October 11, 2005

Troy University linking students and insurance executives in symposium

TROY – Troy University ’s Risk Management and Insurance Studies Program will host the 11^th Annual Surplus Lines Insurance Symposium Oct. 14-15 at Embassy Suites in Montgomery .

The symposium brings together business students and insurance executives in a formal exchange of ideas, often covering topics not addressed in classroom settings. The RMI Studies Program is a part of the Sorrell College of Business.

“The symposium has several purposes,” said Dr. Carol Jordan, TROY ’s eminent scholar of risk management and insurance. “First, it allows our students to interact with insurance students from other schools and it serves to introduce business students to insurance topics that are pertinent but generally not covered in the classroom.”

The symposium also creates a platform that allows industry executives an opportunity to meet students in the field for possible jobs or internships, Jordan said. Each business professional involved in the symposium receives a “resume book” that details each students’ achievements and interests.

Included in the educational sessions are topics ranging from medical profession liability, opportunities for today’s broker and reinsurance and supply lines market to insurance regulation, distribution systems and Lloyd’s of London.

Speakers include Marcus Payne, consultant and National Association of Professional Surplus Lines, Ltd. educational coordinator; Thor Valdmanis, vice president for communications for North America for Lloyds of London , Richard Bouhan, NAPSLO executive director, Fran O’Connell, vice president at Shand Morahan, Randy Jones, president of Maxum Casualty and Jerry Sullivan, president of The Sullivan Group.

A Saturday luncheon will spotlight Nautilus Insurance executive John DiBiasi as the keynote speaker. Richard Cater, assistant finance director and senior legal counsel for the Alabama Department of Finance, will also address the luncheon.