Lines Into Commercial Revenue
- Property Managers: Rating Them Right Before Audit Time
- Where We Compete Best: Commercial Lines Appetite Update
- 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
- Closing Coverage Gaps with Umbrella Solutions
- Identifying Your Ideal Personal Lines Client
- Personal Auto Quoting: Tips, Tricks & Efficient Results
- 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- RCE Deep Dive: What's Driving Values (And How to Limit Increases)
- Roofs, Rating & Reality: What Matters Most
- Sticker Shock: What Claims Really Cost (And What Happens Next)
Wednesday
Main Room
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Survey Says: How Your Feedback Shapes AO's Decisions
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Cyber Security: Real Threats. Real Coverage. Real Consequences.
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. What Customers Really Value: Insights That Can Grow Your Agency
Breakouts
- 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
- Portal Power: Find What You Need in Minutes
- The AO Advantage: Where Values, and Performance Meet
- 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
- Digital Expectations: What Your Clients Want Now
- Audit Readiness: A Competitive Advantage
- 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
- Importance of High-Value Home Surveys
- Beyond Policies: Unlocking Bond Opportunities
- 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
- Cross-Selling Life: Protect More, Earn More
- E&O Exposures: Proactively Protecting Your Agency
- 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
- Portal Power: Find What You Need in Minutes
- Who Do I Call? Navigating AO Resources with Confidence
- 11:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
- Digital Expectations: What Your Clients Want Now
- Survey Recommendations: What They Mean & What do Do Next
Thursday
8:30 a.m. - 9:05 a.m. Rise and Reflect Seated Breakfast Event
9:05 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Closing Comments and Grand Prize Drawing
Meet Our Speakers
Kelly Donahue-Piro
As Founder and President of insurance consulting and training firm Agency Performance Partners, for more than a decade Kelly Donahue-Piro has been inspiring clients and conference attendees alike to be “Ridiculously Amazing.” An empathetic visionary, Kelly sees herself and her team not just as expert advisors but as a “BFF” to agency owners, coming alongside with an arm around the shoulder when times are tough and a round of high-fives when success rolls in. Kelly’s professional journey began with a degree in Relationship Marketing from Bentley University in 2003, and she hasn’t hit pause since, serving—among other roles—as Vice President in charge of Client Services for an insurance digital marketing firm once named among America’s fastest growing companies by Inc Magazine. Since 2014 she has helmed Agency Performance Partners and traveled the U.S. and Canada as a highly sought-after speaker empowering insurance agents to face change with a can-do attitude and a growth mindset.
Matt Moore
Matt Moore is the chief insurance operations officer at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute. He oversees HLDI operations and is responsible for delivery of services to member companies, outreach to the insurance industry as a whole, and strategic direction to build these relationships. Matt has been closely involved in HLDI research since joining the organization in 1999. He has authored numerous research papers and spearheaded several studies that were world firsts on topics such as legal recreational marijuana, antilock braking systems for motorcycles and collision avoidance technologies. In particular, his early work showing the benefits of front automatic emergency braking laid the groundwork for near-universal adoption of the technology. Matt holds an MBA and a bachelor’s degree from Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania.
Kay Wakeman
Kay Wakeman is the director of insurance outreach for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute. Kay joined HLDI in 2015 as a research analyst, studying collision avoidance technologies such as pedestrian detection and rear crash prevention. She continues to play an active role on HLDI’s research team but now also spends much of her time speaking at industry conferences and promoting research and resources available to member companies. Prior to joining the Institutes, Kay worked as a geographic information systems specialist and received a bachelor’s degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and a master’s degree in mathematics from Loyola University Chicago.
Meet Our Emcees
Kameko Stevens
Kameko is excited to take the Summit stage once again this year as an emcee for the third year. Since joining Auto-Owners in 2016 as a Life Underwriter, she now serves as Manager within the Life Underwriting department and is celebrating 10 years of service with the company. You may remember her from previous Summits leading Life breakout sessions, but she especially values the opportunity Summit creates to connect with agency partners across all areas of the business and across the organization. When she’s not at work, Kameko can be found baking sweet treats, diving into true crime podcasts, or chasing adventures with her husband and three year old daughter. She’s proud to be a part of this event and excited to help make this Summit one to remember.
Joe Dustman
Joe Dustman is excited to join Kameko again as emcee for this year’s AO Summit, his second time welcoming our agency partners to this special event. He looks forward to reconnecting and helping create an engaging and memorable experience for everyone in attendance. Joe joined Auto-Owners in 2003 as a claims intern in the Marion Claims Branch. He spent many years in the Claims Division serving in a variety of roles before transitioning to Marketing & Sales. Joe serves as a Director in Marketing & Sales, overseeing regional operations and supporting our regional leaders and marketing representatives as they work alongside agencies to drive growth with Auto-Owners. Outside the office, Joe enjoys being active in youth sports and spending time with his wife and two sons. He’s grateful for the opportunity to once again take the stage and celebrate the strong partnerships that make Auto-Owners successful.
(Attendees will choose 4 from the 6 below)
Session 1: Restaurants & Mobile Food Trucks
Session 2: Garage & Contractors
Session 3: Home & Life
Session 4: Auto & Umbrella
Session 5: Farm
Session 6: Billing, CAT Claims and Market Place Intelligence
(Attendees will choose 4 from the 5 below and attend all tables in that session)
Session 1: Commercial Lines: TPP/BOP, CL Auto/GLDB, WC and Umbrella
Session 2: Personal Lines: Personal Property, Auto, Umbrella and Farm
Session 3: Both PL/CL: Flood, Bonds, Life, High Value Homes
Session 4: Both PL/CL: Agency Outreach, Online Access, Customer Satisfaction, Manage Agency
Session 5: Both PL/CL: Claims, Claims Customer Experience, PL Claims, CL Claims
There will be breakout sessions during the Summit. An optional activity will be offered and signup for that event will be in person. Sign up is not necessary for breakout sessions. Online registration begins June 2, 2025.
Yes. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided by the hotel. During registration, you can sign up for meals and tell us about any dietary restrictions.
The convention itself has no cost. However, you are responsible for the cost of your transportation to and from the convention, and the hotel stay. A cancellation fee of $250 may be applied to the agency statement if an agency employee registers for this event, but cancels within 14 days of the event. This fee may be waived if the registrant(s) notifies Auto-Owners of their cancellation and receives written authorization from Auto-Owners of the fee being waived. For cancellation requests, please email AOSummit@aoins.com.
The Auto-Owners Summit will be held at the Crowne Plaza Lansing West hotel in Lansing, Michigan, adjacent to the Auto-Owners home office.
Yes. If you do not have the credit card used when booking your room, you will need to have a signed authorization form found here, to be able to complete the charge when you arrive.
Yes, you may bring a friend to stay with you at the hotel. However, they will not be able to participate in the AO Summit activities or events.
The event is business casual. We recommend bringing a jacket in case the meeting rooms are chilly. Bring your walking shoes if you would like to enjoy the walking path at home office.
You’re not required to attend all sessions, but we encourage you to attend as many as possible to enjoy the full experience of the Summit.
Questions?
Send an email to AOSummit@aoins.com