CAREER SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE
Division Management Financial Controls
P & L Responsibility Budget
Start-up Wind-down Training Inter-Creditor
Joint Ventures Forecasting & Cash flow
Client Relations Accounting & Finance Divestiture M&A
Audit Regulatory Compliance
DIP Lending Turnarounds
Risk Management Training
MIS enhancement Excel, Word, PowerPoint
Leadership Takeover
Consultant/Expert Default Work-outs
Bankruptcy/DIP Portfolio management
CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS
o Established and led large units for International, Marine, and Surety lines of business for Allianz AG, a top international Property & Casualty insurer. Opened six new offices in three states.
o Steadily promoted to top position as head of Surety Bonds, through my background specializing in work-out programs for distressed contractors.
o Arranged substitute performance on more than $2 billion of contracts for commercial and heavy construction concerns including JA Jones, Dillingham, Modern Continental, Jones Bros. Inc.
o Directly responsible for all aspects of case and litigation management on all cases exceeding $1 million in contractual exposure, for multiple lines of insurance.
o Developed and delivered to board, portfolio and project loss reserve estimates, litigation strategy, litigation budgets, and mitigation plans.
o Integrated teams to take over the portfolio management of more than $500 million of contested contract receivables.
o As executive sponsor, utilized Project Management Professional expertise (PMBOK) in spearheading numerous litigation MIS upgrades, projects, and service-quality improvements.
o Numerous expert witness, guest speaker, and consulting presentations before sophisticated audiences and boards. Dozens of 30(b)(6), fact witness, and expert witness depositions given, owing to my abilities in this regard.
o Heavy negotiation experience at mandatory settlement conferences, arbitration proceedings, mediations, and informal settlement proceedings.
CAREER EXPERIENCE
2001 to Present: Senior Director, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Companies (Allianz AG)
o At the request of CEO and Treasurer, I was asked to develop and lead the exit strategy of the Surety Division, reporting to President of Discontinued Operations.
o Developed and implemented the exit strategy and wind-down plan for this line of business including financial reporting, MIS enhancements, retainer agreements, staffing models, bonus plans, and performance metrics.
o Underwriting and turnaround management experience, skills and credentials in developing and implementing exit and turnaround strategies.
o Develop business and financial plans for distressed external entities including funds administration, cost analysis, cash flow forecasting pro-formas, debtor-creditor agreements, and bankruptcy law.
o Represented the company at meetings with outside boards to formulate case strategy around the performance defaults of such companies as Kmart, Enron, Dillingham, Modern Continental, J.A. Jones, and Pacific Gas & Electric.
o Strategic and litigation risk analysis. Litigation strategy and budgets.
o Built and lead teams of underwriters, accountants, outside lawyers and engineers in negotiation of complex transactions, contracts, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
o Established critical reporting linkage between GCO, Finance, Actuarial, Treasury and Surety departments.
o Insurance operations, exit strategies, litigation management, underwriting and claims.
o Construction operations, default management, finance, risk management, portfolio management, divestiture.
o Internal audit and training for compliance.
o Managed preferred counsel panel including a litigation budget in excess of $10 million annually.
1996-2001 Technical Director, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Companies
o Led the creation of the organizations capabilities in complex cases, through development and training on subject-matter expertise in Marine, Surety and International coverage and claims.
o Directly developed and implemented case strategy on all cases exceeding $1 million for each of these lines of business.
o Provided leadership and training to 12 direct reports in the administration of these business units and their compliance with internal and external standards.
o In conjunction with an underwriting and marketing team, piloted successful new product for international insurance, including 24/7 claims service unit, integrated protocols with sibling entities world-wide, and third party administrators.
o Oversaw successful resolution of more than $15 million in inland-marine coverage issues arising out of the World Trade Center disaster.
1991 to 1996: Associate Director Surety, Fireman’s Fund
o I was recruited back to Fireman’s Fund home office, to lead operational improvements in construction claims and litigation at corporate and field locations.
o Developed and implemented enhanced audit standards and processes. Reduced the audit footprint on operations, while improving outputs.
o Developed and presented nation-wide annual training, in ADR, Compliance, and coverage issues.
o Initiated and led a recovery metrics program, successfully increasing gross claims recoveries, indemnity recoveries and third-party recoveries while also reducing external costs by more than $2 million annually.
1986 to 1991: Surety Manager, Transamerica Insurance
o Recruited away from Fireman’s to follow my boss and establish and lead the Denver office for Transamerica Insurance. In addition to responsibility for the largest claims office with HR, P&L responsibility, I was directly accountable for takeover and transactional work for the takeover and program management of more than 40 defaulting contractors during this time.
o Many positive experiences with lenders, debtors, Federal, State and Local authorities in guaranteeing performance and curing performance default on hundreds of millions in roadwork, municipal buildings.
o Developed solid network of associations within the business and legal communities.
o Created the approved counsel retainer database for the nationwide organization, along with vendor management guidelines.
1984 to 1986 Claims Administrator, Fireman’s Fund Insurance
o Hired through a recruiter, I relocated to Phoenix, where I was put in charge of recovery and collections. Shortly thereafter, I was asked to relocate to San Francisco, to open an office specializing in performance bond guarantees.
o Liaison responsibilities with large producers and underwriters.
o Developed and administered centralized recovery unit.
o Coordinated and integrated recovery efforts over multiple lines of business including performance guarantees, Workers compensation, property, and general liability.
o Once in San Francisco, centralized operations from 9 western states.
EDUCATION
M.B.A. (3.95 GPA*) Sonoma State University (2001) Cotati, CA J.D. Empire College School of Law (1999) Santa Rosa, CA
B.A. Business/Mgt. Saint Mary’s College (1987) Moraga, CA
*The culminating thesis for my MBA, was a strategic marketing and business plan for a specialty retailer which was ultimately adopted for implementation by an Arizona retailer.
Certifications
Insurance Institute of America
Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), 1995
Fidelity & Surety Bonding (AFSB), 1997
Marine Insurance Management (AMIM), 1998
Insurance Services (AIS), 1997
Northeastern University/Turnaround Management Association
Certified Turnaround Management Professional (CTP) 2004
Project Management Institute, Malvern, PA.
Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) 2005
American Arbitration Association
Advanced skill-building seminars in ADR
Memberships and Associations (past & present)
Inter-Pacific Bar Association
American Bar Association Associate
Association of Certified Turnaround Management Professionals
Association of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters
Western States Surety Association
Surety Claims Institute
Brokers Licenses, California & Colorado Departments of Real Estate (active)
Teaching and Speaking Engagements
Insurance Law: substitute back-up for Professor Langan, Empire School of Law
Strategic Management: Graduate Assistant to Professor Liddell, SSU
Construction SuperConference: “Negotiating Indemnity Agreements"
Surety Claims Institute: “Causation as Condition Precedent to Recovery”
Western States Surety Conference: “Mitigation of Extra-contractual exposures”
Fireman’s Fund: “Inter-cultural considerations in multi-national transactions”
Fireman’s Fund: Compliance with DOI regs, SOX, Audit Standards. |
