O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 2 M U T U A L N E WS APRIL 2017 CH AIR S MESSAGE A Message From Our Chair As I write this message we are preparing for the gathering of our Member Companies in Toronto for the 135th Annual Convention and AGM of your trade association Think about that for a moment from a longevity perspective this is a tradition that should make us all proud It demonstrates just how effective a number of small policyholderowned insurance companies can be when they work together in a common way and in support of one another OMIA along with our reinsurer Farm Mutual Re and the Guarantee Fund make up the three components of our unique and truly Canadian mutual insurance system All three provide the Mutuals with the framework around which we develop and grow our own companies Our March Convention is where the strength of our Association is on full display From very humble beginnings in some cases starting over 160 years ago our businesses have grown to become important contributors to the economic well being of the local communities we serve Our practice of insurance allows us to incorporate the principle of mutuality into what we do In other words we stand for something greater not just insurance As our P M Meeting keynote speaker Ron Tite said this characteristic belongs to successful companies competing in today s Expression Economy We are defined by our values As we all know though it s not just what we ve done in the past that matters Our ongoing success will be driven by how well we adapt to the needs of consumers today and into the future Certainly these are interesting times but we ve shown over the years that we have the ability and willingness to positively respond to challenges before us TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER By the time you read this my term as Chair of OMIA will be over and Christine Van Daele s year is just beginning It has been an absolute privilege to serve the Association in this role thank you for the opportunity ROB PEARSON
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S CAMIC Mutuality Day Retirement Announcement It is with our best wishes that we announce that Les Card retired from the organization on Feb 28th after 40 years of service John Taylor OMIA Marg Torrance and Don Crow Halwell in Ottawa for CAMIC Mutuality Day They were happy to speak with MP for Wellington and Conservative Leadership Candidate Michael Chong On February 7th over 80 representatives of the Canadian Mutuals attended CAMIC s Mutuality Day in Ottawa The group received updates on political developments in Ottawa and briefings on consultations concerning the budget and Income Tax Act A reception was held during the evening for MPs and Senators In addition many from the Mutuals took the opportunity to meet with their MPs at Parliament Hill to discuss the role of Mutuals in local communities and the Canadian economy Congratulations to Normand Lafreniere Frank Rider and the CAMIC Board for organizing this event and for their great work in Ottawa throughout the year Les began his insurance career in 1976 with the Otter Dorchester Mutual Insurance Company located in Norwich Les held several positions there as he worked to develop his management skills and his knowledge of the insurance business In 1992 North Waterloo acquired the assets of Otter Dorchester at that time Les was the Vice President of Underwriting Les joined North Waterloo as the Assistant Vice President of Finance He also served in other roles including VP of Partnerships Planning VP Chief Information Officer and his most recent position of VP and Chief Financial Officer We are indebted to his vision dedication and discipline for propelling us to our present position in the industry Les will be sorely missed and impossible to replace his attention to detail while keeping the broader picture in mind has been invaluable His willingness to put in extra time and effort to help us meet deadlines has demonstrated a commitment to excellence that we have come to depend upon Les retirement is our loss but a well deserved respite for him We thank Les for his many years of loyalty and contribution to the organization and wish him well as he starts a new chapter in his life For over 30 years Hines Investment Management has served as a trusted Advisor for OMIA members Governance Our experience combined with the resources of a global bank ensure the entire process from investment policy portfolio oversight and compliance are held to the highest standards Customized Portfolios Our Global approach thoughtfully combines the needs of the OMIA member with that of global market opportunities Performance Track Record Diversified investment strategies combining internal and external institutional quality proven managers that exceed long term client goals CIBC Wood Gundy is a division of CIBC World Markets Inc a subsidiary of CIBC and a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client please contact your Investment Advisor Gerald Hines Joanne Hines and Sheldon Hines are Investment Advisors with CIBC Wood Gundy Hines Investment Management hinesinvestmentmanagement ca 844 887 4995 hinesinvestmentmanagement com 3
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S Remarkable Citizen Award 2017 International Plowing Match Howick Mutual Director Jacquie Bishop is the first woman in the history of the International Plowing Match to have the honour of chairing the event which takes place in Huron County from September 19th to 23rd It s particularly special because this is the IPM s 100th year in operation Speaking of the IPM this year s match takes place in Walton in Huron County September 19th though to the 23rd Outside of the four year commitment to the 2017 IPM Bishop is known for her other roles as a local farmer mother of three supportive neighbour and colleague 4 H leader caterer guest speaker mentor and last but not least her friends know her as a good two stepper It is no surprise then that Jacquie received a Remarkable Citizen Award presented to her by HuronBruce MPP Lisa Thompson Thompson remarked When Jacquie gets involved in something she draws upon values she learned Director Jacquie Bishop receives the award from Huron Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson As a presenting sponsor of the Match Ontario Mutuals will be there to support our Members with the mutuality message and of course YARDSTICKS This year we re once again opening up the tent to nearby companies who would like an 8 foot table in the heart of it all Watch your email for more news from a young age and she applies her head heart and helping hands to all she does Her belief in people community involvement and doing one s best are cornerstones to her success and why she should be recognized as a remarkable citizen CONGRATULATIONS JACQUIE Superbowl Friday Fun Farm Mutual Re organized a little Superbowl Friday Fun at their office in Cambridge Employees were invited to wear a jersey or shirt to support their favourite team Superbowl treats were provided and employees had fun trying to get a football through a hula hoop 5
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 6 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS Academic Achievements Farm Mutual Re would like to congratulate Cynthia White Underwriter for achieving her FCIP designation at the Insurance Institute Awards held on March 9th at Bingeman s in Kitchener At the same event Lisa Stadnik Azevedo Re Claims Core Services Mellissa Matusiak Reinsurance Analyst and Lindsay Beckett Re Claims Core Services achieved their CIP designations We also would like to congratulate Tara MacArthur Reinsurance Loss Control Specialist for achieving her FCIP at the Institute Awards closer to her home Way to go Cynthia Lisa Mellissa Lindsay and Tara National Cupcake Day Halwell Mutual teamed up with Colley Insurance Brokers for NationalCupcakeDay in support of the Guelph Humane Society They raised over 200 visited with two lovely dogs ate cupcakes and had a great day overall Picture Cori Allgeier Underwriter and Elisabeth Axiak Marketing Communications Specialist along with two Guelph Humane Society Team Members and their 4 legged helpers Cynthia White Mellissa Matusiak Lisa Stadnik Azevedo and Lindsay Beckett Tara MacArthur Award for Director On February 18th Howick Mutual Director Niel Edgar received a plaque in recognition of his years of service and commitment to the Canadian Livestock Curling Association This was awarded to Niel because of his dedication to the Canadian Livestock Curling Association Committee He has put in countless hours to help the committee successfully put on many of the annual curling events across Canada Brandon Manitoba was the location for this year s curling event full of fellowship and lots of laughs Next year marks the 50th time this event will run in the big city of Saskatoon Congratulations to Niel on a very well deserved award
