HAPPY
#CRUSHCO
VID
Our work from home
JOURNEY E D I T I O N 11
WELCOME
to Berkley Nautilus welcomes Tom Joyce as newly appointed President Tom Joyce has been in the insurance industry for over 35 years and began with Nautilus as SVP and Chief Claim Officer in March of 2015. After a few years leading the Nautilus Claim organization he moved on to become the SVP and Chief Underwriting Officer for Nautilus in March, 2018. He was appointed President of Nautilus January 1, 2021. Tom earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Arizona University, and holds a number of professional designations, including an Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance and Associate in Claim Law. Tom also has served on and led several non-profit and industry boards. Tom and his wife Jacki have been married for 33 years and live in Scottsdale, Arizona. Tom and Jacki have three adult children (Mackenzie, Riley and Austin), two of which are serving in our military and the other in our industry. When he is not working, Tom enjoys most sports, reading history and spending time anywhere with Jacki, the kids and their dog (Quinn).
Berkley North Pacific welcomes Carrie Cheshier as newly appointed President Carrie is excited to work with the talented leadership team to make BNP the premier regional carrier in the Pacific Northwest. She has been in the industry over 30 years and has experience in claims, underwriting, operations and international. Carrie has also managed a commercial lines team for a large regional Agency in the Pacific Northwest. Prior to joining Berkley North Pacific, Carrie worked with a large national insurance carrier where she oversaw their Southern Region. Carrie currently lives in Johns Creek, Georgia with her husband, Tony and their rescue lab, Buffy. Their daughter, Carly is 26 years old, their son, Colton is 24, and both of them live in the area of greater Seattle, Washington. Carrie is looking forward to moving back to the Pacific Northwest in the next couple of months. Carrie loves the outdoors and is passionate about golf, which she started playing at a very young age and in college. In addition to golf, she loves hiking, mountain biking and reading. She cannot wait to get back to Seahawk and Sounders territory. .
Berkley Holiday Concert We were excited to hear CHRISTINA AGUILERA perform exclusively for the Berkley agents, brokers and employees
The Gemini Team enjoys a social hour together before the concert. Pictured here are: Emanuela Messineo, Heath Barker, Larkin Beecher, Stephanie Donofrio, Maura Welt, Jean Woolford, Tracy Miller, Dinela Gjecka
Christina Aguilera
WAS AWESOME!
Multiple grammy-award winning singer delivers an amazing, virtual holiday concert
Thanks for Sharing Your Concert Photos
INNOVATION
“in the wild”
Avid Learner: MEC’s Rick Lang spends time learning from Ed Hess in the I-Lab.
Ready and Waiting: Berkley Industrial Comp’s training room in Birmingham, AL is ready and waiting for in-person Innovation.
Innovation at Home: Andrea Stumpf with Berkley Agribusiness uses the I-Lab at home.
We asked Innovation Coordinators to share images of Innovation across the organization. From Innovation Behavior posters displayed in offices, to employees using the I-Lab while working from home, to experimentation teams collaborating over video conference, it’s great to see all of us working toward Innovation no matter where we are. Don’t forget that you can complete certifications for each Berkley Innovation Behavior, and earn each of the Berkley Innovation Behavior trading cards (see Pat Janke’s photo below) by: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Visiting the I-Lab Clicking “The WRBC Behaviors” Choosing a behavior Locating the grey “Certify Your Behavior” box on the right hand side of the screen Selecting your preferred language Taking the required courses in Brainer
INNOVATION “in the wild”
Doogie Award: Greg Kistner receives the Doogie Award at MEC.
Experimentation: The Berkley Human Services experimentation team meet to discuss the status of current ideas in experimentation.
Celebrating Behaviors: Pat Janke in HR celebrates her behavior certifications.
Multi-Tasking: Key Risk employee gets the Innovation juice flowing with an Innovation flipbook and the Innovation portal.
Deck the Halls with Innovation: Debbie Evans displays the Innovation Behavior posters at Berkley Healthcare in Chesterfield, MO.
Avid Learner: MEC’s Janet Ezekiel spends time learning from Ed Hess in the I-Lab.
Holiday Wishes from the Innovation Team: The BTU Innovation Team shares playful holiday wishes.
Why Innovation: Berkley Brasil Seguros employee, Nathalia Costa displays her Innovation Flipbook. Why do you Innovate?
