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November 2021 O N T A R I O M U T U A L S Strength Longevity Facing Challenges Themes at Our LongAwaited In Person P M Meeting pg 38 N E W S L E T T E R WE RE IN THIS TOGETHER Showing Up Giving Back pg 11 Map Your Path to Longterm Success OMIA Education pg 28
Adaptation is the Name of the Game If there was ever a time to acknowledge our mutual community s ability to take on new challenges this would be it As we look towards the close of 2021 we can reflect proudly on a year of adapting learning and giving back We have accomplished so much as a community and the following pages are proof of that Every member company has stepped up to face the new realities of a world changed for far longer than we expected We re happy to be building our virtual meeting skills but we re so pleased that we were able to host an in person Presidents Managers Meeting in Huntsville It was a nice way to end the month of October and we were so buoyed by the energy of our mutual friends We look forward to our continued attitude of onward and upward in 2022 2
OM In this issue November 2021 38 FEATURES 4 A MESSAGE FROM OMIA S CHAIR 6 NEW TEAM MEMBERS 11 John Stirk Welcoming New Faces to the Mutual System GIVING BACK How Mutual Companies are Supporting Their Communities 2021 President s Manager s Meeting 24 MILESTONES 27 RETIREMENTS 28 EDUCATION CALENDAR 30 ACCOMPLISHMENTS 32 APPOINTMENTS POSITION CHANGES 34 OTHER NEWS 38 OMIA S PRESIDENT S MANAGER S MEETING Celebrating Those Who Have Helped Ontario Mutuals Thrive Meet the OMIA Admin Team OMIA Education at a glance Celebrating Accomplishments in the mutual system Transforming the Mutuals More Mutual News We re In This Together Giving Back 11
A Message from OMIA s Chair John Stirk The Ship of Theseus and the Value of Policyholder Ownership One of the oldest thought experiments in western philosophy having been discussed by both Heraclitus and Plato as early as 500 BC involves the Ship of Theseus It is supposed that a legendary hero Theseus sailed his famous ship into a great battle and was victorious The ship was subsequently docked in a harbour as a museum piece but as time went by some of the wooden parts began to rot and were replaced by new ones After a century every part of the ship had been replaced The question is then Is the restored ship still the same as the original This concept can be applied to the ownership of a mutual insurance company Over time several generations of policyholders have been replaced by new ones yet it is generally accepted that the ownership of a mutual insurance company has never changed This is the goal of the owners that drive the strategic direction of a company Companies with stable and longer term ownership tend to reinvest more than their counterparts and have a propensity to make decisions farther reaching into the future Stable ownership by the policyholders has meant that the goals of the mutual insurance companies have never wavered The desire for value in insurance products fairness and community investment is the same today as it was a century ago Mutual insurance companies after nearly two centuries due in large part to the stability in ownership provided by the Mutual Policyholders are still standing for a reason John Stirk Chair Ontario Mutual Insurance Association 4
UPCOMING EVENTS Events in Early 2022 A Fresh Approach in Spring This year we seem to have a clearer view of our spring event schedule which includes our presence at the London Farm Show the Ottawa Valley Farm Show the OMIA Annual Convention and the OMIA Annual Golf Tournament The London Farm Show is the largest spring farm show in eastern Canada and typically features over 320 exhibitors in 230 000 square feet of show space showcasing the newest in agricultural technology This year the event organizers are planning for an in person event however the set up may be different than what we ve seen in the past The dates have been set for March 9 11 2022 at the Western Fair District We look forward to hosting an Ontario Mutuals booth and sponsoring branded bags The Ottawa Valley Farm Show is a dynamic innovative show that draws exhibitors and visitors from across Ontario They are planning for an in person event from March 15 17 2022 at the EY Centre Again we look forward to hosting an Ontario Mutuals booth and sponsoring their main hall More information to come 2022 OMIA Annual Convention Scheduled for March 30 April 1 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto As always OMIA will communicate with our membership as soon as possible when we know what the AGM will look like in 2022 We hope for a return to our normal plan but we re certainly prepared for a virtual event if the need arises Questions Concerns Please e mail marketing omia com 2021 Annual Golf Tournament June 9 Hockley Valley Hockley Valley boasts an 18 hole championship golf course designed by renowned Canadian golf course architect Thomas McBroom We re looking forward to taking in some of the most breathtaking vistas in southern Ontario Details to come in the new year November 2021 5
NEW TEAM MEMBERS Welcoming New Faces to the Mutual System AYR FARMERS MUTUAL We re pleased to introduce Steve Harwood as a Claims Representative Steve has been an adjuster for 11 years handling all types of losses from auto physical damage to total loss house fires Prior to working in the insurance industry Steve was a Fleet and Operations Manager at Discount Car and Truck Rentals in Waterloo Steve lives with his wife Dale in Kitchener He enjoys spending time at the cottage reading watching and playing sports and spending time with their son We re happy to welcome Andrea Sayles to the role of Agent Andrea is married to Brad former Director at AFM and lives in Ayr with Brad and their two sons She was born and raised on a dairy farm in Northeast Iowa and she worked on the family farm until moving to Ontario in 1999 Andrea has experience in communications public relations and as a free lance writer for Dairy Publications Andrea enjoys watching her boys play hockey at the local arena in the winter and soccer in the summer She also enjoys golf Yoga walking and gardening We re pleased to introduce Robert Bobby Longmuir in the role of Agent Bobby is married to his wife Lisa and is the father of three children Originally from the London area Bobby recently moved to St Thomas after spending a few years in Windsor Bobby s background is in purchasing project management and most recently marketing He loves meeting new people helping others and creating great personal and business relationships We re happy to welcome Caroline Mansell to the team as a Claims Representative Caroline has worked in the insurance industry for six years most recently as an AB Claims Representative Caroline and her husband Rob enjoy being outdoors travelling and keeping fit She enjoys spending time with family and her dog Mylo and cat Eden We re pleased to welcome Ashley Seth to our team in the role of Staff Accountant For the past five years Ashley has been with Manulife Bank of Canada where she worked as a Financial Analyst She is currently a CPA student and will complete her designation in 2022 When Ashley isn t working or studying she can be found doing hot yoga cooking with her family and enjoying a glass of red wine We re pleased to announce that Sheena Shankar has joined our BA Team Sheena her husband and teenage twin boys reside in Milton Sheena is a family oriented person with an awesome personality a great sense of humour and a wonderfully infectious laugh Sheena comes to us from Gore Mutual Insurance where she was a Business Analyst since 2014 Sheena brings with her over ten years of Business Analyst experience and has an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University 6
