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Director of Aviation
Wells Fargo, Atlanta

Reducing Tensions in the Middle East

Dean Anderson and his team serve their clients at mach-speed levels.

"I can get anything I need from them within an hour," said John Gordon, owner of Ultimate Jet Charter, with amazement in his voice.

"A good share of the reason is that Dean is an exceptional manager," added Gordon. "He is the best I've ever seen. He works the angles, pays attention to changes and knows the details of a situation."

As a prime example of Anderson's service, Gordon cited a deal in which his firm was contracted by an airline in Canada to do a Canadian-scheduled run from the Canadian government "and their insurance was $300 million instead of our carriage of $200 million," said Gordon. "To get one airplane in our fleet covered for additional dollars when you're under a fleet policy is almost impossible. But Dean was able to put together a deal in which we were able to dedicate an aircraft to this company and run these routes according to a reasonable contract."

Another success story for Anderson, the director of aviation, national practice leader at Wells Fargo Insurance Services Inc., came last year with tensions high in the Middle East.

Anderson and his group were asked to get involved with a complex, high-risk U.S. company with many aircraft operations in the area. Using his extensive contacts in the underwriting field, Anderson was able to take the insured's current program and make significant improvements. A new placement, divided among several aviation underwriters in order to share risk, had a lower premium and was overall a stronger solution for the client.

Managing Principal
Integro Insurance Brokers, New York

Traveling Tirelessly

Terry Rolfe is cited by her clients for her exceptional ability in handling gap coverage and the wide range of experience that the managing principal and aviation practice leader at Integro Insurance Brokers has to draw on.

"When you make products like Harris Corp. that aren't always clear-cut, Terry has been of invaluable assistance," said Rick Broderick, director of risk management at the Melbourne, FL-based maker of communications for the government and non-government sectors. "For us, for example, we have what's called the federal telecommunication infrastructure program with the Federal Aviation Administration. Most of that's ground communications. But you tell me when it stops being ground and when it starts having an aviation spin to it. Terry has been a great partner in making those distinctions."

For Rodger Davies, risk manager at aerial applications company Wilbur Ellis, Rolfe has been much more than an insurance adviser.

"Terry has helped us identify a business consultant, not just an insurance consultant, during a period when our company has grown largely through new acquisitions. She has assisted us in developing our overall business plan and management reporting structure. She understands the issues. All her experience has certainly served us well."

Davies also noted that Rolfe has been a tireless traveler on behalf of his San Francisco-based company, which sells agricultural chemicals.

"She's visited all of our aviation locations to talk to our operations personnel," Davies said. "She does a particularly good job in marketing our renewals."

Managing Director
Executive Perils Inc., Los Angeles

Flying First Class

2011 was a first-class year for Peter R. Taffae, highlighted by a complex insurance deal he put together as part of the Southwest Airlines and AirTran merger.

The merger agreement required that a six-year tail (the period of D&O insurance) be provided, with the coverage for the tail having to be at least as favorable as AirTran's existing policy. It was necessary to add a provision requiring that the pre-merger policy as well as the new tail policy be considered in the event of a claim. Taffae and his team then took the dual lateral concept up one more notch by tying in Southwest's policy wording into the tail. Thus, if a claim arises in six years, it will be adjusted on the basis of pre-merger AirTran policy, the tail policy language and Southwest's existing policy language, whichever provision is to the insured's advantage.

Thus trilateral coverage was born.

Of Taffae, Ben Marcus, CEO of jetAVIVA, said: "We were looking for an E&O policy that would cover us for noncontractual service delivery. It was quite difficult to find the coverage we wanted through our primary insurer, but Peter had a very good relationship with another underwriter. The underwriter gave us a very good quote on a very good policy. In fact, a competitive quote we received elsewhere was three times the price for the same coverage."

Added Jaimie Hayne, CEO of Catto & Catto LLP in San Antonio, TX: "The first thing that makes Peter stand out is his integrity. We trust he will turn over every stone that he possibly can to find the most appropriate, cost-effective program for our clients."