Innovation in Brasil: Innovation posters on display in the Berkley Brasil Seguros headquarters in São Paulo, Brasil.
Perspectives of Admiral: In this video, Admiral leadership shares their experiences with Innovation. WATCH HERE.
2020 Reflections: BerkleyNet employees were sent a packet allowing them to reflect on their Innovation journey of 2020 and set goals and projections for 2021.
Innovation isn’t possible without failure! (aka learning opportunities) For a future article, we’d like to hear about some of your Innovation failures that are helping you learn on this journey. Please send your story to Lauren White: lwhite@wrberkley.com
Continental Western Group IN TOUCH—2020 Making a Difference Award
The Workers’ Recovery Unit at Continental Western Group won the IN TOUCH 2020 Making a Difference Award. The Making a Difference Award is an honor bestowed on individuals who stand out among colleagues as affecting positive change, assuming some risk without jeopardizing others, and providing advocacy within each individual’s specific role within the industry to impact that positive change. This is the first year a team has won this award. IN TOUCH recognizes professionals who go above and beyond to help their colleagues and clients while maintaining the highest levels of excellence in their roles.
ANNUAL
Gingerbread Auction The Annual W. R. Berkley Corporation Gingerbread Auction collectively raised a total of $93,905 for the following charities which was then matched by WRBC for a grand total of $187,810. Cure SMA, Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, Green Chimneys, Hall Neighborhood House, Near & Far Aid Society, and Neighbor To Neighbor.
Berkley
KEY RISK Dana Genheimer’s daughter, Ella, built a life-sized gingerbread house for a school art project. Ella worked together with some remote school and neighborhood friends to build this giant gingerbread house. Neighbors donated to the project and everybody in their family helped to support the construction - including 140+ glitter covered roof shingles from paper plates!
BERKLEY KEY RISK also had a
Gingerbread contest. Click on the photo to the left to see the creative gingerbread houses. Congratulations to contest winners: Karen Miranda, Janice Peschon, and Danielle Shelton
BERKLEY
Accident & Health
As a fun holiday activity, in lieu of party/gifts, Jim Hoitt sent around Gingerbread House Kits to the EmCap Leadership team and asked the teams to build the houses and then share their photos. Thanks to the following employees for submitting photos: Eslyn Byarm, Frank Jancura, Laura Bolinsky, Lee Davidson, Linda Bonder, Liz Jensen, Lorraine Byrnes, and Shawn Lanter
BERKLEY MID-ATLANTIC GROUP
BMAG is very excited to share good tidings and cheer from 2020. They are especially proud to have met their challenge of raising $10,000 for Feed More, which gave them the ability to donate $20,000 with WRBC’s match. Shown above, John Kearns, President of BMAG (on right) virtually presents the $20,000 check to Doug Pick (President and CEO) of Feed More.
CLICK HERE to see more about the BMAG Feed More Challenge
How Did You Spend Your Holiday Break?
Here are some photos from VERUS employees showing us how they spent their holiday. Thanks to Kelly Bernstein, Joni Holland, Daniel Brewer, Tammy Garland, and Annette Tengquist for sharing photos.
VERUS also had fun doing a holiday trivia contest.
BERKLEY GERMANY Berkley Germany employees created a photo collage that they used for a Christmas post on LinkedIn. Pictured are: José David Jiménez García, Bernd Wiemann, Natalie Neuman, Sharminy Muthuthamby, Isabel Trümper, Volker Bockholt, Manuel Metz, Alexa von Brevern, Elisabeth von Tucher, Anna Wissmann, and Viktoria Ebert
BERKLEY GERMANY Look at the neat surprise Christmas package that CEO José David Jiménez García sent to all employees—the package contained sweet specialties from Cologne and a personal letter thanking the staff for their great work in 2020.
W. R. Berkley Corp
Thanks to Laura Goodall and Jessica Somerfeld for sharing some holiday traditions with us. The photo of Carolina Deakins’ family shows her family saying goodbye to a crazy 2020! This is how it felt living in the upside-down year—Tchau, Tchau upside down year!
