This is the month that we start to think about spring, the snow is melting, the students are going to enjoy their spring break and some us will be taking a vacation with the kids during the spring break. Let’s all put our winter blues behind us this month and think about the warm weather that we will be enjoying in the coming months.This year’s trade show was another great success; we had the opportunity to introduce a job fair at this year’s event. The job fair was attended by this year’s graduating students from the insurance programs at Fanshaw and Mohawk colleges. This was an effort by the OIAA to introduce graduates to the claims adjusting field and prospective employers, as we are seeing a shortage of new adjusters coming into the industry. We received a very positive response from the students and employers following the job fair.
It was my pleasure to present the Arthritis Society with a cheque for $26,045.00 on behalf of the OIAA, at the Trade Show Luncheon. As an OIAA member, you should feel proud of the support that you have provided the Arthritis Society with your generous donation through OIAA functions. It is support like this that makes the OIAA a front-runner in our industry. Congratulations to the most recent graduates of the CIP program, who were honoured on February 12th, 2004. It was my pleasure to be in attendance at the ceremony, which was well supported by the insurance industry, to recognize your efforts and achievement.
I also had an opportunity to attend the TIWA Wine and Cheese on February 19th, 2004; I wish to thank Kelly Brisbin-Harris for the invitation. It was a wonderful event, and also well attended by the insurance industry.
On April 14th, 2004, our afternoon seminar will be held downtown at the Intercontinental Toronto Centre (Old Crown Plaza Hotel) on Front Street. This will be a training session on how we should be providing the IBC with claim information for the data base and how we are able to access this information with the technology changes. We will also be educated on how to recognize insurance fraud and learn what has been put in place by the IBC to control fraud.
Our regular April evening meeting will follow this seminar; our guest speaker will be Mr. Mark Yakabuski, the Ontario Vice-President of the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Mr. Yakabuski has been working with the government on behalf of the Insurance Industry; he will bring us up to date on the developments between the Government and the Insurance Industry on the future of Insurance in Ontario.
As well, it will be election night. I urge members to think about running for a delegate position on OIAA executive council; the knowledge and experience you will gain are very rewarding. Please contact Brian Nauss if you are interested in running for the two delegate positions in Toronto.
I hope to see you all of you on April 14th, 2004, as this will be a day of education for adjusters at every level, please refer to the announcement on page 40 for details.