NEW TEAM MEMBERS THE COMMONWELL We re pleased to introduce our new Vice President Information Technology Steve Coleman who joined us in September Steve has deep experience in both insurance and technology having worked with insurers such as Jevco Insurance and Intact Insurance and his most recent role as Vice President Information Technology at Echelon Insurance Steve s background pragmatic approach and industry knowledge will position him well for success in his new role and supporting The Commonwell s journey MIDDLESEX MUTUAL We re pleased to welcome Tia Noyes as a co op student in the underwriting department Tia joined us in May and we are happy to announce that she is able to stay on with us while she heads back to school Tia is currently enrolled in the Business Insurance program at Fanshawe College She has been a valuable member of our team this summer and we are excited she has decided to stay with us while she continues her education Please join us in welcoming Tia to the Middlesex Team DUMFRIES MUTUAL We are very pleased to announce that Luke McLinden joined the Dumfries team at the beginning of September as a Property Underwriter Luke is a Wilfrid Laurier University graduate and has completed his Bachelor of Arts degree Luke was born and raised in Guelph and currently resides there Welcome to the Dumfries family Luke we re so happy you re here Dumfries Mutual also welcomes Kailey Turner who joined our team as a Marketing Coordinator in September Kailey started at Dumfries Mutual as a co op student and then summer student from the Advertising and Marketing Communications Management program at Mohawk College Kailey lives in Hamilton with her partner and two cats Welcome Kailey OMIA We re pleased to welcome Kyle Murphy to the role of Statistical Coordinator Kyle graduated from the University of Guelph Management Economics and Finance Co op program in 2016 He started his career as an Account Coordinator at a Marketing company in Mississauga primarily managing agricultural chemical sales data and was eventually promoted to Account Executive He has also worked for a non profit company as a Business Intelligence Specialist collecting and analyzing waste recycling collection data across Canada Kyle is passionate about data management and analytics and has recently achieved two data science certificates from York University OMIA is also pleased to welcome Julia Sharma to the role of Business Intelligence Analyst Julia achieved her Undergraduate degree in Business Information Systems and her Post Graduate diploma in Computer Applications Development She has worked in a variety of industries including marketing government agency and insurance where she leveraged her data and analytics skills Julia will be working in the Stats and IT department to meet the business intelligence and analytics need of the membership OMIA would also like to welcome Mandy Hetherington to the role of Administrative Assistant Mandy received her diploma in Office Administration from Conestoga College in 2007 and spent the last 11 years working at Eramosa Engineering in Guelph Mandy has joined the Insurance Services department and will assist the team as they bring training resources and product development to member companies Welcome Kyle Julia and Mandy November 2021 7
NEW TEAM MEMBERS HEARTLAND FARM MUTUAL Join us in welcoming our new team members Abu Yahya Claims Representative Alex Hills Commercial Property Underwriter Amie Vandevenne Commercial Underwriter Amos Ojebiyi Financial Analyst Angie Teplicki Finance Rep Brandon Florizone Actuarial Analyst Brian Catherwood Risk Assessment Specialist David Wei Accounts Payable Rep Fariza Rashid Personal Lines Underwriter Hassaan Akhtar Actuarial Co op Student Rebecca Bailey Commercial Underwriter Sarah Klatt Finance Co op Tristen PenroseWoodruff Underwriting Assistant 8 Member Companies do you have a job opportunity to post online Write to marketing omia com to have your job listed on omia com and ontariomutuals ca HT C MUTUAL Cheryl Bloemberg joined our underwriting department in July as a Senior Underwriter assuming responsibilities in both Farm and Commercial Lines With over 20 years of industry knowledge Cheryl brings an ideal combination of mutual experience and specialized skill set to our team of underwriters We also welcomed Heather Wicke to our underwriting team Heather is no stranger to the industry bringing over 20 years of industry knowledge and experience five of those years with another mutual We welcome her expertise across all lines of business in our growing underwriting department Welcome Cheryl and Heather
NEW TEAM MEMBERS KENT ESSEX MUTUAL TRILLIUM MUTUAL We would like to welcome Shannon Free Property Underwriter to K E Mutual Shannon has worked in the insurance industry for the past 13 years and brings a wealth of knowledge to our team Welcome Shannon Trillium s Information Systems Innovation team has welcomed a new member Harsha Sunny as their new IS Analyst Harsha has an educational background in Control and Automation and has experience as a Database Administrator and Systems Engineer Harsha will begin familiarizing herself with our systems infrastructure and will be a major component of our normal operational support capabilities as well as our advanced requirements in backend systems maintenance and deployment activities We re pleased to announce that William Fitzgerald has joined the K E team as a Junior Accident Benefits Adjuster William has earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree His previous experience managing case files will be a great asset to the team Welcome William FARM MUTUAL RE Biodun Dawodu joined the Reinsurance Department in the role of Facultative Underwriter in September Biodun has over 10 years of experience in commercial insurance including underwriting and reinsurance Biodun holds a Master of Finance from Queens University and a Bachelor of Science Zoology from Olabisi Onabanjo University in Nigeria Biodun has worked as a Senior Underwriter at Intact Public Entities and most recently as a Senior Underwriter Commercial Lines at Gore Mutual Insurance Company Welcome Biodun We re thrilled to announce that Trillium has secured the services of a new QA Analyst Saqib Shaheen Saqib graduated from McMaster University with a Masters of Global Health and has extensive experience as a Data Analyst and more recently a QA Analyst His most recent engagement was working as a QA Analyst for a Guidewire implementation preparing personal lines test cases within PolicyCenter and leading defect triage sessions with the core project members and stakeholders for that initiative Adding Saqib s skillset is a great step for Trillium as we round the bend in this critical project and will only further ensure we deliver the most sound efficient and functional core system possible We re excited to announce that Amy Eadie has joined the Trillium team as a Commercial Property Underwriter Amy has 17 years of experience in the mutual insurance world most recently as the Commercial Property Underwriter at Howick Mutual for 10 years With Amy s knowledge experience and friendly demeanor she will be a great asset to the Trillium team Amy enjoys family life on their farm outside Belmore with her husband and two children Please join us in welcoming Harsha Saqib and Amy to the Trillium team HOWICK MUTUAL Kathryn Chalmers has recently joined the Howick Mutual team in Finance Administration Kathryn is a recent graduate of the Institute of Technology Carlow Ireland and Conestoga College where she has obtained a dual degree in Business Supply Chain Management and Business Administration International Business Management In addition to her education she has work experience in customer service finance and administration Kathryn has been active as a volunteer at Big Brothers Big Sisters Waterloo and as a Program Representative at Conestoga College She was also the recipient of the Ted Cross International Business Award in recognition of her academic excellence Welcome Kathryn November 2021 9
NEW TEAM MEMBERS USBORNE HIBBERT MUTUAL We re pleased to welcome Julie Decker as a Farm and Commercial Underwriter Julie comes to us with over 20 years at Hensall District CoOperative in a variety of roles Julie has a degree in Psychology from Western University and is excited to start her CIP courses Welcome Amanda Salz Office Administrator to the U H team Amanda s experience is in the healthcare field as a Personal Support Worker for over 15 years Amanda is looking forward to learning about the insurance industry and using her excellent customer service skills WESTMINSTER MUTUAL Tammy Micallef has recently rejoined the Westminster Mutual team Her current role is Insurance Agent however she also brings over 25 years of industry experience from her past roles as Broker and Underwriter Most recently Tammy was part of the OMIA team as an Insurance Resource Officer Through her career she has worked on different types of accounts such as home auto hobby and large farms and small and large commercial businesses Tammy takes great pride in being part of the mutual system and working with its members to find the best possible solutions Robyn Rucchin King joined Westminster Mutual in the role of Brand Marketing Strategist She brings with her a certified marketing designation from the Canadian Marketing Association and over 20 years in member and customer experience marketing Her most recent roles included Marketing Communications Manager at the Ontario Medical Association and Creative Strategist at the Law Society of Ontario In both roles Robyn managed content product and digital strategies She has recently completed graduate studies in Strategic Foresight and Innovation and is excited for opportunities to use her skillset to build toward an innovative and inclusive future 10 Welcome to our Automobile and Residential Underwriter Stephanie Simpson a graduate of the Business Fundamentals Program at Fanshawe College Stephanie has several years of customer service experience and we look forward to working with her HALWELL MUTUAL We re pleased to welcome back Jordon Caldwell as Intermediate Underwriter Jordon has worked in the insurance industry for over five years now and we are so excited for Jordon to join the Halwell family once again CAYUGA MUTUAL Please join us in welcoming Jacquie Baker our new Accounting Assistant Jacquie brings with her 10 years of mutual experience in the accounting and administration field It s great to have you as one of our team members Jacquie
