Fall Chaptergram
President's Message
Dear fellow CPCU PNW Members, Candidate Members, & Friends,

I don’t know about the rest of you, but it feel like it’s been Groundhog Day around here since mid-March. Somehow the days just keep flying by, even if I have literally no idea what day of the week it is!
 
We are excited to introduce our new Diversity, Inclusion and Cultural Equity “DICE” committee, co-chaired by Wetlyne Douglas and Jennifer Dinning. They have already sponsored movie nights and discussions on current events surrounding racial equity, diversity and inclusion, and we look forward to officially kicking off this committee with our I-Day Keynote Speaker, Amy Waninger. 
 
Speaking of I-Day ... we have 20 New Designees who completed their designations in 2020, who we will officially confer and welcome to the chapter at our virtual I-Day on November 10, 2020. Please join us in helping them celebrate their accomplishment and feel welcome in our chapter in these trying times! We look forward to “seeing” many of you there!
 
Please keep in touch with the chapter as we continue to navigate the new normal. Have an idea? Want to get involved? Reach out!
 
 
Until then..
Terri Sutton, CPCU, AU
President, Pacific Northwest CPCU Society Chapter
What have we been up to?
Although physical & social distancing has meant that we have had limited opportunities to get together, we have been doing all we can to remain connected.

For a few of us the first time we really ventured out of the house was in mid-June for our North and South Sound Good Works events at Eastside Baby Network and Mother Earth Farm. Our small but mighty teams worked hard to help these organizations in the best way we could -- with our time.

On June 13th Wetlyne Douglas and her husband Terrell, Kevin Kwong, Laura Thayer and Alicia de Cervantes met at Eastside Baby Corner and sorted baby formula and clothing donations. Eastside Baby Corner is committed to providing resources to all children in need, from birth to age twelve, regardless of their religious, ethnic or other affiliations. Eastside Baby Corner helps kids reach their full potential tomorrow by meeting basic needs today. To learn more go to www.babycorner.org

On June 19th volunteers from the South Sound helped out at Emergency Food Network (EFN) provides food to food banks and other sites throughout Pierce County. EFN distributes over 14 million pounds of food each year. With over 1.3 million guest visits to food programs throughout the county, EFN is a lifeline in our communities. The farm is an 8 acre organic farm in the Puyallup Valley providing over 150,000 pounds of fresh organic produce to Pierce County through food banks and pantries. Wetlyne Douglas and Jennifer Drum spent a few hours at the farm transplanting several varieties of lettuce starts into rows. The wonderful team at the farm provides direction so no farming experience is needed. Mother Earth Farm has opportunities to volunteer in small groups and individually. To learn more about the farm and other ways to participate in EFN’s vital work, go to www.efoodnet.org

What else? We have had a few chapter happy hours via zoom, just for an opportunity to connect and chat.

We have been participating in a zoom Movie Club - similar to a book club, watch the movie and get together to chat and discuss. This has been a national group focusing on movies that highlight diversity and inclusion issues. Our first movie was Just Mercy, the story of the founding of the Equal Justice Initiative and the death row sentence of Walter McMillon and our second was Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson. This movie is available for free viewing at PBS.org

As Terri noted, we started a new Diversity, Inclusion and Cultural Equity committee to focus on Diversity and Inclusion of all within the chapter.

Please reach out if you would like to get involved with any of our committees!
Congratulations to our 2020 New Designees!!
Benjamin Ayer, CPCU
George Bradley, CPCU
Josh Carrasquillo, CPCU
Ms. Deepa Chakkalakkal, CPCU
Damon Desmarais, CPCU
Christopher Ericksen, CPCU
Rolf G Erickson, CPCU
Amanda France, CPCU
John Hart, CPCU
Elizabeth Henderson, CPCU
Sara Kern, CPCU
Brandon Koch, CPCU
Lei Lei, CPCU
Franklin Maccotan, CPCU
Scott D. Miller, CPCU
Deidre Molitor, CPCU
Daniel Radcliffe, CPCU
Craig Schmid, CPCU
Joshua Serrano, CPCU
Trent E Stoker, CPCU
To help you plan ahead, all events with dates are now available on the Chapter homepage!
Upcoming Luncheons
Upcoming Events
October 1 - Virtual Luncheon. Ulises Castellon speaking on Vehicle Fire Investigations REGISTER NOW!


Watch for additional Good Works, Volunteer, & New Designee and Candidate Member Events!
In2Risk - CPCU Annual Meeting
Virtual! October 7-9

I-Day - SAVE THE DATE
Tuesday, November 10th @ The WAC

The 2020 IN2Risk (re-imagined Annual Meeting) is going virtual. October 7-9, 2020.

Registration is open! Click here to view the full agenda and to register.