BERKLEY UK CURRY COVID-19
Every year Berkley Re UK (BRUK), in the midst of the January 1 renewal season, they have found time to break away one evening in December for a curry together at a local London Indian restaurant. It is a time to pause, be together and relax along with us all entering into a Secret Santa which is always fun and get some words of encouragement from their President – Richard Fothergill. COVID and everyone working from home threatened our 10 year tradition, but BRUK was not to be beaten, They put their “Innovation” hats on and hatched a new plan! On the evening of Thursday 10th December, having each been shopping for a list of ingredients required, they all put on their Berkley Covid-19 Curry Aprons and met virtually with their chef, Ami, to make some delicious curries – Chicken Tikka Masala, Goan Prawn Curry & Cauliflower Curry.
BERKLEY Industrial Comp
Thanks for sharing your holiday photos: Cindy Housel, Dave Zimmerman, Greg Hamlin, Kate Schottlekotte, and Shannon Turner. Taylor Anderson’s family knows how to celebrate— doesn’t the long, nacho taco bar look delicious?
UGLY Christmas Sweater Contest Berkley Industrial Comp held a virtual ugly sweater contest; Chan Cox is showing off his sweater!
CLICK on the photo above to see the fun video brought to you by Cindy and Taylor.
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!
BERKLEY LIFE SCIENCE Berkley Life Sciences had a virtual holiday party that included lunch by grubhub, an ugly sweater contest, gifts, and a holiday trivia extravaganza game.
Creative Engagement For Weekly Meetings
Lisa Krist (Berkley Life Science) encourages participation from her team.
Here’s to 2021 —Happy New Year from Berkley Life Sciences
HAPPY HOLIDAYS Happy Holidays from the BMAG Underwriting Tech Team
BMAG
Celebrating Q3 Goal Achievements
BMAG Staff sporting gifted ear buds in celebration of meeting 3rd Quarter Goals.
Union Standard Insurance
JOLLY JAMBOREE
Their JOLLY JAMBOREE included a Grub Hub delivered lunch for each employee, fun contests, virtual prize wheel, and the 12 days of Christmas 2020 remix.
CLICK on the pictures above and to the right to see USIG contest winners and play withthe USIG holiday travia.
BERKLEY
ACCIDENT & HEALTH
Amy Hartigan – Husband dressed as Santa for her new grandchildren born in 2020 Becky Anthony – Matching Holiday PJ’s Sharonda Broadwater – Kids and matching PJ’s Linda Bonder – Family Christmas photo
HOLIDAY Parties MARLBOROUGH OFFICE gets into the holiday spirit!
Berkley Accident and Health EmCap Holiday Zoom Call
medi
Berkley Aspire Katie Wilson spends every Christmas holiday with her mini family with a day on the lake, making a gingerbread house, and baking her annual cheddar cheese jalapeno cornbread (it looks yummy!)
BERKLEY
ONE
Thanks to the following employees for sharing their photos: Mike Cahill is shoveling snow off the roof and also shares his adorable kids Richard DeSanctis’s charming son looks pretty happy in dad’s office Christoph Ritterson looking festive in his Santa suit
BERKLEY
Human Services It’s a tie! #9 Pat Saum and #12 Justin Betancourt are both winners of the Berkley Human Services ugly sweater contest!
Which one is YOUR FAVORITE?
BERKLEY RISK Berkley Risk employees competed for the best ugly sweater photo and best group photo
The ugly sweater winner goes to #4, Craig Maiwurm
Best group photo to #1, Jon Weber and Family
BERKLEY EUROPE Berkley España We are pleased to share a family photo from William Stemp’s family Christmas Eve celebration. Mother-in Law (Olga Lucia Gutierrez), and Brother-in-Law (Andres Ramos) and family (Gema Couso, his wife and Ariadna, his daughter). My wife (Juliana Ramos) is next to me (I am second from right) and my children are the two smallest.
Berkley Nordic P-A Foxberg shared a photo of their most recent family member “Amy” impatiently waiting for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Amy is an 8-monthold Great Dane puppy, belonging to her daughter Evelina. Amy loves to jump up in your lap to cuddle with no considerations about size and weight whatsoever (almost 40 kg and growing) so she is not very gentle. By very cute!
Berkley Southeast & Berkley Risk
Berkley Southeast Lisa Moore shared this tradition that her family shares every year. “In our house we end our Christmas morning festivities each year with the search for the pickle ornament. The one that finds it hidden in the Christmas tree receives another present—this year, a crisp $20 bill!”
Berkley Risk Jarod Tripp shared this Christmas gift/award with us. This was handmade by his son at school. “This is the best gift I have ever received!”