ONTARIO MUTUALS GIVE BACK How Mutual Companies are Supporting their Communities DUMFRIES MUTUAL We re pleased to have joined with Farm Food Care Ontario FFCO as its newest Silver Level member We are also a 20 000 partner in a number of initiatives including the Garden in a Box program The Umbrella Project is a familiar program to our Ontario Mutuals many of which support it in various capacities BAY OF QUINTE MUTUAL Friday the 13th is usually a day associated with bad news however Friday August 13th proved to be a good news day for Madoc Township During a groundbreaking ceremony for a new multi million dollar state of the art fire station in Eldorado retired Director Grant Ketcheson surprised everyone in attendance with a special gift of 25 000 from Bay of Quinte Mutual to start the fund raising for the new fire hall The fire hall is expected to be completed in the early part of 2022 On behalf of our policyholders Dumfries Mutual is thrilled to sponsor the ongoing work of The Umbrella Project s Well Being Pop Ups with a 20 000 donation Thank you so much to The Umbrella Project for all that you do and for continuously striving towards your mission of helping students re engage with their lives activities and communities GRENVILLE MUTUAL We re getting our work boots ready Grenville Mutual is partnering with Habitat for Humanity Thousand Islands and Habitat Greater Ottawa on their upcoming build in Kemptville Ontario This proposed 15 unit development consists of townhomes and stacked townhomes When completed it will house up to 64 individuals including more than 30 children We re excited and proud to have the opportunity to support this project which will provide safe stable and affordable homes to families in our community Stay tuned We will share more news as we invite distribution partners colleagues and team members to roll up their sleeves and join us on the build site November 2021 11
GIVING BACK MAPLE MUTUAL Formerly North Kent Mutual We were pleased to launch our Scholarship Program in 2020 which allowed us to award six recipients with 1 000 We re now pleased to name our 2021 scholarship recipients Thank you to everyone who submitted an application Krista Van Damme Wallaceburg Renae Nevills Thamesville Emily McClachlan Wallaceburg Dominique Eskritt Chatham Dheepthi Thommandram Chatham Brady Grubb Dresden We re also pleased to announce a donation to Opportunity Villages Community Land Trust OVCLT Paul Badder Chair and Henry Miller President CEO were proud to present the donation to OVCLT Project Manager Rose Linseman Maple Mutual believes in the work that Rose and her team are doing to ensure that everyone has access to high quality affordable housing across Chatham Kent no matter their income level WEST WAWANOSH MUTUAL We were happy to do our small part and purchase Tim Horton Smile Cookies for staff and Brokers in support of local charities and not for profit organizations in communities across Canada MY MUTUAL For the second year running My Mutual has sought to elevate those in our local Saskatchewan communities who demonstrate sacrifice humility and the passion to place people first on purpose The participation of over 30 volunteer first responder teams in our Responder First initiative illuminates the growing need of service providers and challenges My Mutual to do our part to meet that need Henry and Paul were also pleased to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony at Dresden Area Central School for the opening of the new kindergarten playground equipment Maple Mutual had donated 2 500 to the project and received a lovely Thank You card from the kindergarten classes 12 This year s winners of the 10 000 grand prize serve the communities of Eagle Creek and Simpson Both groups struck a chord with My Mutual employees winning the majority of votes by our staff My Mutual is excited to partner with both departments and appreciates the opportunity to come alongside them as they serve their communities
GIVING BACK KENT ESSEX MUTUAL We were pleased to offer a 1 500 sponsorship to the 2021 Hearts Together for CK Hospice Benefit Broadcast In the end the broadcast raised over 123 000 for the hospice HALWELL MUTUAL This year we supported HOPE in the Street as their Media Sponsor This event is an annual music street festival in Guelph that is designed to bring the whole community together in support of Hope House It was Halwell s 5th year as a major sponsor and it was so great to see such a fantastic turnout this year We were also proud to have provided The Umbrella Project Well Being Pop UP Program to a local school board The program is designed for grade 7 10 students and provides practical tips on how to support personal wellbeing We also recently provided a donation of 3 500 to the Ridgetown Campus University of Guelph AgriFood Entrance Scholarship Program The scholarships are provided to incoming students in agriculture environmental management and horticulture programs We re also pleased to note that the Guelph Humane Society has opened the doors to their brand new space just down the road from us here at Halwell Some of our staff were lucky enough to get a tour of the beautiful new space We sponsor The Guelph Humane Society s Farm Animal Rural Services which exists to benefit animals as well as those in rural areas who care for them Chickens are their most common guests but they have also recently taken in domestic ducks and they expect to see other types of farm animals in the coming months We also had a feature in their TV Variety Show which aired on November 4th on Rogers TV FARM MUTUAL RE Over the summer the OMIA and Farm Mutual Re garden was regularly maintained by the Green Team which allowed for many large donations to the Cambridge Food Bank consisting of tomatoes spaghetti squash onions and zucchini The garden wrap up has now been completed and it is ready for winter Thank you to all our Green Team volunteers November 2021 13
GIVING BACK HEARTLAND FARM MUTUAL We were thrilled to be able to donate 2 000 to the Waterloo Regional Police and their annual Backpack Challenge The Challenge encourages residents to purchase new backpacks lunch bags school supplies or gift cards to be donated to children and families in need With so many challenges brought by the pandemic Heartland is pleased to play a role in ensuring that students in our community are able to have to tools they need to succeed At Heartland Farm Mutual we believe strongly in giving back to the communities in which we live and work There have been many challenges brought on by the global pandemic especially for the most vulnerable in our communities With that in mind Heartland is pleased to be donating 2 000 to several Food Banks around Ontario and Nova Scotia While we recognize the need to help the most vulnerable we also understand the support needed for other organizations whose work is geared to the greater good Heartland is excited to begin a multi year partnership with the Canadian Spinal Research Organization CSRO Our sponsorship of 5 000 this year was able to help with the production of the Pub Road Safety PSA Series We were also pleased to sponsor the Resiliency in Motion Race 5K Virtual Walk Wheel Run Heartland is also thrilled to provide funding through our iHeart Community fund to a number of charities held close by our Broker Partners Some of these include The Oxford Community Fund the Cowan CM Summer and the Think Pink Golf Tournament in Barrie Waterloo Police Backpack Donation Your Outsourced Investment Governance Expert Inquire about our proven expertise in Governance documents Portfolio assessments Money Manager assessments Complete Quarterly Monitoring Services Contact Jeffrey Hand at 905 336 1879 or info bonnycastle ca 14 Think Pink Golf Sponsorship
GIVING BACK HOWICK MUTUAL continues to support CKNX Health Care Heroes Since its inception in 2002 the CKNX Health Care Heroes Radiothon Wingham Ontario has raised more than 12 million for hospitals in mid western Ontario This event has been moved to radio airwaves due to COVID and has been very successful This fundraiser helps local hospitals purchase crucial new equipment which will enable delivery of the best healthcare possible Howick Mutual is pleased to provide funding to this worthy cause with a 10 000 donation Board Chair Brian Laporte shared Giving back to our local communities is one of our Core Values and we are excited to be able to participate Being able to assist our local hospitals in obtaining their fundraising goals is important to all of us here at Howick Mutual USBORNE HIBBERT MUTUAL On behalf of our Board of Directors Chair Jennifer Schroter presented a cheque for 20 000 to support the Huron Hospice in Clinton U H Mutual is proud to assist the Hospice in providing quality palliative care to the families of Huron County MIDDLESEX MUTUAL The Middlesex Mutual Community Spirit Pledge reserves funding each year for community projects making a difference We re proud to support the Children s Health Foundation with a donation of 25 000 towards their First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program FEMAP and the efforts of all those involved in this important program FEMAP has helped thousands of teens and young adults in our community with mood and anxiety disorders get back on the path of recovery and wellness November 2021 15
