Past Events 2018

2018 ANNUAL CONFERENCE DOWNLOADS:

On behalf of the Western Loss Association, we would like to THANK EVERYONE for another successful and very informative fall conference, which was September 26th through the 28th at Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan, WI.

A special thanks to the speakers:

  • Jon Barger and Laura Heft from Butler, Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP, (Judy Spoerlein from Liberty Mutual and Nanci Smilie from Erie Insurance had to go on CAT Duty and Laura graciously filled in for them)
  • Lindsey Davis & Elizabeth Kniffen from Zelle
  • Michael Silvestro & Bill Kolb from Skarzynski Black
  • Debra Brickner from Berkely Fire & Marine Underwriters
  • Scott Kiley from Industrial Loss Consultants, Inc.
  • Mark Senak from Senak Keegan Gleason Smith & Michaud; who put their time and effort into the presentations, as well as the costs for obtaining the C.E. credits

We would also like to thank the sponsors; due to their support this event can be offered at a reasonable cost. Thank you to the following:

  • $1,500 Special Event Cigar Roller & Bar: Servpro of Wheaton/Glen Ellyn/Lisle
  • $1000 Platinum Sponsors: BMS Cat, ERS – Electronic Restoration Services, Grecco Construction Consultants, HAAG Engineering Co., Meaden & Moore, RCL Engineering Group, and Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc.
  • $800 Special Event Boat Cruises: Bower Group, LLC
  • $750 Gold Sponsor: Belfor USA and Davis Imperial Cleaners
  • $500 Silver Sponsor: HSNO Forensic Accountants and Temporary Accommodations
  • $250 Bronze Sponsors: Insight Forensic Accountants, Keis George LLP, NEFCO Fire Investigations, Inc., S-E-A, Ltd., and Ward & Associates Forensic Fire Investigations. The contact information for all sponsors is in the second attachment.

Golf Outing:
A very special thank you for organizing the golf outing goes to Bob Jones from Greer & Kirby Company (809 Albion Ave., Schaumburg, IL 60193, 847.352.5515) . It takes a lot of time to put this together, and we truly appreciate it. Bob also had to go on CAT Duty and Jack Garvin from Greer & Kirby graciously filled in for him; thanks Jack! The weather turned out great this year, and I hope those that golfed and those that had a hole sponsorship had a great time. Dixon Golf was at a hole and advised that 66 golfers donated at the Dixon Challenge and 15 won. A total of 118 balls were given to the participants, and each donor received over $150 worth of gift certificates. In all over $10,300 worth of gifts and prizes were given out. So thanks to Dixon Golf as well!

Raffle Prizes Donated by:

  • CRE – Contents Recovery Experts
  • ERS-Electronic Restoration Services
  • First Priority DKI
  • Industrial Loss Consultants
  • Hausch & Company, J.S. Held
  • RCL Engineering
  • Response Team 1
  • Senak Keegan Gleason Smith & Michaud
  • Temporary Accommodations

Grand Prizes donated by:

  • Davis Imperial Cleaners (Chicago Blackhawks tickets)
  • Lake Lawn Resort (overnight stay at Lake Lawn)

Thank you to J.C. Restoration of Rolling Meadows, Illinois, who donated the professional name badges. They are a big cost saving to the Association.

Finally, we would like to thank all of the attendees. The success of this event depends on your attendance and support! We hope everyone found the conference educational and enjoyable. Students from Madison Area Technical College again attended the conference on Thursday and Friday, and President Harry Dubnick presented a $1,500.00 scholarship from the Western Loss Association to Martha Lester, MBA, AAI, AIC, CIC, CRM, Risk Management & Insurance Program Instructor, who was very appreciative as are the students.

The Officers and Executive Committee for The Western Loss 2018-2019 fiscal year were unanimously voted in and are:

OFFICERS
President: Harry Dubnick, Commonwealth Edison, an Exelon Co.
Vice President: Ryan Bryson, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Ins
Treasurer: Judy Spoerlein, Liberty Mutual Insurance
Secretary: Nanci Smilie, Erie Insurance

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Kevin McCoy, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Ins.
John Harmon, Zurich North America
Christopher Reith, Reith Consulting Solutions.

A very SPECIAL THANKS goes to the Officers and Executive Committee from 2017-2018 for your time and commitment to the Association. And thanks to Tony Avila from Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Ins., who stepped down as Vice President and has served as an officer since 2016.

