Category Archives: Client News

Insurance Society of Philadelphia announces new leadership

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Dianne Salter, Beth Graber Selected to Lead 114-Year-Old Non-Profit

The Insurance Society of Philadelphia (ISOP) today welcomes two new leaders: Dianne Salter who will assume the role of chair of ISOP’s Board of Directors on July 1, and Beth Graber who assumes the role of ISOP executive director effective immediately.

Salter takes the helm of ISOP as chair with more than 25 years of insurance industry experience, including her current role as executive vice president of Corporate Insurance Services for Thomas Jefferson University, Main Line Health and Magee Rehabilitation Hospital.  She also serves as President of Mountain Laurel Risk Retention Group and Five Pointe Professional Liability Insurance Company. Previously she was executive vice president, Insurance Operations for Jefferson Health System from 2002 through 2014 and also spent 17 years providing brokerage, risk management consulting and account management services to large healthcare clients in her role as managing director of Marsh USA Inc. She is a former board chair for the Vermont Captive Insurance Association and a current board member of both the St. Joseph University Academy of Risk and Insurance and ISOP.  Salter earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware and an MBA in finance from La Salle University.

Graber joins ISOP after three years of progressively senior-level risk management roles at Keystone Foods, most recently as the $2.5 billion global food supplier’s director of Corporate Insurance and Risk Management. Previously, Graber spent 20 years in claim management for a handful of organizations, most notably Chubb. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware and her MBA in business and marketing from Villanova University.

The outgoing ISOP board chair and current managing partner of Willis North America in Philadelphia, John Sherlock, said the new ISOP leadership duo will bring fresh energy and new opportunities to the 114-year-old association.

“I’ve had the great pleasure of serving on the ISOP board with Dianne [Salter] and I have the utmost confidence in her leadership and vision,” said Sherlock.  He added that ISOP’s executive committee engaged in an extensive examination of ISOP’s strategic objectives to ensure the continuity and relevancy of the organization before tasking Salter and Graber with leadership roles.

“We’ve had extensive meetings, productive discussions and selected Beth [Graber] who brings both the organizational aptitude and appropriate industry insight needed to take ISOP into the future” said Sherlock. “Putting two well-qualified, energetic and ambitious leaders like Dianne and Beth at the helm of ISOP is good for our members and bodes well for the continued leadership, strength and growth of our organization.”

Both Salter and Graber have already begun developing a number of programs and initiatives they will introduce to the ISOP board immediately following Salter’s official installation as board chair. Meanwhile, the new executive director is organizing her staff at ISOP’s new headquarters in King of Prussia and preparing new series of highly focused workshops and forums on a range of topical issues such as climate change, emerging risks and workers’ compensation.

Salter, Graber and their team will also focus on prioritizing expansion of membership and programs for the NextGen group within ISOP for young professionals. And while the leadership team is new, ISOP’s continuing commitment to professional development and education of all insurance professionals within southeastern Pa., southern N.J. and DE remains central to its mission.   

Tyler Park Center for the Arts Announces Summer Music & Sculpture Festival

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Featuring world-class sculpture and artisan crafts, superb music, farm-to-table culinary selections, and locally crafted beer and wine

Tyler Park Center for the Arts (TPCA) is pleased to announce a premier event, “Summer Music and Sculpture Festival.” On June 27th and 28th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the famous TPCA Meadow will feature world-class sculpture, including indoor works and monumental outdoor pieces, paired with superb musical talent presented by Evan Walton of Addison Wolf Real Estate.

One of the featured artists, Ayami Aoyama, at work

Featured artist Ayami Aoyama at work

The Summer Music and Sculpture Festival combines the presentation of exceptional works of art and a diverse artisan marketplace featuring the work of local potters, woodworkers, fiber artists, and sculptors with a bounty of regional farm-to-table culinary selections including the Lower Makefield Farmers Market.

Attendees will have the chance to meet local artists and purchase locally made crafts, art, and unique handmade items while taking part in live demonstrations including the construction of an adobe bench, creation of a large-scale found object sculpture by Eric Schultz of the Grounds for Sculpture, painting, or throwing pottery. All activities are suitable for every age and ability.

The Festival features an array of live music including Evan Walton’s Wineskin, featuring Grammy Award– winning drummer Jim Hines playing R&B, rock, and original works. Wineskin is an icon in the regional music scene for nearly 25 years. Sharing the stage are John Beacher with his newly released album “Saturn Returns,” Tritide, Larry Tamanini, JB Kline, and the Red Rooster Band among others.         