GIVING BACK LAMBTON MUTUAL Lambton Mutual is an annual sponsor of the Westover Treatment Centre Charity Golf Classic which generates funds to ensure the continued functioning of this important facility in our community Underwriter Andrea Goss Agent Shawn Grogan Broker Heath McCormick and Underwriting Manager Heather Straatman were pleased to enjoy the tournament together We were pleased to donate 5 000 to The Alvinston Districts Optimist Club for renovation and upgrading of the grounds and the Brooke Alvinston Inwood Community Centre Complex arena facility Jamie Armstrong received the cheque from Lambton Mutual President and CEO Deb Van Eyk Deb Van Eyk also presented four Lambton Mutual 2021 Scholarships for 1 000 to deserving recipients Paige Woods Julia Redick pictured left Hailey Marsh and Peyton Moffatt Scholarships are awarded to high school students who are children of existing policyholders of Lambton Mutual and are chosen due to their outstanding community involvement volunteerism and academic excellence All four recipients were handed their cheques in person
GIVING BACK HTM INSURANCE We are very pleased to have made a donation of 25 000 to Five Counties Children s Centre which provides invaluable services for children and adolescents in the community Five Counties serves children and youth with disabilities helps facilitate developmental disabilities rehabilitation and pediatric rehabilitation and provides numerous therapies such as speech and language therapy HTM is thrilled to be able to help this worthy organization meet their goals HT C MUTUAL In October HT C Mutual donated a total of 10 000 to four local Hospital Foundations Pictured above are some of our staff members making presentations at the local radiothon events in Exeter Clinton Goderich and Seaforth TRADITION MUTUAL We ve partnered with Stratford General Hospital and the Teddy Bear and Friends program Teddy Bear and Friends provides teddy bears for children in the hospital and raises money for much needed equipment in the NICU Tradition Mutual will provide the bears to the program offering large comfort to the smallest patients MIDDLESEX MUTUAL We have participated in the annual Terry Fox run for the past 15 years and although the run was held virtually 2021 was no exception We dedicated this run in memory and honour of our colleague Lisa Boylan and her courageous battle with cancer We are pleased to announce that Team Middlesex Mutual raised a combined 1 750 in support of the Terry Fox Foundation November 2021 17
GIVING BACK TRILLIUM MUTUAL Our ROOTS Community Fund has donated 10 000 to the Walkerton District Hospital Foundation towards the purchase of the new mammography equipment This essential piece of equipment is critical to health care professionals to continue offering high quality health care to the community The Fund has also donated 5 000 towards the construction and expansion of the Elmwood Fire Department Training Facility The funds will help support additional training opportunities and experience to keep the local community protected We are very proud to support the Women s House Serving Bruce Grey through our ROOTS Community Fund with 5 000 to help them upgrade their backyard facilities The backyard will be updated to include more equipment and areas to benefit the mental health of both the women and their children staying at the shelter We are very excited to announce a 4 000 donation to the Municipality of Meaford Fire Department to purchase a new NRS ASR All Surface Rescue 155 Rescue Boat This equipment will help keep first responders safe when responding to ice and water rescues And finally the Fund has donated 5 000 towards the purchase of a heavy duty spreader for the Huron East Fire Department Brussels Station The spreader will be used during vehicle collision rescues and is designed to make it quicker and easier for firefighters to perform extractions The new equipment will be more efficient but also much quieter when working which will allow for better communication between first responders TRILLIUM MUTUAL VOLUNTEER DAYS Trillium Board Chair Ben Rier spent his volunteer day helping out with a community yard sale hosted by the Tara Rotary Club 18 Christine Fizell spent her volunteer day helping out at the Listowel Agricultural Drive In Firework event
HINES INVESTMENTS A PURPOSE DRIVEN OBJECTIVE AND OUTCOME FOCUSED PARTNERSHIP A Bespoke Approach Customized to define and align your investment objectives Gerald Hines Sheldon Hines First Vice President Senior Portfolio Manager Unbiased Objectivity Dedicated research and monitoring on specialized asset class managers Local Service Global Reach Access to top investment management firms from around the world Portfolio Manager 844 887 4995 hinesinvestments cibc ca www hinesinvestments ca Oversight Ongoing due diligence monitoring and risk management of Managers to ensure value added Results Long term performance with a competitive and transparent fee References Long standing OMIA clients as references CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries including CIBC Wood Gundy a division of CIBC World Markets Inc CIBC Private Wealth is a registered trademark of CIBC used under license Wood Gundy is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client please contact your Investment Advisor Live Video Stream 3D Virtual Progress Walkthrough Remote Reinspection National KPI Capture Reporting Belfor can provide a managed compliance system for all claims This includes detailed KPI s accurate sales data and regular reviews A K R PAR TE VIRTUAL CLAIMS MADE SIMPLE VIRTUAL CLAIM SOLUTION IPS ER TN SH MWO BELFOR s success with insurance and mutual clients is based on the evolution of our process to work with your model by creating a simple and accountable workflow for your virtual claim handling model Belfor utilizes a wide range of technology including DocuSketch Matterport Encircle Hover CoreLogic and Xactware to provide a seamless virtual experience 1 866 366 0493 L EA D E R S IN RE S T O R AT ION www belfor com November 2021 19
A MESSAGE OF THANKS At The Umbrella Project our mission is to show youth that their mental health is a priority Our aim is to provide schools families and children with critical tools to build coping skills and to steer communities towards a culture of positive coping In spite of the many challenges we have all faced in the last few years we are excited by the momentum we continue to build We have continued to provide well being support to over 200 new and existing Umbrella Project Schools across Ontario and the program has been met with gratitude and enthusiasm from teachers administrators and students alike This year in addition to the Umbrella Project curriculum we have built upon the support we provide students with a new initiative a Well Being Pop UP Conference entitled Riding the Waves Riding The Waves was designed for students in Grades 7 10 Created in partnership with other mental health organizations such as jack org and CMHA YouthTalk the content includes interactive activities designed to get participants talking reflecting on their well being and reconnecting with their communities In addition our speaker sessions include engaging and relevant speakers like Olympic Gold Medalist Christine Sinclair and Mental Health Advocate Asante Haughton In these sessions our speakers share pieces of their personal journeys normalize the conversation about mental health and build student capacity for coping The Pop UP has given students a space to connect have conversations and learn about how others have overcome obstacles It has successfully inspired participants to ride the waves in their own lives and to purposefully recover through difficult times Schools have been very enthusiastic about this new resource that has allowed them to anchor the year in positive well being and feature resources from many great organizations in Ontario in one easy to use Pop UP This conference has reached over 30 000 students so far and comes at a time when research shows these students are most in need of mental health support The conference was made possible by the generous contributions of Ontario Mutuals and partners within the OMIA family In particular we would like to extend our thanks to Farm Mutual Re Algoma Mutual Caradoc Townsend Mutual Germania Mutual Howard Mutual Lambton Mutual North Blenheim Mutual Dufferin Mutual Dumfries Mutual Bay of Quinte Mutual Kent and Essex Mutual and Cayuga Mutual 20