The officers would also like to thank the Membership Committee: John Harmon from Zurich North America, Barry Parks from Hausch & Company, and Kelly LeCroy from Industrial Loss Consultants. And thanks to the Member Relations Committee: Dave Foreman from CRE – Contents Recovery Experts, Jeanette Koeller from First Priority DKI, and Laura Heft from Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig, who put together the Special Events Sponsorships. We hope those that had cigars and those that took the boat cruises enjoyed themselves!!!

Thanks again to everyone who made the 2018 Western Loss Fall Conference a success! Thanks to those that helped me at registration, and if I forgot anyone, I am sorry!

ANNUAL CONFERENCE
September 26-28, 2018
Lake Lawn Resort
Delavan, WI

DOWNLOADS

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
The Member Relations Committee has put together New Sponsorship Opportunities for Additional Events that will be held Wednesday 7-9 p.m. (Cigar Roller & Outside Bar, this is in addition to the inside reception) and Thursday after presentations & before dinner (Boat Cruises) provided we have sponsors. Download the form.

 

The Western Loss Officers have once again planned a highly educational Fall Conference to be held September 26 through 28, 2018 at Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan, Wisconsin.

 

Insurance Company Personnel are FREE! Per night accommodations and golf are a separate cost. We hope you take advantage of the free conference and the presentations with C.E. credits through the end on Friday. The presenters have applied for CE in TX, FL, IN, WY, & OK and for CLE in IL, and there may be some approvals pending. You will be updated ASAP when all are approved.

MEMBER INDEPENDENT ADJUSTERS HAVE A REDUCED RATE!

MEMBER VENDORS SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES BELOW (Including Exhibit Booth &/or Golf Hole)

HOTEL

  • If you require hotel accommodations, please, call Lake Lawn Resort at 800.338.5253 and ask for Reservations.
  • FOR ALL MEMBERS the guest room rates are $105.00 for a single or double per night, $115 for a loft, and $165.00 for a suite per night. There are additional charges if there is more than one occupant per room.
  • Please note the room rate has a slight increase from last year as it was in October in 2017. There are further charges of $12.00 per night resort fee for all; please be sure to ask what further services may be included in the resort fee.
  • The room availability guarantee will end on August 26, 2018, so please book your room soon!

VENDORS

  • This is an excellent opportunity to invite your insurance company clients as their only cost is the hotel stay!
  • Please note a LATE FEE of $25 will apply to vendor registrations postmarked after September 12, 2018.
  • Please take advantage of this educational opportunity and respond early!

GOLF

  • Please note the golf will be a shotgun start on WEDNESDAY at 1:00 p.m.
  • Please mail forms including payment and reach out with any questions to Bob Jones at Greer and Kirby at 847.352.5516.
  • As usual, costs for the golf outing are separate from the remainder of the conference, and you will note a slight increase again due to the time of year.
  • Also, please note you will be able to purchase a “mulligan” at certain holes for the low cost of $5.00 (cash).

MEMBER VENDOR SPONSORSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE WITH CHANGES

  • Also please note the platinum sponsorship is $1,000 and you have a choice of an exhibit booth, golf hole sponsorship, and two attendees, OR three attendees, NO exhibit booth and NO hole sponsorship.
  • As there are a limited number of exhibit booths, please complete the sponsorship form as indicated ASAP as they will be accepted as received.
  • The gold sponsorship is $750.00 and has the option of a golf hole and one full registration OR two full registrations, no golf hole.
  • The platinum and gold sponsorships will be first come, first serve. No e-mails or phone calls will get an exhibit booth and/or golf hole.

THE BOOTHS

  • The booths will be 8’ tables.
  • No large displays, lights or anything that will distract from the presentations will be allowed.
  • We recommend the platinum sponsors bring “fish bowls” for business cards, AND we ask the insurance company personnel to please bring their business cards, and to please visit the exhibit booths, and thank the vendors that have helped to make this conference possible.

Thank you and we hope to see you there!

SUMMER WEBINAR
June 29, 2018
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Oak Brook, IL

Downloads
Invitation / Agenda | Vendor Sponsorship

  • Admittance to insurance company personnel and member vendors only
  • Registration open to staff & independent adjusters, insurance
  • Company personnel, agents & brokers at this time
  • Also vendor sponsorship opportunities available now

In addition to the virtual training, there will be a classroom setting at Maggiano’s Little Italy at 240 Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook, Illinois.

The presentations offer 1 Hour CE in TX, FL, WY, IN, & OK; & CLE in IL per presentation, or 2 hours total.

