Mid
Mid--Michigan CPCU Society
Chapter Newsletter
October 2014
President’s Forum
Ross Hacker, CPCU
Chapter Vice President
Auto-Owners Insurance
As many of us get the autumn decorations out for the fall
season, a few Chapter volunteers have been busy getting
ready for our next event Oct. 15.
That day will be the second time we’ve combined our IDay event with our New Designee conferment ceremony.
In 2013 we did this with great success and are planning
on another exciting event.
After the I-Day portion is complete, we will host a luncheon where Meredith Mangan, CPCU Society Leadership
Council member, will confer our 22 new designees. Meredith will remind all of us what it means to uphold the
CPCU designation as the highest in the industry for ethical
and professional standards and excellence.
I encourage you to consider attending both the I-Day and
the luncheon. It will be an engaging and encouraging day.
This year we will meet at the Kellogg Center on Michigan
State University’s campus. We will learn about relevant
topics like drones, insurance fraud and investigations. Our
keynote speaker will be Phil Zeller. Many attendees will
recognize Phil as somebody who regularly equips others
through Dale Carnegie training programs.
Remember!
The chapter’s October meeting is being
combined with the 2014 I-Day event. For
more details on topics and speakers, see
the Events section on page 3.
Your 2014 Chapter Board
President:
Tracy Nichols, CPCU
Treasurer:
Brian Crown, CPCU
Directors:
Erin Bock, CPCU
Jason Pelletier, CPCU
Auto-Owners Insurance Company
[email protected]
Auto-Owners Insurance Company
[email protected]
Auto-Owners Insurance Company
[email protected]
Auto-Owners Insurance Company
[email protected]
Vice President:
Ross Hacker, CPCU
Secretary:
Charity Sullivan, CPCU
Brian Kriegar, CPCU
Auto-Owners Insurance Company
[email protected]
Auto-Owners Insurance Company
[email protected]
Auto-Owners Insurance Company
[email protected]
Mid
Mid--Michigan CPCU Society Chapter Newsletter
Meetings
Mid-Michigan Chapter
CPCU Newsletter
October Speaker Spotlight
Meredith K. Mangan
CPCU Society Leadership Council
Meredith K. Mangan joined Lexington Insurance Company, an AIG company, in June 2007, and serves as associate general counsel in the legal department. Her primary responsibility is division counsel for the Lexington
casualty and healthcare divisions.
Before joining Lexington, Meredith served as counsel for
One Beacon Insurance Group in the law department,
with a concentration on regulatory matters. During law
school she worked as a law clerk for Cigna Property and
Casualty Insurance Company (now ACE), where she
became a staff attorney upon earning her law degree.
Prior to law school she was a legal assistant in the law
department of Sofresid, a French engineering company
in Paris.
Meredith is a graduate of the College of William and
Mary (B.A.), The New England School of Law (J.D.) and
Boston University Law School (LL.M.). She received the
CPCU designation in 2004, and serves on the CPCU
Society Leadership Council and is a past president of the
Boston Chapter. She is admitted to practice law in
Massachusetts.
Published each month from
September through June
Reserve Your Seat
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2014
Where: Kellogg Hotel &
Conference Center
219 S Harrison Road
East Lansing, MI 48823
Lincoln Room
Time: 11:30AM
Editor:
Andy Flanagan, CPCU
Auto-Owners Insurance
Company
6101 Anacapri Boulevard
Lansing, MI 48917-3968
Phone: (517)886-1980
Fax: (517)391-1915
[email protected]
Cost: $30.00
Menu: Michigan Chicken with
Cherry Sauce or
Baked Meat Lasagna
Contact: email Bud Lawson at
The submission
deadline for the
November newsletter is
Oct. 31, 2014
[email protected] no later
than 4:30PM Thursday, Oct. 9
Good Works
Members Assist Habitat for Humanity on
Day of Caring
Lisa Martin, Good Works Chair
In conjunction with the Capitol Area United Way’s Day of Caring, Mid-Michigan CPCU Society
Chapter members participated in a project at the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store in Haslett.