Asante Haughton Deja Foxx Christine Sinclair Wali Shah Well Being Pop Up Riding the Waves Speakers Given this success we have begun to build the second Pop UP which will focus on relationships as the foundation of well being and will be released for Mental Health Awareness Week in the spring We will once again bring together mental health organizations and not for profits who will provide relevant activities and we will showcase inspiring speakers who will address topics related to the importance of authenticity inclusivity equity and healthy relationships to sustain positive mental health We continue to fundraise for this initiative If this is something you would like to learn more about please let us know Thank you again for your continued support The landscape of mental health is ever changing by embracing hope and helping communities tell a more powerful story about their well being we are one step closer to creating thriving communities Your generosity has been invaluable in getting us here For more information please contact kate umbrellaproject co November 2021 21
GIVING BACK OMIA was pleased to offer sponsorship support on behalf of Ontario Mutuals to many valuable organizations this year Below are some recent highlights ADVANCING WOMEN CONFERENCE The Advancing Women Conference AWC is taking place virtually on November 22nd and 23rd The AWC was created for every woman who is passionate about agriculture and food university or college students studying agriculture producers ranchers entrepreneurs representatives of a grower association or corporate agribusiness This conference is for women who want to enhance their family life community career and industry through communications through coaching mentoring and networking financial management and independence health and balance of life strategies career planning and goal setting Find the Conference Agenda at www advancingwomenconference ca 2021virtual FARM FOOD CARE ONTARIO Ontario Mutuals was a Speaker Sponsor at the FFCO Annual Conference on April 6th as well as a Gala in a Box sponsor providing branded giveaways to the over 500 boxes available for purchase during their very popular virtual gala event taking place on November 13th Farm Food Care Ontario brings farmers agricultural professionals related businesses government organizations and other groups together with a mandate to build public trust in food and farming in Ontario and across Canada Find out more at www farmfoodcareon org CANADA S OUTDOOR FARM SHOW Canada s Outdoor Farm Show decided to spread out the delivery of their information and host six themed digital events in 2021 Ontario Mutuals participated as a Content Sponsor in both the September and November sessions A collaboration between OMIA Marketing and Farm Mutual Re Loss Prevention produced two animated videos based on the Farm Mutual Re What s The Risk documents Randy Drysdale AVP Loss Control Technical Development participated as a subject matter expert Find the videos on www omia com under Member Resources Videos IBAO CONFERENCE The IBAO held a virtual convention on October 20th and 21st and Ontario Mutuals was a Speaker Sponsor OMIA President John Taylor had the opportunity to introduce the speaker Eric Termuende and his topic The Future of the Workplace The Ontario Mutuals Mutual Difference video was also played alongside the other sponsor videos and an advertisement was featured in The Ontario Broker magazine in print and web format We were pleased to once again show our Ontario Mutuals support at this highly anticipated broker event 22
GIVING BACK 4H GO FOR THE GOLD 2021 Ontario Mutuals is proud to be the Exclusive Sponsor of the 4 H Go For The Gold program 4 H Go For the Gold clubs from across Ontario participate in a rapid fire Reach for the Top format testing their knowledge on a wide variety of 4 H club knowledge This years topics included crops calves combustion engines conservation and pretty much you name it The provincial championship which usually takes place at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair was held virtually on November 6th Teams from Stormont Wellington Oxford Kawartha Lakes Haliburton and Grey counties batted it out with Stormont stormin through with Grey close on their heels 4 H Ontario has done a fantastic job at transferring the competition to a virtual environment and the energy was high for this fun and energetic event Congratulations to everyone who participated in another great season of Go for the Gold Discover the Mutual Difference OMIA was pleased to facilitate the creation of four Ontario Mutuals videos promoting The Mutual Difference to online audiences View the videos on the Ontario Mutuals youtube channel or by going to www omia com Member Resources Ontario Mutuals Videos If your are a member company who would like to share the video with your policyholders and or embed the videos on your website please write to marketing omia com Local Business Neighbours Mutuality Investing in Community November 2021 23
MUTUAL MILESTONES GIVING BACK Celebrating Achievements in the Mutual System ERIE MUTUAL Reaching a milestone of 150 years in business is something to be celebrated Erie Mutual Insurance has enjoyed celebrating and promoting its 150 years of success throughout 2021 with various tasks including the creation of a 150th logo which has been used on all marketing and promotion of the company in 2021 staff apparel with the new logo and social media contests monthly purchasing 150 Gift Cards from local small businesses who are also members and rewarding contest winners with the gift card There are upcoming plans to plant a commemorating tree at the office complete with a plaque and bury a time capsule A video sharing the Erie Mutual story is also planned to be completed before year end On September 12th Erie Mutual invited the public to celebrate with us outdoors The event was held at nearby Cottonwood Mansion built in the 1860s and then occupied by Williman Holmes who is also one of the eight founding members of Erie Mutual as well as the company s first President and Secretary Pictured from left to right are Board of Director and Community Relations Committee Chair T Wm Clarke Board of Director s Chair David Lindsay and Cottonwood Mansion President Clayton Spears as Erie Mutual donates a cheque in support of the mansion Guests were treated to a free tour of the mansion and served cake and ice cream while enjoying an opportunity to meet and chat with staff and the Board of Directors who attended HALWELL MUTUAL Congratulations to Patti Henderson on 40 years with Halwell Through Patti s role as Technical Specialist for Property Underwriting she has continuously shown dedication loyalty and commitment to Halwell our brokers staff and board Thank you for many years of representing mutual values 24 Maximize your subrogation recoveries and free time for your staff to focus on more critical adjusting work Specializing in Subrogation We offer affordable contingency flat fee options Please contact us to discuss your subrogation needs Suite 216 762 Upper James St Hamilton ON 905 389 4522 christine sageclaims ca sageclaims ca
MILESTONES HTM INSURANCE Congratulations to Claims Supervisor Carolynn Rylance CIP CRM who celebrated 35 years with HTM Insurance this year Thank you for continuing to bring your knowledge and your positive energy to work with you every day You are a true friend and an asset to the HTM family GERMANIA MUTUAL Congratulations to Dan Hill President CEO who just celebrated his 20th Anniversary with Germania Dan is pictured on his very first day at Germania in September 2001 right Thank you for your dedication to the Germania Mutual staff board and policyholders Dan Thank you for the many great years Dan Congratulations to Commercial Underwriter Tiffany Courcelles CIP who celebrated 35 years with HTM Insurance this year as well You have brought to HTM your great energy and expertise and we look forward to many more good times with you ahead The HTM family thanks you WESTMINSTER MUTUAL Congratulations to Jennifer Hare who recently celebrated five years at Westminster Mutual As the company s Financial Controller she is central to our everyday activities and is dedicated to our team s success Thank you for the hard work and creativity that you bring every day Jennifer We re looking forward to many more years working together MAPLE MUTUAL With a rich history of serving policyholders in Chatham Kent and surrounding areas for over 100 years North Kent Mutual Insurance is honoured to have established such deep roots in the community We ve grown alongside our community establishing offices in Chatham Sarnia Strathroy and Tilbury and a network of Brokers across Southwestern Ontario We recently announced our local expansion plan to invest back into our community and position ourselves to best serve our new and familiar Policyholders for years into the future As we continue to grow our business and branch out to serve policyholders throughout the province our name that has represented us so well for over 100 years has begun to show its age We need a new name that we can grow into A name that honours our deep roots in Chatham Kent while still allowing the possibility of branching out A name that resonates with Canadians everywhere while subtly nodding to our local roots here in the Maple City A name you can trust A name that will grow with you Introducing Maple Mutual Insurance November 2021 25
