Commercial Casualty - Classroom

Educational Consultant:
Jean Sundlof
CIC, CPCU, CCI, ACI, CPIA

Jean Sundlof joined Kraus-Anderson Insurance in June of 1999.  Jean's first position with Kraus was a combined Senior Account Executive and Marketer role.  She moved into production in 2006 and is currently Director of Captives, Coverage, and Risk Consulting. Prior to joining Kraus-Anderson, Jean worked at Youngdahl Companies for seven years.  She had various responsibilities including sales, account executive work, and marketing.  Jean has also served as an Agency Operations Representative for Great American Insurance Company and as Executive Director of Associated Risk Managers of Oklahoma.  She began her career working with an independent insurance agency in Oklahoma in a sales and marketing capacity.

Jean received her BBA and MBA in Management from the University of Oklahoma.  She obtained her Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation in 1980 and her Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation in 1982.  She serves as a member of the National Faculty for the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance, teaching both CIC and CISR.  She is also an active faculty member for Swiss Re in instructing Agent's E&O courses.  Jean completed the requirements to be designated as Associate in Captive Insurance (ACI) in 2007.  She was the first Minnesotan to receive this designation.   She recently also holds the CCI and CPIA designations.

Jean was honored by the Oklahoma Association of Professional Insurance Agents in 1984 as Insurance Women of the year.  She was also privileged to be named Young Agent of the Year in 1998 by the Minnesota Independent Insurance Agents.  She is currently Vice President of Big I Minnesota.

Speaker Day 1

Jay Williams

BIO:

    
Jay Williams is the Head of Faculty & Academic Development for the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance.  He is also a member of the National Faculty and an Educational Consultant.

He is a veteran of the insurance industry, starting his career in 1979.  His experience includes 21 years in the agency business, nine years at the Florida Association of Insurance Agents, and seven years as an insurance company and PEO executive.  Jay also served as the interim CEO for Applied Client Network, the user-group association for agents using Applied Systems platforms and was the CEO of FHB Insurance, a construction risk wholesaler and a subsidiary of the Florida Home Builders Association.

Jay has been teaching formal insurance classes for over 20 years, including both technical insurance and E&O loss control classes for FAIA. He was part of the IIABA Loss Control Working Group for 5 years, and also served on the Professional Liability Committee.

Jay has served as an expert witness in technical coverage and agent E&O cases.  He is an approved E&O instructor and E&O auditor for a national program and has also done consulting for agencies, companies, and industry-related partners.

His experience on the agency, association, and company sides gives Jay a uniquely rounded perspective on the insurance industry.

Speaker Day 2

Robert Ford
CIC, CISR, CPIA, CRIS, MLIS, CLCS, ERIS

BIO:

Bob started in the insurance business at age 19, when he was hired by Nodak Mutual Insurance Company as a territory producer in Wahpeton, North Dakota, and later transferred to Dickinson North Dakota.

Bob returned in 1978 to Devils Lake, North Dakota to work in and purchase the family run agency.  Bob sold his agency in 1998 and continued a 48-year career as a CEO, Regional Lead., Claims Dept. Lead, Personal Lines Dept. Lead, and Producer.

Over the years Bob has since involved himself in the insurance industry in several ways.  Early in his career he started training with the IIAA of Iowa at the University of Iowa on an annual basis with their agency management school.  These sessions were led by nationally known Dr. Emmett Vaughn.  Those sessions helped Bob to lay the foundation for a good understanding of the insurance industry and the agency company relationships.

Bob has also served on the Board of Directors for North Dakota PIA (Professional Insurance Agents) for 13 years.  During that time his favorite activity was chairing the education committee.  He held that position for eight years.  Bob especially enjoyed chairing the education committee because in his view a good technical education is critical to a successful career in the insurance industry.  He has also been privileged to serve as North Dakota PIA President and has also served as North Dakota PIA National Director.

To further his education, Bob completed his CIC designation in 2001, and his CISR designation in 2006.  In addition, he has earned the following insurance designations, CPIA (Certified Professional Insurance Agent), CLCS (Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist), MLIS (Management Liability Insurance Specialist), ERIS (Energy Risk Insurance Specialist) and CRIS (Construction Risk Insurance Specialist).

Enjoying education so much, Bob continues his educational pursuits by teaching many insurance workshops each year around the country and is also a member of the national faculty for The Risk and Education Alliance.