NASBP Avails Numerous Opportunities to Network and to Expand Our Skills and Knowledge

The “NASBP Washington Week” held June 24 to 28 in DC was a resounding success starting off with the NASBP 8, 9, 10, & 11 Regional meeting organized by NASBP Regional Directors Brian Ayres, Kevin Garrity, Wayne McCartha, and Michael Regan. The informative and entertaining meeting began with the Association Update provided by NASBP CEO Mark McCallum followed by a panel of industry executives who discussed the State of the Industry. They included David Campbell of Lexon Surety Group, Ken Bearly of Great American Insurance Company, and Robert Kelly of Berkley Surety Group. We learned about the import of the New York State Appleton Law from Rosemary Quinn of CNA Surety and about federal set-aside programs from a panel of presenters that included Steven Rae of Liberty Mutual Surety, Jesse Herndon of CNA Surety Corporation, and Dean Koppel of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

In the afternoon, at the historic National Republican Club of Capitol Hill, we were treated to predictions for key federal political campaigns and how they may affect the November elections by Mike Bober, Coalitions Director for the National Republican Congressional Committee. Janet Kavinoky, Executive Director of Transportation & Infrastructure for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, addressed the trials of the transportation bill that was, at the time, before Congress. These presenters were followed by a very enlightening discourse from two gentlemen now retired from the press corps, veteran Washington journalists Sid Davis and Bill Sheehan, who shared their amazing experiences from covering the news and politics in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. In addition, hearing their perspectives on the current political scene in Washington was fascinating. Everyone there wished Sid and Bill could have talked longer.

The next day NASBP launched the Legislative Fly-in by starting the day with a great line-up of speakers, including Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Representatives Steve King (R-IA) and Brian Higgins (D-NY), as well as key Hill staff including Emily Murphy, Senior Counsel for the House Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and Kirk Bell, Senior Legislative Assistant to U.S. Representative Howard Coble (R-NC 6th). They spoke at the Policy Briefing and Issue Orientation session before we went to the Hill for our Congressional meetings. That afternoon, members and affiliates engaged in over 60 meetings with their elected officials. The event concluded that evening with a reception at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center that was well attended by NASBP members, affiliates, and Congressional staff that we had met during the day. See the Fly-in article in this issue of Pipeline for pictures and more details.

We all must make it a priority to support this event with our presence in the future. Next year, do your best to come. The more in attendance, the more our message will be heard in Washington.

Participants in the NASBP Federal Contracting Workshop, held June 27 and 28, indicated that the presenters delivered an extremely informative program. The Workshop provided surety professionals, who have or plan to have contractors performing work under the SBA 8a program, critical information to help assure their clients remain compliant with the many rules of the 8a program.

With the June Workshop completed, the NASBP Professional Development Committee has been formulating subject modules for the new Level III educational program we discussed at the Annual Meeting in Orlando. NASBP Second Vice President Tom Padilla is spearheading this effort with the support of the Chair of the Professional Development Committee, Tom Durkin, and Committee Members Ed Heine, Matt Cashion, Ralph Pulver, Larry McMahon, Paul Amstutz, Susan Hecker, Erle Benton, Bob Shaw and Jim Lareau, as well as, Ann Latham, Managing Director of Professional Development and Education. They have a basic course outline and now are identifying specific material for the modules. We will keep you apprised of their progress.

Tom Padilla also is running lead for NASBP on an effort in New Mexico to protect the use of bonding on public projects. NASBP is working with the Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) who supplied helpful industry data to supplement information about bond claims in the state of New Mexico. Together, NASBP and SFAA are having success fending off sentiments to weaken bonding requirements in New Mexico.

Planning for next year’s NASBP Annual Meeting in San Francisco, April 21-24, 2013 is moving forward. We recently completed our site visit. Our Annual Meeting Committee is preparing an exciting and informative event  that promises to “Raise the Bar” in providing educational value and in having just plain fun. Make plans early to attend. Some of the activities we are organizing for the Meeting relate to the America’s Cup that will be held next summer in the San Francisco Bay area. These will be “once in a life-time” opportunities. (No, we cannot get you onboard one of the racing yachts for a practice run!) Thanks to NASBP Third Vice President Susan Hecker, who hails from San Francisco, we have benefited greatly from her knowledge of the area, and we are ahead in what we need to accomplish by the Mid-year Board of Directors meeting that will be held in Chicago, October 11-13.

Todd Loehnert, Chair of the NASBP Membership Committee, and Dasha Brock, Manager of Membership Services, are looking for new prospective members. You can help their efforts and NASBP by simply recommending to Todd at Todd.Loehnert@wellsfargo.com or Dasha at dbrock@nasbp.org prospective agencies that they can try to recruit. We all must remember that one of our responsibilities as a member is to actively replenish our ranks.

Be sure to read the NASBP Capitol Hill Update in this issue of Pipeline. NASBP remains optimistic that a markup to H.R. 3534 may occur once Congress reconvenes in September. NASBP has been urging NASBP members to contact U.S. Senators serving on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) at their home offices and to ask these Senators to vote to support H.R. 3534 once they return from recess.

At our Annual Meeting in May and in my first Pipeline column I challenged each of you to help “Raise the Bar” by doing more NASBP activities this year than you did last year. Have you done that yet? September and October offer opportunities for you to do so. Why not register for one of these:

• NASBP 4, 5, 6 & 7 Regional Meeting in Chicago, September 20-22;
• NASBP 1, 2, & 3 Regional Meeting in Seattle, September 27-29;
• NASBP Mid-year Meeting in Chicago, October 11-13; or
• NASBP Construction Contracts and Bond Forms Workshop in Dallas, October 18-19.

I am looking forward to seeing you at the September Regional Meetings and Mid-year meeting.

Sincerely,

Carl E. Dohn, Jr.
NASBP President

Carl E. Dohn, Jr. is President of Dohn & Maher Associates in Palatine, IL. He can be reached at carldohn@dohn.com.