Message From the President (December 01, 2008)

As I pen this message the Christmas season is just coming into full swing, however by the time it is published all the festivities will have come and gone and many of us will be assembling at the CICMA/CIAA Ontario Chapters’ 42nd Annual Joint Conference. Related meetings occur throughout the year in several regions across the country and have fittingly gained industry-wide recognition as “must attend” events, reinforcing the importance of “united and committed leadership through education, professionalism and communication.” I look forward to attending all of the joint conferences during my term as president and sincerely thank the CIAA and CICMA members for their dedication, commitment and collaborative efforts in providing this forum to address and educate us on current and timely issues affecting our industry.

Recent meetings between CIAA and the Claims Managers in Atlantic Canada, offers another stepping-stone to further advance our relations and understanding for a brighter future for all concerned. Congratulations to Jane Richardson, CIAA Nova Scotia region president, for bringing this about and it is hoped thatall CIAA and CICMA chapters will follow this example to further develop appreciation of each other’s needs and issues.

The 2009 edition of the CIAA Claims Manual will be available in time for Ontario’s Joint Conference. CIAA members are proud of this much sought after publication and are pleased to provide it to their clients. Claims personnel across the country have let us know they find it to be an invaluable reference tool.

Professionalism, dedication and commitment of its members are the backbone of an association’s success.

“The difference between failure and success is doing a thing nearly right and doing it exactly right.” ~ Edward C. Simmons.

I recently came across the above quote and it occurred to me that maybe there is no hidden or miraculous formula for success. Maybe it is simply a matter of doing a whole lot of things “exactly right.” CIAA’s success over the past 55 years can be attributed to the support and hard work of its many volunteers getting it “exactly right.”

Achieving the goals and objectives of the association requires ongoing review and restructuring of the executive standing committees ensuring they properly reflect the purpose and function of the committee members. Establishing the industry liaison & promotion committee to embark upon the aims of the national marketing strategy and the licensing committee, which has produced significant advances in bringing us closer to common licensing rules and regulations across the country last year was key. With the increasing concerns regarding attracting new entrants into the field we recently created a committee exclusively focusing on promoting independent loss adjusting as a career and supporting the training and recruitment of people entering the profession.

It was with regret that we lost the dedication and talent of many members in the acquisition of CGI Adjusters Inc. On behalf of the association, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for the firm’s long-term support and their employee’s selfless service of the association. We are hopeful they will be back as members of CIAA in the future.

I wish all our industry partners the best for a collective, healthy and prosperous new year! •