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UAL NE W S In Memoriam Willard Shaw It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Willard Shaw on January 3rd 2017 Willard began work for the Mutuals in 1957 as a bookkeeper at the former Lanark Mutual Insurance Company of Perth retiring 35 years later as the Company Manager During his years as an insurance executive he represented Eastern Ontario on the Farm Mutual Re Board 1966 1979 and was elected to two terms as Farm Mutual Re President Chair His time with the Mutuals forms only part of his incredible 90 year story Willard grew up on a farm at Drummond Center He was an active Junior Farmer and helped organize a Drummond Township branch of the Ontario Farmers Union in the 1950s A true prodigy at the age of 17 Willard was treasurer of the Drummond Center Cheese Factory and from 1960 to 1972 was Secretary Treasurer of the Balderson Cheese and Butter Association Balderson Cheese Factory He was elected as a Drummond Township Councilor 1973 78 Deputy Reeve 1979 82 and Reeve 198391 and in 1988 he served a term as Warden of Lanark County In 1967 Willard Shaw was honored with the Centennial Medal for public service He served on the Board of Directors of the Great War Memorial Hospital Perth from 1973 to 1991 including two years as President He was also a Director of the GWM Hospital Foundation from the mid 1980s through 1998 In 1994 Willard was invited to join the Kiwanis Club of Perth where he filled the posts of Vice President 1995 96 President 1996 97 and Secretary 1998 2000 In a life of business farming and public service Willard found little free time for recreation except for the annual white tail deer hunt which he took part in for 67 seasons He also loved draft horses and his teams pulled many a parade float boy scout sleigh ride or bride and groom on the first leg of their marriage trip Willard Shaw s contributions to the Mutual family and to the Canadian agricultural community will be long remembered Retirement Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes go out to Rick Walters on his March 2017 retirement from L A Mutual Directors staff and agents wish him all the best for a wonderful and happy retirement We can only imagine that his time will be well spent following the pursuits of fishing golfing and spending time with his family especially his two young grandchildren Amazingly Rick followed in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather in becoming the President of L A Mutual He has been with L A Mutual for 33 years and recently welcomed his daughter Nikole to the company in the capacity of agent Over the years Rick has served on many committees and boards related to the Mutual insurance industry and is also an active member of his community including the Rotary Club of Napanee and the Napanee Hospital Board Congratulations Rick 7
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 8 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS Academic Achievement The Directors and Staff of Lambton Mutual would like to congratulate Mikayla Verberne on successfully achieving her CIP designation Mikayla is pictured here with Lambton Mutual President and CEO Dab Van Eyk Fitness Challenge A Little Throwback From January 16th to February 17th employees of Farm Mutual Re and OMIA participated in the Ready Step Go fitness challenge Over a period of five weeks we had approximately 20 employees commit to starting their new year off on the right foot Participants tracked their steps using their personal Fitbits or pedometers and were given weekly motivational tips and suggestions to keep active In order to keep the challenge fair for all three categories were created based on the participants fitness levels Congratulations to Lisa Stadnik Azevedo who took 439 957 steps Kyle Allen who took 408 552 steps and Chris Serran who took 400 020 steps Keith Hallborg gets the jump on Berkely Lambert in this photo from a bygone era Investment Consultants We are investment governance specialists We provide outsourced Money Manager oversight investment portfolio strategy and reporting to Committees and Boards Contact Bruce Friesen or Jeffrey Hand 905 842 4242 or info global i s com
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S Groves Hospital Foundation Donation Halwell Mutual is proud to have donated 25 000 to the Groves Hospital Foundation for the new Groves Hospital in Fergus Our mission is to be the best at protecting what s important to our community and we believe our donation aligns well with this The waiting room in the new Diagnostic Imaging Unit will be named after Halwell Marg Torrance President CEO Halwell Mutual and Board Chair Annette Winter along with representatives from Groves Hospital Foundation WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS WE RE READY WE ARE EQUIPPED TO RESPOND TO YOUR NEEDS 24 7 We are the single source solution with the expertise and resources to mitigate property damage and minimize losses with superior results You can depend on us to handle every aspect of the property repair efficiently effectively and with care Call the brand you can trust to deliver all your restoration needs 1 800 RESPOND servicemasterrestore ca 9
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 10 UP C O M I N G APRIL 2017 TR AINING EVENT S Please refer to www members omia com to review a current calendar of courses offered by OMIA Click on Education and then Training Events DATE COURSE NAME COURSE DESCRIPTION APRIL 11 Introduction to Mutuals and Insurance Of interest to directors and company staff from any discipline who are new to the mutual insurance system and or the insurance industry Of particular note to staff in a general support role this is part of your Certification Program Of note to Directors this session satisfies 2 elements in the governance section of the updated OMIA Director Certification Program APRIL 12 Introduction to the Role of the Director Of interest to directors this session has been designed to provide an overview of the role of a director on a mutual insurance company board of directors This course is a mandatory element of the governance section of the updated OMIA Directors Certification Program Personal Lines Automobile Insurance Course Level 1 This popular interactive 3 day program of which participants may register for any combination of days takes a back to basics approach providing participants Underwriters Agents Brokers and Adjusters with an in depth understanding of Ontario s Automobile Insurance Policy OAP1 Policy Change Forms OPCF the Automobile Insurance Application OAF 1 Associated Reports and how to apply the Underwriting Manual guidelines APRIL 20 Building a Compliance Culture Part II This one day session adds to the material that was developed during the November 30 2016 Session where participants focused on two aspects of how their organization can move towards making compliance with the various regulatory requirements a seamless part of the operation of their business If you were not able to attend that one you are welcome to join this session and begin with the areas of focus that will be addressed on this day APRIL 25 26 Property Coverage Review Commercial Live Online We are pleased to offer an alternative learning opportunity for those interested in participating in a review of our core property coverages Participants will be able to attend one or more of the live sessions each session is two half days from a distance and earn continuing education credits APRIL 27 Managing Sales Teams Agent Driven Companies Of interest to company managers and other company staff who are responsible for managing the sales team for the company APRIL 27 Accident Benefits Claims Handling Workshop Please note the date change this is now a one day only session Participants are asked to share any alternative versions of AB sample letters they may have