Our work from home
JOURNEY EDITION 9
INNOVATION Snowman Stephanie Hyser (Berkley Net) from Minneapolis made a snowman when they had a record-setting 8� snow in mid-October
Introducing the I-Lab! As all of us at Berkley continue to navigate this ever-changing world, we are consistently reminded that innovation is a learning journey. As part of our ongoing commitment to the shared goal of re imagining our way of doing business in order to create better outcomes, we have developed a platform that will provide all employees with the content, tools and resources needed to support these efforts. The Berkley Innovation Lab (I-Lab) is an online curriculum and resource library with a series of modules designed to lead you through the innovation process from beginning to end. Check out this trailer video (Spanish | Portuguese) for a brief introduction to the new I-Lab. Whether you are new to Berkley and just beginning your innovation journey or you are looking to dive deep and hone your expertise in a specific innovation skill, the I-Lab has content designed for you. This user’s guide (Spanish | Portuguese) can help you navigate the I-Lab to find the content most valuable to you. Each module will consist of core content, toolkits, shared knowledge, and further reading/viewing in hybrid formats to offer options for every learning style. The WRBC Teaching Series includes video lectures created especially for us by professors who work closely with us in our Innovation efforts. The WRBC Innovation Leaders Series will allow you to hear firsthand from your colleagues what they have learned from their Innovation experience and how they have actualized their take-aways in their professional and personal lives. The I-Lab can also help us cultivate the seven Berkley Innovation Behaviors. To that end, each of us will have the opportunity to complete a “certification” for each of the seven behaviors. By completing a series of videos and activities focused on a behavior, we can earn a special certification reward and collect all seven! The I-Lab will grow and evolve as we continue to build it out and adapt it to our changing needs. We intend it to be an organic, living entity that will benefit from your input and feedback, as you explore and learn from its content. •
Access I-Lab: http://ilab/
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Watch the Trailer: https://berkley.brainier.com/#/object/9354 (Spanish | Portuguese)
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Explore the User Guide: Berkley Innovation Infographic (Spanish | Portuguese)
• Start your Berkley Innovation Behavior Certification: https://corpportal/wrbcinnovation/ilab/SitePages/WRBC%20Behaviors.aspx
2020 —The Scariest Thing Anibal Abdella’s (Acadia) daughter, Aubrey, shows us just how scary 2020 has been—what a year!
WRB Europe and UK 2020 Pumpkin Carving Competition Click on the box below to see some awesome pumpkin carvings!
CLICK HERE
Congratulations to our winners in Europe: Sabine Wolf, Sofia Lindroth, and Cesar Morales Congratulations to our winners in UK: Mark Tilbury, Jordan Rubin, and Duncan Smythe
We also received some fantastic Anibal Abdella’s (Acadia) daughter, Aubrey,pictures shows us just how from2020 the Pumpkin Exhibitionaat a scary has been—what year! farm in Vaduz, Liechtenstein.
Thank you Dagmar Varinska for sharing!
BERKLEY Virtual Concert with TRAIN, October 7, 2020
The rock band, Train, played a virtual concert for Berkley. Click on the concert ticket below to see what people had to say about the concert.
Carolyn Collova (Acadia) Introducing the Berkley concert on the “big screen”
Train’s hit song “Drops of Jupiter” “Now that she’s back in the atmosphere With drops of Jupiter in her hair She acts like summer and walks like rain Reminds me that there’s time to change Since the return from her stay on the moon She listens like spring and talks like June …”
Joanne Sullivan (Acadia) enjoyed a few Drops of Jupiter while watching and listening to the Train Concert. Talk about a coincidence!
W. R. Berkley Corp Jessica Somerfeld’s kids enjoy the Train Concert. Click on the photo below to see a cute video of the kids dancing!
Eric Henry, Jen
ny Rieger, and
Huey Lee enjo yed the conce rt
Dance PARTY!
Dana Genheimer’s (KEY RISK) family is dancing to the music Amanda LaPlatte’s (BERKLEY SURETY) likes listening to the music Simon Summers (BERKLEY SURETY) enjoys the concert
Next Berkley Pop Rock Concert NOV. 18, 2020
BERKLEY ONE Kevin Hogan’s kids are enjoying the Train Concert while they eat dinner
SAVE THE DATE Next Berkley Virtual Concert will be November 18th. Plan your tailgating parties now!
2020 Halloween A TRUE & TERRIFYING STORY
Thanks to Jim Spierings (Berkley Asset Protection), Seth Jainchill (Berkley FinSecure), Stephanie Hyser (Berkley Net), Ryan McMurrer (Berkley Re America), and Deb Brickner (Berkley Fire & Marine) for sharing their Terrifying Halloween photos!
