How long have you been associated with IUMI?

I attended my first IUMI Conference in 2002 in New York City. I did not attend a conference again until the Copenhagen Conference in 2007. Since then I have been a regular attendee and in 2014 I joined the Cargo Committee.

 

What is your IUMI role today and what does it involve?

I currently serve IUMI as the Chair of the Cargo Committee. In this capacity I work with my fellow committee members to drive global thought leadership in areas that are in IUMI’s interests in the cargo insurance sector. These efforts include raising awareness on key challenges facing the cargo line and advancing potential solutions that may benefit the IUMI membership and industry overall.

This is my third and final year serving as Cargo Committee Chair and I will step down after the 2020 Stockholm Conference and leave the committee. Recently I was invited to serve on the IUMI Policy Forum which I accepted. I look forward to continuing to contribute to IUMI’s mission as part of this important group.

 

And what is your day job?

I am Head of Marine Underwriting, North America for Munich Re America based in New York. In this role I lead the marine reinsurance team responsible for the US and Canada.

In addition, I support the marine industry through participation on various committees. I am on the Board of Directors for the American Institute of Marine Underwriters (AIMU), a member of the National Cargo Bureau (NCB) serving on a number of their committees, and also a member of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

 

What benefits do you get from being associated with IUMI?

Benefits I gain include learning from others about key issues that impact our industry and being in a position to hopefully make a positive impact on our business. The global network and opportunity to meet fellow practitioners from across the globe and build both professional relationships and personal friendships is tremendous. Having the honor to chair the Cargo Committee I also have the opportunity to benefit from interactions with IUMI leadership and other Technical Committee chairs.

 

If you could change anything at IUMI what would it be?

In the past five years I have witnessed IUMI evolve to serve its membership. The efforts to extend IUMI’s reach and be more proactive are readily evident. I hope IUMI continues to advance these goals and deliver even greater value for the members. In the future I would like to see broker involvement in IUMI in the form of either an advisory body or limited Technical Committee involvement.

 

How did you reach your current position in marine insurance?

I have benefited in my career from working with and for excellent employers, leaders, co-workers and mentors who have encouraged me to be engaged and to seek to continually improve. These include former IUMI Presidents Rich DeSimone, Deirdre Littlefield and Dieter Berg.

My education played a big role in pursuing a career in the marine insurance industry. I am a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York and earned my Master’s Degree in Transportation Management from State University of New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler. Both of these excellent schools provided a great technical foundation for a career in the maritime industry. I served at sea aboard commercial vessels and also aboard US Naval vessels as an officer in the United States Naval Reserve. Early in my insurance career I was encouraged to actively pursue education as well earning the professional designations of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Associate in Marine Insurance Management (AMIM), and Casualty Claims Law Associate (CCLA).

 

And what do you do away from the office?

I enjoy spending time with my family, my wife, Jane, and children Colleen, Patrick, Kevin and Claire. Some of my passions include fishing, scuba diving, and hiking, all of which have increased my appreciation and awareness of the environment.