Moves (October 01, 2005)

The Insurance Institute joined the Institutes of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Halifax for a tree-planting ceremony that aimed to help rebuild Point Pleasant Park after being devastated two years ago by Hurricane Juan. The Institutes sponsored the ceremony, which closed the September brokers’ conference, presented by the Insurance Brokers Associations of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The conference participants are the first outside group that has received an invitation to help in the park’s recovery efforts. Approximately 250 brokers and insurer representatives celebrated the tree planting and the beginning of the park’s new “life.” The recent devastation in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina made the ceremony even more timely. People discussed the hardships faced in the stricken area and reflected on the difficulties faced by residents of Halifax after the devastation of Hurricane Juan. Volunteers who represented the Institutes at the ceremony and handed out beverages at the barbeque that followed include: Jenny Simpson; Gillianne King, manager of the Insurance Institute of New Brunswick; Brian Houlihan, president of the Insurance Institute of Nova Scotia (IINS); Walter Tingley, first vice president, IINS; Sandra Reinders, second vice president, IINS; Tara Rye, director, IINS; and Carey-Ann Greenham, business development director, the Insurance Institute of Canada.

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Paisley-Manor Insurance Brokers, Inc. (PMI), is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Founded by Irving Allan Paisley in 1955 from a shared office in North York, ON, the company has grown to an international service provider employing over 50 people. “Our success as one of Canada’s fastest growing, independently-owned insurance brokerages comes from a half-century of accumulated knowledge designing and developing comprehensive insurance programs and services for entrepreneurial businesses,” Ira Kuchinsky, chief executive officer, says.

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PPG Canada Inc. recently received technical accreditation from Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO) for three of the technical courses the Company offers through the CertifiedFirst Network. Collision Repair for Insurers (three hours credit) is one of the accredited courses that offers a step-by-step guided shop tour, which explains the entire auto repair process. The information taught starts with estimation, moves to repair and refinish and ends with final vehicle delivery. PPG says “insurers will learn more about parts, usage and potential delays to help you set realistic expectations with policyholders.” Also recently accredited is the Vehicle Inspection for Insurers course (three hours credit). This educational experience can help insurers determine insurance issues associated with a vehicle and how those issues relate to safety. The course covers what to look for in the areas of body, frame, glass, identification and repairs as well as possible violations, fraud and other issues. The third course is Loss Control – Windshield Repair (two hours), which explains repair ratios, how they affect insurance company’s bottom line, and how windshield repair can be beneficial to insurer, a repair shop and the policyholder. Through instruction and a live demonstration, the insurer will be able to identify quality repair and qualified repair providers. These courses are currently offered through the CertifiedFirst Network to brokers and other insurance professionals. Typically they are taught at local Collision Repair Centres by owners or managers who have been through a comprehensive training course. “Not only do the brokers receive credits for attending but they have the opportunity to experience the operation of a Collision Repair facility first hand,” Keith Burns, manager of CertifiedFirst, says. For more information on these continuing education initiatives, call 1-866-CERT-1ST (1-866-237-8178).

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Faith and patience paid off for Ecclesiastical Insurance Group who recently celebrated the final stage in the re-launch of their Canadian corporate head office and central regional office. On September 15, group chief executive Graham Doswell alongside general manager and chief agent Jacinta Whyte, welcomed guests into their new office located in the Yonge Eglinton Centre, which boasts a glorious ravine view from the 22nd floor – they have truly reached great new heights.

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Integro (Canada) Ltd. recently hired David Spratt as chief financial officer. Working out of the Company’s Toronto office, Spratt will be responsible for all aspects of finance, administration, human resources and compliance for Integro Canadian operations. Most recently Spratt served as global cfo for the Marsh Captive Management practice in Bermuda and additionally, has held senior positions at Aon Insurance Managers, Deloitte Consulting, International Risk Management and Ernst & Young (formerly Clarkson Gordon). Offering over 20 years of experience, Spratt is a chartered accountant, an associate in risk management and a certified management consultant.

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Integro also hired former Willis EVP Robert Dunn to head up its newly-launched Montral office. Dunn will be responsible for directing the company’s Montral business strategy and resources, as well as developing and cultivating executive level relationships with clients and prospects. Dunn comes to Integro with almost 30 years of experience in the insurance industr. He most recently served as executive vice president and head of office for Willis Canada. He has also held positions with Dale Parizeau, Dunn Downey Parizeau, C.W. Dunn Insurance Broker and the Royal Insurance Company of Canada.

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General Reinsurance Corporation welcomes Matthew Spensieri to his new position with the Company as the chief agent for Canada, effective May 1, 2005. Located in General Re’s Toronto office, Spensieri will support the North American business units’ strategies and additionally, will be responsible for the development of portfolio opportunities in his capacity as an account executive. Not only does Spensieri offer more than 30 years insurance and reinsurance industry experience, he is also an active member of numerous industry organizations and holds a BA from York University.

