113th Annual Convention | September 28 – October 1, 2008

6:30 a.m.

IEI 19th Annual Golf Classic – Scotland Run Golf Club
The 19th Annual IEI Golf Classic will be held at the Scotland Run Golf Club in Williamstown, N.J. This Stephen Kay designed course, just 15 minutes from downtown Philadelphia, was carved out of an abandoned rock and gravel quarry. One of the newest courses in the mid–Atlantic region, Scotland Run has quickly earned a world–class reputation. Golf Digest rates this fine course at 4 ½ stars and Business Weekly Magazine named it the #1 Public Course to Entertain Clients in the Philadelphia Region. The course plays 6,810 yards from the tips, and numerous bunkers, tight fairways, and sand cliffs border several holes. Always in outstanding condition, Scotland Run is a thinking player’s golf course. You just can’t stand on the tee and grip it and rip it. It should be great fun.

12 – 1 p.m.

IEI Golf Classic Lunch

12 – 6 p.m.

Registration

4 – 5 p.m.

Prayer Service Choir Practice

7 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Registration

8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Cyber Café

8 – 9:30 a.m.

Prayer Service and Breakfast*
A NAMIC tradition, join us for the non–denominational prayer breakfast.
Sponsored by Mutual Reinsurance Bureau.

12 – 6 p.m.

Exhibitor Move–in

4 – 5 p.m.

First–time Convention Attendee Reception
First–time attendees are invited to join us for a casual gathering where you will have a chance to meet with fellow conventioneers and staff. It is a great chance for you to begin to build a network within the NAMIC membership and ask questions about convention and other association affairs one–on–one with NAMIC staff.

5:30 – 7 p.m.

Chairman’s Reception

7:30 – 9 a.m.

NAMIC Advisory Council Breakfast**

8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Registration

8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Cyber Café

8 – 9:30 a.m.

Exhibit Hall Open
Join more than 100 vendors who specialize in serving the property/casualty insurance industry in the Exhibit Hall on Monday and Tuesday during convention. There is a grand prize drawing on Monday evening during the Exhibit Hall Reception.

9:30 – 11 a.m.

Opening General Session and Awards

Keynote Speaker: Ben Stein

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Open

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Delegate Luncheon
Dessert Tables sponsored by Transatlantic Re.

1 – 2:45 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions

Property Casualty Conference Annual Business Meeting: Understanding the Insurance Industry Image in the Public Eye
Join us for this insightful session as we explore the image of the insurance industry in the public eye. Nicolas Boyon, senior vice president, Ipsos Public Affairs, will share key findings from Ipsos’ research of over 25,000 individuals on their opinions and attitudes towards insurance companies – specifically, how much they know them, like them, trust them, and view their performance on a wide range of image attributes. Nicolas will guide you through understanding what the public is thinking to understanding what comprises your corporate image.

Nicolas Boyon, Senior Vice President
Ipsos Public Affairs
New York, N.Y.

Farm Mutual Conference Annual Business Meeting: The Roots of Our Industry
What do Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson have in common? In addition to their founding father status, all were early policyholders in America’s first insurance companies. Franklin helped found The Philadelphia Contributionship in 1752, America’s first successful property insurance company which served as a model for others – small groups of neighbors banding together to provide support in times of loss. This session traces the history of these companies, which helped strengthen a growing nation, making property ownership affordable for everyday citizens, not just founding fathers.

Carol Wojtowicz Smith
Independent Curator and Archivist
Haddonfield, N.J.

2:45 – 3 p.m.

Break
Concurrent session coffee break sponsored by B F Re Underwriters - A Berkley Company.

3 – 4:15 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions: Property Casualty Conference

1. Developing Multidisciplinary Leaders—Panel Discussion
   This session will provide practical tactics to develop multi–disciplinary leaders within your organization. Learn what other organizations are doing from a panel of industry specialists.
   
   Sue McNab, Moderator
   Chief People Services Officer
   PEMCO Insurance Companies
   Seattle, Wash.
   
   Tod Carmony, President
   Wayne Mutual Insurance Company
   Wosster, Ohio
   
   Bruce DeGooyer, Director, Corporate Learning & Development
   COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services
   Bloomington, Ill.
   
   Gina Larrow, Human Resources Manager
   Co–operative Insurance Companies
   Middlebury, Vt.
   
   Ron Simon, President
   Auto–Owners Insurance Group
   Lansing, Mich.
2. Technology Trends in the Insurance Industry
   This session will provide important information on technology trends in the insurance industry.

   Craig Webber, Managing Director—Insurance Practice
   Celent
   Boston, Mass.

