On the Scene (June 01, 2008)

Terrie-Lynne Devonish, chief counsel for Aon Canada, was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40.

The program, managed by The Caldwell Partners, recognizes Canada’s best and brightest through the prestigious national award. The program honours 40 Canadians in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors under the age of 40.

Devonish has provided expertise, insight and a deep commitment to enhancing operational excellence and corporate governance since joining Aon Canada in October 2007 in the newly created role of chief counsel, according to a release.

Devonish and her peers were selected from more than 1,500 nominees by an independent advisory board, comprised of 27 business leaders across Canada. Honourees were chosen on five key criteria including vision and leadership; innovation and achievement; impact; community involvement and contribution; and strategy for growth, the release noted. •

McLarens Canada has opened an office serving Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes.

Christina G. Welton has been appointed branch manager of the new office location. She has more than 30 years of experience as an all-lines adjuster.

The company has also opened a Moncton, NB office.

Pierrette LeBlanc has been appointed branch manager. She has more than 20 years of experience working as both an independent and staff bilingual all lines adjuster.

McLarens Canada has expanded over the past year, adding 13 new locations.

“We remain focused on our strategic expansion plans and will continue on this theme throughout 2008,” the company noted in a release. •

Michael King has been appointed branch manager of Cunningham Lindsey Canada’s Fredericton, NB office.

King brings with him more than 20 years experience, working as both independent and staff adjuster. •

IntegResource Canada, a restoration company, has announced that Genesis Restorations is now a partner contractor.

“Genesis is a valued addition to our national network, and will provide exceptional restoration service in the Vancouver, Fraser Valley and Okanagan regions,”IntegResource Canada notes in a release.

Genesis is the first partner company to IntegResource Canada in British Columbia. •

Representatives of member groups of the International Federation of Adjusting Associations (IFAA) met in Johannesburg, South Africa Apr. 15, 2008.

Fred Plant (left), CIAA national president, and Alan Blem, president of the Institute of Loss Adjusters of Southern Africa (ILASA), enjoyed conversation regarding common issues affecting independent loss adjusters in their respective countries. Plant was in Johannesburg to attend the ILASA education conference, sponsored by Zurich South Africa, and the International Federation of Adjusting Associations (of which CIAA is a member) annual general meeting. •

CGI Group Inc. has launched a service to help Canadian government agencies and police identify vehicles that do not have insurance.

CGI teamed up with the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) to refine its Insurance Validation Service through a number of pilot projects in Ontario and Atlantic Canada in 2007, a CGI release says. These pilot projects and field trials included an evaluation conducted by RCMP National Traffic Service. By helping the authorities to identify uninsured drivers, the system is designed to minimize the number of incidents involving uninsured drivers, which results in the consumer paying higher insurance premiums and registration fees. “Now that we have shown that the solution helps address this serious concern, we look forward to working with all parties to make this service available coast-to-coast,” Wayne Beck, vice president of consulting services at CGI, said. •

CIAA executives attended the National Association of Independent Insurance Adjusters (NAIIA) Conference, May 11 -14, 2008, in Hilton Head Island, S. C.

The CIAA provincial seminar was held May 15, 2008 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Markham, Ont. Delegates were able to attend three educational seminars on adjusting claims in HCAI; the Ontario Automobile Threshold including a current case review and how the legal profession are lobbying for review and modification to the current threshold and why, in addition to strategies for mediation; and understanding a company’s balance sheet, income statement and income tax returns (personal or corporate) and gaining insight into the assessment required to calculate economic damages. Suggestions for future topics can be forwarded to the CIAA Ontario office. •