Moves (February 01, 2006)

Andr Simard is the new national vice-president of sales, group and business insurance at Desjardins Financial Security Group. The appointment is a major step toward implementing a new national structure for this business line, according to senior vice president Alain Thauvette. “Simard’s expanded responsibilities encompass all sales operations and customer service,” Thauvette said. “His mandate is to expand the Desjardins Financial Security group and business insurance client base across Canada. The sales offices in Halifax, Levis, Montral, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver will all be under his responsibility, as well as sales, and public and parapublic Groups.” Simard has an MBA from the cole des Hautes tudes Commerciales de Montral and offers more than 22 years of experience in group insurance, 10 of which were spent with Desjardins. Previously, he was vice president of sales, group and business insurance for Qubec. Desjardins also recently welcomed Dan Poole as the new vice-president of strategic planning implementation. Thauvette said the creation of this new position is a result of the strategic direction to expand the presence of Desjardins across Canada. “Our new structure allows us to grow at a pace greater than the market, while ensuring we provide our clients with quality customer service and reduced costs,” Thauvette said. “Poole’s new responsibilities will include implementing the new strategic plan.” Poole brings a BComm degree from the University of Manitoba and the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation and is currently completing an MBA from Queen’s University. Previously, he was vice-president of sales for group and business insurance for Ontario, Atlantic and Western Canada.

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In Remembrance: Art Despard

Art Despard, Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO) past president, passed away peacefully at the age of 72 on Jan. 13, 2006. Despard served on the RIBO Council from 1994 to 2000 and most recently served as chairperson of the discipline committee. Enriching the insurance world with more than 50 years of industry experience, Despard began his career at an insurance company and then switched to the brokerage side in 1965, when he became a registered insurance broker. Much of his career was spent working for Aon Reed Stenhouse. Over the last few years, Despard worked for various brokerages and legal firms in a consulting capacity. He also served the industry in a volunteer capacity, which was extensive and impressive. In 2000 he received the Insurance Institute of Canada’s Award of Merit for outstanding service by a volunteer of the Insurance Institute of Canada. He also served as president of the Society of Fellows and was a past president of the Insurance Institute of Ontario. A frequent speaker on insurance matters, Despard often served as a media representative. His work has been published in various insurance journals and trade publications throughout North America and Britain.

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In Remembrance: James Kenneth Cramb

James Kenneth Cramb (‘wee Jimmy’), 75, passed away peacefully on Dec. 26, 2005, at St. Michael’s Hospital as a result of an unexpected aneurysm. He will be sadly missed by his best friend and loving wife of 53 years, Lorraine Cramb, his children Ian, Susan, Robert, Sandra and his son-in-law Jeff Allworth. Always a loving and proud grandfather, ‘Papa’ will be profoundly missed by Sarah, Michael, Shawn, Samantha, Andrew and Jessica. Cramb, who is survived by his brother John and his sister Velma Gibb, began his insurance career as a young man in the mailroom at Tomenson Saunders. He worked his way up the chain of command and most recently found himself enjoying his retirement as senior vice-president of Marsh Canada. Doing what he loved best, Cramb spent much of his time being with family and friends as well as playing both golf and his beloved bagpipes. As a young boy he played with the Toronto Scottish Regiment, which he officially registered with on June 6, 1944 (D-Day). Cramb was a longstanding member of the Toronto Scottish Regiment Pipe Band, the Grotto Pipe Band and the Glenmore Pipe Band. Although his pipes now lay silent, his contribution and devotion to the piping world will never be forgotten. Cramb’s passions included golf and curling. He will be deeply missed by all his friends at the Whitlock Golf and Country Club in Montral, St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto and the Romeo Group. A sincere ‘Thank you’ goes out to all the medical staff at the William Osler Hospital and the medical team and staff at St. Michael’s Hospital for all their hard work and efforts. ‘Friendship, mysterious cement of the soul! Sweet’ner of Life, and solder of Society! I owe thee much…’ -Robert Burns, Epistle to James Smith, 1786.

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Marshall and Swift/Boeckh (MS/B) recently initiated a project to augment its IntegriClaim field estimating product with operations, features and finishes customarily found in high-value homes. The continual expansion of the IntegriClaim database gives insurance carriers and adjusters the ability to create more accurate and consistent loss estimates for upscale and custom-built homes, MS/B said. “Growth in the high-value home marketplace and increased use of MS/B’s RCT High Value product, a high-value home valuation application, has amplified the need for the creation of a comprehensive database of high-value features and finishes,” Jonathan Kost, vice-president of claims at MS/B, said. “The data will be updated on a quarterly basis to coincide with the delivery of our underwriting building cost updates, allowing our clients to react quickly as new high value areas emerge throughout the country.” Kost explained that the data-set is of great importance to insurance carriers who use RCT High Value on the underwriting side: it aids the achievement of true indemnification by helping to generate claims payments from the same “total-component” data. MS/B most recently enhanced IntegriClaim with over 300 upscale or high value components such as built in aquariums, windows with built-in shades, arbors, granite and marble sunken tubs, 1″ X 10″ and 1″ X 12″ base molding, and adobe face veneering.

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William J. Sutton & Co., along with Gerber Life Insurance Co., recently introduced a new term-life product designed for Canadian expatriates and Canadian residents with extensive international travel exposure. International travel and worldwide residency have posed some very difficult challenges to the life insurance industry in recent years. As reinsurance capacity shrinks in the domestic markets, traditional life insurers have become increasingly less tolerant of even small levels of international travel exposure. In light of the ever-expanding global economy and the corresponding need to provide life insurance to Canadians and international employees of Canadian companies, Sutton & Co. developed a product that provides coverage accommodating such international travel exposure. Continuation of coverage and premiums are subject to annual review.