Bringing inspiration and awareness to the event are several area non-profit organizations, a student sculpture exhibit (high-school students) and competition as well as “Sculptor Talks,” rounding out two full days of amazing events and activities surrounded by beautiful Tyler State Park.

Small-scale works from the Festival will travel to our partner, New Hope Arts, after the close of the event. Through the TPCA partnership with New Hope Arts, we create more opportunities for artists to connect with patrons through their fine multimedia works, all of which are available for purchase.

Tickets can be purchased at TylerParkArts.org by June 10th at a discounted rate, or $13 for members, $15 for non-members at the gate. Children under 12 are always free at TPCA public events.

About Tyler Park Center for the Arts

Tyler Park Center for the Arts is a non-profit organization featuring extensive programming, classes, and visual arts. Under the leadership of Executive Director Jennifer Miller, Tyler Park Center for the Arts serves the community through a host of transformative programming including adult and youth instruction for both groups and individuals, and a permanent Sculpture Garden featuring outdoor installations. With 25 years of experience as a professional potter, Jennifer’s skill as an impassioned teacher has resulted in a vibrant pottery studio and artistic community in the historic Stable Building at Tyler Park. Under her administration, Tyler Park Center has become a regional arts destination. To learn more about Tyler Park Center for the Arts, please visit tylerparkarts.org.

AAMGA Under Forty leaders and distinguished members featured on A.M. Best TV

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At the AAMGA Annual Meeting May 17 to 20, John Weber of A.M. Best discussed the U.S. wholesale insurance market with an expert panels of AAMGA members, including Hank Watkins, president of Lloyd’s America, Rodger Ware, incoming president of AAMGA, Nona McCreedy, COO of Aurora Underwriting, Matt Letson, president of AAMGA. View the discussion here.

John also spoke with leaders from the AAMGA’s Under Forty Organization (UFO) about how their membership helps them build alliances and advance the careers of young professionals. Check out the video at A.M. Best.

Sustainable Energy Fund launches 
energy savings program for nonprofits

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Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF), a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to educating, supporting and financing energy users seeking a sustainable energy future, has launched its Nonprofit Energy Savings Agreement (NESA) to provide expertise and funding to nonprofits seeking to install energy efficient features into their buildings.

NESA will use utility bill savings created by the added energy efficiencies to repay SEF for its upfront investment. The utility customer, in this case a nonprofit, will retain a portion of the utility bill savings while SEF is being repaid. Once SEF is repaid, the utility customer will receive all of the utility bill savings.

Contractors working through the program will be required to provide performance guarantees, ensuring the nonprofits involved receive a minimum annual savings on their utility bills. According to SEF, if those savings aren’t achieved, NESA will compensate those utility customers for the difference.

“This program is an invaluable resource for nonprofits that might not otherwise have the financial means to undertake a sizable, energy efficiency capital improvement project,” said John Costlow, president and CEO of the SEF. “The ultimate savings that can be achieved will help these nonprofits focus more resources on their mission rather than their operational costs.”

According to SEF, the small commercial building market in the U.S. requires $35.64 billion in capital to appropriately conduct energy efficiency retrofits. Such retrofits would result in $138 billion in savings in the subsequent decade following construction. However, organizations are typically stymied by lack of funding, expertise and awareness. SEF will help reduce such barriers with shared industry expertise and funding.

For more information on NESA, please visit www.thesef.org or call (610) 264-4400.

Addison Wolfe offers self defense classes to mark national realtor protection month

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(Check out a video of the agents in action at their self-defense class)

To help promote Realtor safety following National Realtor Protection Month, Addison Wolf Real Estate is hosting two self-defense classes for its Realtors on April 2 and April 9 at New Hope Karate. Nearly 30 of the firm’s 45 agents have signed up to participate so far.

“The reality is we live in a world where bad things sometimes happen,” says Robert Reynolds, a Realtor with Addison Wolfe and owner of New Hope Karate. “Being able to defend yourself in these rare instances is important. These classes will give Addison Wolfe agents an added advantage should they need to defend themselves.”

According to a March 2015 Member Safety Report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), only 46 percent of real estate brokerages have standard procedures and recommendations for agent safety. Further, the report found only 18 percent of respondents have participated in a Realtor safety course.

