Welcome to the September 2022 edition of our employee newsletter! We have some exciting updates to share with all of you including an update from Compliance and a new Employee Spotlight. Read on to see what’s in store for CPLG! | |
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Where are we going? Let’s get out of the day-to-day and start to think ahead. I’d like us to start by setting goals to create a sense of achievement, focus our time and energy, and continue to learn and grow. What’s critical is what we do in the time that leads up to it, fulfilling those goals and how we do it. It’s kind of funny to think about it, at CPLG, we are the culmination of a few great companies that no longer exist except on paper in accounting or an old coffee mug on Jim Bechter’s desk. One thing that unites us as an organization is a shared purpose, and a set of widely accepted long term goals can go a long way.
There are three main goals for CPLG I’d like us to focus on the next three years:
- Be the preferred partner for cyber & professional lines for our clients
- Become the employer of choice to hire and retain the best talent
- Write $600,000,000 in gross written premium at an 85% combined ratio or better
Having these stated goals helps us all row in the same direction as an organization. Think about the goals in terms of yourself - how can I make a difference? What can I do to make each day better, to reach our goals and avoid unnecessary distractions? It could be suggesting an idea to your manager, thinking about how to scale your department to make it happen, come up with ideas on how to market our business, how to be more efficient, grabbing lunch with a colleague or manager, how you and CPLG leaders can make you happier at work. Whatever it is, only you can make that happen. I can’t do it for you, your manager can’t, you have to make the best of each day to get to that goal.
Recently, I noticed our teams were struggling to get to all of the business we were getting in, and it was driving me crazy. I equated it to leaving money lying on the floor, simply because we didn’t have enough hands to pick it up. Each submission we couldn’t respond to represented a missed connection, an insurance relationship that could have lasted for many years. The teams have been doing a great job, but we simply didn’t have enough capacity. I asked myself, “how can I help create more efficiency so we can write more of this business?” If we want to have better service, have folks happier in their roles, and write more business, we need to relentlessly obsess on constantly improving efficiency. I had a discussion with Susan Rivera, our CEO, to see what she did in her previous company that proved effective. She came onsite last week at the Encino office to hear about our current process and share lessons she learned from the hyper-efficient, small-business focused MGA she founded (before taking her current role at TMHCC). We left the meeting with a ton of good ideas that should make a big impact, and we are working to hopefully roll them out later this year. Just making the slightest change in policy services, technology and underwriting can reduce waste in our process, and help us achieve our goals.
We have an incredible task force working on the deliverables to ensure we stay on track, monitor, and manage that subgoal. The point is, identify where you can make an impact because it can have tremendous benefits on everyone around you. If we all stay focused on the end goals I laid out, it will feel so good when we have that win. Goals need to be exciting, challenging and something you are passionate about. So let’s go get it!
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Professional Lines
The AECP (Architects & Engineers and Contractors Professional) team is focused on growing new business and strengthening broker relationships. Jim Bechter (Senior Vice President – AECP), recently visited brokers in Austin, TX the week of August 29th. Additionally, Jim Bechter, Steve Hansen (Vice President – AECP) and Trevor Saccente (Lead Underwriter) will be attending the Wholesale Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA) Annual Marketplace from September 11-14th in San Diego.
Speaking of WSIA, Dan Mogelnicki (Senior Vice President), Jade Rabacal (Vice President, Underwriting – Employment Practices Liability), Eric Isaacson (Underwriting Manager - Allied Medical, Social Services & SMML), Regina Cindrich (Underwriting Manager - MPL & Tenant) and Eric Gordon (Senior Underwriter – MPL & Tenant) will also be attending the Annual Marketplace in September.
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The HPI (Healthcare Professionals and Innovative Product Solutions) team is growing! Two new Underwriters (Allied Medical, Social Services & SMML) will start in September. HPI is excited to build out their team and are currently looking to fill two more positions in the coming months.
The MPL (Miscellaneous Professional Liability) team is continuing to work on their new product for accountants. This is an important initiative for the year. Stay tuned for further developments…
The MPL team has expanded their team to include Mitchell Luebbe (Senior Underwriter - MPL and Tenant). He is working out of the Chicago, IL office. Please reach out and welcome him to CPLG. Lastly, MPL currently has one open spot left on their team.