This Re-Store needed to be organized, and merchandise needed to be arranged into more
customer-friendly displays. We teamed with partners to sort lumber, display ceramic tile,
measure and roll carpet, move furniture, build shelving, and even assisted shoppers who
were in the store that day.
It was a fun project that served an important purpose for our local community.
THANK YOU to all members who participated.
Chapter members who participated in the Day of Caring Sept. 13 were (front row, l to r) Phil Minshall, Auto-Owners
Insurance; Margie Bauer, wife of Ken Bauer, Auto-Owners Insurance; and Lisa Martin; (back row, l to r) Ken Bauer (second
from left); Tom Campbell, Auto-Owners Insurance; and Mark Cotter, retiree, Auto-Owners Insurance.
If you know of promotions
or other noteworthy accomplishments involving
CPCUs, please send them
to the editor using any of
the contact methods
listed above.
Future CPCU
Annual Meeting Sites
2015 Indianapolis Oct. 3–6
2016 Honolulu Sept. 17–20
2017 Nashville Oct. 7–10
Mid
Mid--Michigan CPCU Society Chapter Newsletter
Events
The chapter will be presenting the 2014 I-day and CPCU conferment on October 15, 2014.
CPCU I-Day Schedule
Emcee: Rodney Thuma, Past President, Mid-Michigan CPCU Society Chapter
8:00 AM
Red Cedar B Room
Sign in, enjoy rolls and coffee
10:45 AM
Keynote Speaker:
Phil Zeller, Dale Carnegie
8:20 AM
Welcome and introduction of speakers
Rodney Thuma
11:30 AM—Lunch
Lincoln Room
12:30 PM
Conferment of new CPCU Designees
Meredith Mangan, CPCU Society
8:30 AM
Future Trends
Lorie Graham, AAIC
1:00 PM
Scholarship presentation and
acknowledgement of sponsors
9:10 AM
SIU — Fraud
Wendy Williams
1:25 PM
Membership drawing and
50/50 raffle; dismissal
9:45 AM—Break
10:00 AM
Meth Labs
Detective Sergeant Scott Leroy
Fees:
Cost of parking is included in all options
Entire Event: $40
(includes I-Day, Lunch, & Conferment)
Lunch & Conferment: $30
I-day only: $10
Registration:
Name
Location:
•
•
•
•
Meal Choice (for lunch attendees)
Please RSVP by October 9, 2014, to Bud Lawson at [email protected].
When registering, please provide the following information:
Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center
219 S Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48823
www.kelloggcenter.com
I-Day sessions will be held in the Red Cedar B Room
Lunch & Conferment will be held in the Lincoln Room
Menu:
(for Lunch attendees)
•
•
•
Michigan Chicken with Cherry Sauce
Baked Meat Lasagna
Quinoa (Vegetarian)
Company Name
Attendance Option
(Entire Event—$40, Lunch & Conferment —$30, I-Day Only —$10)
Checks should be addressed to Mid-Michigan CPCU Society
Mailed submissions can be sent to:
Auto-Owners Insurance Company C/O Ross Hacker
6101 Anacapri Blvd
Lansing, MI 48917-3968
Mid
Mid--Michigan CPCU Society Chapter Newsletter
New Designees
Congratulations to
Recent CPCU Completers
Brad DeRyke Auto-Owners Insurance
“I am a home office underwriter in the personal property underwriting
department at Auto-Owners Insurance. I started with Auto-Owners in
2010 after graduating with my bachelor’s degree in finance from Western
Michigan University.
Rachel Schwegel Farm Bureau Insurance
“I work at Farm Bureau Insurance as the compliance and product development analyst/forms development supervisor in the product & forms
development area. Before moving to Michigan I lived in Boston and
worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance in a variety of roles involving data
analysis.
“I received my bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from Illinois
Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, and hold the following insurance designations: CPCU, FLMI, API, AIS, ACS and AINS.
