Moves (May 01, 2006)

The Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC) welcomes Michael Butler, national insurance and services manager for PPG Refinish Canada, to the position of chair of the Chapter & Industry Relations Committee. Butler offers 18 years of experience in the collision repair marketplace, including OEM parts marketing, insurance vendor relations, and collision banner growth. Throughout his career, Butler has held management roles in development, promotions, training and education, marketing and insurance solutions. “PPG Canada is committed to the goals and objectives of WICC,” Butler says. “I hope my efforts on behalf of WICC will help to further enhance the excellent job the organization has done in raising funds for cancer research and awareness. Supporting WICC complements PPG’s and my personal commitment to help improve the quality of life for everyone.” In support of WICC’s dedication to raising money in support of cancer research and education, the CertifiedFirst Network of PPG Canada, Inc. has been a platinum level corporate sponsor for the past year. Since its inception in 1996, WICC, with the help of the insurance industry, has raised over CD$2 million in support of cancer research and education. In addition to raising funds for cancer research, WICC also provides educational forums for the industry on how to support those affected by the disease.

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Members of the CertifiedFirst Network’s Collision Repair Centres Advisory Council elected Ken Friesen, president and CEO of Concours Collision Centres in Calgary, AB, to the position of chairman of the council this April during the Council’s 4th annual meeting held in Vancouver, B.C.. Friesen has more than 35 years of experience in the collision repair industry and boasts extensive involvement with collision associations. He is a past president of the Automotive Service and Repair Association of Alberta and was a founder and past chairman of the Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF). Currently, Friesen is chairman of the Process and Innovation Committee for CCIF. In 1999, he received the Hall of Eagles Award, which recognizes exemplary leadership, dedication and outstanding contribution towards the betterment of the collision industry. Friesen was also presented the Innovator of the Year Award by Bodyshop Video at NACE in 2005. In addition, Friesen was instrumental in both the development and implementation of the present ASRA C-Car standards program, and the re-writing of the Alberta Apprenticeship Training Program. Formed to act as a sounding board, the council provides guidance and input to ensure network growth, program compliance and value added program consistency to the Network.

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Travel Underwriters recently welcomed Don Storey as the new regional account manager, eastern Ontario. Storey offers 30 years of travel agency and insurance industry experience, holding various sales and leadership roles in Ontario and internationally in Moscow, Russia. Storey has worked in operations, business development and account management. Based in Peterborough, ON, Storey is responsible for developing broker relations in Ottawa and the eastern Ontario region.

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Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH) recently appointed Don Bailey as the new chief operating officer of the company’s North American business unit. Bailey, who joined Willis in March 2003 to lead the company’s North American executive risks practice, will now manage the organization’s day-to-day operational and sales activities. In addition, Bailey will execute the overall strategy in North America and build an organizational platform to drive future performance. Previously, Bailey was senior vice president and chief underwriting officer of the specialty risk lines at Allianz Insurance Company in Chicago. Prior to his tenure with Allianz, Bailey served Aon and Marsh in various capacities. His insurance career started with Chubb & Son in 1987 as an underwriter in the financial institutions department. Tom Coughlin, who has been chief operating officer of Willis risk solutions North America since 2000, will succeed Bailey as CEO of the practice.

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The Western Life Assurance Company of Alberta recently began to use MFX’s WriteNow Web-based policy-writing platform for Western Life’s suite of ‘@pprove’ online, term life products. MFX, a provider of technology and IT outsourcing solutions, developed WriteNow to provide agents and brokers with the ability to qualify, rate, quote, bind and deliver policy documents. Ray Roy, chairman & CEO of MFX, says WriteNow offers “a compelling argument for any insurer looking to offer life or property & casualty products online.” Roy says the platform provides insurers with the ability to keep products up to date by posting new rates in real time. WriteNow is provided by MFX on an application service provider (ASP) based model, and allows customers to maintain control of product rates and business rules and to underwrite cases by exception. WriteNow deploys an 80:20 strategy – 80% of the solution is generic and the remaining 20% are customized to specific needs, including integration with legacy systems.

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Willis Group Holdings, Ltd. (NYSE: WSH) is strengthening its Canadian contingent with the appointment of five new insurance professionals to its Canadian operations. The new Toronto-based employees include Ayesha Navarro, Murray Kammer, Charles Fogden, Matthew Cook, and Douglas Bundock. Formerly senior vice president at Aon, Navarro joins Willis as senior vice president, account executive with Willis’ risk solutions practice. Navarro has more than 17 years of industry experience, with a focus in business development and relationship management. Kammer, previously senior vice president at Marsh Canada, joins Willis as senior vice president and director of Willis’ commercial practice. Kammer offers 25 years of industry experience with a specialty in the divisions of management, group commercial, large and middle market, production and account management. Aon’s former senior vice president, Fogden, joins Willis as senior vice president within Willis’ risk solutions practice. Offering more than 25 years of experience, Fogden brings to Willis expertise in business development. Cook joins Willis as senior vice president within the risk solutions practice; he is the former vice chairman of In Tech Risk Management. At In Tech, Cook worked within the consulting sector focusing on business development and, at Aon, he spent nine years within the business development group. He brings with him broad experience in the development of risk-managed accounts. Finally, Bundock, a former branch manager at Jones DesLauriers, joins Willis as vice president, group leader for the commercial group practice. He offers 29 years of producing, managing, and staffing experience for commercial clients. “The addition of these leading industry professionals to our business in Toronto differentiates our service offering, strengthening Willis’ ability to solve clients’ problems in Canada,” Wole Coaxum, chairman, CEO and national partner of Willis Canada, says.