Reynolds, who has three decades of experience teaching self defense and is a 5th Degree Master of Tang Soo Do, says the classes will focus on basic awareness issues as well as self-defense techniques. Those self-defense techniques will include:

  • Multiple defenses to wrist and shoulder grabs by assailants
  • Defense against a rear choke hold
  • Take downs (if warranted)
  • Where and how to strike an attacker

The NAR report noted Realtor safety concerns are heightened due to open houses, vacant properties, and properties in remote areas. In addition, the high community profile of most agents can sometimes draw unwanted attention.

Although Addison Wolfe doesn’t publicly disclose its agent safety protocols, it does recommend the following basic safety tips to all Realtors:

  • Alert your office when you go to a showing or open house. Make it a standard practice to call your office at the conclusion of each.
  • Always have two people host any open house.
  • Let clients and prospects take the lead entering properties or various rooms. This allows you to be able to exit ahead of them if necessary.
  • Always carry your keys in one hand and cell phone in the other during a showing. The keys can be a non-threatening weapon if needed.
  • Arrive early to all showings and open houses and plan an exit strategy should you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation or if you feel threatened.

Sustainable Energy Fund hires Philadelphia firm to design an energy self-sufficient building

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Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF), a nonprofit non-governmental organization dedicated to educating, supporting and financing energy users seeking sustainable energy options, today announces it has awarded a contract to Re:Vision Architecture of Philadelphia to create a conceptual design for a commercially viable net zero commercial building.

As a net-zero project, the building will be extremely energy efficiency and create at least as much energy as it uses over a year from renewable energy. It will effectively minimize utility bills to a minimum monthly fee.

“SEF intends to show how a net-zero commercial office space can be commercially viable in the small office environment,” says John Costlow, president of SEF. “Net zero technology has been viable for some time but the challenge is to accomplish it at or near market rates while also significantly lowering traditional operating costs.”

Re:Vision Co-Founder and Principal Scott Kelly applauded SEF for inviting the architecture firm in early during the project’s concept stage.

“We’re thrilled to have found in SEF a partner focused on the end-goal of a net-zero building that is willing to bring in an architectural design partner so early in the development stages because early big moves have significant design and cost implications,” says Kelly. “There are multiple ways to get to net-zero in design and construction. Together, our shared goal is to create a compelling and efficient model that exemplifies SEF’s core mission and principles.”

Re:Vision was founded in 2002 as a green architecture firm dedicated to sustainability and transparent social and environmental performance standards.

Conceptual designs of the SEF project will be unveiled at EnergyPath 2015, held at the University of Scranton in July.

Addison Wolfe celebrates milestone, lands recognition in Courier-Times

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The Bucks County Courier-Times highlights a milestone for Addison Wolfe. The boutique real estate agency surpassed their $200 million sales mark last year, after only eight years of business. Headed by Art Mazzei, a retired schoolteacher, the agency specializes in high-end homes in Bucks County and the surrounding areas.

Mazzei dedicates Addison Wolfe’s success to their personal touch on each listing and quality service they give to each client.

Addison Wolfe, a client of Kimball Communications, is located in New Hope, Penn. Learn further about Addison Wolfe’s milestone in the Courier-Times article and short video interviewing Mazzei.

Lloyd’s announces new multi-year binding authority agreements

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AAMGA noted as being integral to this new, streamlined process

Lloyd’s, the world’s specialist insurance market, today issued a market bulletin announcing it is changing its requirements to allow multi-year binding authority agreements of up to 36 months. The bulleting lays out the new process and requirements, while also recognizing the American Association of Managing General Agents (AAMGA) for its years of advocacy on this important issue for Lloyd’s coverholders. The new agreements will take effect in 2016.

“We’ve been advocating for this change for several years to provide peace of mind and security – and frankly good business practices – for all Lloyd’s coverholders,” noted Roger Ware, president of AAMGA. “We met with Lloyd’s Chairman John Nelson as recently as May of this year at our Annual Meeting in Maryland to again press the issue, and we’re pleased to learn of Lloyd’s actions today.”

Currently, Lloyd’s coverholders can only enter into binding authority agreements of up to 18 months, while in most cases these agreements are renewed annually. Under the new multi-year binding authority agreements, Lloyd’s coverholders will be able to establish these agreements for up to 36 months. A streamlined annual confirmation component is included, in which Lloyd’s will send a simple form to its coverholders each November or December requesting appropriate confirmation of binding authority.

