Assurance Screening, LLC
The Assurance Screening, LLC  Newsletter
In This Issue
Survey Results
From the President
Assurance Gives Back
In Loving Memory
Insurance Laws
Industry News
Welcome to the Team
Social Media
Contact Information
15400 Knoll Trail, Suite 220
Dallas, TX 75248
Phone: 214-988-5429
Fax: 214-988-5424
Join Our List

Join Our Mailing List
Construction Industry Risk Management Survey Results

1. Who is responsible for the vetting of your subcontractors?

 

Estimator-32%

Project Manager-26%

Administrator-9%

CFO-6%

Risk Manager-9%

Other-17%

 

2. Is it exclusively their job or a part of their job?

 

Exclusively their job-8%

Part of their job-92%

 

3. Do you have a centralized location to house your subcontractor data?

 

Yes -89%

No-8%

Not sure-3%

 

4. At any time, could pull up and up-to-date report on a subcontractor?

 

Yes - 74%

No -26%

 

5. If an incident occurred, could you prove you did proper due diligence on every subcontractor?

 

Yes -65%

No -15%

Not Sure - 21%

 

If you would like to participate in the survey, please click here.

Construction Risk Management Practices Survey

We are interested in learning about how companies are currently handling prequalification and risk mitigation, so that we can continuously improve our services to better serve our client's needs.

 

 
February 2012
Greetings Colleagues and Friends!
Best wishes for success and prosperity in the new year!
We have exciting new features and additions, to the Assurance Screening process, rolling out in 2012. Stay tuned for updates. Our goal is to make 2012 our best year to date and it would not be possible without the support of our business partners, clients and friends. Thank you for helping us continuously grow and improve our services. We look forward to another amazing year.
 

From the President

Adamson headshot
Karen Herrera-Adamson 

Happy New Year!  Yes, I'm saying it now, even though it is February already.  I don't know about you, but every year, I am always surprised at how fast January passes by. 

2011 was definitely a year of learning, both personally and professionally.  However, at least for me, I feel that way about each passing year.  For Assurance Screening, we have not only learned great deal of information on our business, and the type of services our clients are requesting, but we have also learned how much people are willing to give back, even in these times of economic uncertainty.


What you have seen in this edition of our newsletter is how one person, who believed in a cause close to her heart, rallied her friends, family and business associates to make a difference in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.  We have also seen how, even a little company can take an idea of "the more the merrier" and instead of getting one box for just our company to help make a difference with all those in need to rely on the North Texas Food Bank for food over the past holiday season, we decided that with the help of many, we could accomplish a lot. 

What will 2012 bring?  Seeing as no matter how many times I have put fortune-telling on my wish list and have yet to receive that "Jedi-like" skill, guess we will all just have to wait and see.  However I do know one thing:  Assurance Screening will one way or another, continue to not only better service our clients, but we will keep finding ways to better service our community.  I know that for sure.

 
Assurance Gives Back
 Thanksgiving Food Drive was a huge success!

 

We want to give a huge thanks to our clients and colleagues who participated in our food drive for the North Texas Food Bank! In total, we collected 990 pounds of food! With your donations, more North Texas families were provided with good, nutritious food this holiday season. Families, children and seniors will have access to the North Texas Food Bank food pantry, year round and will no longer go hungry. We truly appreciate your generosity and look forward to our food drive next year, where we hope to collect even more!

 

A special thanks to the following companies who participated in the 2011 Food Drive:

Charter Builders, Satterfield & Pontikes, Pogue Construction,

Hill & Willkinson, MYCON General Contractors, KWA Construction,

EMJ Corporation, Hotel Intercontinental Dallas and TNS Partners.

 

With heartfelt gratitude, we thank you for your support.

 

About the North Texas Food Bank:

The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a nonprofit social benefit organization that distributes donated, purchased and prepared foods through a network of 300 Member Agencies and 1,000 feeding and education programs in 13 North Texas counties. NTFB supports the nutritional needs of children, families and seniors through research, education, advocacy and strategic partnerships. In FY 2011, NTFB provided access to nearly 33 million nutritious meals. Founded in 1982, NTFB is a member of Feeding America. www.ntfb.org

Business Development Director Raises $7,000 for the Alzheimer's Association in Memory of her Grandmother
"Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose."