discovered or developed either by forwarding them to jbrouwers omia com in advance or by bringing them to the session MAY 2 Board Chairpersons Roundtable Of interest to Board Chairs and Vice Chairs this session focuses on governance and meeting topics of interest to them MAY 4 HR Roundtable An affiliate group of staff involved with the human resource responsibilities of their company meet to discuss topics of interest to them MAY 4 Underwriting Managers Roundtable Underwriting Managers spend the day focusing on both technical and managerial issues that impact them This session will be the 2017 in person session for this affiliate group This group will hold an on line meeting on September 12 2017 MAY 10 Strategic and Business Planning Part of the University of Waterloo s Leadership Certificate program this session will focus on learning to establish and communicate your vision determine your values launch your mission create an overall goal and setup immediate goals establish strategies measures and follow up and develop and take home a solid action plan customized for your organizational unit Class size limited MAY 11 Claims Managers Conference An affiliate group of mutual company claims adjusters discuss topics of interest to them MAY 15 17 Commercial Automobile Insurance Level 1 This comprehensive 3 day program is targeted to member company underwriters and agents new to working with individually rated commercial automobile risks Participants should have either attended the Personal Lines Auto Course Level 1 or have a minimum of one year personal and or commercial automobile experience Day 1 OAP 1 and OPCF coverage review related to Commercial Auto Day 2 Study the Auto Application form and Commercial Vehicle Supplement plus the Commercial Vehicle Operators Registration Motor Vehicle Record AutoPlus and Vehicle inspections Day 3 Review of the Commercial section of the Automobile Underwriting Manual and apply the learnings of 3 days to some real to life case scenarios MAY 18 Accountants Roundtable This affiliate group of member company accountants meet to discuss issues which impact their role and corporate responsibilities MAY 29 31 Managers Conference Member company managers meet off site Kingbridge Conference Centre to discuss issues of interest to them MAY 31 Understanding the Claims Function This 90 minute live on line session satisfies one of the elective units in The Business of Insurance section of the OMIA Directors Certification program Directors will receive an overview of the claims adjusting process involved in their claims departments Directors participate from their home or office using their computer The session is delivered live on line from Cambridge APRIL 17 18 19
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S Employees Support Tavistock Assistance Program Every year South Easthope Mutual Insurance employees from the Tavistock Woodstock Listowel and Mitchell offices choose a charity to support from the proceeds of their Dress Down Fridays program The Tavistock Assistance Program T A P is a local charitable assistance program that provides local residents with support during temporary emergency situations More information on T A P can be found at tapisforyou com We are proud to say that local charities have benefitted from this weekly employee program for the past eight years Photo Courtesy of the Tavistock Gazette South Easthope s Ben Fallowfield left and Linda Stock right recently presented a cheque for 1000 to T A P s program director Sharon Walkom 11
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 12 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS Celebrating 40 Years PAULINE BENNINGER celebrated 40 years of service at Trillium Mutual in September 2016 Pauline is a valued member of the Central Administration Services Team as a Document Management Administrator Thank you for your dedication hard work and support Congratulations Pauline New Logo North Blenheim has a fresh new look In recent months we have introduced a new logo digital sign and website that we hope will give people a better idea of who we are Have a look at www northblenheim com Sincere thanks to Arcane for leading us through the changes and to Brian Lomoyo for his talented photography INSPIRING YOU WITH GREAT TECHNOLOGY online quotes web interface cloud solutions broker connectivity WWW MCCG NET 519 432 8853 X304
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R Farm Mutuals support innovative barn fire prevention research Ontario s farm mutual insurance companies are partnering with Farm Food Care Ontario and Harvest Robotics a Hamilton area engineering company to create a heat sensor that can be installed in barns to help prevent fires farm mutuals on behalf of Member Companies and 108 000 from Growing Forward 2 GF2 a federalprovincial territorial initiative The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of GF2 in Ontario The heat sensing system is capable of identifying temperatures above preset limits ideally identifying potential fire sources before they start says Brent Royce animal care consultant with Farm Food Care Ontario The idea is to produce something that s both practical and cost effective for farmers OMIA President John Taylor says it s a unique opportunity to partner with like minded groups who have a deep concern for the safety of animals and the well being of farm families The heat sensing system is designed to make regular scans of specific areas within the barn and compile data to map temperature That mapping can then be used to identify temperature irregularities and notify farmers of changing conditions A total of over 145 000 has been committed to the project with 40 000 coming from Ontario s APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S Retirement Caradoc Delaware Mutual CDM would like to acknowledge the retirement of long time employee Don Baker Don started as a director over 30 years ago and later became and agent He retired on Dec 31st 2016 Congratulations Don We hope that research projects that utilize technology for fire prevention will result in reducing the toll that barn fires take each year he says A prototype of the sensor will be field tested this summer The end goal of the project is to produce a relatively inexpensive easy to use and commercially viable sensor that can be made available to producers The project is slated to wrap up in October Don Baker pictured with his wife Carol TITAN CELEBRATING 20 Taking You into the Future Y E A R S 1996 2016 Contact us for your free on site demonstration 1 800 575 9974 www sehcomp ca TITAN WEB ATLAS INSPECT MINDER PRO 13
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 14 S P R I N G FA R M S H OWS APRIL 2017 LONDO N O T TAWA VA LLEY The London Farm Show took place at the Western Fair District from March 8th to 10th and the Ottawa Valley Farm Show took place at the EY Centre from March 14th to 16th We had a fantastic turn out from Mutual participants who took the opportunity to promote the Mutual difference to the thousands of attendees who attend these shows Along with the Spin to Win wheel and Plinko show goers were encouraged to enter a draw to win a mini drone in London and a gift card to the TFC Store in Ottawa COMING UP NEXT Canada s Outdoor Farm Show Woodstock Sept 12 14 The 100th IPM Walton Huron County Sept 19 23 To participate please contact OMIA Marketing at marketing omia com or visit OMIAevents com The Farm Mutual Re Loss Prevention Team drew crowds with their interactive fire extinguisher simulation game Employee Announcement OMIA is happy to announce that Brandon Mina joined the organization as Marketing Communications Coordinator effective January 1st 2017 He had previously worked for OMIA in this role on a contract basis during Lisa Hunter s maternity leave We are very pleased to have Brandon and Lisa working together on the Marketing team as we continue to serve the dynamic needs of our Mutual membership
