Waynesville resident receives statewide award
Kathleen “Merritt” Tongen (right) of Waynesville was named by the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina as the Young Agent of the Year. Donated photo
The Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina has named Waynesville resident Kathleen “Merritt” Tongen of L.N. Davis Insurance Agency in Waynesville as its 2023 Young Agent of the Year for the state of North Carolina.
Selected annually, this prestigious award recognizes an independent insurance agent under 41 years of age from across the state who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and performance for his/her agency, association, industry, community and family. The award was presented to Tongen during IIANC's InsurEXPO conference held Sept. 28-29 in Winston-Salem.
A current active member of the Young Agents “iLEAD” Committee, Tongen has been an integral part of the group. In addition to her involvement with iLEAD, she is the newly appointed chair of the Women IA-Executives Network, a group created exclusively for women who are independent agency owners or those in an executive leadership position within the agency.
Tongen has worked in the insurance industry for the last ten years and has received her AINS (Associate in Insurance) designation. She is currently a managing partner at L.N. Davis Insurance Agency with her parents Gary and Kathy Lance.
