Paul C. Burke, CIC, CRM, LIA
Paul has been involved in the insurance industry for over thirty years.  The first ten years were spent as a producer before he purchased two agencies, founding Insurit Agency Incorporated in Fall River, Massachusetts.

He received his CIC designation in 1986, and has been teaching the Elite School, Basic Personal Auto, CISR classes and CIC Institutes ever since. He received his CRM designation in 2001.  Paul is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Fall River Insurance Agents Association, and MAIA. He served on the Board of Directors of the Fall River Chamber of Commerce, in 2007 he was the Chairman of the Board, and he was Chair of their legislative affairs committee for ten years. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the USS Massachusetts Memorial Comm. D/B/A Battleship Massachusetts. He presently sits on the Boards of Directors of the Swansea Ambulance Corp. and the South Coast Partnership,

Paul lives in the Town of Swansea with his wife Donna. He is thirty four year veteran of the Swansea Volunteer Fire Department. He served on the Towns Advisory & Finance Board for 15 years; it’s Board of Selectmen for 3 years and has been the Town Moderator for 12 years serving in his 5th 3 year term.

Paul graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth with a Bachelors of Science degree in Finance.

Mike D’Orlando, CIC, LIA, Educational Training & Consulting Services
Michael D’Orlando, CIC, is an education consultant and instructor for MAIA. In 1982, Mike began his insurance career at Welsh & Parker Insurance Agency in Hudson, MA and started teaching in 1989 while still working at the agency. In 1998, Mike established his company Educational Training and Consulting Services and became a full time instructor. Mike teaches a wide range of commercial lines and personal lines courses including the popular one hour webinars. He has served as a member of the Mass. Continuing Education Course Review Committee.

Jack Dumpert
Jack Dumpert has been in the surety bonding business for 40 years. He worked at Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland for 10 years having started there as a trainee and ending up as the branch manager. He also worked at Joseph J Naples and Associates for 25 years as Bond Manager and Vice President. Currently, Jack works as a Surety Bond Broker at Vanner Insurance Agency. He has his MBA from the University of Buffalo. He has served as President of the Surety Association of Buffalo as well as Chairman for the Construction Exchange of Buffalo and Western New York. Mr. Dumpert also teaches the New York State Agents and Broker’s License Course at Canisius College and Bryant & Stratton Business Institute. He is a frequent speaker on the subject of bonds before Insurance, Construction, Accounting and Attorney Organizations.

Robin C. Federici, CPCU, CPIW, AIS, AINS, AAI, ARM

Robin Federici, CPCU, AAI, ARM, AINS, AIS, CPIW is the founder and president of Insurance Education & Training Associates, LLC, headquartered in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. IETA is a provider of CE approved P & C insurance educational programs.

Robin formed IETA in 2003, after serving the Independent Insurance Agents of Rhode Island for sixteen years, first as Director of Education and subsequently as Assistant Executive Vice President. This followed a lengthy career in both underwriting and sales with insurance agencies and companies.

Robin has earned the following professional designations:
Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) -- 1992;
Accredited Advised in Insurance (AAI) -- 1987;
Associate in Risk Management (ARM) -- 1999;
Certified Professional Insurance Woman (CPIW) -- 1981.
Associate in General Insurance (AINS) -- 2011
Associate in Insurance Services (AIS) -- 2011.

She is a much sought-after speaker and educator in New England and has also made presentations in New Jersey, West Virginia and Florida. In addition to presenting seminars and workshops on a broad range of topics, Robin is a certified instructor for the Swiss Re Errors & Omissions program. She facilitates the Associate in Insurance Services (AIS) designation program and the Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI) designation program, where she has achieved a 100% pass rate since 2008.

Robin is a technical insurance and agency management expert with the IIABA Virtual University. This role, coupled with her extensive background in both the agency and company ranks and her love of teaching, adds a unique dimension and immediate and practical value to the programs she presents to insurance professionals.

Douglas J. Fleming, LUTCF
Mr. Fleming entered the life insurance business in 1971 with the Boston agency of the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company.   After ten years, in addition to personal production, he was named to a management position as new agent training supervisor, a position he held for five years. He then joined the Berkshire Life Insurance Company as agency supervisor, a position he held for ten years. He is currently affiliated with the Boston agency of Union Central Life in a brokerage capacity.

Mr. Fleming moderates licensing and continuing education classes for MAIA, PIA NY, NJ and CT, and also provides continuing education classes to the insurance industry in the greater Boston area. He is a member of the National Faculty for the National Alliance, Austin TX, and teaches throughout the United States in their CIC program. In 2005, he assumed the duties of Educational Consultant for the PIA of New York in their CIC program.

