Moves (March 01, 2008)

Keal Technology and PowerSoft jointly confirmed the completion of an integration project announced at the end of 2007. The integration partnership allows Keal’s clients using sigXP, a broker management system (BMS) for personal lines, to integrate with PowerSoft’s rating tool, PowerQuote, for personal lines insurance rating, quoting and prospecting. “Integrating sigXP and PowerQuote provides our brokers with the choice to choose the best rating tool for their unique needs and streamlines their operations to ensure they remain competitive,” said Keal president Pat Durepos. Lake of the Woods Insurance in Kenora, Ontario, is the first brokerage to take advantage of the sigXP/PowerQuote integration. A longtime client of both vendors, Lake of the Woods Insurance can now upload client information from sigXP directly into PowerQuote without duplicate data entry. PowerQuote then returns rating information directly back into sigXP. •

The Canadian Disaster Restoration Group (CDRG) has launched a new logo for the CDRG Fund, including a hand print to reflect the notion of people helping people. The hand behind the swirl represents how CDRG members touch people by restoring their lives to normal, a company statement says. Eastern-CDRG in Ottawa has already contributed to the foundation; it is working with local fire departments establish a plan to help a family or individual in need. The idea is to provide emergency essentials in the event of a disaster. CDRG will match all donations dollar-for- dollar. Also, CDRG says it will pay all administrative costs, ensuring that 100% of each donation is doubled and goes to support a family or individual in need after a disaster such as fire or flood has struck their homes. •

EW Disaster Kleenup LP has changed its name to FirstOnSite Restoration LP and has appointed Ian Milne as its new CEO. Ken Zardo has been appointed vice-president of national sales and marketing. Zardo has nearly 30 years of experience in sales and marketing, e-commerce and corporate and strategic planning. He has spent his past 14 years in disaster restoration and the marketing of software for insurers. Milne has more than 35 years’ experience in related businesses in Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, mostly with the Tyco Fire & Security division of Tyco International Ltd. Former president and CEO Lyle Kerr is now chairman of the board. “The new name FirstOnSite more clearly reflects the nature of the company’s emergency response and restoration business and will help us to create a national brand,” Kerr said. • The Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) has announced it is renewing its sponsorship agreement with professional golfer Richard Scott from Kingsville, Ont. “Richard has represented us well and we’re proud to be associated with his success,” IBAO CEO Randy Carroll said in a release. “In 2007, our first year in sponsoring him, Richard had the chance to come out and meet some of our brokers on the golf course. We look forward to holding an event with him again because he’s a really sharp young man.” Scott turned pro more than a year ago, capping off his amateur career with a third Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship title and a second place finish at the World Amateur Golf Championships in 2006. •

Aon Corporation is integrating its worldwide risk and insurance brokerage operations into a single global business, Aon Risk Services. Aon Risk Services has more than 26,000 colleagues in 120 countries and generates more than US$5 billion in revenues. Steve McGill, currently CEO of Aon Risk Services Americas and Aon Global, and Ted T. Devine, currently CEO of Aon Re Global, will lead Aon Risk Services. McGill will serve as chairman and CEO; Devine will serve as president of Aon Risk Services. “In bringing all our Aon risk services operations together, we are enhancing the ability of our colleagues around the world to bring their deep knowledge of local needs, innovation and expertise to one global, client-focused business,”McGill said. Andrew Appel, previously CEO of Aon Consulting, has assumed the role of CEO of Aon Re Global, replacing Devine. Appel additionally will serve as chairman of Aon Consulting. •

Dave Lush is the new chief operating officer of CARSTAR Automotive Canada. The new position was created to ensure the company is poised for its next phase in growth and long-term sustainability, CARSTAR noted. Lush will be responsible for ensuring operational excellence, as well as the execution of business strategies and the strategic plan for CARSTAR. In addition, he will be responsible for developing and leading the 40 corporate management team members. He will continue to work closely with CARSTAR’s key stakeholders, including franchisees, insurers and suppliers. “I am pleased to welcome Dave to this new position,” Sam Mercanti, president and CEO of CARSTAR, said in a release. “His many years of experience in the Canadian automotive industry will not only benefit CARSTAR, but also its many partners and stakeholders.”

