A business leader yesterday urged more young Bermudian men to enter the insurance industry after claiming they seemed to be avoiding it in droves - while women were taking the lead.

Argus Group president and chief executive offiocer Gerald Simons said: "If men were outperforming women as women are outperforming men, then there would be a national outcry."

His comments were made at a presentation to the Argus Group by the Investors in People Bermuda (IIP) programme.

The IIP presented The Argus Group a Certificate of Recognition yesterday afternoon.

The Certificate of Recognition was awarded to The Argus Group following its recent external assessment of the Investors in People International Quality Standard.

The standard is awarded to organisations that successfully demonstrate ongoing commitment to the development of people in line with business goals and objectives

Mr. Simons, speaking at Argus HQ in Wesley Street, Hamilton, told of the changed face of the insurance industry from when he entered in the mid 60's, when it was a male enterprise.

"The people who were account representatives were called salesmen and the people who ran the various department were called managers - the MAN in manager meant male," said Mr. Simons.

"There were a few women at the time and by and large the insurance industry was a male enterprise."

At the end of March Mr. Simons looked at the statistics of whom they had hired at the end of a three-year period and discovered that the company had hired 53 people, but out of that only about eight percent were male.

"Forty-two were female and only 11 males, and half the males hired of that paltry 11 were over the age of 40.

"I find that of some concern and I would make a case that the young men are not performing in Bermuda and are avoiding the insurance industry in droves.

"To quote a line expressed on CBS news show 60 minutes, `if men were outperforming women as women are outperforming men - then it would be a national outcry'.

"I am not calling for a return for the bad old days, but we need to look at the ways we are raising men and how we introduce them to the world of business."

"These days we are working in a technical area where it is brain power rather than muscle power. We are very happy with the women, but we do encourage men to come back to the insurance industry."

The Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Randolph Horton, when presenting the certificate, congratulated the Argus Group for receiving the Certificate of Recognition from the IIP United Kingdom.

"It is a just reward to the company's adherence to the high standards promulgated by the IIP, Bermuda," said Mr. Horton.

"I find it particularly gratifying to note that the Argus Group, a significant player in the Island's financial sector, has only ten of its total of 120 staff on work permits.

"A testament I believe, to the company's commitment to the provision of training and development opportunities for Bermudians, while at the same time it maintains a very high level of efficiency and performance."

Tom Gallagher, a consultant who assessed and helped prepare the company, said The Argus Group was the first in the western hemisphere, ahead of America and Canada to be awarded the Certificate of Recognition.