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R Inspections with FLIR brand heat sensing cameras can help to detect components that may be overloaded or corroded and which create a fire risk That s why Farm Food Care is operating a lending program of FLIR modules Farmers can borrow these modules to review APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S Heat sensing cameras lent to farmers to increase safety awareness In many cases the exact cause of barn fires remains undetermined However it is believed that many start in the electrical systems of farm buildings Dust from animals and bedding moisture and manure gases create an environment that is not friendly to electrical components even when designed properly Over time corrosion in receptacles can potentially lead to fire their electrical system This helps increase their awareness of fire safety potential risks and prevention FLIR cameras can detect components that may be overloaded or corroded and farmers can discuss their findings and concerns with a licensed electrician where appropriate Farm Food Care is committed to farm fire safety In another initiative they are partnering with the Ontario Mutuals and a Hamilton area engineering company Harvest Robotics to create a heat sensor that can be installed in barns to help prevent fires For more information on the FLIR Module lending program please contact Brent Royce Farm Food Care Ontario 519 291 8279 or the office at 519 837 1326 ext 292 Community Giving Bertie Clinton Mutual strives to provide quality service to their policyholders and community The company has contributed to the Salvation Army since 2008 Chair Lloyd Roseboom is pictured giving a cheque to Cheryl Moore from The Salvation Army for 2 700 FMDC Certification Board Director Ken Schaus has obtained his NAMIC Farm Mutual Director Certification The FMDC is comprised of 3 modules Management Operations Insurance and Finance Accounting The courses are specifically designed to enhance knowledge as a board member and to provide effective strategic direction as well as fostering a commitment to education and professionalism Congratulations Ken 15
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 16 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS Retirement NKMi would like to announce the retirement of Bruce Wright Bruce has been a sales agent at North Kent Mutual Insurance for more than 23 years and has supported his clients through many changes over that time We truly appreciate the outstanding work ethic that Bruce brought to our company and we will miss the cheery disposition that he shared with us every day We are confident that Bruce will enjoy his retirement wearing his ever present smile and will have the opportunity to spend plenty of quality time with his family and friends In Memoriam On behalf of the Board of Directors Management Staff and Agents of Cayuga Mutual it is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of Bill Horvath Bill had been a Board Member of the Cayuga Mutual Insurance Company from 1993 to 2016 and only recently retired in October 2016 Bill served as Chair of the Board with considerable distinction for several terms His thoughtfulness guidance and insight were greatly appreciated Bill represented the former Group 5 on the OMIA Board and served as Chair in 2006 Bill was well respected throughout the Mutual system evidenced by being the first recipient of the Silver Fox Award Bill was a teacher and Principal for the Hamilton Board of Education for 37 years He was a past member of The Hamilton Men Teachers Choir and a member of the Binbrook United Church Anyone who knew Bill knew that he loved his family farming and wood carving Our thoughts and prayers are with his family his wife Barbara sons Mark Tanya Michael Lori Matthew Emily and his five grandchildren SABS Claims Personal Injury Business Interruption Farm Loss 1 800 668 2167 Jessy Hawley CPA CGA CFF jhawley davismarrndale com x1218 Gary Phelps CPA CMA CFF CFE gphelps davismarrndale com x1229 davismartindale com
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S IPM Queen of the Furrow The Farm Mutuals have deep roots with the Ontario Plowmen s Association and the IPM International Plowing Match Support at the local level has always been strong and in 2005 OMIA formalized an annual funding formula for the IPM on behalf of Member companies to secure our position as Lead Sponsor of this annual match and provide match organizers with a steady source of funds Last month OMIA finalized another opportunity to showcase the Ontario Mutuals and mutuality this time as Presenting Sponsor of the Queen of the Furrow An important part of the International Plowing Match The Queen of the Furrow is an important component of the IPM each year It is an influential contributor to the advancement of the IPM but more importantly it is an investment in the success of our future agricultural leaders The tradition began in 1960 in Elgin County when Mrs Linda Prong from Sparta was crowned the first Ontario Queen of the Furrow The competition recognizes the abilities and achievements of young women who are usually from an agriculture background are up to date on the latest methods of plowing agriculture food production safety environmental issues and other community programs are well spoken and articulate competing in giving a speech and an interview compete in plowing a parcel of land Each Queen must compete in her own county or region the year prior to the IPM Nearly all of the 48 branches of the OPA embrace the program As a representative of the local association each Branch Queen participates in activities such as local fairs Food Aid Days farm shows and 4 H education programs These young women are tremendous ambassadors for agriculture Core values that were developed at that first competition in 1960 remain today developing confidence communication skills and leadership capability in young rural women OMIA and the OPA believe that many of the Queen of the Furrow contestants and winners will confirm that they owe much of their professional success to their involvement in the Queen of the Furrow Competition OMIA to sponsor the Ontario Queen of the Furrow Competition As Presenting Sponsor of the Queen of the Furrow competition starting at the 2017 match the Mutuals will enjoy naming rights for the Ontario Competition signage on the Ontario Queen s vehicle and presentation of that vehicle at the Crowning Banquet logos and signage across the IPM itself identifying us as the sponsor logo and name on Branch Queens jackets opportunity for the Queen to attend OMIA events or to assist in marketing opportunities If you have ideas on how this sponsorship could support your Mutual don t hesitate to contact OMIA Marketing Call 519 622 9220 or email marketing omia com 17
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 18 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS Golf Tournament Get 140 years of experience in Insurance Defense working for you 380 Wellington St Suite 1600 London ON N6A 5B5 www bbo on ca bboinfo bbo on ca 519 679 0400 ph 519 679 6350 fax The Commonwell Mutual Annual Golf Tournament raised a total of 35 165 02 which was shared by the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Port Perry Hospital Foundation Each received 17 582 51 This annual fundraising event has raised over 430 000 in 14 years the proceeds of which have gone to support local charitable organizations From left to right Erin Coons Executive Director Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation Tim Shauf President and CEO The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group and Cindy Lister Executive Director Port Perry Hospital Foundation New Employee We are pleased to announce Tavis Hewitt has joined Kent Essex Mutual Insurance in the role of Junior Commercial Underwriter Tavis is a recent graduate of the Insurance Risk Management program at Fanshawe College He previously worked in the retail loss prevention industry and brings many years of customer service experience He is currently working toward his CIP designation We are excited to have Tavis on the K E team
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S edgemutual I N S U R A N C E C O M PA N Y Christmas Donation The staff at Edge Mutual were happy to combine their efforts to make a donation to the Drayton Food Bank for the 2016 Christmas season In support of their efforts Edge Mutual happily chipped in an additional 500 towards the cause SEH Computer Systems Inc BBQ Board Member Retires The Board of Directors and staff of Erie Mutual recognized and honoured Richard and Dorothy Egger at Erie s Christmas luncheon on December 22 2016 Richard Egger served over 35 years on the Board of Directors and represented Erie Mutual on various committees In appreciation of his long dedicated service as a Director the company will make a 1500 donation to the Dunnville Hospital and Healthcare Foundation We wish Richard and Dorothy many more years of good health and happy spirit in their retirement Employee Sean Alexander serves hamburgers to company President Kevin Remington and Vice President Fady Mankal at the 20th Anniversary Public BBQ held at the SEH office in Tavistock Proceeds from the event went to the Tavistock Assistance Program 19
