Views (December 01, 2007)

The ARC Group Canada hosted its Annual Seminar on Oct. 25 at the Dominion Club in Toronto, including an insurance industry luncheon, seminar and cocktail reception. The seminar entitled ‘Class Action Litigation: Cost Containment & Avoidance‘ featured a number of speakers and included a view of developments in the United States and Europe.

Toa Reinsurance Company‘s annual Fall Function, held at The Carlu, was a shining success. Caroline Kane, Toa Re’s chief agent, and staff welcomed many clients, brokers and other business partners to enjoy an evening of fine food, wine and entertainment. Part of the entertainment this year was an electrifying blend of Eastern and Western music.

Industry well-wishers attended a retirement reception in honour of Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) president and CEO Stanley Griffin. Celebrating 32 years in the industry, Griffin joined the IBC in 1975, ultimately reaching the position of president and CEO in 2002. On hand to congratulate Griffin and say a few words about his career and accomplishments were: George Cooke, president and CEO of The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company; Mike Donoghue, president and CEO of Allstate Insurance Company of Canada; and Mark Yakabuski, Griffin’s successor as IBC president and CEO. n

www.canadianunderwriter.ca* December 2007

The CIP Society held its third annual Grape Expectations ‘Wines from Around the World’ event at The Albany Club in Toronto in October. CIP Society members and their guests were able to embark on a culinary adventure by sampling six wines and a selection of cheeses from around the world. Gore Mutual Insurance Company’s Barry Kennedy emceed the event and served as ‘tour guide.’ n

The CertifiedFirst Network of PPG Canada Inc. held its annual ‘Winning Through Performance Conference’ in November in Toronto, bringing together more than 150 collision repair centre owners, managers and PPG representatives from across Canada. Insurance industry speakers included George Avery, property and casualty claims estimates consultant for State Farm Insurance, and Louis Hroux, senior vice president of claims at ING Canada. The conference culminated in an announcement by Nancy Ng, insurance services manager at PPG (and WICC board of directors member), that PPG Canada Inc. has renewed its three-year commitment as a National Corporate Sponsor of WICC (Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade). WICC board member Carla Blackmore (Zurich Canada) attended as a WICC representative. n

www.canadianunderwriter.ca* December 2007

South Barrie Collision Centre in Barrie, ON, has gone green: it is now using environmentally-compliant waterborne paint. The state-of-the-art, 40,000-square-foot collision centre, co-owned by six local auto dealers, is part of the national CertifiedFirst Network. It is using PPG Automotive Refinish waterborne paint products as part of a move to adhere to Environment Canada’s new regulations. “New and more stringent proposed VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) regulations in Canada are the catalyst behind the move to waterborne refinish basecoat as an effective means of lowering VOC emissions and thus improving air quality and our environment,” according to a statement from the company. According to Alec Smales, president and general manager of South Barrie Collision Centre, “with 75% of OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) using waterborne paint, waterborne refinish provides a superior colour-match. And with its new ‘anti-stir’ technology, cumbersome mechanical mixing systems are a thing of the past. Simply grab a bottle, shake it and pour.” Smales said the collision centre — the largest north of Toronto, and one of the five largest in Canada — worked with the Ministry of the Environment to ensure it went beyond the set requirements. n

The Toronto Insurance Conference (TIC) held its 52nd Annual Black Tie Dinner in November, drawing hundreds of tuxedos and fancy dresses to the The Four Seasons Hotel. The gala evening’s guest speaker was Rex Murphy, host of Canada’s only national open-line radio program, CBC Radio’s Cross Country Checkup. Murphy is a weekly columnist for The Globe and Mail and author of the book Points of View. n (Some photos courtesy of Carla Martin, HKMB)

www.canadianunderwriter.ca* December 2007

CARSTAR Automotive Canada’s recent Charity Casino Night, entitled ‘Casino Royale,’ was a chance to celebrate the national collision repair chain’s successful fundraising campaign for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF). The event saw CARSTAR’s total funds raised for CCFF break the Cdn$1.5 million mark. The funds were raised through several means, including the sale of ‘FrightLites’ last October, to keep children safe on Halloween night, as well as the annual CARSTAR ‘Soaps-It-Up’ car wash fundraiser.

www.canadianunderwriter.ca* December 2007