General Session: Farm Mutual Conference
Future and Legislation of the Mutual Insurance Industry
This session will address how mutual insurance is affected by state and national legislation and regulations, and how companies will need to evolve and change to ensure a position in the insurance marketplace of today and tomorrow.

Jane Cline
West Virginia Insurance Commissioner
Charleston, W.V.

Director’s Session
Succession Planning is a Board’s Responsibility
Succession planning and management (SP&M) is a fundamental tool for the perpetuation of any organization and its key leadership. Strong SP&M processes align organizational goals so that core values are retained and the corporate vision is realized.

Paula Cope, president of Cope & Associates, a firm specializing in helping companies achieve organizational success through strategic and strong succession planning, will illustrate how boards of directors can make better decisions if they understand the choices they have in examining and growing the talent of their organization. A comprehensive systems approach to SP&M will be introduced along with the trend and concepts.

Paula Cope, President
Cope & Associates
Burlington, Vt.

4 – 5:30 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Reception and Grand Prize Drawings
Sponsored by Optical Image Technology, Inc. - DocFinity.

5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

NAMIC PAC Reception**

6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

NAMIC Leadership Reception**

7:30 – 9 p.m.

NAMIC Leadership Dinner**
Reception and dinner sponsored by Towers Perrin.

6 – 8 a.m.

NAMIC Auxiliary Fun Run and Walk
This is a great way to get a little fresh air and some exercise during convention while helping to benefit a good cause. The fourth annual running of the Auxiliary Fun Run Walk will take place in one of the most scenic spots in Philadelphia. Participants can choose between a 5K run or a 3K walk. Proceeds from this event will benefit the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to fund children’s cancer research.

7:30 – 8:45 a.m.

NAMIC Merit Award Breakfast*
The NAMIC Merit Society is designed to encourage individual professional development of person associated with NAMIC member companies and to recognize those individuals who demonstrate educational attainment and service or contributions through NAMIC or state/ provincial association activities. New Merit Award recipients are invited to a breakfast with fellow Merit Society members. An inspirational message will be delivered.
Sponsored by e2Value, Inc.

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Registration Open

8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Cyber Café
Sponsored by e2Value, Inc.

8 – 9 a.m.

Exhibit Hall Open

9 – 10 a.m.

General Session

Keynote Speaker: Alex Soto, CPCU, ARM, President
InSource, Inc.
Miami, Fla.

10 – 10:15 a.m.

Break

10:15 – 11:30 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions: Property Casualty Conference

1. Media Relations for the Insurance Industry
   This interactive session will provide practical, yet simple, tools and methods for dealing with the press both in proactive and reactive situations. Attendees will get a realistic, versus philosophical, executive feel for the challenge and gain a better understanding of how to get started with minimal investment within your own organization. Public Relations expert Mark Firmani will provide specific take–home examples for the audience.
   
   Mark Firmani, President
   Firmani & Associates
   Seattle, Wash.
2. Leadership in a Multigenerational Workplace
   Today’s work environment is diverse in many ways; the career stage of employees is one of the most recognized examples of that diversity. With a multigenerational workforce, leaders may have difficulty producing results when using a one-size-fits-all approach to retaining employees and keeping them engaged. In this interactive session, we will review strategies that leaders can use to best support the needs and development goals of employees in all career stages and generations.
   
   Andrea Moore, CPLP, CEC, Consultant
   Flashpoint Human Resources Consulting
   Indianapolis, Ind.
3. Technology’s Impact on Distribution Channels
   Understanding the impact technology will have on your distribution channels is key to a successful strategy. Carriers face many challenges and have a number of opportunities when determining the best technology for their distribution channels. Matching business and competitive objectives with the demands of agents, consumers, mga’s and brokers requires an understanding of the options associated with technology platforms. This session will address both the business and technology decisions that need to be considered as part of your plan to build and offer the best solutions for your distribution channels. Further, the business benefits you can expect from technology, the responsibility of all the parties, and what we see coming in the future will be part of this discussion.
   
   Bill Tedrick, Co–founder & CEO
   NxTech, Incorporated
   Cincinnati, Ohio

General Session: Farm Mutual Conference
Financial Management & Growth
This session will outline the efforts, changes, decisions, and direction that were taken to bring the company back from near financial ruins to a vibrant financially strong company in less than five years. Attendees can expect to obtain straight-forward information regarding the overall basis as to what caused the financial issues and step–by–step details of what occurred to turn the company around. We will also review how the surplus grew by 650 percent during this period of transition. The session will also include what advancements were made in technology and how this assisted in the recovery. Join us for an open and frank discussion, including opportunities for audience participation.