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 20 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS Rotary Club Member Erie Mutual officially became a Corporate Member of the Rotary Club of Dunnville in October 2016 Our company is both proud and honoured to begin our involvement with the Rotary Club The group has accomplished outstanding achievements ranging from local events and fundraising to support at an international level It comprises over 30 members from various businesses within our community all of which volunteer for the betterment of our society In Memoriam Edwin Eden It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Edwin Eden on January 16th 2017 in his 47th year Edwin spent 12 years as an Underwriting Manager at the former Lanark Mutual Insurance Company before becoming the Property Department Supervisor at The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group He was a wonderful person and a great contributor to the Mutual community Pictured Darcy Johnson Member of Record along with Member Delegates Adam Heeg Tom Pooler Jennifer Vanderwoerd and Lauren Horton Open House We are excited to announce that we will be holding an Open House at our new building on July 13th 2017 Our new address as of May 2017 will be 1185 Elgin Street West Cobourg More details can be found online at www htminsurance ca Our thoughts go out to his wife Diana and their children William Alexander and Laura Rosie He will be sadly missed Academic Achievements Congratulations to Jan Tatarski and Dale Stuart on receiving their CIP designations
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S Celebrating Milestones Agent Sam Moir is celebrating 30 years of service to Middlesex Mutual this year Sam s entire career has been spent as an Agent for the company and in turn the community He followed in his father s footsteps who also served as an agent for the London Township Mutual now Middlesex Mutual Congratulations on this milestone Sam Congratulations also go out to Christina Gummerson Accountant on her 10 year anniversary and Melisa McMorland celebrating 5 years in Accounting at Middlesex as well Sam Moir Christina Gummerson Nancy Preston CEO and Melisa McMorland DISCRETIONARY WEALTH MANAGEMENT ALL OF OUR FARM MUTUAL CLIENTS PORTFOLIOS ARE SEPARATELY HELD AND MANAGED ACCORDINGLY TO THEIR SPECIFIC GOALS WE UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANIES WE CAN HELP FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT Brendan T N Caldwell B Sc M A CFA President CEO 150 King Street West Suite 1702 P O Box 47 Toronto ON M5H 1J9 1 800 256 2441 416 593 1798 bcaldwell caldwellinvestment com www caldwellinvestment ca 21
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 22 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS New Office On January 20th Usborne and Hibbert Mutual moved into their new premises The new office allows everyone to be in one building It has a lunchroom exercise room and training room The building is modern in design but also pays homage to its rural history An Open House is planned for later on in the Spring once the old building is demolished and the parking lot is developed The Exeter Fire Department used the building on March 3rd for training purposes The employees watched in awe when a wrecked car was put through the back wall of the building Academic Achievements The Commonwell congratulates these recent CIP grads on their hard work and success in achieving their CIP designations Christine Owens CIP Carol Ann Brown CIP Sara Sinclair CIP Lisle George CIP Louise Hruda CIP From left to right Christine Owens CIP Carol Ann Brown CIP Sara Sinclair CIP Louise Hruda CIP Tim Shauf President CEO Around the World The Association sees the world Thanks to Brad and Lori Vanstone for this recent picture from Portugal Robert Fellows Deputy President of the Insurance Institute of Ontario pictured with graduate Lisle George
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R New President Brad Snider Board Chair on behalf of the Board of Directors of L A Mutual Insurance Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Mike Salmon as President effective March 1st 2017 Mike has been the company s Claims Manager since 2004 and a member of senior management He APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S is responsible for the handling of claims from all lines of business He previously worked at State Farm Insurance as an Automobile Tort Injury Claims Specialist Mike possesses Bachelor degrees in Economics and Geography from McMaster University and has his Chartered Insurance Professional CIP designation Mr Snider stated We are quite pleased to have Mike succeed Rick Walters as our next company President He has been totally committed to our company policyholders and all the related stakeholders connected with L A Mutual We are looking forward to an effective transition as the President s role changes hands Mike his wife Michelle and their two sons live in Amherstview Fire Mutuals Guarantee Fund On March 30th members of the Fire Mutuals Guarantee Fund thanked Andrea Schaefer for her ten years of service as trustee to the fund Andrea was a previous Chair of the Fund and it s longest serving member Donation In 2016 Lambton Mutual continued its commitment to donate 25 000 to the Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital Foundation Breast Assessment Program It was the third year of the pledge to donate 5 000 annually for five years The goal of the Breast Assessment Program is to book all foreseeable appointments in one day Mammography Ultra Sound and Biopsy This minimizes the wait time for test results and reduces the anxiety felt by patients and their families This model of care facilitates early diagnosis and ensures patients receive treatment that is timely and complete Lambton Mutual is proud to support this life saving program that benefits many policyholders The members also welcomed incoming Trustee Sharon Hollister the CFO of Germania Mutual Insurance in Ayton Ontario Sharon has been the Chief Financial Officer of Germania Mutual for 15 years and holds her CPA designation as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Wilfred Laurier University Sharon has been very active in OMIA s Accountants Roundtable and looks forward to participating in the work of the Guarantee Fund From left to right Randy Gilliard Chairman of the Board of Lambton Mutual Deb Van Eyk President CEO of Lambton Mutual and Ed Wheatley Chief Development Officer with Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital Foundation 23
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 24 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS Ontario Mutuals at a glance This is the first in an informal series of infographics about how our companies are faring in aggregate The statistics apply to member companies who are part of the Fire Mutuals Guarantee Fund It s interesting to note the steady progress and growth enjoyed by Member Companies in all three categories of Automobile Property and Liability This data was provided by OMIA s Jeff Ferguson Manager Statistics Information Services
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R Scholarship Awards AFM is proud to provide scholarships of up to 500 to students whose parents or guardians are policyholders of Ayr Farmers Mutual Insurance Company The Scholarship Program is open to policyholders who have sons or daughters currently or soon to be enrolled in post secondary education Qualified individuals are asked to submit an essay on a chosen topic which is then reviewed by the Scholarship Committee IN 2016 16 SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED TOTALING OVER 5 200 Social Media Education Several Mutuals gathered together in January to participate in a Social Media training session organized by Town Country Mutual The presenter was Keith Tomasek who currently lectures with the Faculty of Information and Media Studies at Western University where he teaches Social Media The feedback was very positive and arrangements are underway for the next seminar focusing on graphics lead generation and setting up a Facebook page APRIL 2017