ACADIA Can you spot the flamingo and the Jelly Fish? How about Velma from Scooby Doo?
THANKS to Tim Morse, Linda Schenne, Matt Dunn, Maddy Bergeron, Courtney Gillis, Anibal Abdella, Karoline Sands, EJ Ososki, Chrystina Hubbell, and Andrea Norton for sharing their Halloween photos
Acadia
Twin States Branch virtual Halloween Party
BERKLEY CRIME Gina Giorgi’s son Leland is the cutest little pumpkin!
BERKLEY Luxury Group
The Caitlin Slattery family Halloween photo, Jessica Stanczyk’s sons, Christopher and Cameron, pick pumpkins, Paul Gerber’s twins Cupcake Nina and Pokeman Calvin
BERKLEY CYBER RISK Lauren Solomon’s sons Dylan and Myles
Berkley Accident & Health
Thanks to Linda King, Shannon Fisher, Becky Anthony, Dale Sagen, and Carolyn Kniffin for sharing their Halloween photos
ADMIRAL Virtual Home/Work Office Decorating Competition
ADMIRAL Virtual Pumpkin Carving Contest
ACADIA Nikki Grivakis decorates for home office her favorite holiday.
BERKLEY SURETY Be sure to click on the graphic below to see all the fun photos from Berkley Surety. There are virtual Halloween costumes, pumpkin carvings, Halloween trivia, pets dressed up for Halloween, and even some scary house guests!
BERKLEY
MID-ATLANTIC GROUP
Top Left: Berkley Mid-Atlantic Group Marketing Specialist Reagan Grochala, poses with her fiancé Christian and their dog Mr. Bingley for Halloween. Obviously, they are telepathically sending the message, “May the Force be with You.” Bottom Left: BMAG’s Janet Brutus, Underwriting Technician, says this is her younger son Charlie going through his Halloween haul. Like every good business- person, he likes to assess his product before selecting it! Middle: BMAG’s Accounting Supervisor Ricky Glasscock shares a picture of two ghouls who scared the Halloween right out of him – his twin daughters, Emily & Leigha! Right: Sean McGuire, a Loss Control Specialist with BMAG, joined his girlfriend, Suja on a terrifying walk through the neighborhood!
BERKLEY
PROGRAM SPECIALISTS
Every year Sheila Gott carves 10-15 jack-o-lanterns to line her front steps for trick or treat night; this year was no different.
BERKLEY
Southeast Insurance Group
Virtual Halloween Costume Contest – Tish Pollard, Tiffany Allen, Phyllis Steib, Tara Steen, Geoff Glenn, Lisa Moore, Cristen Keefer, Mitch Miller, and Mark Murph
Regional Shared Services Virtual Halloween Costume Contest – Laura Hargrove, Don Fincher, Bonnie Diehl, and Diana Bernardini
Amy Gaidis’ son, Callan’s first Halloween
BERKLEY
Southeast Insurance Group
Virtual Halloween Costume Contest
– Mummy-Diane Black, Witch-Mary Jacobs,
Chicago Ditka–Chris Wood, Spongebob Baghead–Abby Weathersby, Leopard–Jennifer McKellop, Minnie Mouse–Debbie Wills, Jester–Tina Faith, and Stapler–Tim Gardner
Virtual Halloween Costume Contest Curly black wig & Overalls–Jeffrey Carver, Batgirl 2020–Alison Tauchman, Skeleton Risk Control–John Myrick, Aladdin & Abu–Andrew Llano and child, Skull Face paint–Diane Moore
BERKLEY Entertainment Virtual Halloween Costume Contest
Costume Winners Scariest: Kristin McConnell, Funniest: Lou Jackson, Best Overall: Cindy Broschart
Scariest Costume Winner Kristin McConnell
SHOWING OFF Pumpkin Carving Skills
BERKLEY RE SOLUTIONS: Tracy Porter BERKLEY RE SOLUTIONS: Lynn Bryant and family BERKLEY PROGRAM SPECIALISTS: Mark Fuller and family
Berkley Alliance Managers Wishing everyone a Happy Halloween
PREFERRED Employers Halloween Celebration
BERKLEY
Agribusiness
Happy Halloween from the families of Trisha Brown, Sterling Weikle, and Aaron Wych
medi
CWG Happy Halloween from: Jen Proctor, Patti Olson, Shelly Nibbelink, Nicole Hemping, and Jeri Zachow
Patti and Dave Olsen had so much fun with the Chamber’s drive through Halloween trick or Treating! They dressed up as Dalmatians & took their puppy (Bella) along to wave to the kids as families drove by. Great turn out – we had 1290 bags of treats for the kids! CLICK HERE to see a short Halloween video from CWG
Continental Western Group
EAT, DRINK & BE SCARY #appetizers2Di4 #MonsterMarkThirstQuenchers
Rae Frahm was the MC of the CWG Eat, Drink and Be Scary virtual event. Thanks to Di Taylor and Mark Scheve for inviting us into their home to make Halloween Appetizers and Beverages.