MILESTONES ERIE MUTUAL Staff and Board of Erie Mutual gathered on October 27th as we continued to celebrate our 150th year We planted an Autumn Blaze Maple Tree at the office to mark the company s milestone achievement A plaque for the tree stands at its base with the company s 150th logo and our Five Core Values which play an integral part in what the company represents Honesty Integrity Community Stability and Innovation A time capsule was also buried at the event with plans to have future Erie Mutual staff revisit in 25 years to better understand what 2021 looked like for the company Staff enjoyed lunch from an onsite food truck and a second tree was planted that day as a memorial of a staff member who had passed away in 2019 restrictions last year had prevented an earlier opportunity to plan the memorial tree Pictured is a long time Board member Warren Burger speaking on the company s past present and future at the ceremony T H E U L T I MA T E 3 6 0 INSURANCE INTELLIGENCE PLATFORM YOUR UNIFIED INSURANCE ECOSYSTEM The Cognition Platform is a fully customizable solution for Policy Claims Accounting Online Quoting Broker Gateway CRM Document Management MORE Available with a Consumer Mobile App and 100s of API Integrations the Platform is a 360 view of Your Business CONSUMER MOBILE APPLICATION BOOK YOUR DEMO www gocognition com omia bookdemo 2021 Cognition Inc All rights reserved 26 AVAILABLE ON PREMISE OR COGNITION CLOUD
RETIREMENTS Celebrating Those Who Have Helped Ontario Mutuals Thrive FARM MUTUAL RE Please join us in congratulating Keith Hartnell on his retirement Keith s last day with Farm Mutual Re was September 30th Keith started on contract with Farm Mutual Re as a Loss Control Specialist in April 2014 and then joined us on a permanent basis in January 2016 We would like to thank Keith for his contributions to the organization and the team and for being a great example of our values over the past seven years We wish Keith and his family all the very best and a joyful retirement HTM INSURANCE Bob Burley left and Bruce Buttar right have retired this October from HTM s Board of Directors The staff and directors thank them for their dedicated service and wish them well in their well deserved retirements Their contributions have been integral to our company and the mutual community and we will remember their commitment and passion with admiration Wishing you happiness in your next chapters Bob and Bruce BAY OF QUINTE MUTUAL Grant Ketcheson retired from the Board of Bay of Quinte Mutual on June 8th Grant was elected to the Board in February 1992 He replaced his father Allen Ketcheson who served as a Director from 1957 until 1992 The Ketcheson s have been an important contributor to Bay of Quinte Mutual for 64 years Grant was President of the Board in 1994 and Chair of the Board in 2002 and 2011 Grant is a strong believer in the mutual spirit of neighbour helping neighbour He would like to thank the mutual family for their friendship and wishes the mutual industry centuries of success We wish Grant a happy and healthy retirement and thank him for his almost 30 years of service to our company and mutual policyholders LAMBTON MUTUAL Happy Retirement to Cheryl Muxlow Cheryl retired after working at Lambton Mutual for 26 years Thorough and dependable you would be hardpressed to find a more proficient Auto Underwriter Her quick wit and great sense of humour meant many happy outbursts of laughter in the department through the years Congratulations on your welldeserved retirement Cheryl GERMANIA MUTUAL Earlier this year after a very successful 34 year career at Germania Mary Domm has retired Mary was a very valuable member of the Germania family and her dedication and commitment will have a lasting impact on all who had the privilege to work with her We wish Mary all the very best in her well deserved retirement and we are sure to see her enjoying her free time on the golf course November 2021 27
U P C O M I N G T R A I N I N G E D U C AT I O N Subject to change Please refer to www omia com to review a current calendar of courses offered by OMIA Click on Education and then Education Calendar Please know that we are closely monitoring the COVID 19 situation as new information becomes available If changes to education sessions are necessary information will be updated on omia com as soon as possible COURSES November 10 PM Residential Underwriting Roundtable November 16 AM Sales Business Development Managers Meeting November 18 AM Claims Managers Adjusters Roundtable Discover Our On Demand E Learning at November 18 AM Underwriting Managers Virtual Gathering omiaelearning com Insurance Practitioners Certification Program Mutual Service Certificate Communication Fundamentals Dealing With Difficult People Introduction to Insurance Introduction to the Mutuals Privacy PIPEDA Problem Solving Time Management The Role of the Adjuster The Role of the Underwriter November 23 PM Automobile Underwriting Roundtable November 24 AM Delivering Professional Performance Reviews November 25 Regulatory Compliance Roundtable November 26 AM Ontario Mutual Loss Prevention League November 30 Commercial and Farm Underwriting Roundtable December 2 Managers Roundtable December 7 Board Chairs Vice Chairs Roundtable The OMIA Education Committee has approved a revitalization of the Insurance Practitioners Certificate We plan to The OMIA Education Committee has approved a revitalization of the Insurance Practitioners releaseCertification nine certifications mutual employees the near future out employees more about our certification programs at We to plan to release nineincertifications to Find mutual in the near future www omia com Education Certification Programs Certification Courses To Be Released 1 Mutual Service 2 Sales Agents Underwriting 3 Auto 4 Residential 5 Farm 6 Commercial Adjusting 7 Auto Accident Benefits 8 Auto Property Damage 9 Property Liability 28 Prior Credit Equivalencies Mutual Service Level I Courses for Completion Intro to Insurance Intro to the Mutuals Time Management Meetings Participation Problem Solving Communication Fundamentals Spoken Communication Fundamentals Written Dealing with Difficult People Ethics in Insurance available on demand Find our on demand elearning at omiaelearning com
SUPPORT THE RENEWABLE FUELS INDUSTRY IN ONTARIO INTEGRATED GRAIN PROCESSORS CO OPERATIVE INC IGPC 7 DEBENTURE MATURING JULY 31 2023 IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE To request a 2020 IGPC Offering Statement please contact Brendan T N Caldwell Director 150 King Street West Suite 1710 P O Box 47 Toronto ON M5H 1J9 1 800 387 0859 416 862 7755 bcaldwell caldwellsecurities com www caldwellsecurities com SERVING ONTARIO MUTUAL INSURERS FOR OVER 32 YEARS We have successfully conducted thousands of investigations in Southwestern Ontario on behalf of mutual insurers national insurers and independent adjusters Each of our investigators has more than 25 years of surveillance experience in insurance investigations PUT OUR TEAM TO WORK FOR YOU 519 641 3140 RivardInvestigations com jrivard RivardInvestigations com November 2021 29
ACCOMPLISHMENTS Congratulating Mutual Members on Their Professional Developments DUMFRIES MUTUAL Congratulations to Mel McGovern for completing her Advanced Certificate in Accounting and Finance While working full time for Dumfries Mutual Mel devoted her time and energy to pursue this learning opportunity to take her technical skills to the next level Congratulations Mel on this amazing accomplishment We re so proud of you OMIA We would like to congratulate Steve Dupe on earning is Certified Information Systems Security Professional designation as well as achieving his VMware Certified Professional Data Center Virtualization 2021 certification VCPDCV 2021 Thanks Steve for your dedication to ensuring that the wheels are always turning safely and efficiently at OMIA Did you know OMIA can help you customize and create marketing collateral like ads brochures signs and more This service is part of your association fee Member Companies write to marketing omia com Proudly Serving Our Mutual Insurance Community 30
