President's Message - March 2010

We are now headed toward spring. The sun rises earlier in the mornings and sets later in the day. Grass is starting to peek out from under the discoloured snow. When you hear the weather on the radio, you no longer hear that today’s high will be “plus three”; instead, you hear that it will be 11 degrees.

As you drive by that golf course each evening, you can once again see the green—and that left bunker your approach shot always seems to find. Spring is just about here!
At the time that I write this message, we have just finished an extremely successful professional development day and claims conference. Our attendance was up a significant amount, and the claims conference lunch was a complete sellout. Luncheon speaker David Adjey gave our members, vendor partners and guests a different perspective on motivation than the one we usually hear from our sources in the business and financial world.

Our wide range of seminars had excellent attendance; in some cases, there was standing room only. A group of young and enthusiastic students from graduating classes at Fanshawe and Mohawk Colleges attended the job fair and the afternoon seminar set up to help them with their future career endeavours.

I would like to thank our entire executive and the chapter representatives: everyone was on the floor all day, helping out at registration and on the trade show floor and assisting members, vendor partners, other insurance professionals and guests with their queries throughout the day of our signature event.

Special thanks to our claims conference committee, chaired by Jennifer Graham and committee member Michael McLeod. Thanks as well to our seminars and education chair, Catherine Groot, and to our business manager, Jackie Johnston, for all that she does on the day and behind the scenes to make the claims conference run smoothly each and every year.

Our next general meeting is Election Night, on April 14. We are sitting for high tea at 3:30 p.m. at the Windsor Arms Hotel.
It is still not too late to put your name forward to run for the position of Toronto Delegate. If you wish to learn more about what the position entails, please contact me; our nominations chair, Past President Laurie Walker; or any of the current Toronto Delegates.

Lastly, I would also like to congratulate Alf Strudwick, our Georgian Bay delegate, on his election to the position of secretary of the Association. Alf is now on the path to be president of the Association in six years. I look forward to his input on all Association issues for the remainder of this year, and on into the 2010–2011 term. Well done Alf!

Norman McGlashan CIP

President

Ontario Insurance Adjusters Association

E-mail:norman.mcglashan@crawco.ca