Fall Brings an Abundance of NASBP Opportunities

My wife, Heather, and I attended all three September NASBP Regional meetings. The energy and passion of the Members, Affiliates, and Associates in each NASBP Region is a tribute to our industry. The Programs at the Regional Meetings offered valuable networking opportunities and on-point educational sessions including keynote speakers who offered sales techniques and advice to help us maximize our skills and potential. I want to personally thank the NASBP Regional Directors: Brent Olson, Mark Munekawa, and Warren Withrow (Regions 1, 2, & 3); Erle Benton, Nicholas Newton, Toby Miclette, and Jennifer Salm (Regions 4, 5, 6, 7); and Brian Ayres, Aldo Pasquariello, Zach Mendelson, and Michael Regan (Regions 8, 9, 10 & 11) for a job well done!

The panel with Texas State Representative Paul Workman and Louisiana State Representative Franklin Foil underscored how we need to continually lobby for our product to preserve, promote, and protect it. Erle Benton, who moderated their discussion pointed out, and I agree, that the State Representatives reaffirmed the importance of our preferred advocacy approach of seeking face-to-face meetings for legislators, an approach successfully implemented at the national level with the NASBP Fly-in. NASBP has selected the date for next year’s Fly-in, Wednesday, June 11, 2014 in Washington, DC. Be sure to join us then to advocate for our industry on Capitol Hill. Save the date now and NASBP will keep you apprised of details about the event.

As the end of the year quickly approaches, many of us are putting together our firms’ budgets for next year. I want to remind you to take advantage of a NASBP resource that is only available to the membership and that is an extremely cost-effective and efficient way to help you and your staff stay on top of the many issues we face as surety professionals. Consider signing up for the NASBP 2014 Virtual Seminar Subscription Series for a year’s worth of about 24 Virtual Seminars, because you save $500. When you review the important topics the Virtual Seminars covered this year, ask yourself if can you afford not to pay the $995 subscription fee for next year’s Virtual Seminars.

Here is a list of the Virtual Seminar topics that were or will be covered by the end of this year; next year’s list promises to be just as amazing: trusts and surety indemnification; risk-shifting provisions in construction contracts, risks of warranties and liquidated damages in construction contracts; properly securing the indemnity of entities; navigating the surety underwriter’s desk book; managing large commercial accounts; tribal bonding; mitigating the risk of subcontractor default; accounting standards changes; merits of vehicle leasing and fleet management; changes in bonding and regulation of property brokers and surface freight forwarders; implementing an emergency preparedness plan; boosting producer sales; risks of bonding environmental remediation contractors; Errors & Omissions (E&O) exposures of surety professionals, the new American Institute of Architects (AIA) Sustainable Building Contract Forms; alternatives to onerous construction contract clauses; Internet security for surety professionals; Employer Stock Ownership Plans; a contractor’s success in tackling his companies’ challenges; the state of the nation’s bridges; and managing and working with various generations in the workplace.

To purchase the 2014 Series, go to NASBP.org. Remember that if you missed any of the 2013 Virtual Seminars, you can purchase individual audio recordings by contacting Cathrine Nelson at cnelson@nasbp.org or 202-464-1171, or learn more by visiting the NASBP Virtual Seminar recordings web page. See the Professional Development article in this issue to learn about other NASBP resources that you may want to include in your budget for 2014.

In closing, the NASBP Midyear is around the corner and the Committees and the Board will be meeting November 15 and 16 in Boston. The Midyear is an opportunity for the leadership and Committee members to review the status of the numerous projects undertaken and issues addressed by NASBP. I believe it is also a time to appreciate the dedication of the Members, Affiliates and Associates to better our industry. Even if you are not a Board member, you are still welcome to sit and listen at the Board meeting where you will learn about these amazing efforts that are underway or about to launch. It is eye-opening to learn how the Association adeptly addresses the many difficult issues that our industry faces and vigilantly pursues cutting-edge projects that advance our industry. I hope you can join us in Boston!

Sincerely,

Lawrence F. McMahon
NASBP President

Lawrence F. McMahon is Executive Vice President/Surety Manager of Alliant Insurance Services, Inc. in San Diego, CA. He can be reached at lmcmahon@alliantinsurance.com.