ACCOMPLISHMENTS THE COMMONWELL We re proud to share that we have again achieved Great Place to Work recognition This is now our third consecutive year of being recognized In addition we have achieved recognition on a number of 2021 lists due to our high Trust Index Scores on the employee wide survey Best Workplaces in Canada Best Workplaces in Ontario Best Workplaces in Financial Services Insurance Best Workplaces for Giving Back Best Workplaces for Women Best Workplaces for Mental Wellness We thank all of our team for participating in this years Great Place to Work survey and for the work each individual does contributing to this shared success HT C MUTUAL We would like to extend congratulations to our newest CIP graduates Christina Brown in our Claims department and Curtis Goodhand from our sales team We know how much time and effort goes into earning this designation and we wish to congratulate you both on all your hard work Learn more about the Chartered Insurance Professional Certificate CIP at the Insurance Institute website www insuranceinstitute ca LOOKING FOR A P C INSURANCE SYSTEM Cognition is an insurance technology provider that empowers insurance companies of all sizes to digitally transform and gain a 360 view of their business In addition to a fully customizable enterprise insurance platform Cognition offers on demand support connectivity cybersecurity and development services Established in 1996 and wholly owned by its clients Cognition has strong longstanding relationships with insurance and technology partners focused on innovation and mutual success POWERING THE CONNECTED MUTUAL SINCE 1996 SCHEDULE A DEMO TODAY 2021 Cognition Inc All rights reserved 519 432 8553 gocognition com November 2021 31
APPOINTMENTS POSITION CHANGES Transforming the Mutuals OMAP Tyler Kroetsch was appointed Vice President of the Ontario Mutual Automobile Plan OMAP on October 12th In this newly created role Tyler is responsible for the former Company 789 now called OMAP He will be busy over the coming months recruiting a dedicated team and meeting with members to take our mutual automobile product to the next level Tyler was most recently a senior manager at TD Insurance and has held a number of senior roles within the insurance industry Born and raised in the Waterloo area he is a graduate of the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Mathematics He is a fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society FCAS and Canadian Institute of Actuaries FCIA Welcome Tyler to this exciting new role USBORNE HIBBERT MUTUAL Welcome back to Marlee Morgan who just returned from maternity leave and has been promoted to Farm Commercial Underwriter Marlee has a Mathematics degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and has worked as a Financial Security Advisor and Marketing Associate Congratulations Marlee We re fortunate to have you on our team Build your Brand with Promotional Products Corporate Apparel Contact us today for all of your promotional marketing needs 519 623 5101 or aaron arrowmarketing ca 32 KENT ESSEX MUTUAL We re pleased to announce that Amanda Lovas has been promoted to the role of Senior Auto Underwriter Amanda joined the K E team in 2015 as an Auto Underwriter She has a wealth of underwriting knowledge and provides exceptional customer service Congratulations Amanda We re pleased to announce the promotion of Monica Hurst CIP to the role of Senior Property Underwriter Monica joined K E in 2017 and is a valued member of the K E team She is known for her ability to be a team player and provides excellent customer service to our broker partners Congratulations Monica We re happy to announce that Anne Devereux LL B CHRL CIP has been promoted to Manager of Human Resources Privacy and Compliance Anne joined K E in 2014 and is a valued member of our team Congratulations Anne Congratulations to Mike Stone who has been promoted to the role of IT Manager Mike has been with K E Mutual since 2013 and has many years experience in the IT industry Mike s knowledge continues to be instrumental in the success of the IT department
APPOINTMENTS POSITION CHANGES FARM MUTUAL RE Elizabeth Baker was promoted to Operations Manager in September In this role Elizabeth is responsible for embedding a change management strategy in our organizational culture overseeing Operations project management discipline supporting the risk identification and management within the Operations functional areas and supporting the COO in strategic plan development and monitoring plan progression This new position is an extension of the responsibilities Elizabeth has performed over the last couple of years It is designed to elevate the adherence to sound change project and risk management disciplines within the organization Elizabeth is pursuing her FCIP and will obtain her change management designation later this year Elizabeth started her career with Farm Mutual Re in September 2012 as a co op student and was hired full time in December 2014 in the position of Administration Assistant She was promoted to the position of Operations Coordinator in September 2017 Cyndi Song accepted a fulltime position as Actuarial Analyst within the Actuarial department in September Cyndi started in an Actuarial Analyst contract position in May Cyndi holds a Bachelor of Mathematics with a double major in Actuarial Science and Statistics from the University of Waterloo She has worked as a Data Analyst Intern at the China Academy of Science and most recently as a Customer Service Analyst at SavvyPro Education in Waterloo Cyndi has completed three Actuary professional exams Since starting at Farm Mutual Re Cyndi has been working on both the broker and direct distributions She will be focusing on projects and integration of her analysis Benedict Su accepted a full time position as Actuarial Analyst within the Actuarial Department in September Benedict started in the Actuarial department in May as an Actuarial Analyst on contract Benedict has a Bachelor of Mathematics Honours Statistics from the University of Waterloo He has worked as an Actuarial Analyst Co op for Sun Life Financial as well as London Life Insurance Company Most recently Benedict worked at Morneau Shepell Ltd in Vancouver BC in the role of Actuarial Analyst He has completed six Actuarial Exams Benedict has focused on broker distribution analysis since he joined the team He will be the main contact from the actuarial team for this business segment Lorraine Winger was promoted to the role of Treaty Underwriter in July This promotion recognizes Lorraine s hard work and commitment to her growth and development at Farm Mutual Re In her new role Lorraine provides professional underwriting services in the areas of property and casualty treaty reinsurance and continues to assist the department with facultative reinsurance submissions Lorraine joined Farm Mutual Re as a Facultative Underwriter in our Reinsurance Department in 2016 and has proven herself to be a valuable contributor on the Reinsurance team As a Treaty Underwriter Lorraine is responsible for managing a portfolio of Broker Distribution Segment clients analyzing their assumed reinsurance contracts working with our Actuarial team regarding pricing and negotiating treaty participations to support our profitability initiatives November 2021 33
OTHER NEWS AND EVENTS HOWICK MUTUAL On September 9th our Howick Mutual board and staff welcomed broker partners to our office in Wingham for a Car Show Shine in appreciation of their ongoing support A great line up of classic cars food trucks and music were enjoyed by everyone Mother Nature cooperated and provided a great day for this outdoor event YOUR FORENSIC ENGINEERING ALLIES Unearth Expert Insights Whether you re handling a kitchen re or a loss at a multimillion dollar agricultural facility you can rest assured that you have our skilled and experienced investigative team at your service CEP Forensic s team of engineers and investigators particularly prides itself on the cultivation of client relationships and unparalleled investigative expertise Clear Effective Partners cep experts ca 34
OTHER NEWS We were pleased to hold our annual conference virtually on October 4th and 5th followed by our 41st AGM on October 6th We hosted more than 250 registrants for the events The virtual platform provided the opportunity for member companies to register more than the normal number of participants The conference themes focused on three areas with qualified speakers on hand to address each of them COVID 19 Return to Work from COVID Legal and Mental Health Challenges Sabatina Vassalli and Dr Janet Patterson Journal of a Plague Year Epidemiological Learning During a Pandemic Dr David Fisman Open Banking Open Finance and Beyond Insights from the UK Martin Shaw and Julian Wells Open Insurance A Canadian Market View Jennifer Baziuk Puneet Chattree Roobi Alam Mutuality Mutuality in France Youth and Mutualism Corn lia Federkeil Fanny De Baere Arnaud Lacan What is the Mutual Advantage Jo Lumani Staging our Mutual Future Neil Alldredge and Sarah Schnettler Speakers from the United States France and the United Kingdom participated in the rich program Delegates also got a sneak preview of the venue for CAMIC s face to face conference next year in Winnipeg Manitoba At the CAMIC AGM members had the chance to hear about the activities of the past year while tending to official business such as approval of the auditors and receipt of reports The members also elected directors to the CAMIC Board for a three year term Janice Bellieveau in the Eastern Region Wayne Wyborn in the Western Region and Jeff Consitt in Ontario After the AGM members had the chance to listen to David Akin who spoke about Canadian Politics The State of Play followed by a great Q A session CAMIC would like to thank the following sponsors for supporting the event ServPro Guy Carpenter Shore MITG Bonnycastle Lincluden OMNIA Adjusters Cooperative Opta Ninepoint Institutional Partners Pario SEH Willis Re Winnipeg Tourism November 2021 35
