2010 Seminar dates have been set!
Grand Rapids - April 14, 2010
Troy - April 15, 2010
Thank you to everyone that made it out to our 2009 Seminars. It was great to see all of you and we hope you gained some benefit from this year's speakers and their topics.
Many thanks to our wonderful speakers!
Speakers: James Case, Tom Porterfield, Cyndy Ruby and Drew Seaman
2009 Seminar Topics
Integrated Project Delivery presented by Tom Porterfield
Why Claims are Made - Can You Avoid the Pitfalls? presented as a panel discussion by James Case, Cyndy Ruby and Drew Seaman
Presented by: Professional Underwriters, Inc.
Brett Coleman joined Professional Underwriters, Inc. in September 2005. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Eastern Michigan University. He spent the summer of 2004 working with underwriters from the St. Paul Travelers Architects and Engineers division in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2005 he interned in the Architects and Engineers department of Victor O. Schinnerer/CNA. Brett holds a license for Property and Casualty Insurance, as well as for Life & Health Insurance. He is also a member of the Michigan Young Agents Council.
Robert L. Coleman’s life-long commitment to the insurance industry spans four decades, from claims adjuster for State Farm Insurance in 1962, to agent/owner of Professional Underwriters, Inc. from 1974 to the present with offices in Arizona, Colorado and Michigan. Bob's commitment to specialized insurance for the design professional began in 1974; since then, he has worked closely with his clients and the insurance markets focusing on the unique exposures and risk management solutions for architects and engineers. Bob serves on the board and is President-elect of A/E ProNet, a national organization of insurance agents specializing in design professionals. Bob also has been an active member of the AIA, MSA, NSPE, MSPE, ACEC/MI. He has served on the insurance and risk management committees for various associations, insurance companies, and the State of Michigan. He currently serves on the ACEC/MI, Risk Management Committee. Bob has been a participant in over 225 national, regional, and in-house design firm loss control and risk management seminars across the country over the last 38 years.
Marianne M. Mitchell came to Professional Underwriters, Inc. in 2003 with 32 years experience in the insurance industry. Her vast knowledge includes commercial lines, personal lines and accounting. She has worked for an insurance company, brokerage firm and independent insurance agents. Marianne is currently a licensed producer with Professional Underwriters, Inc. and is responsible for servicing our commercial account customers. This includes assisting and directing new and existing clients with their insurance needs and claims handling.
Stephanie Mulligan is an Account Executive at Professional Underwriters, Inc. With over 30 years experience in the insurance industry, the last 18 years spent with Professional Underwriters, Inc., Stephanie’s extensive knowledge of commercial lines insurance, bonds, claims and account handling has been invaluable to our agency and our customers. Licensed as a Michigan Resident Agent since 1981, Stephanie received her Certificate of Insurance from the Insurance Institute of America, Lawrence Technological University in 1984. She is currently licensed as a Non-Resident Agent in Arizona, Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin and is a licensed Surplus Lines Producer. Since joining Professional Underwriters, Inc. in 1991, Stephanie has specialized in recognizing and providing for the insurance and bond needs of professional design firms.
Speakers at the 2009 Professional Underwriters, Inc. Seminar will be:
James R. Case is a graduate of St. John’s University, is a member of the Kerr, Russell and Weber law firm. Jim belongs to the Michigan and Detroit Bar Associations, the American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry, and the International Association of Defense Council.
Tom Porterfield, Jr. is Vice President of Victor O. Schinnerer & Company, Inc. Tom has been with Victor O. Schinnerer and Company, Inc. for 30 years. Prior to his current position, he was Manager of the Schinnerer Claim Department. Tom has over 37 years of experience in claim management and risk management. For the past 30 years, he has worked almost exclusively with architects, engineers, landscape architects and land surveyors in the areas of risk management and loss prevention. He devotes a great deal of his time conducting programs for design professionals and their professional societies on professional liability, business and practice issues. Tom graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Ohio State University. He is or has served as a member of the Metropolitan Washington Independent Agents Association, Washington D.C. Building Congress, AIA Documents Committee and Architects Liability Committee, ACEC Risk Management Committee, ACEC Procurement Committee, ACEC Legal Counsels Forum and ACEC/CASE Contract Documents Committee, NSPE/PEPP Professional Liability Committee and the CERF/HITEC Legal and Liability Task Force. He has also served as a member of the National Institute of Building Sciences - Building Project Approval Committee.
Cyndy Ruby, a graduate of the University of Michgan, is with CNA Insurance Companies. She has over 30 years of claims experience and is responsible for handling the Architects & Engineers Errors and Omissions claims in the state of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.
Drew Seaman, a graduate of Washington University, is with the law firm of Straub, Seaman & Allen. Drew concentrates his practice in the area of Architects & Engineers Malpractice, Construction Claims, Product Liability, and Environmental Claims. Drew is a member of the State Bar Association of Michigan, the Federal Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.