Grant Kimball, president of Canadian-based Angus-Miller, an associate member of AAMGA, applauded the change to Lloyd’s binding authority agreements.

“Lloyd’s listened to our industry representatives, reviewed the market landscape and made an appropriate and practical decision,” noted Kimball. “These multi-year agreements will take some of the guess work out of renewing business as well as make it easier to work effectively and efficiently with Lloyd’s.”

TeenCentral.Net Educates Teens about Dating Violence

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Online graphic novel educates teens about domestic violence, offers resources

Schnecksville, Pa. – One in three teens will experience some form of abuse from someone they are dating. To raise awareness of dating violence and help abused teens get help, TeenCentral.Net today announces the launch of ‘A Good Date Gone Bad.’

This online graphic novel – another in a series of themed sections on TeenCentral.Net – provides teenagers with information about domestic violence, including signs of dating violence, advice to handle an abusive date, and a safety plan to help teens avoid abuse.

“Although we hear about domestic violence in the news sometimes, dating violence among teens, which occurs with alarming frequency, is rarely discussed in public,” says Julius Licata, Ph.D., director of TeenCentral.Net. “Teens often don’t know what is normal or abnormal in a relationship. Because they may not recognize certain behaviors as abusive, ‘A Good Date Gone Bad’ offers insight and help for teens with concerns.”

‘A Good Date Gone Bad’ provides an interactive quiz to help teens identify if they are in an abusive relationship followed by steps on how get help. The steps include a list of certified websites and hotlines for victims to call. Another important section of the site is the safety plan, which encourages teens to have a plan in place that has been shared with trusted individuals to lower chances of being abused.

ABOUT TEENCENTRAL.NET
TeenCentral.Net is a unique prevention, intervention and aftercare website developed by KidsPeace, a national not-for-profit mental and behavioral healthcare charity headquartered in Lehigh Valley, Pa. TeenCentral.Net’s mission is to help teens safely and anonymously tell their stories and receive sound advice within 24 hours from specially trained volunteers and counselors. All postings by teens and volunteers are reviewed by Master’s level clinicians before appearing on the site. To learn more, visit TeenCentral.Net.

Shawn Yingling Takes the Helm at Glatfelter Healthcare Practice

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York, Pa. — May 5, 2014 — Glatfelter Program Managers (GPM), a strategic business unit dedicated to Glatfelter Insurance Group’s program business, has appointed Shawn Yingling as president of Glatfelter Healthcare Practice, effective today. Yingling is currently president of Glatfelter Religious Practice (GRP) and will maintain this role.

Yingling is a 26-year veteran of insurance program business. In 1988, he joined Glatfelter as a commercial underwriting specialist for the VFIS program, and then joined the Claims Department as a liability claims representative. Later, he was promoted to regional marketing representative for Glatfelter’s Ambulance Insurance Services, served as a producer for VFIS and then was promoted to Pennsylvania marketing and sales manager. In 2012, he was hired to lead GRP.

Licensed in all states, Yingling’s insurance designations include: Associate in Underwriting (AU), Associate in Claims (AIC), Accredited Advisor of Insurance (AAI), Associate in Insurance Services (AIS), Associate in Customer Services (ACS) and Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA). He is currently working toward the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Associate in Management (AIM) designations. Yingling holds a bachelors’ degree from the Pennsylvania State University.

Sue Federinko, who led GHP as a senior vice president since 2013, retains this title as she moves to a leadership role on GHP’s sales team and assumes responsibility for all relationships with the program’s “Most Valuable Producers (MVPs).” She will also oversee all GHP territory east of the Mississippi and is responsible for expanding GHP’s distribution.

About Glatfelter Program Managers (GPM)
GPM (www.glatfelters.com/specialty_insurance_programs.asp) is a strategic business unit dedicated to Glatfelter Insurance Group’s program business. Based in York, Pa., GPM is one of the premier managers and recognized specialists of niche markets in the country. GPM manages and markets several specialty programs, including VFIS for fire departments, ambulance and rescue squads, and 911 centers; Glatfelter Public Practice for educational institutions, municipalities, independent school bus contractors and water/sewer entities; Glatfelter Healthcare Practice for skilled care, assisted living, independent living, continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), personal care and group homes, hospice, home health care agencies and other private homecare agencies; and Glatfelter Religious Practice for churches, synagogues, temples and other religious institutions.