ISSUE 1 | NOVEMBER 2010

FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY

Champagne and Bon Bons…are what they DON’T

have! As the Penn Points

committee discussed doing

an article on the agency

specialists, Bill Messler

suggested that Barb

Lehman should “put down

her Champagne and Bon

Bons and get to work!” Bill

was just kidding, of course — in reality, agency specialists have a

lot to do.

NEWS FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA REGION

Story Ideas?Send story ideas or special

requests to the newsletter

committee: Mike Griffin,

Diane Lucci, Bill Messler,

Carol Miller, Helen Stevens,

Don Waardenburg, Theresa

Weaver.

© 2010 The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company

IndexMy Underwriter

is Out

Page 2

Safety Award

Page 3

Tidbits

Page 3

New at Ohio Casualty

Page 4

President’s Award

Page 4

Region Calendar

Page 4

Penn Points

Kudos, Pittsburgh!“There were no significant findings at this location…Controls over

the Ohio Casualty Pittsburgh Commercial Lines Underwriting process

are adequate.”

What does it take to get these results? TEAMWORK

In late July as the temperature outside sweltered, inside the Pittsburgh branch they were cool as could be with the internal audit team on the premises. The office was measured on eighteen procedures. Through teamwork among Administrative Support, UA’s, Underwriting and Management all subjects were reviewed prior to the audit with plans implemented to assure topics under consideration are and continue to be properly addressed. With the cooperation of the local team and adherence to company protocols, the Pittsburgh branch had no A, B nor C findings.

The team was recognized for their accomplishment by Mike Winner and Don Waardenburg during the town hall meeting on August 19, 2010.

– Debra Konetsky-Smith

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Penn PointsMy Underwriter is Out!What to do, what to do! Panic, mayhem! My underwriter is out on maternity leave! That may be what

Mary McCornac at Weiss-Schantz may have been thinking. With Lisa Dermody out on maternity leave,

underwriters filling in were doing their best to handle new submissions.

The risk, Eastern Surfaces, is a fabricator of granite & marble countertops. They also do custom cutting of stone surfaces for other businesses in the Lehigh Valley. The opportunity was the result of a merging of two companies and the insured was looking for other quotes in addition to their current policy in another company. Being a larger premium account it was an account worth pursuing.

Josh Vonfrish, one of Delaware Valley’s younger underwriters, was given the quote. He prepared the initial quote figures, working closely with Deb Schodowski, his Commercial Lines Manager, and after back and forth negotiations with the agent, they were successful in writing the risk.

Seems one of his first experiences with larger accounts was a success. Kudos, Josh! – Bill Messler

Champagne and Bon Bons…(from page 1)

Actually, agency specialists have been referred to as “Tireless TMs,” or “TMs without Wheels,” while Don’s concept of the position was a “One Stop Shop” for agents and employees. “One Stop” includes anything — billing, licensing, auditing, training, marketing and underwriting. In other words, finding the solution to any issue, or determining the person who can provide the answer.

The position, according to the specialists, has changed and evolved from a support role for agents, underwriters, territory managers and Don, to a mini-territory manager. They now have all of the responsibility for a certain group of agents, including agency review, agency management and maintenance. In addition they continue their supporting role for territory managers.

A major challenge is their fearless leader, Don, whose imagination can run wild at times. While his ideas are always substantial and productive, they create “an opportunity to learn” for the specialists. There’s nothing like the feeling of accomplishment they get when they master one of his brilliant ideas.

So, what’s in this for YOU?Agency Specialists can help by following up on quotes and addressing billing, licensing, audit and commission issues. They are also experienced with Salesforce, an agency database, and access legacy systems on a regular basis to pull such things as loss runs and in-force lists.

So, Bill Messler, instead of sitting around and having champagne and bon bons, agency specialists are valuable contributors to the Pennsylvania Region. On top of all of this, they have sleepless nights at airports, wear tee shirts supplied by airlines, and spend many hours waiting for a flight that was cancelled — sometimes not getting home until 2 a.m. — all in the line of duty! While they don’t do champagne and bon bons, they would be willing and most grateful to accept a box of chocolates for a job well done!

– Helen Stevens and Carol Miller

Penn Points

Safety AwardA Safety Commendation Award was presented to Laurel Foodsystems Inc, an Ohio Casualty insured based in Robinson Township, PA. This prestigious award was presented by John Calizzi, Loss Prevention Consultant, to Mary Bonar, Chairman of the Safety Committee, and Don Diffendal, owner, for the low number of Workers Compensation losses over the past year. Also present from Willis of Pennsylvania was producer, Buc Cawley, and client manager, Cheryl Maslek, along with our own Kathy Macari, Underwriter and Tom Gialloreto, Territory Manager.