OTHER NEWS HOWARD MUTUAL We held our Grand Opening of our new Blenheim office located in downtown Blenheim Ontario at 58 Talbot Street West This location offers a spacious welcoming environment with expanded offices private meeting rooms accessibility features for all staff and visitors and the same friendly personal service experience to all that visit in person or by telephone Howard Mutual President CEO Jodi Rich shared I am very pleased with the turnout for the Grand Opening of our new Blenheim office It was a gorgeous day and very well organized Congratulations to our staff for planning such a wonderful event We are very thankful to have a location that is more easily accessible to our policyholders and to have such a beautiful office for our staff and agents We look forward to being able to provide the same superior service in this new location Make sense of the path ahead The decisions your policy holders make now will define their future While you support them MNP is here to support you with accounting and investigative expertise plus the latest insights to navigate these uncertain times and strategies that get results Jas Chahal CPA CA 289 293 2371 jas chahal mnp ca MNP ca 36
OTHER NEWS MAPLE MUTUAL We held our annual golf tournament on August 18th and it was once again a fantastic event We would like to give a special thank you to our sponsors and golfers There was some rain in the morning but we ended with a beautiful day TRILLIUM MUTUAL If you haven t checked it out already there are over 30 episodes of great interviews to be heard on The Back 40 podcast Join host Mike Brine as he explores the world of agriculture through the eyes of farmers industry experts and many other great guests while discussing topics and issues surrounding Ontario Agriculture You can listen to The Back 40 on our website the back 40 castos com or on Google Podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify and YouTube Recent episodes Farmers Helping Farmers Guest Martin Ritsmas Martin joined us to discuss an initiative he organizes that is tackling the drought in Western Canada called Hay West The severity of the climate conditions has impacted local farmers there and Martin has organized for loads of hay to be sent to farmers most in need Creating an On Farm Marketplace Guest Emma Butler We spoke with Emma Butler of J E Meats who has recently opened up an on farm retail location Emma joins us to talk about what they have learned since opening their store and how she uses the store as a platform to educate customers about their farm and livestock November 2021 37
WE RE IN THIS TOGETHER 2021 OMIA President s Managers Meeting The 2021 President and Managers meeting took place at the scenic Deerhurst Resort our first in person event since March 2020 Approximately 150 in person delegates were happy to spend some time together at Deerhurst where precautions and protocols were in place to ensure everyone s health and safety This was a hybrid meeting a first for OMIA where some speakers joined the meeting virtually We were also able to accommodate over 100 virtual delegates Our opening keynote speaker Dr Robyne Hanley Dafoe brought an inspiring message about building resilience so that we can all do hard things Dr Robyne s message was made even more meaningful due to her background in studying resilience and her own personal journey following a harrowing car accident when she was in her teens John Stirk John Taylor Fire Mutuals Guarantee Fund Chair Brian Downie provided updates on the Guarantee Fund s work on establishing relationships with the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario FSRA and with succession planning with the Financial Review Committee Bill Embree s Financial Review Committee report included mutual results to June 30 2021 and comparatives to the mutual s 2020 results and industry results Henry Miller Chair of the Auto Rate Filing Committee provided members with an update on the creation of the Ontario Mutual Automobile Plan OMAP and introduced VP Tyler Kroetsch who began on October 12th Dr Robyne Hanley Dafoe The business session included reports from OMIA Chair John Stirk and OMIA President John Taylor John Stirk reflected on his theme Still Standing for a Reason and acknowledged the pride all of our member companies should take in having survived and succeeded for hundreds of years John also urged delegates to consider their role as mutual leaders and in giving back through sharing their experience and expertise at mutual activities and events John Taylor provided some remarks on the theme of measuring progress versus solving problems and highlighted some of the mutuals collaborative efforts including IFRS 17 Collectivfide the Ontario Mutual Automobile Plan OMAP property peril scoring and the Fire Mutuals Guarantee Fund He also provided some observations on how to effectively deliver the mutual message support our communities and our people 38 OMIA Tech Headquarters Following the business meeting the afternoon program included three guest speakers Mary Robinson appeared as OMIA s first ever virtual speaker and provided the history of the Responsible Investment Association of Canada and the evolution of the Environmental Social Governance ESG factor investing in Canada She also provided some insight into the years ahead as there is increasing expectations that institutions will consider these factors in building investment portfolios
WE RE IN THIS TOGETHER Paul Kovacs Executive Director of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction provided a history on the impact of climate change on the insurance industry in Canada and commentary on the increasing severity and frequency of catastrophic losses He reviewed a number of industry initiatives to foster resilience and incentivize the use of better building materials and techniques in home construction A Roomy Meeting Space Day two kicked off with a Quick Hits Mutual Perspectives panel moderated by Halwell Mutual President CEO Marg Torrance Presenters Tony Ngo Sue Baker John Taylor Tracy Wintermute and Jackie Roy provided updates on the merger and acquisition environment for brokers silent cyber insurance sales by credit unions the new workplace and the fair treatment of consumers The Farm Mutual Re Business Meeting included reports from CEO JP Gagnon and CFO Amy Butler as well as presentation from Jennifer Allan Chief People Officer and Andrea Kerswill AVP Innovation An OMIA Welcome Our closing speaker was David Brown of Governance Solutions an experienced voice in governance for over 40 years David spoke on Five Mistakes Boards Make and specific strategies to avoid falling into these traps The afternoon concluded with a spirited presentation from Kadey Schultz who provided examples of the impact of social inflation on casualty claims in the United States and some of the factors that have slowed the impact of social inflation in Canada Thank you to all members who attended both in person and virtually We look forward to what we hope will be an in person Convention in March 2022 at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto The 2021 P M Speakers Dr Robyne Hanley Dafoe Mary Robinson Responsible Investment Association Paul Kovacs ICLR Kadey Schultz Schultz Frost LLP David Brown Governance Solutions Jill Taylor Chair of the Farm Mutual Foundation was pleased to inform the membership that the Foundation received 208 applications and all scholarships were granted The challenge for students this year was to provide an essay on how they had given back to their community during the COVID 19 pandemic This important fund was created to help sons and daughters of people employed in the mutual insurance community pursue an education With support from Farm Mutual Re contributions from members of the mutual insurance community and fundraising activities the Foundation has awarded over 3 million since 2006 to students enrolled in a post secondary educational institution November 2021 39
Please send your news photos updates and more to marketing omia com OM News can be read online at OMIA com and sign in is not necessary Just visit www omia com and pick Ontario Mutuals Newsletter from the menu on the left of the page READY TO GO GREEN Please drop us an email if you d prefer to read your OM News online and help us save paper and ink Email marketing omia com and we ll be sure that your name is included on the email notification that goes out when a new issue is available And keep that news coming Address 350 Pinebush Road Cambridge Ontario N1T 1Z6 519 622 9220 Fax 519 622 9227 Mail P O Box 3187 Cambridge ON N3H 4S6 www omia com