Jazzlyn Green’s kids ready for Trick or Treating
Continental Western Group Tashia Klosterbuer and the Creepy Carnival Patti & Dave represent CWG & the Klosterbuer family. Kudos to the Creepy Carnival for winning the decorating contest for RCO—Rock County Opportunities.
KEY RISK
Natalie Vogel-Sharpe and her family dressed up as the Baby Shark family for Halloween, how clever!
KEY RISK Thanks to Stephanie Schmidt, Mickey Rohlfing, Mary Watkins, Katherine Klinke, Jerry Taylor, Doc Carroll, Danielle Shelton, and Lance Billy for sharing photos.
PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST
Congratulations Natalie Vogel-Sharpe for winning the Key Risk Pumpkin Carving Contest!
BERKLEY
ONE
Stephanie Bruno dressed her pets up for Trick or Treating
Thanks to Debbie O’Sullivan, Jeffrey Mitchell, Steve Lomax, and Elaine Reyes for sharing their Halloween photos.
BERKLEY ONE PETS
Alyssa Acosta, Tim Dadik, Nancy Rawley, and Frances Brodeur love their pets!
Berkley One
Chicago Team
#Chicago #Innovators
Marie Curie - Melanie Rimmer Benjamin Franklin - Brigitte Gearhart Albert Einstein - Sarah Mashek The Wright Brothers - Peggy Leslie Agatha Christie - Janie Gittelson Georgia O’Keeffe - Stephanie Bruno Thomas Edison - Frances Brodeur Katherine Johnson - Matthew Ruoff Leonardo Da Vinci - Dan Miller Coco Chanel - Charlotte Fisher Steve Jobs - Christoph Ritterson Mark Zuckerberg - Konal Sayal
BERKLEY
North Pacific Pumpkin Carving
ACADIA
Employee Appreciation Day
Virtual Costume Party
Midwest Employers Casualty Company Click here to see Edward Scissorhands
VELA
The team at VELA wishes you a BOO-tiful day!
Jodi McKee shared a photo of her daughter Olivia’s pumpkin that she has named “Galaxy Cat” Shannon Wendling is grateful for memories made with family at their fall party Jose Orellana has a baby shark escorting Princess Bell to an outdoor concert Lisa Surprenant with her grandkids all dressed up for a scaled-down version of trick or treat this year
Terri Seymour with her rescue dog Barron go hiking; Barron doesn’t look too thrilled to be in his “bunny ears”
NAUTILUS What creative costumes!
Can you spot the FROZEN family?
BERKLEY SELECT This was superhero Ava’s first time trick or treating (Hyacinth Pearson)
LeeAnne MacCready takes time to pick some apples and carve some pumpkins
UNION STANDARD Insurance Group Thanks to Jeff Miller (the COVID cowboy), Cindy Martin (the silly ghoul), and Frances Hamaker (the skeleton witch) for sharing their photos.
Berkley Mexico Celebration of Life: Day of the Dead , November 2. (click on the photo below to see more)
W. R. Berkley Corp Haydee Van Middelkoop’s daughters Sofia and Eva
BERKLEY
MID-ATLANTIC GROUP Berkley Mid-Atlantic Group is excited about and grateful for the W.R. Berkley Charitable Match, and begins fun contests and giveaways to fuel giving and drive enthusiasm!
BERKLEY
Agribusiness
“Fill Up the Pick Up” BARS completed the physical donation pick up (the actual filling up of the pickup) first and then the monetary donations wrapped up a couple days later. All of the donations went to the Urbandale Food Pantry. Keep up the great work!
GEMINI
Transportation
Emanuela Messineo has been volunteering with a local non-profit in Denver that supplies produce boxes to those in need. Individuals can purchase boxes for themselves as well as donate boxes for local families in need. The organization received a grant from one of the Denver suburbs to distribute 100K worth of produce boxes and local farm fresh eggs to the community through the Cares Act. The company is called Little John Produce Box Project. https://littlejohnproduce.com/
KEY RISK Key Risk has a long history of supporting Kids’ Chance chapters across the country. They have many associates that have served on the board and have done everything from penny wars to auctions over the years. Key Risk will continue to support Kids’ Chance of Georgia, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia with a Fundraiser from November 2nd through the 20th. During this time, they will raise money to support the Kids’ Chance mission to help students achieve their education goals.