Art Meadows, President & CEO
Panhandle Farmers Mutual Insurance Company
Moundsville, W.V.

Director’s Session
Six Duties of a Board Member
Our speaker comes to us with life–long experience in management of a mutual insurance company — he served as president/CEO of Goodville Mutual and Mennonite Indemnity, now known as MAX — and board service while serving as the chairman of Habitat for Humanity International. He is the author of seven books on governance and board meetings including “Doing Good Even Better” and “Meditations for Meetings.” In this session he will help distinguishing the work of governance from management and refine six duties of a board member.

Edgar Stoesz

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Open

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Delegate Luncheon
Dessert Tables sponsored by Transatlantic Re.

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Past Chairman and Spouses Reunion Lunch**

1 – 2:15 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions: Property Casualty Conference

1. Politics of Image at the Local Level — Working with Your Legislature to Improve Image
   Your image and how you interact with your legislature can really have an impact on what happens. As a member of the community and face of an employer in your community, you can help shape the perception of the insurance industry. This session will give some tips and solutions for the work you do in your community and getting involved in politics of image at a local level can make a difference.
   
   Neil Alldredge, Moderator
   Vice President State & Regulatory Affairs, NAMIC
   Indianapolis, Ind.
   
   Nat Shapo, Partner
   Katten, Muchin, Rosen, LLP
   Chicago, Ill.
   
   Alan Smith, Executive Director
   ALEC
   Washington, D.C.
   
   Senator Ruth Teichman
   Kansas State Republican
   Stafford, Kan.
2. Succession Planning Case Study
   Succession planning and management is a fundamental tool for the perpetuation of any organization and its key leadership. In this two-part case study, we will learn first-hand how one company, Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Company, successfully developed and implemented a comprehensive succession plan. Sandra Parillo, president and chief executive officer of Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Company, will share her experience in the succession planning process and provide specific examples and provide valuable takeaways for your organization. In addition, succession planning specialist Paula Cope will provide valuable information on the succession planning process so attendees can gain a better understanding of how to approach succession planning in their organization.
   
   Paula Cope, President
   Cope and Associates
   Burlington, Vt.
   
   Sandra Parrillo, President & CEO
   Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Company
   Providence, R.I.
3. Trends in Finance for Mutuals — Panel Discussion
   This informative panel discussion will provide unique perspectives on alternatives to capital for mutuals. Panelists will share their experience with various alternatives including converting to a mutual holding company structure and the issuance of convertible preferred and common stock, the benefits of affiliations with a larger, well–capitalized partner, surplus notes, and lines of credit and borrowing capacity. Join us for an insightful discussion among industry peers.
   
   Darwin Copeman, Moderator
   President & CEO
   Cameron Mutual Group
   Cameron, Mo.
   
   Michael Nobles, CFO
   Union Mutual Fire Group
   Union Mutual, Vt.
   
   Larry Shaw, President & CEO
   MMG Insurance
   Presque Isle, Maine
   
   William Siclari, President & CEO
   Patrons Mutual Group of Connecticut
   Glastonbury, Conn.
   
   Jerry Wollam, President
   NAMIC Insurance Company
   Indianapolis, Ind.

Concurrent Sessions: Farm Mutual Conference

1. FMC Session: Technology: Data Security & Disaster Recovery
   There are many tools and best practices that managers should be aware of to help protect their proprietary information. This session will give managers tools and policies they can implement to improve their security and ability to recover from disaster. The tools and policies will also give managers the knowledge to know what questions to ask their third-party vendors to ensure the technologies they have in place will keep their date secure.
   
   Rick Franz, Vice President, Information Technology
   Wisconsin Reinsurance Corporation
   Madison, Wis.
2. PFMM Course: Investment Management
   This session will teach participants about the benefits of developing a written investment policy statement with your board allowing the maximization of your surplus investment returns within regulatory requirements and prudent risk management. Mr. David will uncover the differences in using bond ladders and stock mutual funds. He will also help illustrate the importance of reducing an executive’s personal time spent managing investments since good help is cheap these days.
   
   Jeff David, Senior Vice President, Investments
   UBS Financial Services, Inc.
   West Des Moines, Iowa

Director’s Session
Aligning Executive Compensation & Strategic Plans
The ultimate objective of any effective executive compensation plan is to attract, retain, and reward competent leadership — executives that have the ability to drive the organization toward the achievement of performance targets established in the company’s strategic business plan. This session will not only provide participants with an instructional look at the fundamentals of executive compensation and strategic planning, but will also highlight ways in which the dynamic integration and alignment of these two planning processes can be developed and implemented.

