2016 Power Broker

Nonprofit

When Does He Sleep?

Brandon Cole, CPCU, CRM, CIC, ARM, RPLU, AINS, CISR Area Vice President Arthur J. Gallagher, Irvine, Calif.

Brandon Cole, CPCU, CRM, CIC, ARM, RPLU, AINS, CISR
Area Vice President
Arthur J. Gallagher, Irvine, Calif.

If there was an award for designing the most creative insurance programs, Brandon Cole would be the standout winner.

Over the past year, Cole has created no fewer than six new products, including an excess liability program for the KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) network of public charter schools, providing limits of up to $50 million.

He also worked with a partner insurer to create a product that protects schools against violence, covering the cost of hiring counselors, as well as business interruption and extra expense losses in the event of an incident.

Cole also developed a foreign liability product, enabling schools to buy affordable coverage when travelling overseas, through their risk purchasing group.

“Brandon is able to connect the needs of charter schools to the insurance market offerings, and he is able to explain these needs and solutions in a way that is understandable to the schools,” said a risk management provider for schools in California who works with Cole.

“On our property coverage programs, having negotiated the best deal for both our programs, he was able to reduce our rate by approximately half, while improving our sub-limits, terms and conditions.”

Gabriel Park, CFO at Equality Charter School, said when contacted at 7:30 am EST, Cole, on the West Coast, picks up the phone at 4:30 am.

You Can Count on Amy

Amy Doherty Senior Vice President Aon, Washington, DC

Amy Doherty
Senior Vice President
Aon, Washington, DC

Given the increasingly complex and contentious legal environment that nonprofits face on a daily basis, Amy Doherty decided to develop an innovative solution for her clients.

Having carried out an in-depth analysis of the nonprofit insurance market and its products, she worked with Allianz to create an exclusive umbrella liability policy.

It was no mean task. It involved the completion of an actuarial analysis of her clients’ management liability book and drawing up a comprehensive rate plan and underwriting guidelines.

The new product, which was launched last year, provides affordable enhanced coverage to protect against claims severity by recognizing underlying D&O and employment practices liability.

“I can count on Amy no matter what,” said Dixie Arthur, president of ASAE Business Services Inc.

“Occasionally we run into an association that’s having difficulty getting a claim paid or getting an issue resolved, but she just steps in and manages the situation.

“Alongside providing us with very detailed reports for everything we need to know about our programs, she understands the nuts and bolts of our industry from top to bottom and delivers in every possible way.”

National Expertise

Joan Dove, CPCU Area Executive Vice President Arthur J. Gallagher, San Francisco

Joan Dove, CPCU
Area Executive Vice President
Arthur J. Gallagher, San Francisco

Preventing and minimizing injuries and claims is critical to a YMCA that works with thousands of children and families, as well as being key to controlling their insurance costs.

That is what Joan Dove helped one YMCA achieve, developing risk management materials specific to each of its program areas, and setting up training sessions tailored to each group, which enabled them to draw up action plans to address their specific issues.

She was also successful in developing the risk management program for another large YMCA, refreshing the current initiatives and adding new ones, as well as meeting with staff to get their buy-in.

It’s really her national expertise in the exposures and risk management issues associated with children and young adults that sets her apart from the competition, according to her clients.

“She’s very hands-on in terms of making sure that we’re compliant and we’re getting everything done that needs to be done,” said Mary Dalencour, executive director of risk management at the YMCA of Greater Houston.

“She has a great ability for keeping her finger on the pulse, so we’re able to jump on a problem before it becomes an issue for us.”

Paul Rutherford, vice president of properties and facilities at the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, said Dove is great at synthesizing problems and devising solutions.

A Problem Solver

Dana Gannon Senior Vice President Marsh, Washington, DC

Dana Gannon
Senior Vice President
Marsh, Washington, DC

Managing the insurance needs of 10 small sister organizations on top of servicing your main client is a real challenge.

That’s exactly what Dana Gannon had to do when the Columbia Association, a nonprofit community services provider in the city of Columbia, Md., asked her to find third-party tenant liability coverage for facility and event rentals held in its buildings.

Without it, they would have been left exposed to potential claims from any incidents arising from these events.

“Dana came with me to a meeting with the village managers and spent two hours talking through their issues and explaining what they would need in terms of coverage in very clear terms,” said Susan Krabbe, vice president and CFO of the Columbia Association.

“Thanks to Dana, they ended up taking the coverage and have been on it for the past year and are very happy with it.

“Without it, we would have been completely exposed, but for Dana to finally get them to do something about it was great.”

Diane Killion, general counsel at the American Association of Blood Banks, said: “Dana always has a very positive, can-do attitude and a practical approach to helping clients solve their problems.

“She has a wide range of understanding and is well connected in the industry, so she can always advise us of the best fit for us.”

A Program Builder

Scott Konrad Senior Vice President HUB, New York

Scott Konrad
Senior Vice President
HUB, New York

Rebuilding organizations’ insurance programs from scratch is a forte of Scott Konrad, HUB’s not-for-profit business practice leader.

Faced with outdated 15-year-old policies that barely provided enough cover and were coming up for renewal, Minds Matter National Inc., a nonprofit program that empowers young people from low-income families to achieve college readiness and success, brought in Konrad to revamp its entire program.

“Scott swooped in and rebuilt our policies basically from scratch for us,” said Jade Keena, director of operations at Minds Matter.

“In an extremely limited window of about three weeks, Scott learned everything about our organization and got us full coverage with providers who understood our time and budget constraints.

“Scott took the time to make sure we had the best possible coverage and in understanding our organization to make sure we were only paying for exactly what we needed.”

He also did a top-to-bottom review of the coverages for the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonprofit think-tank and publisher, restructuring its entire insurance program, including the introduction of cyber security, and establishing a separate policy for tenants using its main building.

Helping Those Who Help

Liz Van Dervort Producer Gillis, Ellis & Baker Inc., New Orleans

Liz Van Dervort
Producer
Gillis, Ellis & Baker Inc., New Orleans

Going above and beyond to provide her clients with the best possible service is a guiding philosophy for Liz Van Dervort.

She saved the Southern Eye Bank, a nonprofit that helps people receive transplants and restore their sight, 10 percent on its general liability insurance premium and secured essential D&O cover, which it did not previously have.

On another occasion, a student runner collapsed during a practice session with Youth Run NOLA, a nonprofit after-school running club.

Denali Lander, the organization’s executive director, called Van Dervort on the way to the emergency room and was immediately put at ease.

“She talked me through the types of questions I needed to ask the family, the ER and the partner organization where the student was practicing,” she said.

“First thing the next morning, she followed up with me and had put together all of the necessary paperwork that we needed in case the family required insurance reimbursement.

“It didn’t stop there — she continued to stay in touch during the following weeks to make sure the situation was in hand, but above all, she was concerned about ensuring the health of the child concerned.”

Megan Faunce, director of operations at the Youth Empowerment Project, said in her group’s work with at-risk children, Van Dervort’s support is a tremendous weight off of her mind.

BlackBar

Finalists:

Owen Callaghan, CIC, ARM Executive Vice President Hays Companies, Boston

Owen Callaghan, CIC, ARM
Executive Vice President
Hays Companies, Boston

Peter Persuitti Managing Director Arthur J. Gallagher, Itasca, Ill.

Peter Persuitti
Managing Director
Arthur J. Gallagher, Itasca, Ill.

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