Views (December 01, 2004)

The 49th Annual Toronto Insurance Conference Black Tie Dinner welcomed special guest speaker Ron MacLean, famed CBC sports commentator. McLean entertained the audience at Toronto’s Four Seasons Hotel with stories about his work with Don “Grapes” Cherry on Hockey Night in Canada, as well as his experiences hosting CBC’s Olympic coverage. The evening also saw current TIC president Robert Jones honor past president Shardie Stevenson for her contributions to the TIC.

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Henry Klecan, president & CEO of North America for SCOR and Marc Archambault, executive vice president of SCOR Vie welcomed guests to the reinsurer’s annual tasting of Beaujolais Nouveau Wines at Toronto’s Acqua Ristorante. Each year clients, brokers and special guests join with SCOR on the third Thursday in November to taste beaujolais from various countries. This year also marked the celebration of SCOR’s 25th anniversary.

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The “Feed the Minds of Youth” luncheon hosted by the Insurance Institute of Ontario’s (IIO) chapters saw more than 150 students participating in the “Take Our Kids to Work” day learn more about the insurance industry from guest speakers including brokers, underwriters, adjusters and a forensic engineer. The event was also part of Career Connections, a program which aims to educate students about the variety of careers in the p&c industry. This year’s events was such a success that in 2005 it will be held at each of the institutes across Canada.

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Canada’s newest insurer, Omega General Insurance Co. welcomed guests to the Rosewater Supper Club in Toronto for an official launch party. Omega Insurance Holdings Corp. CEO Phil Cook and Omega General CEO Ken Rayner were on hand to introduce the industry to this unique insurer. The company’s mandate is to offer solutions to carriers exiting the market, and to help organizations with unique insurance needs not served by traditional markets.

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Caisse Centrale de Reassurance (CCR) senior vice president Andre Fredette welcomed guests to a special reception at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. The occasion was the visit of Jean-Paul Lasserre, executive vice president, worldwide underwriting for CCR, based out of the company’s head office in Paris.

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The Canadian Independent Adjusters Assoc. (CIAA) held its annual conference in Whistler, BC, with the event highlighted by the annual “passing of the hat” from outgoing president Jim Eso to incoming president Carol Messervey (1). Messervey also received the FCIAA designation (2), while other awards included the Honorary Life Membership to former president Keith Edwards (3), and the first ever Chartered Loss Adjuster (CLA) designation awarded to Gary Ellis (4). The conference also featured a panel discussion on adjuster self-regulation. Members of the new CIAA National Executive are: (front from left) past president Jim Eso, president Carol Messervey, 1st VP Craig Walker, executive director Patricia Battle; (back) director Rod Palmer, director Fred Plant, secretary Ted Baker, treasurer John Smith, director Fred Silvestri.

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With 475 in attendance, the Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC) recently held its 7th Annual Learning breakfast at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Guest speaker Michael Ramsden, an Ajax, Ontario native, shared his story of inspiring 29 fellow employees of CIBC Wood Gundy to climb to Africa’s tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, with him earlier this year to raise funds for breast cancer research. Ramsden organized the climb after his wife, Marjorie, was diagnosed with breast cancer – Marjorie is now a cancer survivor, and Ramsden’s efforts raised a total of $250,000 for breast cancer research.

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For the 4th Annual CGI Insurance Business Services Client Conference, CEO Serge LaPalme welcomed 170 guests to Niagara Falls for a two-day opportunity to learn more about technology in the insurance industry. Keynote speakers were Alain Thibault, CEO of TD Meloche Monnex, and Dierdre McMurdy, well-known Canadian business journalist. The event also featured sessions and an expo of new CGI products making up its “one stop risk shop”. A town hall session also become interactive via wireless touchpads allowing the audience to take part in real-time polling.

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The traditional “Sedgwick Pub Night”, so popular at the RIMS Canada Conferences, moved to Toronto in November, for a special event to raise funds for the United Way. Hosted by the Marsh & McLennan Cos., the evening featured Marsh band “Tabloid” and Mercer band “Binders”, rocking and rolling at Afterlife night club. The inaugural event brought out almost 1,000 and raised $32,000 through ticket sales, CD sales and company donations, ensuring the event will be planned again for 2005.