BERKLEY SURETY Virtual Holiday Party
This event was hosted by Teambuilding.com; our employees were encouraged to wear Holiday attire to the event. All employees were sent a Holiday gift basket as well as items to create some Holiday cocktails, compete in a gingerbread war and play some Holiday themed games.
BERKLEY SURETY Virtual Party Games!
Awesome creations! Do you have a favorite?
Berkley Technology Underwriters BTU celebrated the holidays with some virtual competition, playing a variety of games from trivia, fact matching, Pictionary and much more for the ultimate winners!
Continental Western Group
Tashia Klosterbuer and family feeling blessed in 2020
More CWG Holiday photos from Kelli Marshall and Andrea Oye
Berkley Insurance
ASIA
Singapore branch staff participated in a charity walk in December, organized by the Make-A-Wish FoundationÂŽ (Singapore) Ltd. The foundation is a non-profit organization founded in the US that helps fulfill wishes of children with critical illness. We had 5 groups with a maximum of 5 volunteers in each group and in an outdoor walk of their chosen venue, day and distance. It was very touching to see great support from our staff who saw it fit to participate in this worthy cause.
Generous Giving by
BERKLEY EMPLOYEES Tim Bath (Acadia) participated in Kennebunk’s “Holiday Trail of Lights” fundraiser and, by doing so, raised $580.00 for http://coskennebunks.org/
BERKLEY AGRIBUSINESS Berkley Ag associates collected money and gifts for the Cancer Connection to help those in need
Mike Ekiss, Aaron Pearce and Kheila George presenting the W. R. Berkley charitable donation to Urbandale Food Pantry.
VIRTUAL
Team Meetings With the majority of companies and employees still working from home, we continue to meet virtually.
Verus Administration Team welcomes 2021
WRBC Support Services
Sharing a team photo op from the Benefits Team Holiday/YearEnd Virtual Celebration. Michelle Giuffrida has the reindeer shirt on and Gladys D’Entrone has the holiday scarf on. Genesa’s and Julie’s names are listed in the photo.
BERKLEY ENTERTAINMENT
BEI Underwriting group submission for their recent Funtastic Thursday meeting. No business discussed-just FUN!!
BERKLEY REGIONAL SHARED SERVICES CEC Recruiting Meeting in the “tropics”
Corporate
HR TEAM
WRBC HR Team celebrated the holidays with a virtual wine and cheese tasting event led by a certified sommelier. Gary’s Wine shipped each participant three bottles of wine and three different cheeses along with instructions on how to prepare for the event. The team had so much fun they stayed on the line chatting for more than an hour after their sommelier left the call!
EMPLOYEE
Engagement
Berkley Industrial Comp hosted a couple fun activities
Corey Clemmons took a different approach to National Library “Shelf-ie� Day. Look at his impressive board game collection!
Celebrating National Hat Day at their Weekly Town Hall Meeting. What a bunch of fun, interesting hats!
Berkley Mid-Atlantic Group
VIRTUAL MEETINGS
BMAG Middle Market & Underwriting Teams Celebratory Year End Accomplishments Web Ex Gathering
WebEx team meeting held by Thelma Smith, Claims Creation Supervisor celebrated results of the Claim Support team in 2020.
UNION STANDARD
Wednesdays are a big day for Mike Smith and wife Jeannie’s two grandsons. Lincoln (age 5) has always loved trash day, watching the truck load,and Asher (age 2) is following right along. The boys wait outside every Wednesday for the garbage/recycling truck. The truck crew took notice and one day stopped to give the boys each a small recycling bin. Inside the bins were the green vest they are wearing. Jeannie (aka Nana) made the crew “thank you” goodie bags. The crew stopped the truck to receive their goodie bags and take these photos.
HOME
OFFICE TOP LEFT: Jim Mead from Berkley Risk enjoyed a “Team celebration “ with team members Izzy (L) & Dreamer (R) who congratulated him after closing a big claim. BOTTOM LEFT: Doc Carroll from Berkley Key Risk doing some virtual learning on brainier. RIGHT: Berkley Key Risk Team Virtual Meeting
ACADIA
Family & Friends Get Vaccinated
Kylie Kuck Murphy, niece of Kellie Carroll, is pictured here receiving her COVID vaccine. Kylie works at Yale Hospital in New Haven, CT.