PLEASE NOTE
Enrollment for physical attendance is open to all staff and independent adjusters, insurance company personnel, agents and brokers at this time at NO CHARGE and no limit per company. Please bring your license number to the class.

If you plan to attend remotely, you must provide your license information when you register: LINK TO REGISTRATION

MEMBER VENDORS
Download the form
There are sponsorship opportunities available. Those that sponsor will be added to the attendee list as the form and payments are received. Please note one of the sponsorships includes three attendees.

On or about May 29th, enrollment will be open to all other member vendors, and an e-mail will go out at that time with the registration form. This is due to a very limited capacity at Maggiano’s and we want to be sure all of those in need of the C.E. credits have the opportunity to attend. There will be a $50.00 per person fee for all member vendors with a TWO PERSON LIMIT per member vendor company, which COULD CHANGE to ONE PERSON if we reach capacity.

The officers would like to invite all attendees to join us for the afternoon social following the webinar. Please note if we receive enough sponsorships for the social, it will be an open bar. If not, it will be a cash bar.

We hope to see you at the Webinar at Maggiano’s!!

WESTERN LOSS SPRING GOLF OUTING
The Western Loss Spring Golf Outing for a Charity will be on May 18, 2018 at Old Orchard Country Club in Mount Prospect. The Western Loss is having this outing in keeping with the tradition of the Chicago Chapter of the Blue Goose, which unfortunately has been dissolved, as I advised previously. Please note this outing will be benefitting the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Please note the $125.00 for golf includes the dinner.
Dinner only is $65.00.

Checks should be made payable to “Western Loss Association” and mailed to:

Meaden & Moore, LLP Attn: John Nitti
200 S. Wacker, Suite 1650
Chicago, IL 60606

Questions, call John at: 312.454.9262

WESTERN LOSS SPRING SEMINAR
The Drake Hotel
2301 York Rd
Oak Brook, Illinois
May 11, 2018

Downloads: Agenda | Registration Form

The Western Loss Association Officers have planned another interesting and educational Spring Seminar! There will be 5 hours C.E. in TX, FL, OK, WY & IN and plan to stay until the end for a surprise. Please see the invitation with the agenda available above and note responses will be going to Barry Parks at Hausch & Company.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Spring Golf Outing for a Charity will be held on May 18th at Old Orchard Country Club and the details will be sent in approximately two weeks. The Summer Webinar will have a classroom setting at Maggiano’s in Oak Brook and will be June 29th.

ALSO, We have a new committee, “Member Relations Committee” consisting of Dave Foreman of CRE, Jeanette Koeller of First Priority DKI and Laura Heft of Butler Law Firm. They will be assisting the Membership Committee: Barry Parks of Hausch & Co., John Harmon of Zurich, and Kelly LeCroy of Rimkus Consulting.

5/11/18 SEMINAR
INSURANCE COMPANY PERSONNEL
FREE (just e-mail Barry Parks no response form required) Please be sure to bring your license number to the seminar.

MEMBER INDEPENDENT ADJUSTERS
$25.00/PERSON, NO LIMIT. E-mail response to Barry and mail with payment ASAP and no later than April 27, 2018 or you will be taken off the registration.

MEMBER VENDORS ONLY
$50.00/PERSON – LIMIT OF THREE, MAY CHANGE IF REACH CAPACITY – MAIL IN RESPONSE, FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.

Please R.S.V.P by April 27,2018.

POST HOLIDAY PARTY
February 9, 2018
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Oak Brook, IL

PLEASE NOTE WE ARE AT CAPACITY

It’s hard to believe it is December already, and the holidays are fast approaching.
Download WLA Post Holiday Party invitation
Download WLA Response Form

Please complete the form and mail with your payment at your earliest opportunity if you plan to attend.

Please note:

  • Response & payment must be received by 1/19/18 provided we are not at capacity prior to that date.
  • No responses will be accepted after that date.
  • There is a limit of three attendees per member vendor company (only members are invited).
  • There is no limit for independent adjusters and no limit for insurance company professionals.

INSURANCE COMPANY PERSONNEL: There is a $20.00 fee per person for the party.
INDEPENDENT ADJUSTERS: There is a $30.00 fee per person for the party.
MEMBER VENDORS: There is a $50.00 fee per person with a limit of three attendees.

Independent adjusters and Vendors:  Please pay your 2018 membership fee by January 19, 2018 if due, and please note one check for both the party and dues is acceptable.

On behalf of the officers of the Western Loss Association, we hope to see you at the holiday party and hope all of you and your families will have a wonderful holiday season.