Colorado Insurance Commissioner Heads List of TSLA Mid-Year Speakers

Seven speakers have been announced for the Texas Surplus Lines Association Mid-Year Meeting set for July 19-22 at the Vail Marriott Resort, Vail, Colo.

William Kirven, Colorado Insurance Commissioner, is scheduled to welcome the 150 expected registrants to the Centennial State. Kirven was appointed commissioner in March 1999. He sits on the executive committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as chairman of the Western Zone. He is also a member of the Internal Administration committee and the Treasurer’s committee. Prior to being named commissioner, Kirven was a principal in the firms of Saunders, Snyder, Ross & Dickson, and Oliver and Kirven specializing in healthcare, water and special district law. He is a graduate of Loyola University of Los Angeles and received his JD from the University of Denver School
of Law.

Session speakers and anticipated topics will include Dirk Nohre, Nohre and Co., “Best Practices Financial and Operational Review,” “Creating a Sales Culture in Your Agency,” and “Developing Win-Win Compensation Plans”; Kimberly A. Yelkien, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, “Agency Licensing and Legislative Update”; Baron Garcia, president, AAMGA; Toni Campbell, president, FIWT; Don Medlin, president, IIAT; and John Latham, president, NAPSLO.

Nohre, CPA, CPCU, formed Nohre & Co., in 1992, a certified public accounting and consulting firm based in Eau Claire, Wis. Nohre works extensively with retail and wholesale insurance agents and brokers in the areas of accounting, profitability and asset management, agency appraisals and transfers, and income and estate planning and return preparation. Prior experience includes working as treasurer and CFO for three retail and wholesale agencies. Nohre received his bachelor’s degree in business from the University of North Dakota.

Yelkin is a partner in the insurance practice group of Austin-based Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, a firm she joined in 1989. Chief areas of practice are insurance regulatory and legislative matters on a national level. She handles p/c, life and health insurance, and reinsurance matters. Clients include trade associations and insurance agencies in various states including Texas. She was formerly senior government affairs counsel for the St. Paul Companies, where she was responsible for regulatory and legislative issues in a 12-state region. She has served as chair of the American Insurance Association Surplus Lines committee and was associate counsel for the association. She received her BA from Duke University and her JD from Creighton University.

Garcia, president of AAMGA, is president of Oklahoma General Agency, Oklahoma City. He began his insurance career in 1972 with Hartford Insurance Co., in Oklahoma City. After serving as claims manager and branch manager with American States and Great American in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico, he and his wife, Ty, started a small retail agency in Oklahoma City. He began his career in the wholesale general agency business when he joined the Oklahoma General Agency in 1985 and bought the company in 1988. Garcia has served on the AAMGA board of directors for four years. He was chairman of the Trade Mart committee and was board liaison to the Interassociation Liaison committee.

Campbell, current president of the Federation of Insurance Women of Texas, is regional marketing manager for The Combined Group, Seagoville, near Dallas. She has worked in the standard lines side of the insurance industry for more than 30 years as agency producer and marketing manager.

Medlin, president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, is president of Scarbrough, Medlin & Associates Inc., Dallas. He has worked in the insurance industry for nearly 30 years. Before founding his agency along with Paul Scarbrough in 1982, he worked for two national insurance companies. Scarbrough, Medlin & Associates, specializes in medium to large commercial accounts. Medlin has been a board member of IIAT since 1996. Before that, he served as chairman of IIAT’s Industry Relations committee and as a member of the Finance committee. He has served as president of the Independent
Insurance Agents of Dallas. Medlin also has served on advisory boards for Fireman’s Fund, Amerisure Cos., the state board of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fund and Lone Star Insurance Co. He received his BA from the University of North Texas and his MBA with honors from the University of Dallas.

Latham, president of NAPSLO, is president of Colony Insurance Co., Front Royal Insurance Co., Preferred National Insurance Co., and Colony Management Services Inc., all known as the Colony Group, a subsidiary of Front Royal Inc., an insurance holding company. Prior to his current position, he was vice president and COO of Markel Service Inc. the brokerage subsidiary of Markel Corporation. He began his 35-year insurance career after attending Stephen F, Austin University. Prior experience includes personal and commercial lines underwriting for both standard and E&S insurers.

The speakers’ programs are scheduled for Friday from 8 to 11:30 am and Saturday from 8 to 10 am. Registration for the mid-year meeting will begin July 19 at 2 pm with the President’s Dinner scheduled for 8pm. The golf tournament is set for Friday afternoon with awards to be distributed Saturday at 7:15 pm.

A detailed schedule is available at www.tsla.org.

Topics Texas Agencies Excess Surplus Education Oklahoma Universities Colorado