On The Scene (June 01, 2010)

Sandra McInnis of Crawford & Company (Canada) has accepted the position of Women in Cancer Crusade (WICC) Gala Dinner co-chair, WICC Gala Dinner chair Michael Butler of Giffin Koerth and past dinner chair Marilyn Horrick of Chubb Canada announced.

McInnis was instrumental in the success of the 2010 dinner and will assume the role of dinner co-chair effective immediately for the WICC 2011 gala dinner and beyond.

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CIAA Notes With Sadness:

The passing of Donald (Don) W.R. Gilbertson on Mar. 7, 2010 at the age of 73. Don’s entire career was in the claims area with the Pearl Assurance Co., Underwriters Adjustment Bureau, B.N. Smith Insurance Adjusters and as claims manager of the Economical Mutual Insurance Company. Don’s brother, Larry Gilbertson, formerly with Gilbertson Davis Emerson, LL. P., is an invaluable supporter and contributor to CIAA. We offer our heartfelt condolences to Larry and his wife Vivienne who will dearly miss and lovingly remember their cherished brother.

The passing of Ray Gray on Apr. 10, 2010. Ray was a long time member of CIAC and then CIAA with his partners Ross Sneddon and John McHugh (both deceased) with the firm Gray Sneddon McHugh Insurance Adjusters in Kitchener, Ont. Those that knew Ray remember him as a larger than life figure in insurance adjusting and our deepest sympathies are extended to his family and friends. We celebrate Ray’s life by raising a toast, with a double shot of Crown Royal, just as the family requested.

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PCS Catastrophe Conference

CIAA President Patti Kernaghan, along with her husband Pierre Coupey, and Joel Baker, president and CEO of MSA Research Inc., attended the PCS Catastrophe Conference in San Antonio, Texas from May 2 to May 4.

Joel Baker, Patti Kernaghan and Pierre Coupey

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FirstOnSite Restoration has selected the Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC) as its chosen charity for national sponsorship. FirstOnSite is WICC’s newest national sponsor at the platinum level, representing a commitment of $45,000 over three years. “As an organization we wanted to financially support an established and proven charitable movement,” said Ken Zardo, vice president of national sales and marketing at FirstOnSite. “I began supporting WICC in 2003 with fundraising and have received a WICC Gold Flame Award in recognition for these efforts. Little did I suspect that in 2004, my own wife Rhonda would contract breast cancer,” Zardo said. “Over the next four-and-one-half years, our family did what most families do — sought to bear the burden of our personal experience and keep it hidden from those we encountered during that painful time. Rhonda fought this personal struggle with profound grace and valour but succumbed in the summer of 2008.”

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Canadian Claims Services Inc. (CCS) has acquired Triad Claims Services, effective May 1, 2010. Canadian Claims Services Inc. (CCS) is a full-service, multi-line adjusting company with a head office in Edmonton, Alta.

Triad Claims Service is a private insurance claims adjuster with three office locations in Alberta.

“CCS is very excited about the addition of Triad, as it gives us a significant presence in the Calgary market,” the company said. “Triad has been a revered service provider in Southern Alberta since 1977.”

Tim Hauck will be staying on as Calgary branch manager, following the acquisition.

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Cunningham Lindsey has deployed 10 of its Canadian adjusters to assist with catastrophe response efforts in Australia.

Severe storm activity in March resulted in massive flooding in and around Perth.

More than 120,500 property and motor vehicle claims were reported as of Apr. 14, with an estimated insurable cost of $889 million, according to the Insurance Council of Australia. Canadian adjusters have been in Australia for more than a week. They have agreed to remain for at least one month of service.

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Cunningham Lindsey is merging its Markham and Toronto North offices effective May 1, 2010.

Toby Collins will be the branch manager of the newly merged office, which will be in the current Toronto North location. Toronto North adjusters Pamela Allen, Ross Arthur, Rick Bahen, Dale Reid, Gail Ross, Fred Scott and Nick Tucci will welcome Collins, Vince Umbrio and Eric Gunnell at the end of this month.

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Janet Ley, of the CIAA Nova Scotia region, presented a cheque for $500 to Gilberte Theriault, chair of the Cancer Crusade, at the Nova Scotia Insurance Women’s Association on Mar. 17, 2010.

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After 50 years as an independent loss adjuster, Gerry Dumont retired on Mar. 31, 2010. Dumont spent most of his career with UAB and CGI and throughout those years was a loyal member of the Canadian Independent Adjusters’ Association. Friends and colleagues recently gathered to mark the occasion of Dumont’s retirement and in recognition of his participation with the CIAA, he was presented with a plaque by CIAA regional representative John Aucoin, Plant Hope Adjusters, in Campbellton, N.B.

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Roland Paxton, Crawford & Company’s assistant vice-president of global marine services for Canada, will assume direct responsibility for marine operations throughout the Americas.

Paxton, who has been with Crawford for 10 years, holds nearly 35 years of experience as a naval architect and expert.

His consulting work has included pilotage, litigation, project management and ship design. He has handled a wide variety of marine claims, including those involving damage and loss to goods, valuation of goods and environmental and pollution-related losses.

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The Canadian Insurance Claims Managers Association held an educational day in Winnipeg on Apr. 9, 2010, and both CICMA and CIAA executive attended.

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Mike Morris has been appointed vice president of central operations at Cunningham Lindsey Canada (CLC).

Morris joined CLC in 1988 as a trainee and moved through the ranks before being appointed assistant vice president in 2008. He is based at CLC’s head office in Mississauga, Ont.

Andrea Digdon has been appointed assistant vice president of the Atlantic Region at CLC. She is is responsible for the operational management of the region and working with Atlantic Canada customers to deliver superior claims solutions.

She was most recently Halifax branch manager at CLC.

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Claudine Davoodi has been appointed as Crawford & Company (Canada) Inc.’s vice president of operations for the region of Quebec.

Davoodi will continue to work closely with Quebec branch managers and will have operational responsibility for all of Crawford’s claims operations throughout the province. She will continue to report to Pat Van Bakel, senior vice president of Crawford’s claims operations.

In addition, Andrea Zimny has been named assistant vice president of ClaimsAlert for Crawford operations in Canada.

ClaimsAlert offers centralized claim intake 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for Crawford clients.

Reporting to Steve Anderson, senior vice president of corporate markets and administration, Zimny will continue to manage both the Waterloo and Montreal ClaimsAlert centres.

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