If you know anyone interested in joining these incredible professional lines underwriting teams, please see the referral flyer in the Career Opportunities section below.
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Cyber & Tech
Jacob Ingerslev (Senior Vice President, Cyber & Tech), E.K. Keller (Underwriting Manager – Cyber & Tech), Barret McGinnis (Underwriter Manager – Cyber & Tech), Taylor Downhour (Senior Underwriter – Cyber & Tech), Brittany Sakson (Senior Underwriter – Cyber & Tech), Cameron Tognetti (Senior Underwriter – Cyber & Tech), Heidi Mathe (Underwriter – Cyber & Tech), Emily Salyer (Underwriter – Cyber & Tech), Kareen Boyadjian (Vice President, Underwriting – e-MD, MEDEFENSE & NetGuard SELECT) and Alexis Hage (Senior Underwriter – e-MD, MEDEFENSE & NetGuard SELECT) are attending WSIA’s Annual Marketplace in September.
Cyber continues to implement new efficiencies across the team to improve the underwriting process and increase capacity.
The team is focused on incorporating advanced scanning technology into Snap to identify exposures and address them at quoting.
Last month, Tamara Ashjian (Director, Claims, Cyber &Tech) was featured in Insurance Business America (IBA).
During the interview, Tamara shared her perspective on:
- The evolving legal landscape.
- The rise in third-party privacy breach class action lawsuits.
- How businesses can mitigate their exposure to lawsuits.
Click here to read the article.
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Turnkey Reinsurance
In August, John Longo (Senior Account Executive) joined the Non-Healthcare team. John is based out of the Northeast and brings a wealth of experience having worked at AXA XL for 5 years.
The Non-Healthcare team will be joined by Mike Palotay (President) in Dallas for the NAMIC Annual Conference on September 18-21st. Tokio Marine HCC is a major sponsor of the organization and of the event. We are excited for the valuable experience it will be to have Mike meet some of Turnkey Reinsurance’s most valued clients.
The Healthcare / Professional team will be in Denver on September 28-30th to attend the 2022 NABRICO Conference. Rich Savage (Cyber Incident Response Director) is a guest panel speaker and will discuss breach response and risk management. Tokio Marine HCC is a gold sponsor of the event.
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Jacquie Shapiro (Senior Director, Turnkey Reinsurance & Programs) and Matt Sherman (Senior Vice President, Turnkey Reinsurance & Programs) will head out to Boston this month for the Lockton Medical Liability Conference. Lockton is a significant reinsurance partner and broker for the Healthcare team. Turnkey Reinsurance looks forward to sharing their insights on the cyber landscape with several of their Healthcare clients while at the conference. | | |
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Labor Day – September 6th | Labor Day is a federal holiday and the CPLG offices will be closed. Held on the first Monday in September, the holiday honors the American labor movement and pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of laborers. It’s also the unofficial end of summer. However you choose to mark the occasion, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a Labor Day barbeque, we want to wish you a happy holiday! | | |
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Stand-Up to Cancer Day – September 9th | |
Stand Up to Cancer Day is observed on the second Friday of September. To help raise awareness and show a bit of spirit at the same time, we will be holding a ‘Rainbow Day’ for cancer awareness. The idea is for everyone to dress in the ribbon color of the cancer they have the closest connection with, want to advocate for, or bring awareness to. Not sure what color to wear? We included a Cancer Awareness Ribbon chart for you.
We’d love to see your photos in office, while traveling, or on Teams calls – please send your photo/selfie or your team’s, along with a signed photography release form, to the marketing team at [email protected] and we will post a collage to The Port.
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CPLG Offices Volunteering Time – September | |
This month, the Atlanta office will be volunteering at the Atlanta Community Food Bank on September 26th. They will be gathering at the Hunger Action Center to inspect, sort, and pack grocery donations which will be distributed to partner agencies across Georgia.
Reminder: TMHCC has a VTO (volunteer time off) policy, and we encourage each of you to volunteer your time. All CPLG offices will be coordinating an optional event this year, so check in with your office ambassador for more details!