President/CEO
John F. Throne & Co. Insurance Marketing Inc., Seattle

Having Market Intelligence

The last year has been a major "can do" period for R. Michael Throne and his team.

Accomplishments include the development of an exclusive program for Alaskan Lodges, which covers both the aviation/aircraft exposures and lodge operations on a unified placement with a single insurance carrier, broadening coverage and reducing combined insurance costs at the same time.

In addition, a commercial aircraft fleet carrier faced steep cost increases in their flight crew disability insurance program. Throne and his team were able to negotiate a coverage solution with the aviation insurance carrier, saving the client more than $250,000.

Ken Dole, managing member and owner of Promech Air in Ketchikan, Alaska, observed that Throne and his team are masters of handling administration and claims management.

"They are without peers at making certain the bills are handled properly, that the planes are taking on and off on time, that we get the credits on time," said Dole. "I think handling the whole picture is what sets Mike and his team apart. There's a trust level that really makes him stand out."

Added T. Michael Stanberry, president of Metro Aviation, Inc. of Shreveport, La.: "Mike's integrity and attention to detail are impeccable. Nothing slips through the cracks with him. He's tough, but he's well respected by the underwriters."

William R. Eason, president of Starr Aviation Agency, Inc. of Atlanta said, "Mike is extremely organized and disciplined in the procurement of insurance. He is very good at knowing market intelligence."

Executive Vice President
JLT Aerospace (North America), Inc., Chicago

A Finger on the Pulse

Joyce Wignes is known for her ability to move established clients into new areas of insurance placements and risk management services.

In one case last year a client discovered that non-aviation coverage did not extend to cover spares at a newly acquired location and in fact specifically excluded the location. A multiple aircraft acquisition was closing and could not be completed without this coverage.

Property insurers would not accept the risk. For the first time, the aviation placement was extended to cover spares and allow the closing to take place and additional premium was negligible.

Wignes had a 20-year history with this account and spares had always been kept in the property program. Additionally, special ferry insurance was placed to accommodate European Union requirements for aircraft. This placement allowed the client to continue at a limit in keeping with exposure and risk management guidelines while meeting the EU requirements for infrequent ferry operations. The saving to the client was substantial.

Roseanne Gilles, manager of corporate insurance at United, said of Wignes: "The bottom line about Joyce is her exceptional service. I have never had a broker like her. She's got her finger on the pulse of the aviation industry like nobody I know."

Added Gilles: "Joyce is especially great when it comes to knowing the markets and handling renewals."

Area President
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Miami

The Caribbean Solution

William Willer goes well beyond serving as an insurance broker for his clients.

"Bill is almost like an honorary employee of our company," said Amanda Cutler, vice president of legal and general counsel at AeroTurbine, Inc. "I never met somebody so knowledgeable and proficient in an area they practice in, in any discipline."

Willer, area president of Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services Inc., was especially valuable to AeroTurbine last year when the company was sold to new owners. "Bill was on the due diligence team," said Cutler. "He was integral in many ways beyond the aviation practice."

For example, Willer also handled the company's worker's compensation, environmental and property insurance, among other matters.

"Bill was in on many of the most important, highest-level calls we had," Cutler said, noting that Willer continues in that role.

On another front, Willer handled a difficult situation involving CAA Airlines, an airline carrier serving third-world countries. The company's prior broker had placed its insurance for a limit of $500 million with a single insurance carrier in the British Virgin Islands. To say the least, management had questions about this insurance carrier. After three months of intense activity in the world insurance market, Willer was able to place 100 percent of the coverage.

"There's one way to describe how valuable Bill is to us," said Daniel Blattner, chief operating officer of CAA. "Excellent service. Plus he has exceptional knowledge, which is very important because it's so difficult to find insurance for third-world markets."

Director, Collateral Advisory Services
Aon
Chicago, IL

Assistant Vice President
Willis
Potomac,MD

President/CEO
Wings Insurance
Eden Prairie, MN