This fall, NASBP Members in cities across the nation, including Honolulu, Hawaii; Boston, MA; Everett, WA; and Shoreview, MN, reached out and provided bonding education programs to small and emerging businesses. NASBP Third Vice President John Bustard of the NASBP Member firm of King & Neel, Inc., participated in the "Bonding Basics for Small Business" seminar hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Hawaii District Office. Attending the seminar on November 17, were eight new SBA 8(a) businesses. During the presentation, Bustard distributed copies of the recent NASBP publication Answers to 51 Questions Small Businesses Ask about Bonding.
On October 27, Michael Regan of the NASBP Member firm of Regan Cleary Insurance, LLC in Boston served as a panelist representing the surety industry at the “Access to Capital” portion of Suffolk Construction Company’s MBE/WBE/Vet subcontractor prequalification program. This is an 8-week program for those who are certified MBE/WBE/Vet owned and who want to work with Suffolk.
Pictured, from left to right, are several Suffolk Construction Company staff and Regan: Derrick Chery, Project Manager; Shelley Webster, Compliance Officer; Regan; and Brian McPherson, Director of Diversity & Workplace Compliance.
Producers Brandon Bush and Jacob Haddock of the NASBP Member firm of Propel Insurance, Inc. participated in the November 8 and 15 US Department of Transportation (DOT) Bonding Workshop sessions held in Everett, WA. Brandon Bush, pictured at the podium, conducted the bond portion of this educational workshop. Jacob Haddock, seated in the front row, will conduct the December 13, US DOT Bonding Workshop.
Several NASBP Members participated in the Minnesota DOT contractor training program held from November 15 to 17 in Shoreview, MN by presenting on various topics and participating on a claims panel, pictured to the left. The participating NASBP Members were, from left, Amy Burns of Wells Fargo Insurance Services of Minnesota, Inc.; Nick Newton of Newton Bonding, Alan Starks of American Agency, Inc., and Andrea Haight and Jim Dillenburg of CCI Surety, Inc.
Newton (pictured right at podium) presented on the topic of bonding in public construction contracts. Haight and Dillenburg described the NASBP Application/Questionnaire, emphasizing an underwriter’s perspective on and importance of the information required to complete the form. Also, Burns co-presented on the topic of banking.
The next day the NASBP Members returned and met one-on-one with the small business owners, pictured left, to help them assess their level of bondability by examining their completed questionnaires and financials and by offering advise and support.