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Senior Vice President
Mid-Atlantic Zone Wrap-Up Practice Leader
Marsh
Philadelphia

Brian Schofield has earned a reputation as a strong client advocate who has a tremendous amount of expertise in an industry that has been going through some tough times with insurance.

Schofield specializes in pulling together insurance programs for homebuilders and construction companies. But as a result of some recent significant claims and litigation, not many insurers are willing to provide coverage for the industry.

Clients speak highly of Schofield's industry knowledge and his ability to negotiate with underwriters on their behalf.

"He's one of the top in the industry," says one risk manager. "He's a go-to resource when the difficult questions come up." Another risk manger called him a "straight shooter" who has "probably gotten us around some landmines we didn't even know were there."

Over the last year, Schofield helped one major home-builder with its renewal in a residential insurance market where there was spotty insurance coverage. Schofield helped the firm establish a financial cap on losses in the event of a horrible loss scenario. The firm previously did not have a cap.

For another client, Schofield negotiated an 18-month insurance program when the markets were only affording 12 months in the residential sector.

Executive Vice President
Willis
Dallas

Chet Mitrani won praise from one major metro area's transit organization for his work over the last year in placing an owner-controlled insurance program for the final 48 miles of its light-rail building program.

Total construction costs are estimated at $1.4 billion for the project. The OCIP is a seven-year insurance program with coverage for up to 10 years after the construction is finished. Mitrani was instrumental in putting together an underwriting submission in less than a month. Quotes for all coverages were received and confirmed within 45 days--a record from the client's perspective. More importantly, the pricing the client received was $13.6 million below what had been projected by an independent consultant.

Finally, Mitrani was able to obtain coverage for the entire term of construction, which eliminates the prospect of future price increases. Considering that the program will provide coverage for the next 17 years, the client was extremely pleased with Mitrani's efforts.

In addition to placing this OCIP, Mitrani takes a lead role in marketing its operational property and liability insurance programs. Even though the client has been constantly adding property and opening new service, Mitrani has been able to negotiate premium reductions for each of the past three renewal cycles. His efforts have saved the client more than $525,000.

Deputy Chairman
Construction Practice Group
Willis
Columbia, S.C.

Even though the surety credit market has been through dramatic changes in the last several years, James M. Maloney has been able to help his clients secure the surety credit critical for the construction industry.

"Jim is as knowledgeable and known throughout the industry as well as or better than anyone," says one risk manager. "He has been very valuable to us in dealing with the bonding companies."

Maloney is responsible for all carrier initiatives, major account strategies and best practices for surety. He also is directly involved with major accounts within Willis, partnering with clients to maximize their surety capacity.

In one case, Maloney helped a construction company that found its surety support suspended in late 2002. He guided the company's executive management team through a series of recommendations and arranged for the company to tell its story in a series of face-to-face meetings with the senior executives at a number of major sureties. The result was the placement of a mid-nine-figure shared surety facility.

Maloney also successfully handled the challenging Indian tribal legal issues faced by a separate construction company, and secured a multimillion-dollar surety capacity for the company.

Senior Vice President
Marsh
Cleveland

Joanie Schneider has become a sought-after broker for her technical construction insurance expertise internally at Marsh, with clients and with insurance-carrier personnel. Clients speak highly of her industry knowledge, expertise and ethics.

"We're always looking for someone who brings value," one risk manager says. "She brings in expertise and helps us to get better.

"At one point they wanted to take her off our account, and we said, 'You won't have us as a client if you take her off our account,' " this risk manager says. "She's one of the best things that has happened to our company."

Another risk manager describes Schneider as "absolutely outstanding" and noted that she has extensive contacts with insurers and other people in the industry.

Schneider is often called upon by client teams to conduct various seminars on coverage and insurance contract requirements. These seminars are typically held for executives who have the responsibility of understanding construction placement issues within their firms.

Over the last year, Schneider has been focused on construction and development firms with residential risk issues.

She has been analyzing and negotiating key coverages, previously prone to exclusions. She also has been educating clients and colleagues on risk management techniques pertinent to this risk group.

Managing Director
Beecher Carlson
Denver

It's not easy for construction companies and residential home builders to line up insurance coverage these days. "Our industry has been in a crisis mode regarding insurance," one risk manager says. "There are no standard products."

But Mark E. Ouimette has done outstanding work for companies in this sector and won high marks for his ability to come up with innovative solutions, all while maintaining high customer service and ethical standards.

"He's fantastic to work with," this risk manager says. "He's looking outside the box to structure a program that really fits our needs. We're very happy with his support."

Ouimette last year set up an insurance wrap for this firm's subcontractors that resulted in good coverage with favorable premiums, the risk manager says. His focus over the past year has been to work with new clients by analyzing their cost of risk to design creative alternative risk-financing mechanisms that will lower overall risk management costs and offer more control over the entire design process.

Through the dissection of various coverages associated with a traditional general liability policy, Ouimette tries to create a unique solution that often involves the use of a captive for those exposures or layers that are most costly, and can be controlled using safety and loss-prevention techniques.

Managing Director
Executive Vice President
Aon
San Jose, Calif.

Michael J. Heffernan goes out of his way to keep his clients happy. Heffernan won praise from one risk manager who speaks about his strong industry knowledge and his extensive contacts with insurers and underwriters.

But it is his commitment to customer service that really makes the difference. "He has been really good to our company," the risk manager says.

Heffernan has been this company's broker for nearly two years. Before that, the company had a relationship with another broker, but it didn't work out, the risk manager says.

"He goes out of his way to explain the coverages and the deductibles," says the risk manager. "He's always there when you need him."

Having managed a national practice group within Aon, Heffernan has direct access to senior management levels with all the major insurance underwriters. That access leads to better results for his clients.

Heffernan has 15 years of insurance industry experience. He has been with Aon for six years. Before that he was with No. 3 broker Willis. He has been a member of the Aon Excellence Roundtable from 2000 to 2006.