Moves (November 01, 2006)

The 15th annual Insurance Person of the Year award was presented to Patti Kernaghan at the Salute 2006 banquet, held in October at the Pan Pacific in Vancouver. Kernaghan is the president and CEO of Vancouver-based Kernaghan Adjusters Ltd. This marks the second time since the general achievement award was established in 1992 that a female recipient has been named B.C.’s Insurance Person of the Year. Following 10 years at the Bank of Montreal, Kernaghan joined the family-owned national adjusting firm. She first worked as a licensed adjuster working in the field. She then became the director of marketing, vice-president of operations, and later, president. Kernaghan’s industry involvement has focused mainly on insurance education. During her 18 years in the insurance industry, Kernaghan has served as regional vice-chair of the Insurance Institute of Canada, a member of the Institute’s academic council and national education committee, and president of the B.C. Institute. She is on the insurance and risk management advisory board at the University of Calgary. In addition to being a trustee of the Insurance Dispute Resolution Services of B.C., she is a member of the steering committee for the general insurance and risk management program at BCIT. Kernaghan has been involved in the steering committee for the Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC), B.C., the Kinsmen Rehabilitation Foundation of B.C. advisory board and president of the Canadian Insurance Professionals of Vancouver.

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The Insurance Institute of Canada has launched a new national consumer print campaign to promote Chartered Insurance Professionals (CIP). The campaign first appeared in Canadian Business magazine in October. The Institute says the new campaign recognizes the importance of property and auto insurance, appearing in publications such as CAA Magazine, Cottage Life, Reader’s Digest, Style at Home and Les Idees De Ma Maison. The campaign, developed by Canadian advertising and design agency Spyder Works, Inc., showcases different types of property and casualty insurance with which CIPs can assist clients. “There are a lot of people out there who don’t know that there are qualified insurance professionals called Chartered Insurance Professionals who have the education and experience to help them make informed decisions about their insurance portfolios,” Carey-Ann Greenham, the Insurance Institute’s director of business development, said. The ad campaign recognizes that many consumers are confused or frustrated when buying insurance; they may not be sure which way to turn when it comes to their insurance needs, according to the Institute. “The new CIP designation ads, featuring high impact visuals designed to draw the reader in, will raise awareness of this leading designation with consumers,” Greenham said. According to The Institute, “the ads point out that CIPs are experts who have completed years of rigorous study to become qualified. As such, consumers should look for the professional standard, an insurance professional with the CIP designation, to help them get the right insurance to fit their needs.”

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Manon Duplantie is among seven North American recipients of the prestigious Most Influential Women in the Collision Repair Industry Awards. Duplantie, vice-president of Fix Auto Canada, accepted the award from Akzo Nobel at a ceremony in Las Vegas. Since Duplantie’s arrival at Fix Auto, the number of vehicles repaired has increased by 320% throughout the network. Co-owner of Fix Auto Canada, Duplantie leads business development with insurers in Canada and the UK. Fix Auto Canada’s 175 collision centers repair more than 100,000 vehicles a year. Duplantie joined the Fix Auto team in 1998 as a customer service representative. She quickly rose through the ranks to sales administration. Shortly after her appointment to vice-president in 2002, Duplantie and her partner, Guy Bessette, acquired Fix Auto franchise rights across Canada. Duplantie ‘s work represents the cornerstone of business relations between Fix Auto and insurance companies. Her success stems in part from her dynamic outlook, her passion, her team spirit and her outstanding flair for leadership. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Duplantie is also a mom who regularly plays hockey — her favorite sport — with her two sons and two stepsons.