Remembering a Friend ...

• Author: Acunto, Steve

Gerard (Jerry) Visco was a great friend to the independent, professional agent and to the betterment of the image of the local agent. As we go to press, the insurance industry is under duress to help pay. Regardless of the letter of the policy language and commitment. The agent's role in advising clients will come under fire, no doubt, and the voices and actions of industry advocates will not equal the pitch of opposition to the industry.

Were Jerry and his peers, leaders of the independent agents societies across the state in the mid 80s at the podium today, it would be a fair fight ... and, with Jerry, Tommy Dietz, Frank Riedman, Kenny Pollack, Dick Richtberg, Ed Higgins, Dave Twomey and so many others working with John La Valle they might have prevailed as they did so often. It was a great generation at IIAANY, PLANY and CIBGNY and Jerry was on the front line.

We received news of his death with great sadness. He passed away on April 13 at 89 of complications caused by the COVID-19 virus. After serving in the Army on active duty from 1952-1954, he continued in the Army Reserves from 1954-1974 where he achieved the rank of Master Sargent. During his military career, he studied at CCNY and achieved a BA and multiple Insurance Licenses.

In 1957, he began his career as an Independent Insurance Agent at a small agency on John Street, B & V Associates. Soon after the firm grew and consolidated into a cluster of agencies known as C.H. Edwards, Inc...