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 26 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS President CEO The Board of Directors of The Kings Mutual Insurance Company is pleased to announce the appointment of CARA CAMERON as President and Chief Executive Officer CEO effective January 1st 2017 Cara joined Kings Mutual in April 2007 as Vice President Finance and Treasurer and has been a key part of the management team She was later promoted to Chief Operating Officer and was integral to the amalgamation of Pictou County Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company with The Kings Mutual Insurance Company Cara began her career as an accountant with Grant Thornton LLP working in their Yarmouth and Kentville offices Cara s husband Dominique and four children Lillian Nicholas Cameron and Abigail reside in Greenwood NS Board Chair Robert Wilson stated We are excited with the appointment of Cara to the role of President CEO Her progressive perspective and proven leadership skills will be invaluable to the future success of The Kings Mutual She succeeds Dan Lister who retired as President and CEO on December 31st 2016 He served with the Company for seventeen years He was instrumental in implementing technological solutions at Kings Mutual and in the professional development of all employees We thank Dan for his outstanding contributions and wish him and his wife Betty a long and happy retirement Cara graduated from Acadia University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree and is a Chartered Professional Accountant CPA CA She completed the Chartered Insurance Professional CIP designation in 2009 and the Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional FCIP designation in 2011 Why buy when you can borrow If you have an event coming up contact marketing omia com to borrow backdrops Plinko a ballot box the table top wheel or the large wheel To learn more contact BizXcel today www BizXcel com Qlik Toll free 866 905 2228
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S Volunteer Spirit During the Christmas season staff from The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group volunteered their time at the Kawartha Lakes Food Source Christmas Helping Hands Food Drive held at the Lindsay Loblaw and Valu Mart stores Milestones COLLEEN MCCREADY Property Underwriter recently reached her 30 year anniversary with West Elgin Mutual Congratulations Colleen The event helped to provide 3 730 pounds of non perishable food items and 8 336 in cash donations Kawartha Lakes Food Source provides a vital service that improves the quality of life of the underprivileged within the City of Kawartha Lakes which in turn helps to create a more vibrant and healthy community Front Julie Bryant Standing Lisa McGill Teri Richard Louise Hruda Back Paul Spry West Elgin President Brian Downie congratulates Colleen London Home Show Westminster Mutual and Town Country Mutual shared a booth at the London Home Show from January 29th to 31st They also shared in the costs of the draw prize a Dyson Stick Vacuum Valued at 548 Congratulations also go out to MAEGHAN MCCOUBREY an Agent at our Shedden office for reaching her 5 year anniversary with West Elgin Mutual West Elgin President Brian Downie congratulates Maeghan 27
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 28 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS New Staff Members DAVID BLODGETT We are pleased to announce that David Blodgett joined our Executive Team in the newly created role of Chief Strategy Officer effective November 7th 2016 His key responsibilities are to oversee the execution of corporate strategic priorities across the organization and to lead our Information Technology Innovation Analytics and Project Management teams David joins The Commonwell in Lindsay having relocated back home to Ontario from Regina where he was most recently the President CEO of Group Medical Services GMS and its wholly owned nationally licensed P C subsidiary GMS Insurance Inc They are a leading travel and health insurer in western Canada David has a long history of insurance leadership and diverse experience across Canada with companies that include AIG Life of Canada and BMO Life Assurance GAYLE WHITTAMORE We are also excited to announce that Gayle Whittamore joined our Executive Team as VP of Human Resources effective December 5th 2016 She will lead our people growth efforts to enable us to meet the challenges of a changing marketplace and society while staying true to our unique history culture and values as a mutual insurer Gayle brings with her a strong background in strategic HR leadership from a variety of roles with progressive organizations such as IBM Sick Kids Hospital and SunLife New Staff Members Congratulations to KELLY MCLEOD who recently joined the Halwell Mutual Insurance Company team as a Commercial Underwriting Specialist Kelly is a Chartered Insurance Professional and previously held a Level 2 Commercial Underwriter position at The Co Operators A Guelph resident she is pleased to be working for a local insurer and brings a strong work ethic positive attitude and 13 years of commercial underwriting experience to the role JANICE PASSARELLI has 30 years of experience in the industry both as a registered insurance broker and a personal lines underwriter for both property and automobile insurance She s looking forward to bringing her expertise to the Halwell team as Underwriter ELISABETH AXIAK is excited to bring a fresh perspective on all things social media marketing media relations storytelling public relations and more to her role as Marketing and Communications Specialist Having experience doing communications for both a Toronto credit union and international hotel group Elisabeth is confident and excited to join the Halwell team
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S Robert David Lightbody It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Robert Bob Lightbody known by friends as Lighty He passed away peacefully on January 20th 2017 at the age of 72 A retired lawyer who was involved in many community boards Bob was a Director with The Commonwell formerly Farmers Mutual Insurance Company from December 2000 to October 2009 and served as Chair of the Board from 2006 to 2008 We recognize and appreciate his great contributions to the company He will be missed Trillium Mutual becomes involved in CFI that has snowballed into a team of businesses and municipal leaders working towards a common goal Joe Dietrich President and CEO 2nd from left in photo will be representing Trillium Mutual Listowel serves as a hub for many agricultural services and there is a need to keep agriculture in mind when it comes to the industry s sustainability and development In response to the growing threat of climate change the CFI has launched its own carbon footprint reduction and compensation strategy with the goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 10 per cent by 2025 In addition to replacing old vehicles with more fuel efficient models the municipality has committed to planting 1 000 trees a year to offset their carbon emissions A local group of concerned community stakeholders is taking a serious look at climate change and what each of them can do to reduce their carbon impact on the environment The Carbon Footprint Initiative held their kickoff event at Trillium Mutual Insurance in the fall of 2016 which was a culmination of an idea started in 2012 For us being involved and developing our own compensation strategy has really increased our awareness of what we can do to make a difference Joe Dietrich stated This type of risk mitigation will have a direct impact on our performance going forward 29
