Thank you to the many agency users who joined the HawkSoft User Group (HUG) at one of the day-long regional meetings in 7 cities across the country this fall! Over 370 agency users attended a meeting, and we were joined by a number of exhibitors in each city as well. In October, HUG also held its second Hawk's Nest Leadership Retreat -see a recap here!
Regional meetings agenda
The regional meetings had the same overall agenda, with different presenters depending on the city. The morning started with a breakfast with HUG Sponsors, followed by sessions focused on the lifecycle of a customer in HawkSoft. This began with workflows for prospects and new customers, including carrier setup, applications, attachments, and policy downloads. The second session covered workflows for customer maintenance, including HawkLink, templates, activities, tasks, profiles, renewals, certificates, remarketing, and reporting.
After a lunch break and exhibitor time, the afternoon sessions started with group discussions with similar agencies, and then by agency role. This allowed attendees to network and share ideas and knowledge with other users. The day ended with a session on HawkSoft’s latest and greatest features, as well as sneak previews of what’s coming soon, and a Q&A session to answer any questions.
There were also optional sessions in the morning and afternoon for reporting, accounting, and commissions for users who wanted to dive into additional topics. An optional happy hour after the meeting also gave attendees a chance to mingle more informally with other attendees from their area.
Highlights from each meeting
Take a look at our highlights and photos of each meeting below, and see what attendees had to say about each meeting!
Regional meetings:
Akron, OH (September 4)
HawkSoft presenters: Sean Hawkins, Michael Ley
HUG staff member: Suzanne Low
Highest ranked session: Lifecycle of a Customer
Feedback from attendees:
“Great information. Hawksoft and Sean care about their clients in a way that few vendors could even come close to.”
“I really liked the open discussion in groups. It was really helpful to hear how other agencies utilize the system.”
Bellevue, WA (September 11)
HawkSoft presenters: Paul Hawkins, Noemi Rodriguez
HUG staff member attendee: Jennifer Thompson
Highest ranked session: Latest and Greatest in HawkSoft / What’s Coming Soon
Feedback from attendees:
“I had a great time learning more about HawkSoft, getting reminders of features we don't utilize, and networking with fellow agencies.”
Melville, NY (September 18)
HawkSoft presenters: Paul Hawkins, Noemi Rodriguez
HUG staff member attendee: Suzanne Low
Highest ranked session: Reporting, Latest and Greatest in HawkSoft / What’s Coming Soon
Feedback from attendees:
“Its was great, very interactive, which helped a lot that we were able to ask questions as they were going through each process and they could actively show us in real time.”
“It was really great to hear where Sean plans to take HawkSoft and what they plan on integrating. I liked having the open dialog to ask questions and get feedback or answers, as well as to discuss possible ideas and tips that could be implemented or updated.”
“Overall, great event. The hands-on training is the best, in addition to the breakouts by agency size and roles in the agency. I look forward to attending every year.”
Wisconsin Dells, WI (September 25)
HawkSoft presenters: Paul Hawkins, Michael Ley
HUG staff member attendee: Jennifer Thompson
Highest ranked session: Open Q&A Session, Latest and Greatest in HawkSoft / What’s Coming Soon
Feedback from attendees:
“Always good to connect with peers in your role, and grouping based on agency size was something I had never seen before. Very interesting to compare perspectives that way!”
“This was great!! I love that Paul was able to attend our meeting - I love how much he loves HawkSoft and HawkSoft agencies, which makes me love HawkSoft even more. I also love that he (and the rest of HawkSoft) takes our feedback in earnest.”
“I LOVED being here and learned so much information that I've taken back to the agency. Thank you! I also really enjoyed putting faces to names.”
Houston, TX (October 16)
HawkSoft presenters: Paul Hawkins, Michael Ley
HUG staff member attendee: Suzanne Low
Highest ranked session: Open Q&A Session, Latest and Greatest in HawkSoft / What’s Coming Soon
Feedback from attendees:
“I really enjoyed this conference. This was my first time attending and I feel like I got a lot out of it. I loved having the sponsors/vendors there as well.”
“This was a great event and my first HUG event (not counting a virtual event). It was very well organized and a great time to not only discuss insurance, but the way we all approach the use of HawkSoft.”
“It was nice to discuss issues we are dealing with and know we are not alone.”
Charlotte, NC (October 23)
HawkSoft presenters: Sean Hawkins, Noemi Rodriguez
HUG staff member attendee: Suzanne Low
Highest ranked session: Latest and Greatest in HawkSoft / What’s Coming Soon, Open Q&A Session
Feedback from attendees:
“This was my first HawkSoft conference and it was a valuable use of time. I appreciated hearing the genesis of the company and meeting Sean. It spoke volumes that one of the company founders was the one leading the sessions and was so engrained in the product. The topics were relevant and I learned a lot of tips and enhancements to take back to my team.”
“This was our first regional event and it was very helpful, as we are within our first year of using HawkSoft. Great event, and looking forward to future engagement. THANK YOU!”
“Our employees found the round table discussions, the helpful tricks/tips, and the interaction between presenters and attendees to be pivotal in enhancing our agency’s usage of HS6. We were able to build relationships with other agencies that are turning out to be vital resources in this ever-changing world of insurance. The ability to see/hear/discuss how other agencies approach new challenges (whether technology, carriers, guidelines, social media, etc) added even more value.”
Anaheim, CA (November 6)
HawkSoft presenters: Paul Hawkins, Noemi Rodriguez, Michael Ley
HUG staff member attendee: Suzanne Low
Highest ranked session: Latest and Greatest in HawkSoft / What’s Coming Soon, Open Q&A Session
Feedback from attendees:
“Great information, well organized and answered a lot of questions. Thank you so much!”
Thank you for helping make HUG Regional meetings happen!
HawkSoft and HUG want to thank all of the many people who volunteered their time and effort to these meetings, including the planning committees who put together the local agendas, those who planned and presented sessions, and the HUG Sponsors that attended . You make HUG a fantastic organization!
Ready for the next great HUG event? The 2026 HUG National Conference will be at Loews Arlington Hotel & Convention Center in Texas on April 8-10! Watch for more information on how to register through HUG’s new registration system coming soon. We can’t wait to see you there!
2025 Hawk's Nest Leadership RetreatSee what happened at HUG's Leadership Retreat this year!
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