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CPLG advocates for each of you to volunteer as a group or individually. From Concord’s Rockaway Beach clean-up to the East Coast’s Meals on Wheels volunteer event and Encino’s afternoon with Heal the Bay, we are proud to see such enthusiasm from our local offices.
If you didn’t have time to participate in these local group events, we encourage you to do so on your own. Think about what social cause or philanthropic organization is close to your heart and consider supporting it by volunteering your time.
We interviewed CPLG employees to find out what community service project they've participated in and why it was meaningful to them. Here are some important initiatives your colleagues had to share:
Anagette Brown (Submissions Associate): For me, moving to Alaska this past May meant discovering my passion of helping others in this new community. The city of Fairbanks, Alaska (the state’s 2nd largest city) battles chronic homelessness and I strive to make a difference. The Fairbanks Rescue Mission allows me the opportunity to better serve those in need by participating in activities and events, such as serving meals, organizing clothing closets, hosting movie/game nights, and interacting with individuals and their families. As the holidays are approaching, I am looking forward to making Thanksgiving and Christmas special at the Fairbanks Rescue Mission!
I would absolutely recommend giving back – in any way! Remember: Helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person. YOU can make this impact.
Jamie Kinsley (Deputy COO): This past July, I volunteered at the CPLG Heal the Bay Beach Clean-up event. I always plan a volunteer day at the LA Food Bank in November with the IT team. For both events - Heal the Bay and the LA Food Bank, you are able to accomplish a lot in a very short timeframe. It feels great making a difference and giving back to the community while having fun with your teammates! I would definitely recommend these service activities to others.
Sarah Crabtree (Senior Claims Attorney): Earlier in the summer I volunteered for “Meals on Wheels” for the Town of Somers, NY, where I reside. I spent a day delivering hot meals tailored to meet the medical needs and cultural preferences of the house bound recipients.
I chose this event because in the past, Meals on Wheels has provided meals to elderly members of my family who lived alone, which helped them remain healthy and independent.
Meals on Wheels is invaluable because it provides nutritious meals to people who may not otherwise have dependable access to fresh food. I also enjoyed meeting and interacting with people in my community when I delivered their meals. I would definitely/highly recommend this volunteering activity to my colleagues.
Sunil Ghei (Senior Claims Examiner – Cyber & Tech): I am looking forward to volunteering at the Atlanta Food Bank on September 26th with my CPLG colleagues. At the end of the event, the Atlanta Food Bank will explain exactly how much food helped get to a person in need. I chose to sign-up for this event because it feels great knowing that your actions for that day will directly impact someone in a positive way. It really puts things into perspective. I can’t wait to get together with coworkers who I would otherwise only see via Teams.
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Please give a warm welcome (either in the office or via Teams) to the following people who were hired last month.
- Adam Brooks, Associate Underwriter – Cyber Underwriting
- Darryl Cole, Senior Underwriter – Cyber Underwriting
- Dana Fox, Underwriting Assistant – Cyber Underwriting
- Bryan Haas, Cyber & Tech Claims Manager – Claims
- Mark Kelley, Underwriting Assistant – Underwriting
- John Longo, Senior Account Executive – Turnkey Reinsurance
- Mitchell Luebbe, Senior Underwriter – MPL
- Josh Morris, Senior Underwriter – Allied Medical, Social Services & SMML
- Aldo Rodriguez, Associate Underwriter – Cyber Underwriting
- Brandon Shelby, Associate Underwriter – Cyber Underwriting
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We are committed to the development and growth of our employees! Looking to expand your knowledge and/or advance your career? We are excited to share that we have several career opportunities available. | |
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Click on the link to view the various job postings in more detail: CPLG Job Openings!
As a friendly reminder for intercompany transfers, employees should start by engaging in a conversation with their current manager. Please see our IntraCompany Transfer Policy for further information.
We also have additional job opportunities at TMHCC Job Openings.
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Do you know someone who would be a good addition to our Underwriting and Claims teams? You can get paid between $2,500-$5,000 if they meet our referral program qualifications. Whaaaaa? Yep, that’s the same as a down payment on a Lambo. Ok, not quite, but want to learn more? Click here for details! | |
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Friendly Reminders from Compliance
Loss Runs should continue to be requested through the Portal. For ‘Unknown’ Loss Runs, please reach out to our point person at Corporate, Tonya Crawford ([email protected]). The most current Loss Run Cheat Sheet is located on The Port within the Compliance page under the ‘Page Links’ section.
