Gamma Iota Sigma Newsletter                           
July 2013 
 
In This Issue
"Get Your Motor Running!"
2013 Sponsors to Date
New GIS Career Center!
Calling All Recent Graduates and GIS Alumni
Spotlight on: Cathleen Gabriel
Spotlight on: Courtney Green
Spotlight on: Chris Townsend
Featured Jobs
ACORD Expands its Young Professionals Scholarship
Free Subscription to Best's Review Magazine!
Quick Links

Mark Your Calendar!

    

 ACORD Young Professionals Scholarship Deadline

September 3, 2013 

 

DW Simpson Actuarial Science Scholarship Deadline

 October 31, 2013  

 

 Click here for a calendar of other deadlines and events

Executive Committee
 Jeffery W. Lamb

President

 

Dr. Alan C. Williams

Executive Vice President

 

Alan E. Hoffmann

Immediate Past President

 

John D. Meder

Past President

 

Lance A. Lancour

Secretary

 

Brian Bowerman

Treasurer

 

John Hammond

Vice President

 

Meg Allwein

Vice President

 

Josh Hart

Alumni Representative

 

Dr. RB Drennan

Faculty Representative

 

Christopher Place

Industry Representative

 

James Heuker

Student Representative

 

Noelle Codispoti 

Executive Director

 

Dear Students,
 
We hope you are enjoying fun and productive summers! It has been great to hear from many of you, and we are pleased to share some of what we have been working on, with the Presidents' and International Conferences around the corner, as well as other exciting initiatives underway. Read on for conference updates, student spotlights and other opportunities.

 

Fraternally yours,

Noelle Codispoti, ARM
Executive Director, Gamma Iota Sigma
"Get Your Motor Running" at the 
 42nd Annual International Conference

The 2013 Conference will take place October 3-5, 2013 in Charlotte, NC, co-hosted by the Rho Chapter from Appalachian State University. We are having an excellent - and early! - response from sponsors, and we anticipate an even bigger and better event than last year. Stay tuned for registration and reservation details.
 
Charlotte Skyline
2013 Sponsors Committed to Date
... and more coming in each week!

 

TITANIUM

Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers

Travelers

 

PLATINUM

AIG

The Hartford

Liberty Mutual Group

Lockton Companies

Markel Corporation

 

GOLD

Amerisure Global

Casualty Actuarial Society

Derek Hughes/NAPSLO Educational Foundation

RIMS

Spencer Educational Foundation

Swiss Re

 

SILVER

American Association of Managing General Agents

ACE Group

A.M. Best Company

Assurex

Atlantic Specialty Lines

Brown & Brown

The Institutes

International Association of Insurance Professionals

Lloyd's America

Munich Re

National Interstate

Towers Watson

Westfield Insurance

 

BRONZE

All Risks, Ltd.

The Cincinnati Insurance Companies

Gen Re

IFGW Wholesale Insurance Group

Westrope

Willis

Zurich North America

 

CAREER SPONSORS

Accident Fund Holdings, Inc.

Arlington/Roe and Company

EMC Insurance

Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan

The Motorists Insurance Group

Quirk & Company

State Auto Insurance Companies

 


Sponsor Listing as of July 16, 2013
NEW GIS Career Center!

Be sure to visit our new Career Center, exclusively for Gamma Iota Sigma members! We are excited for you to become familiar with the site and add your resume BEFORE we formally publicize it to employers in the next few weeks.

Are you a Recent Graduate or GIS Alumnus? Stay in Touch!

Help us keep your contact information current! GIS boasts an alumni base of over 15,000 individuals from our 54 chapters and we need your help in updating our current records. Alumni and soon-to-be-Alumni, please use the link below to update your information, and pass it on to as many fellow graduates as you can.

Spotlight on: Cathleen Gabriel '13
Temple University/Sigma Chapter; Risk Management & Insurance and International Business Majors
 

How you are spending the summer?

My summer is very exciting to say the least! Courtesy of AIG, I am in Singapore interning in their Financial Lines department. I am applying my classroom and workshop knowledge by immersing myself in the underwriting process and expanding my network in one of AIG's and Asia Pacific's busiest hubs. I am very fortunate because through this internship, I am exposed to the growth and opportunities that I only used to hear and read about. I also have the opportunity to help raise awareness about our industry in a region where the concept of insurance is still relatively new. Time is fleeting so I am making sure I take full advantage of this valuable learning experience and this spectacular city.

 

What are your expectations for your final semester?

I will be completing a fulfilling academic journey and transitioning into the professional world. I am eager to approach my classes with the skills and professionalism I have gathered from my risk management consulting and underwriting internships. As the Sigma Chapter's incoming Executive Vice President, I will be strengthening my leadership skills as I help my fellow officers manage our over 450 chapter members. The Sigma Chapter provides career development opportunities specifically catering to graduating seniors, so I am eager to take advantage of these opportunities. I am also looking forward to attending the 2013 CPCU Society Annual Meeting in New Orleans and the 42nd Annual International GIS Conference in Charlotte - these conferences are integral to my professional development as they provide invaluable educational and networking opportunities.

 

How has GIS helped prepare you for where you are now?

GIS has been invaluable in my personal and professional development. Networking opportunities, career fairs, scholarship opportunities, career development workshops, and industry connections are among the numerous GIS membership benefits I enjoy. By taking advantage of these professional development activities, I complemented the skills I learned through the Fox School's RMI program and greatly improved my marketability. As I transition into the industry, I am a confident and competitive candidate equipped with valuable internship experience, comprehensive RMI knowledge, and an enviable network due to the professional development opportunities I was able to partake through GIS.

 

How do you plan to stay involved with GIS after graduation?