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Stan Griffin, current president and CEO of the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), is one of two board of directors recently appointed by the General Insurance OmbudService (GIO). Dr. Roger Palmer, Ph.D., of the business school at the University of Alberta, also received an appointment. Palmer served as Alberta’s deputy minister of education in 1998, and became the first deputy minister of Alberta innovation and science in 1999. Griffin is a CIP, director of Smartrisk, past director of the Ontario safety league and has served as a member of several industry and government committees dealing with insurance, road safety and related issues. Griffin served as president and CEO of Facility Association from August 1999 to June 2001. He also chaired a special task force of insurer and reinsurer representatives to develop a short-term response to the potential shortage of terrorism catastrophe reinsurance.

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Invessa Assurances & Services financiers of Montral, Qubec recenlty joined the Strategic Independent Agents Alliance Canada (SIAAC) and established Qubec Brokers Alliance as a strategic master brokerage covering the province. Offering 25 years of experience on both the broker and company sides of the business is president of the Qubec Brokers Alliance Robert Beauchamp, who has taken an active role in the Alliance along with the Company’s vice president of operations Jean-Francois Trudel, and vice president Andr Gunette. “Building a large national broker network that focuses on professionalism as well as the needs of it’s members/insureds while writing profitable business in partnership with our partner insurers is the be
st method of insurance distribution,” according to Invessa and SIAA Canada. “This is an important step for SIAA Canada as it establishes us as a national broker network,” Randall McDonald, chairman and ceo of SIAA Canada, says.

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The corporate services division of Crawford Adjusters Canada has recently been rebranded as Crawford Risk Management Services in order to “better reflect the range of services provided by this division, and to align it more closely with Crawford’s global Risk Management Services operations,” according to Glenn Gibson, ceo of Crawford Adjusters Canada. Gibson says in tune with the rebranding initiative and in order to better communicate their role in the organization, Crawford’s account supervisors will be known as client service managers. The division’s priority is to manage regional and international claims programs for commercial clients. “This rebranding is the final stage of a strategic plan that was developed to align our division’s services with the rapidly evolving needs of our clients,” Maeve Davis, vice president of Risk Management Services, says. “We have built solutions that help Risk Managers proactively manage their claims portfolio through timely and effective claims adjusting and accurate and accessible loss data.”

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With our deepest regrets, we inform you of the sudden passing of Thomas Scheuer, on August 20, 2005 – his 47th year. Thomas was an avid fisherman, racing car enthusiast and a devoted soccer fan. He will be missed by his wife, two daughters, mother and brother as well as his many friends and colleagues. Thomas was a respected colleague of the team at GerlingKonzern Globale Ruck, the parent company of the Gerling Global Reinsurance Company.

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In response to the frenzied feedback of 400 new job postings since July 1st, 2005 and the tens of thousands of visits to the site, www.i-hire.ca – “Canada’s insurance career destination” – has introduced new “Power Posting Packages.” The new packages offer employers and recruiters the option of higher volume job packages with flexibility and value. In addition to the standard one, three and six-pack postings (in both four- and eight-week duration’s), i-hire.ca Power Posting Packages offer employers and recruiters a 20, 50 and 100-Pack of postings (in both four- and eight-week duration options). All i-hire.ca posting packages are open with no restrictions on the time allotted for the employer or recruiter to use-up all of the postings in their package. For example, an employer or recruiter who purchases a 50-Pack of postings on September 20, 2005 can take their time until as long as September 20, 2009 – or beyond – to use-up all of their 50 posting’s. Visit the ‘For Employers’ or ‘Employers/Recruiters Zone’ at www.i-hire.ca for a full pricing schedule including Power Posting Package information.

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ING Canada (TSX – IIC.LV) has appointed Mark Tullis as senior vice president and chief financial officer. Tullis will replace Mike Cunningham in March 2006, who will retire from ING after 15 years of service. Currently, since joining ING Americas in 1999, Tullis is president of ING US Institutional Businesses and a member of ING Canada’s Board of Directors. Previously, he served ING Americas as executive vice president strategic marketing, chief financial officer and chief of staff.

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Accident Support Services International Ltd. and the Hamilton Police recently celebrated the opening of a third location in Hamilton to service the citizens in the Hamilton Mountain district. The success of the two existing Collision Reporting Centers prompted the expansion of services to a third location servicing Ancaster, Glanbrook/Binbrook, Flamborough and the Hamilton Mountain areas. The opening coincides with new hours of operation for the existing locations. The Central Branch at 155 King William Street will now be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 8:00 pm, as well as Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 AM until 7:00 pm. The East Branch at 2825 King Street will operate Monday through Friday from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm. The new center is located in the Police Station at 400 Rymal Road East, and will operate Monday’s to Friday’s from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm.