The sessions and activities on this agenda are open to NAMIC members, convention delegates, and invited guests. Convention credentials are required to be worn at all times. Members of the press should contact NAMIC Public Affairs for a schedule of sessions and other activities that are open to media coverage.

118th Annual Convention Keynote Speakers

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Monday, Sept. 23, 2013

Opening General Session Keynoter: Stan Slap

	NAMIC’s 118th Annual Convention opens with a focus on managing companies to get results. Join us Monday morning to hear leadership consultant and strategist Stan Slap share the insights he’s shared with some of the world’s most influential business leaders from Microsoft, HP, Banana Republic, eBay, and Deloitte on his self-proclaimed quest to make a profound difference in the world.

Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013

Tuesday General Session Keynoter: Robert Spector

	As a mutual insurance industry professional, you know business is nothing without being good to the customer. Customer service consultant Robert Spector shares that belief and likes to talk and write about it. Join NAMIC Tuesday morning during the 118th Annual Convention as Spector shares his story of customer service excellence “The Nordstrom Way.”

“The whole NAMIC Experience and Convention offer me opportunities for personal and professional growth found nowhere else in the industry. It is the ‘United Nations Of Insurance’.... without the bickering.” - Richard Main Secretary/Treasurer Pocahontas Mutual Insurance Association

Convention Concurrent Session Topics

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Monday, September 23, 2013

1:30 - 2:45 p.m.

Foundations of Reinsurance
Join Marsha Cohen, senior vice president and director of education for the Reinsurance Association of America, to explore the foundations of reinsurance. During this session that is designed for new managers and boards of directors, Marsha will address the differences between insurance and reinsurance and identify the purpose of reinsurance for your company. Additionally, she will examine the forms and types of reinsurance agreements, help you understand the marketing process, and discuss how a reinsurance program fits together.
This session qualifies for one FMDC credit in the Operations & Insurance module.

Marsha Cohen, CPCU, ARe Senior Vice President & Director of Education Reinsurance Association of America Washington, D.C.

 

Mutual Branding Update: Putting the Mutual Brand to Use
This panel discussion will feature leaders from NAMIC mutual brand program participating member companies who will share their experience and perspectives in participating in the program: why they are participating, the ease of accessing/ localizing the resources, how resources are used, what companies need to prepare for as participants, and the overall value of the program. The discussion will be moderated by Brent Bahler, vice president of NAMIC public affairs.

Brent Bahler Vice President-- Public Affairs NAMIC Indianapolis, Ind.

 

The Next Generation Leader: How to Position Yourself for Advancement
What can the next generation of leaders do to continue on the path of becoming a chief executive officers? Join experienced executive coach Marty Murphy to discuss important aspects of a CEO’s position, including how to develop a company’s strategic vision, how to shape a corporate culture, and how to encourage an environment of leadership.

Marty Murphy, CPCU, CMC Senior Partner Exceleration Atlanta, Ga.

 

Reactions from Super Storm Sandy
Nearly one year later, the ramifications of Super Storm Sandy can still be felt across the country. Join this panel to look at various perspectives of this huge event—the scientific standpoint including details of the storm, how models did or did not predict the event, how companies impacted managed in dealing with a loss of this scope, and how state insurance departments reacted to this event.

John Murphy Northeast State Affairs Manager NAMIC Boston, Mass.

Michael Young Senior Director Risk Management Solutions, Inc. San Francisco, Calf.

Moderator: Zachary Schmiesing Assistant Vice President Towers Watson Stamford, Conn.

 

PFMM: Human Resources and Personnel Management
During this session, attendees will learn the importance of having a basic set of human resources operational guidelines for small businesses. This workshop-style session will provide a high-energy lecture, small-group exercises, and a large-group conversation to ground the topic in an effective way.

Thomas Meier HR Consultant Equis Consulting Indianapolis, Ind

 

Monday, September 23, 2013

3:15 - 4:30 p.m.

 

ERM and ORSA

 

Communicating Mutual Values Globally
Join International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation chief executive, Shaun Tarbuck, for this interactive session as he shares member experiences and innovative techniques for communicating mutual values in different ways around the world.

Shaun Tarbuck Chief Executive ICMIF Bowdon, Cheshire

Succession Planning for Team Leaders
This session will cover how to not only identify the next generation on a company's leadership, but how best ot plot out the course for developing an appropriate succession plan - key qualities to be looking for, preparing future leaders, best practices in planing for transitions of leadership.

Mindy Lubar Price President & CEO Leading Transitions Milwaukee, Wis.

 

Your Questions Answered: Reinsurance in Today’s Marketplace
During this interactive session, a reinsurance panel will address how reinsurance brokers make business decisions, how the cost of service is determined, and products and programs available for smaller companies, and how successful reinsurance relationships are formed. The panel will have plenty of time to answer audience questions.

Doug Fincannon President Alamance Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company Graham, N.C.

Mary Ivy Noone Senior Vice President BMS Intermediaries Philadelphia, Pa.

Moderator: Sharon Woodward President/CEO Baltimore Equitable Insurance Baltimore, Md.

Communicating with Policyholders: Online Portals Implementation and Management
This session will focus around the use of portals for policyholder communication. The session discussion will include the driving factors for implementing the technology, process/cost of implementing technology (include resources needed), benefits and drawbacks to using portals to communicate with policyholders including any effects on relationships with agents. Our panel of insurers, each in a different stage of implementing this technology, will share their learning experiences and best practices for implementing and managing this technology.

