Melbourne suburban broker Bunmi Ajayi has been named Insurance Broker of the Year at the annual National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) convention in Melbourne.

Mr Ajayi is the founder and MD of Megalines Insurance & Risk Advisers in Point Cook. 

Other regional finalists were Andrew Benda (City Rural Insurance Brokers, SA), Clive Higgins (Arthur J Gallagher, WA), Brian Salisbury (Austbrokers SPT, NSW) and Anna Sayers (AMS Insurance Brokers, Queensland).

The Zurich-sponsored prize, which was announced this morning, includes an all-expenses-paid business development and travel experience to the US, and includes attendance at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf event on the PGA Tour and the New Orleans Jazz Festival.

The prestigious Warren Tickle Memorial Award for young brokers was won by Luke Chrzanowski of Tresidder Insurance Group in Geelong, Victoria.

Sponsored for the past 25 years by Vero and its predecessor companies, the award was contested by Mr Chrzanowski and the four other regional winners of NIBA's Young Professional Broker of the Year Award – Amanda Blackburn (JLT, NSW), Alex Conlon (BJS Insurance Brokers, SA), Bronte Neville (Queenscorp, Queensland) and Luke Pratt (Willis, WA).

The prize involves a tailored personal and business development program paid for by Vero. Previous winners have enjoyed trips to London to experience the international insurance market.

Marsh Australia Executive Director David Duffield won the Lex McKeown Trophy, which is presented each year at the discretion of the NIBA President to an individual in recognition of the contribution they have made to NIBA and the broking profession as a whole.

Mr Duffield, who has been a NIBA director for 10 years, served as NIBA president in 2010-12. He is also Head of the Marsh’s Asia Pacific Construction, Power and Utilities Practice, and is the Pacific representative on the Marsh Global Infrastructure Executive Committee.

Jeremy Thornton, the owner of Complete Risk Solutions at Taree in NSW, won the NIBA College Student of the Year Award, which is sponsored by QBE. He won a $1000 prize and a place on award sponsor QBE's eQuip program. 

Other finalists were Jessica Cunningham (Robert K Green & Associates, Victoria) and Jessica Knight (Knightcorp Insurance Brokers, WA).

Jade Bolam, of North Queensland Insurance Brokers in Ayr, was presented the Trainee of the Year Award, which is also sponsored by QBE.