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Pictured at left (l to r): John Calizzi, Buc Cawley, Kathy Macari, Don Diffendal, Mary Bonar, Cheryl Maslek, and Tom Gialloreto.

Tidbits A choice or pleasing bit (of information)

■ Kris Queen, Pittsburgh, welcomed James Patrick on June 4.

■ Derek Ricker, Camp Hill, became the proud father of a baby boy named Maxwell, born June 8.

■ Welcome back to the ’burgh, Michael Mayer. Mike started with us in June 2008 as an underwriter trainee. He accepted an underwriting position in the Columbia, MD office in July 2009, and returned to Pittsburgh in July 2010 as a commercial lines underwriter.

■ Elizabeth Dewitt, Camp Hill, became Mrs. Ian Walsh on August 14. Congratulations, Elizabeth! She and Ian bought a new house in Middletown.

■ Sarah Garman became Mrs. Ryan Strauser on May 22.

■ Theresa Weaver, Camp Hill, has added a new addition to her family. Holden Anthony was born on September 23. Congratulations, Theresa.

■ Kris Queen was inducted into CPCU on October 21.

■ Underwriter Lynn Ridley is leaving the company after 23 years and is moving to Florida.

■ Elizabeth Walsh has been promoted to Schools Agency Specialist. Congratulations, Elizabeth.

■ Anniversaries: 30 Years: Steve Anderson, Glen Cameron; 25 Years: Randy Olenick, Kathy McNaughton.

Ohio Casualty Welcomed…Lori Nye joined Ohio Casualty’s Pennsylvania Region as a Commercial Lines Underwriter. Lori brings more than 30 years of insurance experience to the Camp Hill, PA office. Lori started as a Customer Service Representative Supervisor for an insurance agency where she supervised claims, commercial lines, personal lines and billing services. She also provided safety training for larger accounts and worked as an Excess and Surplus Lines Specialist. Lori also worked at Merchants and Business

Men’s Insurance Company as a Rating Supervisor and Business Analyst, and at Travelers as a Senior Underwriter and Team Leader.

Lori obtained her Associate in Underwriting (AU) designation and holds an Agency License in Pennsylvania. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Camp Hill office and to the organization as a whole.

Lori has had time to reflect on her first couple of weeks, and she is happy to be working for Ohio Casualty. The only real challenge was the delay in getting her ready to work. She did, however, commend Ohio Casualty for the exceptional service we provide our agents, the existence of the agency specialist position, the low agent to underwriter ratio and the ability to personally visit agents.

– Helen StevensLori Nye

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Penn PointsNew at Ohio CasualtyTrainees Elizabeth Dever and Holly Scheffer recently joined Harrisburg’s Commercial Lines Department as underwriting trainees. Both Liz and Holly graduated from Penn State University College of Business. Holly is from Altoona and Liz is from Blue Bell. They learned of the training program through an on-campus career service.

Justine Barron and Ed Yingling have been part of the Region’s Claims Specialist Trainee Program since June. Justine is from Milford, PA, and graduated from Penn State College of Science. Ed, recently married, graduated from Penn State with a Business Management & Marketing Degree.

Elizabeth Dever Justine BarronHolly Scheffer Ed Yingling

December 8 Delaware Valley Sales Meeting 9 Harrisburg Sales Meeting 10 Pittsburgh Sales Meeting

14 Delaware Valley Town Hall

Meeting 15 Harrisburg Town Hall Meeting 16 Pittsburgh Town Hall Meeting

17 Harrisburg Christmas Party 17 Delaware Valley Christmas Party 17 Pittsburgh Christmas Party

President’s AwardYes, that’s Don and Brenda Waardenburg in Hawaii. Tourists extraordinaire!

They accompanied our President’s Award agents on a trip to Kauai in May.

Ten Pennsylvania agents earned President’s Award status, including:

■ Craig Wengerd, CBIZ Insurance

■ Jim Cote, B & W Insurance

■ Mark Young, CC Young & Henkelman

■ Rich Boyer, Exchange Underwriters

■ Linda Willis, Gunn Mowery

■ Damian Testa, HUB International PA

■ Dave Kauffman, Lechner Insurance

■ Bill Sullivan, Marthinsen Insurance

■ John Folino, RTI Insurance

■ Scott Rogers, The Glatfelter Agency

Region Calendar

More new hires in the next issue!