Jill Haynes Gidge, CPCU, CIC, CPIW, CISR, CRIS, ACSR, AAM, AIT, AIS, BSN, RN, AAI
Jill Haynes Gidge is a Magna Cum Laude Baccalaureate degree graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell where she majored in applied science and nursing, and minored in behavioral science. She was an agency principal in an independent property and casualty agency for over 30 years, and oversaw the commercial lines department from 1984 until 2002. She founded Insure-Ed, an independent insurance education consulting and training company, in 1996. She has been instructing insurance education programs for more than 15 years. She serves an instructor for the National Alliance for both the Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) programs, for the Insurance Institutes of American (IIA) and the American Institute for Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters (AICPCU), for the CPCU Society’s Center for Leadership and for the Insurance Risk Management Institute IRMI). She also does expert witness work for Errors and Omissions cases. Jill resides in Nashua, New Hampshire.

William Hofmann, III, CPCU, CIC, LIA, AAI, CLU
William Hofmann, III, CPCU, CLU, AAI, CIC, LIA, is the Executive Vice President and Treasurer of Provider Insurance Group, Inc. He is a graduate of Boston University and received his MBA from Suffolk University.

In 1963, Bill started with Hofmann Insurance Agency, Inc. and continues to work in the agency (now Provider Insurance Group, Inc.) after a brief stint with Sheraton Hotel Corporation and Field and Cowles. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Commonwealth Automobile Reinsurers, MinuteMan Insurance Company, Ltd., and Fannie Mae Corporation.

He has served as President of the Independent Insurance Agents of Massachusetts and as Chairman of the Education Committee, State National Director, Executive Committee Member and President of the Independent Insurance Agents of America.

Marshall Katz, MS, CIC, LIA, LUTC, Educational Training & Consulting Services
Marshall Katz currently teaches fulltime for insurance organizations on a variety of subjects from personal lines licensing to CICR & CIC designation programs. Marshall started in the industry working for a direct writer in their personal lines sales department and after many years with them opened his own independent agency. The agency wrote personal and commercial lines as well as life and health products. He juggled agency duties with teaching classes for 24 years and has since sold the agency to be able to concentrate on facilitating classes.

Marshall has a Bachelors degree from Clark University with a major in accounting and a Masters degree also from Clark with a major in Marketing Communications. He is a licensed producer in MA and CT and a licensed insurance advisor in MA.

Marshall’s classes employ the use of PowerPoint visuals and he gladly shares those with his classes as support to the material being presented. If you desire a course PowerPoint that I might have, feel free to email me your request: marshall@insadv.com

Jeanne Kosakowski, AIC
Jeanne Kosakowski, AIC, Insurance Training Specialist for The Protector Group Insurance Agency, has worked in the insurance industry for more than 25 years for both companies and agencies. Her claims background has given her a great perspective on the effective application of coverages. Throughout her career she has been an instructor for The MAIA and The Insurance Institute of America through The Worcester County Insurance Institute. Jeanne received an Outstanding Instructor Award from AICPCU/IIA in 2003. She is currently employed by The Protector Group Insurance Agency, Inc. of Worcester, MA, in the role of full time Training Specialist, coordinating the in-house training program for their P&C group as well as their administrative personnel.

Kathryn McGlynn, CH

Kathryn McGlynn, CH is a professionally trained Certified Hypnotist, Success Coach, and Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Development Trainer. Hypnosis helps change attitudes which is the key to changing behavior. McGlynn uses hypnosis to help people improve their essential experience of life through self-healing and self-change. With hypnosis, one can develop positive mental attitude, improve self-confidence, regain self-control over unwanted behavior choices, and enhance personal skills and assets.  With her soothing voice, she has produced more than 25 hypnosis CDs that comfort and support those interested in self-healing and self-transformation. McGlynn's private hypnosis practice is located in Hingham, MA and she can be reached by visiting www.hypnosis.ws or calling 877-217-3560.

Donna McKenna, Vice President of Communications, MAIA

Donna McKenna is Vice President of Communications for MAIA and is the editor of The Mass Agent newsletter and the Registry News bulletin. She is well known for her knowledge of the policies and procedures at the Mass. RMV and is the author of the Independent Agency Registry Procedures Manual. In addition to her editorial duties, Donna teaches Registry classes and co-teaches personal auto and commercial auto classes with Irene Morrill.

John Mercurio, Jr., CIC
John has retired after a 40-year career with the John B. Mercurio Insurance Agency, Inc. of Winchester, MA.  He has been involved in insurance education for various agent associations since 1978.  He began instructing in 1980, same year he was inducted into the Society of Insurance Counselors (CIC).  He teaches in MAIA’s full day basic course program, and the National Alliance’s Certified Insurance Service Representatives (CISR) program.  John represents MAIA on the Massachusetts Continuing Education Course Review Committee.

He is a past director (1980 to 1987) of the former Professional Insurance Agents of New England, and chaired its Massachusetts Steering Committee.  During 1987-1988, John led “Project Perspective,” the purpose of which was to foster a better understanding by agents of company operations and of company personnel of agent operations.  Several New England agencies and the Aetna Insurance Company participated.

John obtained his degree from Boston College, spent two years on active duty in the US Army, and graduated from the Reliance Insurance Company School.

Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, CRM, LIA, CPIW, CRIS, ARM, Vice President of Technical Affairs, MAIA
Irene Morrill is Vice President of Technical Affairs for MAIA. She is very well known for her technical expertise in insurance coverages. Irene writes curriculum and teaches a variety of MAIA’s personal lines and commercial lines classes including the popular one hour webinars. She travels the country to teach at Institutes for the Society of CIC. Irene writes the monthly TECH Talk bulletin and answers TECH online and hotline questions.

Curtis Pearsall, CPCU, ARM, AIAF, AU, CPIA
Curtis Pearsall is President of Pearsall Associates Inc., a Risk Management Consulting firm specializing in helping agents protect themselves. He is the former SVP of Utica National's Agents E&O program where he oversaw the Underwriting, Marketing, Services, and Claims divisions from 1987 - 2009. 

He graduated from Oswego State in 1975 and immediately started in the insurance business. After spending 5 1/2 years at the agency side of the business in the Utica area, Curt started with Utica in 1981 as a commercial underwriter. He then held the positions of Assistant Underwriting Mgr, General Manager of uni-Service Excess (Utica's E&S division) before being promoted to the VP of the Utica Agents E&O division in 1987.

He is a regular contributor of articles pertaining to E&O with Insurance Journal, Rough Notes and the various agents associations. Curt believes in giving back to the community. He has served as President of the Utica United Way, President of the Boy Scouts and President of various foundation boards. He was also President of the Utica Chapter CPCU in 1984.

Kathy Silvia, CPCU, CPIW, CIC, LIA, The Fair Insurance Agency
Kathy Silvia CIC, CPCU, CPIW is Vice President of The Fair Insurance Agency in Centerville, MA. For over 25 years, Kathy has been working in the insurance field. She currently teaches personal lines and E&O seminars for MAIA. Kathy is Past-President of MAIA, Past-President of MAIW, and past National Director for National PIA. She has served as Chairperson for National PIA’s Technical Committee, as liaison to the ISO Personal Lines Committee and as Chairperson for the Board of CISR.

Chris Sullivan, CIC
Christine M. Sullivan has been in the Insurance industry for 25 years with 18 + years in Operational management.  She  is a certified insurance counselor and is licensed in Massachusetts for property, casualty, life, accident and health.  Throughout her career, she has focused on the following areas:

Leadership, mentoring, team building, procedural/ process development and management,  time management, goal setting, benchmarking, strategic planning, sales training,  growth  incentive programs, client relationship management programs. 

Chris has an extensive background in property casualty insurance, time management and strategic planning, information technology, insurance software systems & Microsoft office components. She currently owns and operates an insurance agency management consulting business, enabling her to utilize her years of experience in the agency environment and provides hands on training and development to all levels of agency personnel.    

Bruce Thomas, CPCU, CRIS, CIC
Bruce Thomas is an independent insurance education presenter, operating out of Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Currently, he facilitates courses for the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America, the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research (CIC courses), the International Risk Management Institute, the American Institute for CPCU, and the Insurance Institute of America. Bruce also instructs various courses designed to fulfill agency personnel's need for Continuing Education requirements.

He is currently working for AICPCU as an Online Self-Paced Training Storyboarder assisting in their efforts to covert textbook delivery to an on-line system He is a test writer for the INS series.   As a long-time member of the Society of Insurance Trainers and Educators (SITE), Bruce has given workshops and seminars on "Presentation Techniques" at several national conferences. He is a member of the Bay Colonies Chapter of the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD).

Both his agency and company experience provide unique perspectives to his present work in the field of insurance education. Bruce is a licensed Property & Casualty producer in Rhode Island where he maintains a modest book of business.

Bernie Torri, CIC, ITP, LIB, LReB, Technical Specialist
Bernie is a Technical Specialist with Aon Benfield, in their US Learning and Development department’s Boston office. His primary function is a regional instructor of insurance courses to brokers throughout various Aon offices. The courses cover all personal and commercial lines of property / casualty insurance and have basic, intermediate and advanced levels of expertise. Other courses include time management and DiSC (behavior) courses.

Bernie began his insurance career as a personal lines producer for American Mutual Insurance Companies in 1984. He switched to the agency side and specialized in commercial lines working for Aon Risk Services and then some regional brokers before working as a Senior Business Analyst for a Arbella Protection Insurance Company, specializing in facultative reinsurance placement and training underwriters and retail agents.

Bernie is affiliated with Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA) as a staff instructor for commercial and personal lines seminars. He is also a member of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Division of Insurance, Continuing Education Review Committee. Bernie graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from Northeastern University in Boston and has held the CIC designation since 1995 and licensed as an all lines insurance broker since 1984. Bernie is also a licensed reinsurance intermediary insurance broker in Massachusetts. As a member of Society of Insurance Trainers and Educators (SITE), Bernie holds their ITP Insurance Training Professional designation.