“Originally from southeast Pennsylvania, I am enjoying exploring Michigan
“I started taking insurance courses shortly after joining Auto-Owners and and the upper Midwest. I live in Holt with my husband, Casey Schwegel,
completed three other designations (AINS, AU and API) before completing who works at Auto-Owners Insurance in the workers’ compensation, life,
and other liability actuarial department.”
the CPCU. In my four years with the company I have also worked as a
business analyst and a branch underwriter.
“My wife and I recently purchased our first house in DeWitt. In my free
time I enjoy camping, hiking and golfing.”
Justin Dow Auto-Owners Insurance
“I started my career at Auto-Owners as an intern in the accounting division. The internship was extremely beneficial because it exposed me to
various departments within the division, let me experience the culture
within Auto-Owners, and ultimately led to full-time employment. I am an
accountant specialist in the tax department and I will celebrate five years
with the company in December.
“Prior to Auto-Owners, I played soccer at Tri-State/Trine University and
graduated with bachelor’s degrees in accounting and finance. My hobbies
include fish aquariums, running, coaching and sports.”
Jeremiah Sevrey The Hanover Insurance Group
“I am a senior PIP adjuster with The Hanover Insurance Group. I've been
with the company for four years and previously served in the roles of
complex auto adjuster for the Midwest, and auto adjuster for Michigan
collision claims.
“Along with my CPCU designation, I have a Bachelor of Science degree in
criminal justice from Siena Heights University and have earned the AIC
and AINS designations.
“I reside in Williamston with my wife, Nicole. I enjoy serving on the local
volunteer fire department and participating in amateur radio emergency
service activities with the Ingham County Emergency Management team."
Becca Sheaffer Auto-Owners Insurance
Joshua Martin Auto-Owners Insurance
“I am a senior claim examiner with Auto-Owners, where I have worked
since 2007 after graduating from Bradley University. After pursuing other
insurance studies I started my CPCU courses in 2010 and completed the
designation in February.
“I am big soccer fan and also like to run. Visiting Anaheim with some of
my fellow new designees for the 2014 CPCU Society Annual Meeting was
a nice way to travel to a new city.”
“I am an underwriting specialist in the home office personal property department. I was an intern with Auto-Owners in the summer of 2008, and
was hired full time in 2009 after I graduated from the University of Georgia. I majored in risk management and insurance, which helped tremendously when I started taking my CPCU exams.
“My husband, Brad, and I recently bought our first home in Grand Ledge
and soon after adopted a beagle mix named Dixie Jeane. I love reading,
trying out new recipes and crafting.”
Luke Thompson Auto-Owners Insurance
Rachel Schwab Auto-Owners Insurance
“I am a senior accounting assistant at Auto-Owners Insurance, in the
financial accounting department. I’ve been at Auto-Owners for a little
over six years. Prior to that I worked as an auditor in a small public accounting firm.
“I graduated from Hope College in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and earned my CPA license in 2005. In addition to earning the
CPCU designation, I have also finished the AINS designation. I plan to
continue learning and taking classes, but I have not decided what path to
pursue next.
“I live in DeWitt with my husband of five years and our 2-year-old son.
We are expecting baby No. 2 in March!”
Luke has enjoyed being a personal lines underwriting administrator for
the past five years with Auto-Owners. He has also held several other positions, including commercial lines underwriter, home office personal property underwriter and personal lines underwriter in Lakeland, Florida.
He graduated from Florida Southern College and enjoys traveling with his
beautiful wife. They have an adorable new baby girl and are relishing in
the joy of being parents.
Matthew Trombley Auto-Owners Insurance
“I started with Auto-Owners in 2006 in our IT division after graduating
from Ferris State University. I have been in both our property and auto
groups, both as a developer and in a management role.
“I am manager of our auto systems group. I live in DeWitt with my wife,
our two kids (1½ and 4 years old) and our dog, Zed. I have many hobbies, which include reading, spending time outside and cooking.”