Pictured above: Matthew Dunn’s wife (Stacey), Greg Haschig’s son (Brett), Steve Rich’s daughter (Meghan) and daughter-in-law (Janessa), Steve Janchill’s wife (Aga), and Faye Desaulnier’s niece (Jenna)
NAUTILUS’
Loved Ones Get Vaccinated
BOTTOM RIGHT: Josh Perilstein volunteered for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine trial and received his vaccination in late September Others that received their vaccinations: David Jones, Stephen Taylor, Kerry Sweat, and Tim Hall
HEALTHCARE HEROES from BTS
From Ryan Beck’s wife, Tracy: I received an unexpected gift today. I came to comfort my mom while she received her COVID-19 shot and they wanted to know if I’d like to be vaccinated as well. Yes! I feel not only grateful but hopeful that my mom is safe and I am one step closer to keeping my family, friends, and community healthy. We took a “we were brave” selfie because neither of us loves needles. From Greg Angelo’s: My daughter, Ariana, works at University of Penn Medical in clinical studies and has been involved in preparing IV’s for COVID studies being conducted at the Hospital. At one point she was working 12 hour days, 7 days a week. She received her COVID vaccine on January 4th. I’m so proud of how she has worked through this. From Lynne Miller: This is my daughter, Lauren, my Healthcare Hero! She is a full time grad student, also working as a nurse tech for Sanford Hospital. She has been working in the Covid Units at the hospital during their peak occupancy. From Kevin Brown: Two of my kiddos are health care workers and are working Covid cases daily. Kaley is a respiratory therapist treating Covid patients and Kate handles Covid testing and sonograms at a couple of different local hospitals. They are both doing well but working a lot of hours on the front lines. From Juris Omana - This is my best friend who got her first shot of COVID-19 Vaccine. She works at a lab in Las Vegas. She told me she only got a sore arm but no side effects.
COVID VACCINES for CWG
#CRUSHCOVID Andrea Oye’s sister (Mary Jo) and niece (Karissa), Joleen Cronin’s daughter, Kathleen Johnson’s sister, Kelly Heard’s son, Mike Rofshus’ son and fiancée (Cody and Alissa), and Patti Olson’s daughter
MORE
COVID-19 Vaccinations Your local health department determines how vaccines are distributed; watch local listings (click here) to see availability.
Jessica Widmer says “What an amazing day. I was moved to tears thinking that maybe this nightmare is coming to an end. I’m proud to say I’m vaccinated!! For me, for my kids, for my husband, for my family, for my patients, and for you!”
Sam Leo (Berkley FinSecure) wife Jessica Chen, Joe Gresia (Berkley FinSecure) niece Daniela (getting her 2nd dose), Jennifer Widmer (Berkley Life Science) sister-in-law Jessica, Shannon Frederick (Berkley North Pacific) sister, Susan Hupp (BMAG) daughter Jen), and Holly Fettinger (Specialty IT Services) sister Jodi
Interlaken Capital Aviation Jeremy Hanson and his wife Katherine are members of their town’s volunteer fire department. Kat is an EMT, and Jeremy is a firefighter. Attached are photo’s of each of them receiving their first dose of the vaccine.
There is also a photo of Jeremy operating their departments heavy rescue for a birthday parade for our residents, because they cannot have traditional birthday parties. Finally, there is picture of some of the companies additional apparatus.
Vaccinations are a key component to slowing the spread of COVID-19
Pictured below are family and friends from Berkley Accident and Health, Berkley One, and Berkley Key Risk. A huge thank you to ALL the healthcare and front-line workers that continue to work tirelessly for all of us.
Midwest Employers Casualty Company Thanks to Joan Bastien, Dianne Robbins, and Sharon Emy for sharing photos of their loved ones who have been vaccinated
Berkley Risk Thanks to Gary Brown, Ann Noll, Jared Tripp, and Candace DeLapp for sharing photos of their loved ones who have been vaccinated
UNION STANDARD
Insurance Group
Leslie Horwitz and her family celebrated the holidays off the grid this year
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Debbie Willis (Berkley Southeast) spends the New Year with her husband at a friend’s home in Florida to celebrate the coming new year in warm weather. This year while walking along the beach she saw the seashells saying “Happy 2021”! Amy Griggs (Verus) shows her quilt she spent all of 2020 working on—optimism for a new year! Bruce Anderson (Berkley Regional Shared Services) and his wife enjoyed the holidays are looking forward to the new year!