Leadership at an early age

Rough Notes, Jul 2001 by Hanavan, Brett

"This was a thrill of a lifetime and a great learning experience," Dinger said. "Basically the Act protects small business retailers from being dragged into lawsuits because of products they sell (and do not manufacture) that may be defective."

Under the Small Business Liability Reform Act of 1999, if a claimant is unable to sue the manufacturer, then a small business owner is liable only up to $250,000. Dinger read a testimony that was written with the help of the Independent Insurance Agents of America (IIAA). It told the story of a local business that was sued for a defective motorcycle part.

Dinger remains involved, fascinated with the speed and intrigue of politics. He plans to run for a seat on the Glendale City Council in April 2002.

Currently, Dinger runs the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce golf tournament, as well as the golf classic of the Independent Brokers and Agents of Pasadena, Burbank and Glendale. He also assists with the Saint Francis High School Alumni Golf Classic. His other involvement includes serving on his high school's alumni association board of directors and doing the play-by-play announcing of all the Saint Francis High School football home games.

His list of accomplishments in 2000 continues. He was the recipient of the Harlan Miller Award that is presented to an IBA West young agent in western states who has been active in its Federal Ambassador Program that promotes the IIAA national agenda to local congressmen and U.S. senators.

Dinger also was awarded the Independent Brokers and Agents of the West Member Agent of the Year for 2000. He is a past president of the San Gabriel Valley Young Agents and a former director of the Glendale Independent Agents Association. In addition to serving as chairman of the Young Brokers and Agents Committee of IBA West, he also is political action director of the Independent Brokers and Agents of Pasadena, Burbank and Glendale.

Dinger's father, Virgil, and partner Gene Johnson founded Crescenta Valley Insurance in 1969. His dad bought out Johnson in 1991 and the younger Dinger took over the agency as its president in January 1999.

It is another classic example of keeping it in the family. Dinger sites his father as the most important mentor in his life and one who ultimately helped him set his vision in insurance sales.

"He taught me the value of networking and that you can't make any money sitting at your desk," Dinger says. "Two of the key things he did for me when I got into the business was to give me and the other agents at the agency an unlimited budget to attend association events such as the Young Agents Conference. Second, he forced me to stick it out when paychecks were tiny during the early days. I would get depressed about the money I owed the agency on my draw against future commissions, when some people I knew from college were waiting tables or bouncing at bars and making twice as much money as I was. My dad forced me to stick it out. He also introduced me to the sport of golf which in turn has introduced me to some of my biggest clients."