The April NASBP Annual Meeting in Austin offered a program full of surety fun and informative programs, which concluded with a kick-your-boots-up-dancin’ good time at the final event held at Stubbs Bar-B-Q.

See the highlights of the meeting in the pictures below. Also, if you haven’t already viewed the Flicker album, you can do so here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmCW3BxT.

Check out more pictures from the Annual Meeting in the NASBP music video.

Annual Meeting Program Committee Chair Edward Heine opened the meeting with welcome remarks.

 

The General Session’s heart-pounding drum line was the perfect intro to a fun and informative meeting!

 

Then President Bob Shaw thanked the attendees for coming to the NASBP Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas! The theme was “Sell More Bonds!”

 

Dr. Todd Dewett, PH.D. delivered the Keynote address: “Show Your Ink – Stories About Leadership and Life.”

 

Michael Rypka, founder of Torchy’s Tacos, described how he has made his business a success. His presentation was titled “Hard Shell in a Soft Market – Market Disruption and Innovation.” Attendees were served a complimentary Torchy’s Taco at the end of his presentation.

 

Then President, Bob Shaw, presented the Bruce T. Wallace award to Tom Padilla. Shaw also presented the Tiger Trust Award to Joshua Etemadi (see Surety Industry Award article in this issue).

 

Will Taliaferro of +gmmb gave a presentation titled, “Sell More Bonds – Moving the Industry to Higher Performance.” Taliaferro described the important role members have in promoting the surety product to owners, contractors, and lenders. Download his slide presentation.

 

Line dancing lessons added to the fun festivities.

 

Wayne Rivers of The Family Business Institute, Inc. provided the CE session titled, “Top Ten Reasons Contractors Succeed.”

 

Susan Scherbel of Bellview Associates and Tim Sznewajs of D. A. Davidson Companies made a presentation titled, “Construction Industry Ownership, Leadership and Structure – The Past, Present and Future.” Download their presentation.

 

The final event at Stubbs Bar-B-Q was fun and casual with a live band and the famous Bar-B-Q and brisket!

 

Look who is riding the bull at the final event! The Shaw’s weren’t the only ones who dared to stay on the shifty bull!

 

Staff from Skillings Shaw & Associates attended and participated in all of the Meeting’s events and activities!

 

Entrants in the Corn Hole Toss Tournament took the event seriously–with some practicing weeks in advance of the Annual Meeting!

 

The NASBP Corn Hole Toss Tournament winners, Brian O’Neal of AmTrust Surety of Lakewood, CO and Glenn Odell of Marsh & McLennan of Houston, TX, proudly wore their championship belts throughout the evening! Picture courtesy of Doug Smith of Naylor.

 

At the end of the evening the Shaw’s handed over the “reigns” to incoming President John Bustard.

Bob Shaw thanked the NASBP Annual Meeting Program Committee members for organizing the excellent offerings for his Annual Meeting. They were Ed Heine of PayneWest Insurance, Inc., who served as Program Chair; Dedi Belis of Nielson, Hoover & Company; Inc.; Erle Benton of The Guarantee Company of North America; Michael Byrd of HUB International Insurance Services, Albuquerque, NM; Ralph Pulver of Travelers Bond & Specialty Insurance; Jennifer Salm of Marsh & McLennan Agency, LLC; Benjamin Shaw of Skillings Shaw & Associates, Inc.; Jill Tucker of Cory, Tucker & Larrowe, Inc.; Tracy Tucker of Tucker Agency, Ltd.; Ryan Warnock of Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.; Therese Wielage of Merchants Bonding Company; and Robert Fricke of Frank Siddons Insurance Agency Ft. Worth, Inc., who served as Golf Chair.