Larry Webber, Management Consultant
L.R. Webber Associates, Inc.
Gettysburg, Pa.

2 – 3:30 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Open

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions: Farm Mutual Conference

1. FMC Session: Building Relationships — How to Become the Company of Choice
   Leading a farm mutual company is a challenging job. Your company needs to appeal to agents, reinsurers, policyholders, and employees. This is a fast–paced session that relates real–life stories of agents and companies. Participants will learn how to turn your agents into partners, how to establish credibility and standing with reinsurers, how to appeal to policyholders’ buying needs and desires, and how to attract and retain top–performing employees.
   
   Emily Huling, CIC, CMC, President
   Selling Strategies, Inc.
   Terrell, N.C.
2. PFMM Course: Governance Practices
   This session will review definitions and developments on the governance structure of mutual companies (policyholders, board, officers); the various roles and function of the board of directors and key fiduciary duties; the importance of good faith and the relevance of best practices; the significance of independent directors and conflicts of interest; board meeting practices and issues; officer liability; and the role of the audit function in governance.
   
   Gregg Dykstra, General Counsel
   NAMIC
   Indianapolis, Ind.

Director’s Session
Successful Board Meetings
A board of directors functions as a board only when it is in session having a meeting. It follows, therefore, that the quality of the board’s meetings is the quality of its work. Good boards have good meetings. It is as simple as that.

Assuming that you know a meeting routine, our speaker will provide you with seven practices great boards seek to eliminate: drawn–out, inconclusive meetings; poor attendance and habitually late starting time; few decisions – mostly reporting and circular discussion; little discussion or discussion dominated by a few; automatic re–election of incumbents or non–contributing members; many organizational secrets; and an agenda loaded with problems without offering solutions. Join us for this session where we will uncover strategies to help good boards do even better.

Edgar Stoesz

7:15 – 8:30 a.m.

Property Casualty Conference Senior Executive Breakfast**
Senior executives and future leaders from NAMIC Property Casualty Conference member companies are invited to join us for the roundtable discussion on issues impacting their businesses. Attendees will have the opportunity to suggest topics and lead the discussions in small groups based on company size.
Sponsored by e2Value, Inc.

7:30 – 8:45 a.m.

Professional Farm Mutual Manager Recognition Breakfast*
The NAMIC Professional Farm Mutual Manager (PFMM) designation formally recognizes the educational accomplishments and dedication to professionalism of the progressive farm mutual manager. To become certified, individuals must fulfill several requirements and complete a series of courses. Each year, one PFMM is recognized and honored at this breakfast for his or her outstanding work and contributions.
Sponsored by e2Value, Inc.

8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Registration Open

8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Cyber Café Open

8 – 10 a.m.

NAMIC Auxiliary Breakfast and Annual Meeting

9 – 11:30 a.m.

Annual Meeting of Members and Industry Panel Session

Closing Keynote Speaker: Newt Gingrich

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

PAC Fundraising Luncheon**

12 – 5 p.m.

Professional Farm Mutual Manager Classes* (see specific classes below)

12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

PFMM Course: Reviewing & Addressing Rate Adequacy*
This presentation will provide basic overview of the importance of rate adequacy. Topics covered include what to look for when reviewing your financials, how to determine if your rates are adequate, and basic financial ratios you can use. The presentation will also cover what to do if you determine your rates aren’t adequate, including potential rate changes, the role of deductibles, policy fees and tips for presenting the information to your board of directors.

Ron Kuethe, Vice President, Reinsurance
Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company
Des Moines, Iowa

1:45 – 2 p.m.

Break

2 – 3:15 p.m.

PFMM Course: Reinsurance: Purpose & Effective Use in Business Development*
This two–part presentation will provide the manager of a company an overview of the purposes of reinsurance and how reinsurance can be used effectively in the company’s operations. By the end of both sessions, participants will learn the purposes of reinsurance, the types of reinsurance, how to use reinsurance effectively, setting retentions and limits, and much more.

Mike Godby
Cameron Mutual Insurance Company
Cameron, Mo.

3:15 – 5 p.m.

PFMM Course: Reinsurance* (continued)

6 – 7 p.m.

Banquet Cash Bar

6 – 7 p.m.

Leadership Reception**

7 – 10 p.m.

Banquet and Entertainment
Co-hosted by Charter Platinum Level sponsor General Reinsurance Corporation.

10 p.m.

113th Annual Convention Concludes