Please continue to send all Non-Disclosure Agreement requests to [email protected] for handling.
Requests for Agent/Agency updates, policy transfers and Surplus Lines license updates will continue to go to [email protected].
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Congratulations to the employees who were chosen to be Employee of the Quarter (EOQ)! The following employees exhibited Tokio Marine HCC – CPLG’s core values including: delivering on commitments, looking beyond profit, empowering our people, innovation and collaboration. | |
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Abigail Billington – Senior Claims Examiner – Team Lead, Claims
In her role as a Team Lead, Abigail has proven that she cares about employee success by providing valuable guidance and training to recent new hires in the Claims team. She has demonstrated the core value of Investing in Employee Success as she strives to provide comprehensive training to the new hires so that they can become well-rounded claim adjusters. Abigail consistently demonstrates another core value of Obsession with Service by quickly responding to inquiries from the team and happily providing needed assistance. The Claims team is proud to have a team player like Abigail, and looks forward to paving her path for continued success.
Claire Turner – Assistant Controller, Accounting
Claire is a great asset to the Accounting department. She has demonstrated Collaboration and Obsession with Service by diligently researching and resolving the NAS differences between Peoplesoft and Infinity. Between May-July, Claire resolved approximately 300 differences and as of July 25th, only 17 differences remain.
Holly Plunkett – Account Manager, Turnkey Reinsurance
As a valuable member of the Turnkey Reinsurance team, Holly embodies more than one goal. She is a team player who not only makes service a priority, but makes her service and accessibility to her colleagues a core component to her value system. She represents the values of Collaboration and Obsession with Service and is a team player, committed to a level of detail that we could all emulate. Holly does it all with a positive attitude and a solutions-oriented mindset.
Jennifer Miyagishima – Marketing Specialist
Jennifer is a key member of the marketing team. This past quarter, the team completed over 150 assignments, 30% more than completed historically. Thanks to Jen’s organization, timely follow-ups and effective communication with stakeholders and publications, the entire department pushed themselves and delivered on commitments. She did it all with a positive attitude which kept the team motivated.
Jerry Huiza – Policy Services Manager, Operations
As a manager, Jerry has one of the largest production teams in the CPLG business unit. He has proven to consistently Invest in Employee Success by working closely with 20 onshore employees and overseeing production/quality and engagement for an additional 15 associates (our WNS offshore partner). He leads these various teams by example, building solid relationships with an energetic and engaging approach. Under Jerry's leadership, he has hired countless staff, steered them toward success and promotion from entry level through Supervisor.
Sarena Alsukhon – Account Associate, Turnkey Reinsurance/The Agency
Sarena is a bright mind and a stellar professional. She is generous with her insights, and goes well beyond the call to communicate effectively and clearly to her clients. She delivers on commitments by being extremely organized and focused on continuously learning and developing skills that have been valuable to the department. Because of her hard work, The Agency has been able to obtain a 90% renewal retention which is so important in today’s crazy market.
Trevor Saccente – Lead Underwriter, AECP
Trevor has demonstrated a Passion for Innovation by leading efforts to develop a new Faulty Workmanship endorsement for Contractors Professional. He has spearheaded the effort by bringing in members from Claims and Underwriting for the initial draft. This endeavor should help AECP achieve growth in the competitive Contractors Professional Liability market.
Yvette Romero – Underwriter, HPI
Yvette is an amazing asset to the HPI team. She consistently delivers on her commitments by providing 24-hour turnaround to all target brokers. Yvette is a dedicated Underwriter and provides excellent service.
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Next month, we will feature a new Employee Spotlight and celebrate Halloween. Stay tuned for these exciting updates! | |
Stronger. Smarter. Faster. | |
Tokio Marine HCC is the marketing name used to describe the affiliated companies under the common ownership of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc., a Delaware-incorporated insurance holding company. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Tokio Marine HCC is a leading specialty insurance group with offices in the United States, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. | | | | | |
