Introducing The Ontario Chapter Presidents

Teresa (Teri) Mitchell believes in giving back to the insurance industry in which she has worked for more than 26 years. This includes 18 years of active involvement with the Canadian Independent Adjusters’ Association (CIAA) as a member of its Ontario region executive.

“I have held every position on the executive,” Mitchell said. “Getting to president was the inevitable conclusion after having served for all those years.”

Mitchell says numerous benefits accrue to being a member of the CIAA, but having a say in the future direction of independent adjusting is reason enough to join the association. “It’s about having our voices heard when it comes to our jobs and the future of our profession, rather than having new regulations, procedures and laws imposed without our participation on how it may impact professional loss adjusters,” she said.

Over the course of her two-year tenure as Ontario region president, Mitchell’s number one goal is to increase the visibility and exposure of the CIAA. Because education is so important to Mitchell, she sees two specific ways to accomplish this: attend the CIAA/CICMA joint conference, and attend as many Insurance Institute of Ontario convocations as possible. She will not only be there to congratulate the graduates and award recipients, but also to raise awareness in the next generation of industry professionals about the CIAA. “Education has always been my forté, what propels me forward,” she said. “Whether it be insurance-related education, or even just personal growth, I have been taking night school courses since I finished high school.”

This comes as no surprise when one looks at the impressive number of designations noted on her business card. Mitchell joked when she was recently introduced at a convocation, they rhymed off her designations by quipping, E I E I O.

“I know, from CIAA’s perspective, it is extremely important that CIAA’s designations [FCLA, CLA, FCIAA] are promoted and widely recognized in the industry,” she said. “They are prestigious designations depicting top-notch adjusters and they differentiate CIAA members in the eyes of our clients.”

And because education is such a key focus for Mitchell, she is working on augmenting the education currently offered to CIAA members. The association’s Ontario region hosts an important seminar for adjusters in the spring and, beginning in 2012, the executive wants to add a second seminar in the fall. The seminars are free all members; non-members pay only a nominal fee. Anybody is welcome to attend, including other independent adjusters, insurance company staff, brokers and contractors. The seminar usually runs for half a day and covers two different topics affecting the claims industry.

The CIAA/CICMA joint conference is to be held in Toronto on Feb. 7, 2012. The theme, Auto Reform; Did it Perform? is relevant to both claims managers and adjusters alike, she said.

The joint conference provides claims managers and adjusters a forum in which to share ideas. “It is of mutual benefit for CIAA and CICMA members to meet each other, as they work together frequently,” Mitchell said.