The In2Risk Committee has worked hard to deliver the same level of education and engagement you've come to expect. State CE and CPCU CE credits will be offered.

By attending virtually we will all see savings on travel, lodging and meals. We will also receive access to all the breakout sessions via recordings. Take advantage of this opportunity to attend In2Risk without the effort and expense of travel and time away from the office!

In2Risk will include a virtual conferment ceremony on Friday, October 9th. 2020. New Designees will also be invited to participate in the next in-person ceremony scheduled to take place in Orlando, Florida from September 23-25, 2021.

Registration is open to members, non-members, candidates, students.


2020 I-Day Save the Date!
This year I-Day will be held Virtually and will be an afternoon event. Invites will go out soon but you can save the event page now!
Our schedule currently includes a presentation on advancements in automotive technologies and our keynote speaker, Amy Waninger and a kick-off presentation for the Diversity, Inclusion and Cultural Equity (DICE) Committee.

We will have a special New Designee conferment for our 2020 New Designees.
Thanks to all who are assisting in setting up this year's All Industry Day. Special thanks to Soha and Lang for again sponsoring our Keynote speaker.

Check out last years photo album HERE.
Member Spotlight
This time we want to focus on a Committee co-chair
Wetlyn Douglas, CPCU, ARM; Risk Analyst at The ALS Group
PNW CPCU Society: Tell me how you first got involved in/with the Pacific Northwest CPCU Society Chapter and CPCU as a whole.
Wetlyn Douglas: My manager Cathy Heine was an active CPCU member and she encouraged me to pursue my designation. 
 
PNW: What has surprised you most about working with the CPCU Society?
WD: When I went to my confinement ceremony I was surprised by the broad and diverse opportunities within the insurance industry. I had a very limited understanding of what it meant to be an insurance professional and that exposure gave me an invaluable paradigm shift. 

PNW: If you could change one thing about the CPCU Society, what would it be?
WD: One thing I wish our chapter and the Society, as a whole, would do more of is pro-bono consultation to underserved communities. Insurance is a universal need for every demographic and there are many who do not have adequate protection or understanding of how to best protect themselves. The knowledge we hold can be a true catalyst for growth to those in our community with more of this type of outreach. 
 
PNW: Any random facts you could share with us?
WD: I love hiking and competing in triathlons!
In case you missed it....

This webinar was held on Wednesday, September 16th and can be ordered on demand. We are battling a biological pandemic with the best and brightest scientists in the world. We are also battling a sociological pandemic and have invited a few of the best and brightest leaders in the insurance industry for a courageous conversation. Join us as we talk about how inclusion and diversity can make significant impacts to mitigating the risk of racism in our world today. Sponsored by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Other webinars are also available. Webinars do count towards CE for CPCU!
Did You Know?
CE for CPCU & CPCU In Good Standing Badge
The CPCU Society encourages those with the CPCU designation to continue creating value for their career and the designation by participating in Continuing Education (CE) for CPCUs. The program requires 24 hours of CE every two years and is provided at no additional cost to CPCU Society members. You earn credit by the hour when you attend your local Pacific Northwest CPCU Society luncheons and education events.

The chapter has been submitting credit on behalf of CPCU Society members and attendance for meetings that occurred over the last two years. These credits will begin appearing on your CE for CPCU accounts over the next few weeks! Check out more at ceforcpcu.theinstitutes.org.


What's included in my Chapter Dues??

It's renewal season for Society Dues. Part of your invoice automatically includes the portion dedicated to your Chapter. If you're part of our Chapter, here are just a few things included as a part of your benefits:
  • A minimum of 8 luncheons with educational sessions
  • Discounted admission to our annual Spring Seminar
  • Pizza and beer after each Good Works event
  • Holiday Happy Hour invitation
  • ...and more
Volunteer Opportunities

Insurance isn’t just about claims, underwriting and sales―it’s also about people. That’s why it’s important to get involved. Increase your leadership, collaboration and networking opportunities by actively participating in your chapter or an interest group or by volunteering your time at a CPCU Society event. Volunteer and reap the personal and professional rewards that come when you actively engage!

Check out some of the open positions within the Pacific Northwest Chapter HERE.
Mentor Program

Participation in the CPCU Society Mentorship Program is a great way to enhance the value of your CPCU Society membership. Our program provides two avenues of participation:

  • Find a mentor for yourself.
  • Become a mentor for others.

Whether you have expertise to offer or are looking to glean expertise from others, personal and career development occur on both sides of this relationship.

Open to all CPCU Society members!

Whether you've previously participated in formal mentorship or not, we encourage all of you to consider participation. We believe all CPCU Society members bring great value to our industry, and there is someone out there who will benefit from your experience.