I am eager to give back to GIS by continuing to devote my resources to our fraternity and its members. GIS has given me so much, so as an alum, I will play an active role in ensuring that more students will be able to take advantage of the opportunities I was able to enjoy.

 

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love experimenting in the kitchen! I don't have too much confidence to share my cooking with my friends yet, but I am definitely getting there. Here's to hoping I'll be hosting some dinner parties very soon. I would also love to visit Spain and get a taste of its distinct local culture. I am a huge soccer fan, so I would especially like to be a spectator during one of the infamous "el clasico" matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid.

 

Spotlight on: Courtney Green '13
The University of Alabama/Epsilon Chapter; Finance, Economics & Applied Statistics Majors 

 

What do you hope to learn from your summer internship?

I am interning with Unum in Chattanooga, TN. They are the industry leader in group and individual disability insurance, and I am very excited to learn more about this unique line of business. Disability insurance is not one you hear about often, so I see this as a great opportunity to learn something new and bring it back to my chapter. I've already learned a great deal about both the product and customer sides of disability insurance, from how the reserves are calculated to how our company helps insureds get back to work. Although I did not have a GIS connection in gaining this internship, I now feel that I have created one to share with my members.  

 

What are your expectations for your final semester?

My primary expectation is to leave my chapter in even better shape than when I became President. I've passed the torch on to a very active and capable group, so I am excited to see the organization's continued growth. I also expect to continue to make connections that can help future members, not only through GIS conferences and events, but also through events sponsored by our own chapter.

 

How has GIS helped prepare you for where you are now?

GIS has helped prepare me for where I am now by keeping me well informed about insurance and the insurance industry, and providing me with numerous opportunities to interact with industry professionals and other students interested in insurance.

 

What would you say to students considering a career as an actuary or in the Life & Health sector?

I would tell them to go for it! It's a great career path and a great sector. We often tell students about the earnings potential and virtually nonexistent unemployment in the actuarial profession, but the job itself is a bragging point. It's challenging and I don't think you ever stop learning. Plus, I know that the knowledge I'm gaining while working in this sector can help me personally with making the correct decisions about my own insurance.

 

What are your plans for the summer besides work?

I'm keeping busy with an online summer class and studying for Actuarial exams. Besides that, I relax by going to a matinee or catching up on some good books. I'm a little old lady at heart; I love reading, crocheting and scrapbooking. I would love to go to Italy, and am actually planning a short stay there after graduation!

 

Spotlight on: Chris Townsend '13
Virginia Commonwealth University/Alpha Mu Chapter; Finance Major (Risk Management & Insurance Concentration) 


You just graduated, what's next?

I will be pursing my passion in the insurance industry by starting an underwriting rotation training program with Argo Group. I will be traveling to various office locations throughout the US, and I will be exposed to divisions such as excess casualty, property, and professional liability insurance. I am thankful, and excited for the opportunity to travel while continuing my education in the insurance industry. I hope to learn about the unique risks that are presented in the E&S market here in the US, as well as internationally.

 

What would you say to students considering CPCU exams?

CPCU has been an instrumental part of my education in insurance, and as a part of my training program I will be expected to pass at least 2 exams within my first year. Any student who finds an interest in insurance should absolutely consider pursing CPCU courses and exams. Knowledge is power in the insurance industry, and there is no better place to gain knowledge than within the CPCU courses.

 

How

 has GIS helped prepare you for where you are now?

WOW! Looking back I don't know where I would be without my experiences through Gamma. GIS has helped prepare me for the professional world that I am about to embark upon. I have met so many brilliant professionals, as well as students due to my relationship with GIS. It is the only place I know that can help prepare young insurance professional for life outside of the classroom. The "real world" experiences I gained from GIS were the most help in preparing me for where I am today. I encourage any student to take full advantage of the opportunities presented through your involvement with Gamma Iota Sigma.

 

How do you expect to stay involved with GIS as an alum?

The insurance industry truly is relationship-driven! I gained a wealth of knowledge from alumni as a student, and I hope to offer any knowledge that I posses to the future generations of GIS. This is an industry to be proud of, and I want stay involved with GIS as much as possible. I plan to help the VCU (Alpha Mu Chapter) by trying to make it back to Richmond whenever I can to help show what hard work and dedication can do for you once you enter the work force. I think that the students could benefit from more interaction from alumni, and I hope to build that relationship with the VCU chapter.

 

How do you like to unwind?

One of my favorite hobbies is fishing, and one day I would love to go ice fishing. I love to travel so I have a long list of places I would like to go, but in the near future I would love to go to Venice, Italy before it sinks. There are numerous ways to have fun in insurance, and as a word of advice people in the industry love to golf. So if you get a chance learn the basics while you can, I promise it will pay off for you in the long run in your career. 

 

Featured Jobs with Our Partners
 

The Hartford

 - Small Commercial Underwriting Trainee (Charlotte, NC).

Req. #1302986

 - Inside Sales Call Center (Windsor, CT). Req. #1302567

 

ACORD's Young Professionals Scholarship Expanded for GIS
Where Insurance and Technology Meet

 

ACORD has expanded its Young Professionals Scholarship to include active GIS members! The Scholarship, which covers registration, accommodations and a transportation stipend for the ACORD  Implementation Forum, is awarded to dynamic young professionals interested in insurance, statistics and technology. Read the full announcement.

 

FREE Subscription to Best's Review!

Be sure you are taking advantage of the special offer from our partner company A.M. Best! Students and faculty can access a FREE subscription to Best's Review magazine - digital version. Link to the registration page here! Best's Review is the premier insurance industry monthly magazine, providing the latest global news and trends, plus industry analysis and featured articles.
www.GammaIotaSigma.org                                       View our profile on LinkedIn Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook