National Hurricane Director to Speak at Windstorm Conference

National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield and former NFL Player Danny Wuerffel will be among the keynote speakers sharing their experiences of last year’s hurricane season at the Seventh Annual Windstorm Insurance Conference to be held Feb. 8-11, at the Hilton Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Given the unprecedented events of the 2005 hurricane season, this year’s conference, which is hosted by the Windstorm Insurance Network, Inc. (http://www.windnetwork.com), will focus on the important issues arising out of the 2005 hurricane season and current property insurance issues. The purpose of the conference is to provide a forum for review and discussion of windstorm and related insurance issues. Around 900+ attendees are expected at the three-day conference.

Mayfield, who will review the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season, and former University of Florida star quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL player Wuerffel, who is currently the development director of Desire Street Ministries which had been based in New Orleans, Louisiana before Hurricane Katrina, will share his thoughts on the challenges which he has faced in his career and what lies ahead for him and the city of New Orleans.

Other keynote speakers include Hurricane Insurance Information Center Director William “Bill” Bailey, Esquire as moderator on a panel discussion with leaders in Florida’s insurance industry discussing and answering questions regarding the lessons learned from the 2005 hurricane season and what we will face in the future. In addition, Melvin Rubin, Esquire, a leader in the formation of Florida’s Hurricane Mediation Program, will offer his views on how Florida continues to develop an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program for dealing with the challenges posed by the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons.

The conference, which is co-sponsored by the American Bar Association/Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), is designed to provide a variety of general sessions and workshops for insurance agents, company claim managers, adjusters, risk managers, attorneys, accountants, engineers and other experts and consultants. By bringing together all of the segments of the insurance industry which deal with the aftermath of a windstorm, the 2006 WIND Conference develops and promotes a greater understanding of windstorm issues among insurance professionals. Approximately 800 people attended the 2005 WIND conference in Tampa, Florida.

This year’s conference theme is “Practical Tools for Claims Resolution.” More than 25 professional development workshops will discuss such topics as additional living expenses (ALE) mediation, professionalism, catastrophe fraud, condominium losses, wind damage, valued policy law, mold, building codes, business interruption and more.

The 2006 WIND conference offers an expanded continuing education (CE) program by offering credits for general sessions, including important ethics credits. Continuing education and adjuster credits will be offered for the states of Florida, Texas, North Carolina and multiple southeastern states, as well as The Florida Bar, RPA, Florida CPAs, CPCU and more. Certifications will also be offered by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Windstorm Insurance Network Umpire Certification Program.

Log on to http://www.windnetwork.com for a complete schedule and for instant downloading of the conference brochure and registration information. For conference information, contact the conference meeting planner, MMG, at (813) 988-0737.