-The Wonder Years

 

I never had an opportunity to know my grandmother. She was diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer's disease a year before I was born, at the young age of 58. She passed away when I was only 13 from this disease, but my family really lost her long before that. Currently more than five million Americans have Alzheimer's disease and that number is expected to grow as large as 16 million by 2050. It was more than just the alarming statistics about this disease, that made me want to get involved with the Alzheimer's Association. My personal connection to Alzheimer's disease and the loss of my grandmother, inspired me to fund raise, spread awareness and join the cause. I decided to participate in the Dallas Walk to End Alzheimer's with my close friends and mother. Within a month, through diligent fundraising and hosting a purple themed party benefiting ALZ, my team raised more than $7,000 for the Alzheimer's Association. I know that the money we raised will go to research, patient care and providing resources and education for caregivers. The entire experience was one of the most rewarding moments of my life. I know that my grandmother would be proud of what we accomplished. I am eternally grateful to all those who donated and supported me in this. It truly means the world to me and together we are moving one step closer to a world with Alzheimer's.

- Amy Reese, Marketing & Business Development Director

 

Amy and her mother were featured on WFAA Daybreak to discuss their participation in the Dallas Walk to End Alzheimer's. To see the video, click here.

Texas Insurance Law Changes for 2012

Senate Bill 425 was passed this past legislative term, adding a new chapter to the Texas Insurance Code. The new law requires the Texas Department of Insurance to approve certificates of insurance provided in connection with casualty and property policies. This new bill went into effect on September 1, 2011, and applies to certificates of insurance issued on or after January 1, 2012.

 

The new law codifies this idea by: (1) prohibiting a certificate from conveying a contractual right; (2) providing that a certificate does not amend, extend, or alter the coverage afforded under a policy; and (3) stating that a certificate does not confer new or additional rights beyond the policy. Tex. Ins. Code �� 1811.051(b); 1811.152; 1811.153.

 

To view the full legislation, please click the following link. Senate Bill 425

Industry News Stories

"Caledonia man hires a contractor he found on Craigslist to put in a patio, but the contractor turned out to have a warrant out for his arrest because he's a sex offender whose probation was revoked in Kenosha County."

 

"According to court records, Ellis was convicted of criminal sexual assault for repeatedly sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl in 2000 and 2001. He served 4.5 years in prison and was placed on the sex offender registry. He is prohibited from working around children.

Ellis said both the temp service and the daycare center knew about his background. He even said he told them himself.The managers of the day care, who seemed stunned to hear of Ellis' criminal history, said that's not true.

 

One Little Green Tree House manager said they use a temp agency when their food prep is sick. She said the company they use does the background checks on all the employees.When asked if she was satisfied with the check they did on Ellis, she responded in the negative."

 

"An unlicensed contractor who duped a company into hiring him will serve three months in jail and must pay $68,000 after pleading guilty to fraud charges in Santa Clara County court, authorities said Friday."

 

"He said most of the subcontractors they work with regularly use E-Verify, an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's I-9 to data from government records to confirm employment eligibility."

 

Our website is continuously updated with current news stories in our industry. Be sure to check out our homepage for the latest stories in between newsletters! 

 

Welcome to Team Assurance!

Cassie Ponce joins the Assurance Screening team as the new Director of Customer Service.

cassie@assurancescreening.com

214-988-5429 ext. 2

Social Media

 Follow Assurance Screening on Twitter!

Like us on Facebook!

*NEW* Join our group on Linkedin!

Subcontractor/Vendor Risk Management

Stay educated on information and news regarding managing risk associated with your company utilizing subcontractors and vendors.  

 

There is an inherit risk associated with doing business in general. However, there are some risks that you can manage as a company. Through active due diligence and education on current risk management principles and methods, you can ensure your company is a well oiled machine with no leaks.  

 

Whether your company decides to manage your subcontractor/vendor risk or you all decide that an outside company would be a more effective choice, comprehensive knowledge is the first step. In this group, we hope to provide ongoing knowledge and news on the subject of subcontractor/vendor risk management and be a place where members can come to ask questions and find answers. 

We would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact us through our

website.

 

Sincerely,

The Assurance Screening Team
Assurance Screening, LLC