• The Co-operators Group Ltd. has announced a new member, the Amalgamated Dairies Limited (ADL). ADL joins the ranks of a number of agricultural organizations from Atlantic Canada, forming the group of co-operatives, credit unions and like-minded organizations that make up the ownership group of The Co-operators Group Ltd, a release notes. “We are delighted to welcome Amalgamated Dairies Limited as a new member-owner of The Co-operators,”Kathy Bardswick, president and CEO of The Co-operators, said in the release. “The Co-operators has strong agricultural and rural roots in Canada. Through the years, the organization has forged strong relationships with our agricultural members in different regions across the country, and we look forward to continuing to do the same in the Atlantic with ADL.” •

Marsh has established a global supply chain risk management practice under the leadership of Gary Lynch. The practice was designed to provide clients with the risk intelligence and risk solutions required to better manage their value/supply chain risk, Marsh notes in a release. Two other subpractices, the supply chain consulting subpractice, as well as the supply chain risk intelligence subpractice, will be led by Ann Grackin and William McBeath, respectively. “Within the past decade, we have seen an acceleration of changes in business models due to a relentless drive for efficiency and productivity, which has led to an increase in outsourcing, just-in-time manufacturing, and globalization,” John Merkovsky, a managing director of Marsh and global leader for risk consulting, said in the release. “Businesses are still coming to grips with their evolving risk profiles and the impacts on revenue and brand equity of disruptions–natural or manmade–on their extended supply chains. Our supply chain risk management practice will provide clients with the tools and insights needed to help address their exposures.” •

York Fire & Casualty has become Canada’s first insurance carrier to implement true XML real-time inquiry, which it demonstrated at a general meeting of the Toronto Applied Systems Client Network (TASCnet). Using Applied Systems’ WARP technology for real-time transactions, York Fire now communicates directly and immediately with insurance brokers through their broker management systems. The new inquiry improves on processes that relied on time-consuming standard scripting services and carrier portal log-ins. The XML inquiry transaction is round trip — starting and ending in the broker management system with no carrier portal connectivity, navigation or other portal involvement. An XML response is sent instantly in the form of an html page with the requested information, Applied Systems notes in a press release. York Fire president Colin Simpson said Warp technology allows single-click, real-time inquiries with response time in as little as eight seconds, an improvement over the much slower scripting response that could take up to two minutes. • PPG C
anada Inc. has expanded its educational offerings with five new and four updated courses. Each one is recognized and can count towards I-CAR Gold Class Professionals, I-CAR Platinum Individual and AMI Accredited Automotive Manager designations. The four updated courses include: MVP advanced collision estimating skills; MVP collision repair sales and customer service; MVP production and cycle time; and administrative management. The five new educational offerings engage the following topics: collision centre marketing; managing customer loyalty; organizational development; leadership and leading change; and business in the 21st century. •

Northbridge Financial Corporation has appointed Craig Pinnock as its new chief financial officer, as of March 31. Pinnock will succeed current CFO John Varnell, who is retiring. Pinnock, a chartered accountant, has served in progressively senior finance roles within the Liberty Mutual Group for more than eight years, a Northbridge statement says. Most recently he was senior vice president and CFO of Liberty Mutual Group’s Canadian branches and global head of reinsurance accounting and administration for Liberty International Underwriters, Liberty’s specialty lines business unit. Varnell has been Northbridge’s CFO since 2005.He served on the company’s board of directors from 2003-07. •

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) is now offering a New Vehicle Replacement Plus program, allowing a vehicle to be written off if the damage exceeds 50% of its market value. Program members suffering a write-off would receive a new version of their vehicle or the cash equivalent. Many new car owners don’t want a vehicle back that has had major repairs, so we are providing these customers with another option, said Kellee Irwin, vice-president of underwriting at ICBC. “We’ve lowered the threshold for New Vehicle Replacement Plus customers to give them the peace of mind in knowing that if they get in a major crash they are still going to have a brand new vehicle.” •

Peter Levene has been reappointed as chairman of Lloyd’s of London. Ewen Gilmour and Graham White were reappointed as deputy chairmen; Bill Knight was reappointed as deputy chairman of council, a Lloyd’s release says. Catlin Syndicate Limited, represented by Paul Jardine, was also elected as a corporate ‘C’ external member for a three-year term. Jardine is deputy chairman of Catlin Underwriting Agencies Limited and is also the chairman of the Lloyd’s Market Association. Of the recent council appointments, Lord Levine said: “With their combined experience they will add tremendous value in helping to underpin robust management of the underwriting cycle.” •