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 30 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS Where s Waldo Townsend Mutual dug up a photo from an Agents Licensing School in 1982 Recognize any familiar faces New Employees On January 12th Farm Mutual Re welcomed IVAN MINOKHIN in the role of Actuarial Analyst in the Business Development Department Ivan is a University of Waterloo graduate with an Honours Actuarial Science Finance Option degree He also holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Waterloo Most recently Ivan had been working with the University of Waterloo as a Teaching Assistant and Research Analyst Welcome to Farm Mutual Re Ivan On January 9th Farm Mutual Re welcomed LINDSAY JOHNSON in the role of Reinsurance Claims Core Services Lindsay has a diploma in Office Administration Legal from Conestoga College Lindsay brings her experience working as a Legal Assistant at Dueck Sauer Jutzi Noll LLP Best of luck in your new role Lindsay Director Appointments Dufferin Mutual Insurance Company is pleased to welcome two new directors to the Board John Scriver and Frank Barretto have been appointed to fill two vacancies until the next Annual Meeting where they will stand for election JOHN SCRIVER is a Canadian lawyer who has been practicing law for more than 25 years His legal expertise helps to diversify our board dynamics FRANK BARRETTO has more than 35 years worth of experience in the management and technology sectors His most recent position was a leadership role with Mutual Concept Computer Group MCCG Dufferin Mutual would like to thank Ian Gallaugher and Scott Wilson for their years of service on the board
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S Volunteers On December 5th 2016 a group of Lambton Mutual employees spent their annual volunteer day at the Ronald McDonald House in London making dinner for guests staying there The RMH provides a home away from home for sick children and their families while receiving medical treatment in London It was a very memorable and touching experience and the Lambton employees are looking forward to making dinner at the RMH again in 2017 Recognizing Company Adjuster Gaston Doiron has been an Adjuster with Stanley Mutual for the past 5 years and has devoted his spare time to his own local radio show for over 20 years A friend was raising money to support people living with cancer Tree of Hope and Gaston offered to reach out to his faithful radio audience to assist with fundraising His energetic nature and desire to help people in need created a response he never imagined In the first year they collected and rolled 1 150 000 pennies for this cause 660 000 of these pennies were donated by his listeners family and friends Last year he took on the project himself asking for nickels instead of pennies The total raised was 5 813 23 This year a community breakfast was added to the fundraising and with the kindness of Stanley Mutual agent Angele Palmer who donated the food 3 500 was raised Along with bake sales 50 50 ticket sales and donations from many kind and caring people Gaston exceeded his goal of 10 000 for the year and was able to present a donation of 18 337 40 to the Tree of Hope The Tree of Hope L Arbre de l espair donations are used to assist the Georges Dumont Hospital Oncology Clinic in purchasing sophisticated new medical equipment to diagnose cancer at early stages provide training and equipment for rural hospitals and to support the L Auberge Mgr Cormier hostel which provides free lodging and food for cancer patients and the person accompanying them for treatment Gaston Doiron second from left presents a cheque for 18 337 40 to Tree of Hope During the January 2017 Ice Storm in northeastern NB power was out in his community for many days Gaston and his wife opened their camp to neighbours and strangers alike giving them some warmth around their wood stove and pumping water for them by hand from his camp well Great work Gaston We appreciate your kindness and are very proud of your community spirit 31
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 32 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS Support for 4 H Trillium Mutual is proud to support our local 4 H club by offering meeting space to them free of charge In 2016 the 4 H club met at Trillium Mutual eight times In addition we sponsor the following Listing of Trillium in the annual 4 H Directory Competition prizes for the Bruce County 4 H club Support of the Western Ontario 4H Dairy Championship pictured Volunteer Day Program Trillium Mutual is also extremely proud of its Volunteer Day Program Each employee and Board member is given a full day to volunteer with an organization of their choice In 2016 a total of 490 volunteer hours were given by the Trillium team at 27 organizations In alignment with our ROOTS Community Fund our 490 volunteer hours were spent in the following categories Eco Recreation Sustainability Wellness 9 10 Other 15 Healthcare 35 Agriculture 31 Sponsorship NKMi is proud to sponsor the 2018 IPM Cookbook A Taste of Chatham Kent The book contains 1000 recipes and features several submissions from North Kent Mutual policyholders Cookbook sales from the main office have been overwhelming making this venture a great fundraiser for the IPM that is scheduled for Chatham Kent in 2018 Dean Muharrem Sales Manager and Lisa Camillo Client Service Representative at North Kent Mutual Insurance
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S New Staff Members Usborne and Hibbert Mutual welcomed two new employees in the Fall JULIA SIMPSON joined in October as our newest Agent Previously Julia worked as a Broker in Mitchell and she started her insurance career in underwriting at South Easthope Mutual in Tavistock Julia lives in Sebringville with her husband and children TANYA DOELL joined the company in November as a Personal Lines Underwriter Tanya had worked for many years as a Broker and decided to make the move to the company side Tanya lives in Sebringville with her husband and two children We are very pleased to welcome both Julia and Tanya to the U H team Common Kindness Day On January 10th The Commonwell secretly sponsored ten cafes across Ontario giving away a coffee to the first 100 patrons through the door There was one catch each free coffee recipient was asked to pay the kindness forward to another person The unofficial holiday was created to bolster community spirit and encourage locals to dig deep and pay it forward because the world could use a little extra kindness and caffeine With the support of local media and the public Common Kindness Day quickly became a viral news story and inspired random acts of kindness across the province The hashtag CommonKindnessDay trended at 1 on Twitter in Toronto for most of the day CommonKindnessDay We created Common Kindness Day because we believe in the importance of strong community bonds and those bonds are achieved through face to face interaction and selfless acts of kindness said Tim Shauf President of The Commonwell We started the ball rolling by paying for coffees across the province and the public s response was overwhelming It far exceeded our wildest expectations The pay it forward donations from generous locals kept the free coffee pouring for several days so much so that Common Kindness Day became a week long celebration The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group plans to make this an annual event while challenging other businesses across Ontario to pay it forward in the great communities they serve 33
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 34 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS AGM South Easthope Mutual recently held their 145th Annual Meeting in Tavistock with 153 members in attendance The agenda of the day included an election with five candidates vying for three positions on the board Marianne Cook of Stratford was elected as a new director and Linda Drost and John L Mackay were re elected Marianne operates a dairy farm with her husband Leroy near Stratford and she brings a depth of experience to our board The membership bade farewell to 2016 Chair Ronald J Mckay who is retiring from the board after six years New on the agenda was guest speaker Glenn McGillivray from the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction who presented Learning from Fort McMurray A highlight of the AGM was South Easthope Mutual s presentation of 1 000 to Muscular Dystrophy Canada This donation will make the total donated since 1998 28 000 From left to right South Easthope President Frank Rider and 2016 Chairman Ronald McKay present a plaque and cheque to Carrie Fischer and John Boe of Muscular Dystrophy Canada Submit your photo to www wabisamutual com for a chance to be published in our 2018 WABISA Calendar Each selected winner will also win a cash prize 13 WINNERS SELECTED The contest closes on Monday May 1st 2017 Visit our website for more details