Jeffrey Rice President/CEO Wayne Cooperative Insurance Company Clyde, NY

Moderator: Sharon Woodward President/CEO Baltimore Equitable Insurance Baltimore, Md.

PFMM: Human Resources and Personnel Management (continued)
Rejoin Tom Meier for this workshop-style session on managing personnel and human resources elements of an organization.

Thomas Meier HR Consultant Equis Consulting Indianapolis, Ind

 

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

PFMM: Public Relations and Marketing
Join industry veteran Karl Newman for this interactive discussion of small-company public relations and marketing efforts. Karl will address how to establish a company image and leverage a brand and image with agents and policyholders. He willprovide strategies to market and advertise a company’s brand and mission to a target audience. Karl will also discsuss how the retention of agents and policyholders is important to a marketing plan.

Karl Newman President NW Insurance Council Seattle, Wash.

 

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Advocacy Update for the Farm Mutual Conference
NAMIC's advocacy team will provide an update on its efforts in the states and the nation’s capital on behalf of NAMIC’s Farm Mutual Conference members.
This session qualifies for one FMDC credit in the Operations & Insurance module.

Irica Solomon Political Director NAMIC Washington, D.C.

Joe Thesing Assistant Vice President-- State Affairs NAMIC Indianapolis, Ind.

 

2013 Review and Anticipated Advocacy Efforts for 2014
Join the NAMIC advocacy staff for an overview of its federal and state advocacy efforts on behalf of NAMIC's Property Casualty Conference members. Information about how PAC contributions are at work during the year will also be shared.

Neil Alldredge Senior Vice President-- State & Policy Affairs NAMIC Indianapolis, Ind.

Jimi Grande Senior Vice President-- Federal & Political Affairs NAMIC Washington, D.C.

 

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

1 - 2:15 p.m.

Your Business, Your Future, Healthcare Reform: The Top Issues Right Now That Will Impact Your Company and Your Employees
The Affordable Care Act is now fully on its way toward reality. You may support it or you may oppose it. But as a business leader, your job is to put politics aside and deal with the facts. ACA is law, and it will affect your business and your people for many years to come. But how will the ACA affect you and your employees? What do you need to know now to prepare? What changes will be coming during the next few years? Gene Marks, president of the Marks Group, P.C., can help answer those questions as he sums up the key issues affecting your business.

Gene Marks President The Marks Group, P.C. Bala Cynwyd, Pa.

 

Attracting young people to the industry

Preparing for a Successful Reinsurance Meeting
Reinsurance is a growing concern, especially for small companies. Therefore, being prepared for your reinsurance meetings can be the biggest asset in forming new reinsurance partnerships or renewing old ones. Join David Thomas, managing director of Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC, to discuss what you as company managers can do to make your organization more attractive to a reinsurer. David will also address the questions you need to ask and the information you need to gather from your potential reinsurance partner to ensure you are getting the best fit for your small company. This session will also address challenges faced by reinsuring small companies, including which coverages are required by law, how reinsurers make business decisions, and the programs available for small companies.

David Thomas Manager Director Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC Philadelphia, P a.

 

Case Study Discussion: Evaluating Reinsurance
What should insurers consider when evaluating their reinsurance programs? In this session that is meant for reinsurance decision-makers, presenters will use a mock case study to go through the decision-making process as well as disucss the benefits and shortcomings of reinsurance brokers and reinsurance direct writers. There will also be a discussion of what each type of reinsurer can offer a carrier.

Moderator: John DeMartini Executive Vice President Towers Watson Stamford, Conn.

Industry Partner Updates – IIHS & IBHS
Two leading insurance industry partners of NAMIC, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, (IBHS) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), will update the attendees on new intitiatives and projects that that are on the horizon fo their respective organizations. Join David Zuby, chief researcher, IIHS, and Candace Iskowitz, Director of Public Affairs, IBHS, to explore these inititiatives that could impact your organization and the insurance industry.

Candace Iskowitz Director of Public Affairs Institute for Business & Home Safety Tampa, Fla.

David Zuby Chief Researcher Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Arlington, Va.

The Board's Role in Strategic Planning/Establishing Financial GoalsThis session will cover how to interpret key financial ratios, analyze company trends, and benchmark key financial ratios in a peer group. Attendees will also learn how to use other key performance indicators to evaluate the performance of a company and identify strategies to reach goals.
This session qualifies for one FMDC credit in the Finance & Accounting module.

 

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

1 - 2:30 p.m.

PFMM: Agency Relations Development
This session will focus on developing and maintaining a positive working relationship between a company and its agency force. Attendees will discuss key issues that will assist in keeping the lines of communication open. Also to be discussed is how using contracts, products, technology, and team learning can benefit everyone involved in the company-agent relationship.

 

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

PPFMM: Agency Relations Development (continued)
This session is a continuation of 1 p.m. PFMM session.

 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

1 - 4 p.m.

PFMM: Management and Leadership Principles
In today’s fast-paced world and changing economy, managing a farm mutual can be more challenging and confusing than ever. This session will provide you with insights, tools, and strategies to assist in developing an effective strategic plan that will help your mutual in its clarity of purpose, direction, confidence, and efficiency.

Jack Randall, CIC, PCLA, PFMM Executive Vice President, Senior Consultant Randall Resources International Cameron, Mo.