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 35 Trillium s Culture Journey Trillium Mutual is honoured and proud to be the recipient of the prestigious Canadian Corporate Award of Merit in 2016 This honour was awarded through Human Synergistics a leading global consulting firm that measures corporate values management processes human behaviours leadership styles and organizational culture Human Synergistics are pioneers in culture and leadership research Their research proves that organizational culture directly affects such outcomes as employee engagement customer service quality and product quality company to do business with Organizations with a constructive culture place a high value on service and product quality goal attainment and the development of their people where quality is valued over quantity creativity is valued over conformity and cooperation is believed to lead to better results than competition Through individual initiative effective teamwork and cooperation the products and services offered by constructive organizations tend to be of the highest quality Joe Dietrich Trillium President CEO summed up his feelings on this award by stating We are all very proud to have evolved our culture considerably in this short period of time of just three years Trillium s commitment to this journey is proven through this prestigious award and this is truly an award for all of our professional and dedicated staff this is truly a team award This is about our culture and culture is about our people We live it and we created it together We are in no way slowing this journey the Trillium Team will continue with focused momentum in improving our constructive styles even further Winning this award is not just a feel good experience but an accurate assessment that the organization is doing a lot of things right says Human Synergistics Canada president Allan Stewart And that basically means that not only will Trillium be a great place to work but also a fantastic 4 H Arbor Award Ken McCallum Director at West Elgin Mutual has recently been recognised for his contribution to 4H He has been chosen as one of three recipients from across Ontario for this year s Arbor Award Congratulations Ken
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 36 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS CIP Certification Howick Mutual would like to congratulate Laurie Lindenschmidt and Paul Dickson for attaining their Chartered Insurance Professional certification They were presented with their certificates at the Insurance Institute s luncheon on March 9th New CRMs Congratulations to Chris Down left and Justin Burley right on achieving their Canadian Risk Management designations New Board Member Peel Mutual recently welcomed PAUL GRAY to its Board of Directors A life long resident of Peel Region Paul s background includes insurance finance sales and agriculture Paul currently operates Dixie Orchards with his wife and two children Welcome Paul Functional Rehabilitation Inc is one of the only privately Canadian owned and operated assessment and rehabilitation companies in Ontario We re proud to offer personalized boutique style service 24 7 rapid response creative problem solving streamlined and modern reports with a unique and easy to read structure a medical resource team always available for consultation thoughtful holistic based assessment and treatment Give us a call we welcome the opportunity to discuss how beneficial a partnership with Functional Rehab can be Mutual Insurers get a 10 discount 115 King Street West Suite 200 Dundas ON L9H 1V1 Phone 905 628 5902 Toll Free 1 800 265 1359 Fax 905 628 3715 referrals functionalrehab ca www functionalrehab ca
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S Welcome Aboard West Elgin Mutual would like to welcome MELANIE ROSE to the team Melanie will be taking on the role of Claims Assistant replacing Tammy de Roos who is moving into the Physical Damage Adjuster role Melanie was born and raised in Rodney and now resides in West Lorne with her husband and two daughters We also welcome LEAH HOGAN to the team Leah has been working on contract since May 2016 helping with the scanning required for the company to go paperless but will be moving into the Underwriting department on March 6th as an Underwriter She is a graduate of the Fanshawe Business Insurance course Assisting The United Way Members of Team Erie were delighted to volunteer their painting assistance on November 23rd to the Dunnville Mental Health Wellness Recovery Centre The group spent their morning prepping preparing and painting Some final touches finished the transformation of this room A special thank you to Brittany Burly of the United Way for organizing this event We look forward to further opportunities in assisting the United Way with projects throughout our community Pictured L R Gary Pinelli Account Executive Tracey Rizzi Account Representative and John Dunton President CEO Not pictured is Jennifer Vanderwoerd Account Executive SEH Computer Systems Inc WIP Conversion Update On January 1st 2015 SEH Computer Systems Inc SEH merged with Nopper Associates and assumed responsibility for client support Our program to convert Nopper WIP users to SEH s Titan system continues with the Usborne Hibbert Mutual WIP conversion on track to go live in the first quarter of 2017 Work on our next WIP conversion project with Algoma Mutual has started and is expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of 2017 Email Address Notice Effective April 30th Heartland s former company email domains nwfm com and oxfordmutual com will no longer be valid Please update staff contacts to heartlandfarmmutual com to ensure email delivery after this date 37
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R 38 APRIL 2017 M U T U A L N E WS Bonspiel The annual Farm Mutual Re OMIA Bonspiel was held on January 25th at the Guelph Curling Club We had 26 teams 103 curlers and a total attendance of 109 The winners were The Ice Vipers pictured below Save the date for the 2018 Bonspiel Wednesday January 24th Pictured with OMIA President John Taylor far left and Farm Mutual Re President Steve Smith far right is the winning team The Ice Vipers Grace Roelofsen Marg Torrance John Mackay and Cliff Johnston A Helping Hand From The Heart January marked the introduction of Heartland s iHeartCommunity Fund a fund for giving back to the communities we serve across Ontario Inspired by Oxford Mutual s iFund initiative the new program accepts applications from Heartland employees agents and brokers who can request funding for locally based projects and initiatives The Fund committee will review submissions and select recipients after the application deadline in March Through this advocacy process we hope to find unique and meaningful ways we can support the communities in which we do business
O N TA R I O M U T U A L S N E W S L E T T E R U PCOMING EVENT S APRIL 2017 MUT UA L NE W S Professional Development Trillium Mutual was pleased to have Heather Graham from the Insurance Institute Conestoga Chapter visit the office to talk to our staff about the amazing programs they offer for National Education Month Mark your calendars MAY 29 31 OMIA Managers Conference Kingbridge Conference Centre King City JUNE 8 OMIA Golf Tournament Highland Country Club London SEPT 19 23 International Plowing Match Walton Huron County SEPT 12 14 Outdoor Farm Show Canada s Outdoor Park Woodstock OCT 1 3 CAMIC Convention The Westin Ottawa Hotel Ottawa OCT 22 24 OMIA Presidents Managers Meeting Blue Mountain Resort Collingwood OCT 25 26 IBAO Ottawa OMIA s 2017 Chair Christine Van Daele Christine Van Daele has made a very successful career in insurance starting with a stint at Wellington Insurance in 1990 She went there well prepared with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McMaster She quickly earned her Certified Professional Accountants Designation in 1992 and joined Belmont s Westminster Mutual Insurance in 1993 She s the President of Westminster and the 2017 18 Chair of the Ontario Mutual Insurance Association Christine s own roots run deep in the agricultural community too She was raised on a turkey and tobacco farm in Elgin County Christine unveiled her theme for the year at OMIA s Annual Convention in March Go to YouTube and search for Ontario Mutuals to see why we re passionate about the Mutuals 39