At our April 2009 meeting, we were pleased to welcome as guest speakers  Jenny Williams of the FBI and Russ Geboy from Homeland Security.  We were very honored to have our country's leading experts on Katrina fraud and its ongoing investigations, a matter greatly affecting our chapter and state.

Guest speaker at our January 2009 meeting was Reggie Bell from the State Fire Academy

more photos available in our photo gallery

Set Yourself Apart

Nothing compares to the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU^®) professional designation. Nothing. CPCU is recognized and respected as the premier designation in property-casualty insurance. And the CPCU designation after your name speaks volumes about you and your insurance knowledge.

In becoming a CPCU, you will:

• Gain in-depth, broad-based knowledge in risk management and insurance.
• Learn practical skills that you can put to work immediately.
• Learn how to make better decisions on the job.
• Distinguish yourself from your peers while demonstrating your commitment to professionalism.
• Earn the respect accorded those who hold the designation.

The CPCU curriculum balances practical skills with insurance and risk management theory. By learning the why and not simply the what, you will have a better understanding of the p-c business and will be able to make better business decisions.

There are more than 65,000 CPCU designation holders. They are insurance professionals just like you. They are claim adjusters, underwriters, risk managers, brokers, agents, regulators, consultants, attorneys, and educators.

As a CPCU candidate, you will learn about the financial, legal, operational, and technical aspects of risk management and insurance. You can even choose either a personal or commercial insurance concentration, depending on your professional background and needs.

You set the pace for your CPCU study, but we will help you get there with resources including:

• Study materials developed by industry experts
• Our exclusive SMART study aids to help you learn more efficiently
• Institutes Online classes for all CPCU courses
• Convenient testing windows so you can study throughout the year
• Listings of public CPCU classes around the country

Like anything that is worth doing, earning the CPCU designation requires commitment and it is a commitment well worth making. Not sure? Just ask Mike Mee, CPCU, AU, AIM, ARM, AIC, a senior insurance risk analyst:

“I can’t say enough good things about the CPCU designation because it has played a crucial role in my career advancement.”

Get started today.

Katrina Fraud Allegations Against Mississippi Mayor Detailed

By Holbrook Mohr
May 1, 2009

Gulfport, Mississippi Mayor Brent Warr, the highest-ranking public official charged with Hurricane Katrina fraud, made numerous false statements about the living arrangements of his family and a beachfront home damaged by the 2005 storm, federal prosecutors say.

Warr and his wife, Laura, have pleaded not guilty to charges in a 16-count federal indictment accusing them of seeking a homeowners assistance grant for a house they owned but did not live in. They're also accused of making false claims to their insurance company.

The Warrs' attorneys had asked a federal judge to order prosecutors to say exactly what allegedly false statements they made to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Prosecutors responded in a document Tuesday that Warr lied when he told FEMA the stately home on Beach Drive was the family's primary residence, three bedrooms were occupied and it was "fully complete, furnished, and occupied at the time of Hurricane Katrina.''

Brent Warr's attorney, Joe Sam Owen, told The Associated Press soon after the charges were made public in January that the mayor bought the house in 2004 and was almost finished with renovations when the storm blew ashore. Brent Warr was already staying there some nights.

"He was just around the corner from the entire family moving in,'' Owen had said.

Prosecutors, however, say Warr told a FEMA inspector that his entire family was living in the home when the storm hit the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005. Gulfport, a coastal city of about 73,000 people, was ravaged.

Owen did not immediately respond to a message Wednesday. Warr issued a statement in January saying the couple "entered a plea of not guilty'' and he would not "speak further about the claim made against us.''

Brent Warr, a first-term Republican mayor, was sworn in just weeks before the storm hit and was praised for his leadership. He's not seeking re-election this year.

The Warrs face up to 210 years in prison and $4 million in fines if convicted on all counts, though maximum sentences rarely are imposed.

The charges include conspiracy to defraud the federal government, making false statements to the FEMA and insurance fraud.

Good Works for Mississippi Magnolia Chapter

Good Works chair Donna Rademacher, right front, and Chapter officers Mark Mays, Derek Rooker and Frank Scott, back row, present to Jennifer Lott, left front, Child Life Coordinator of Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, with our chapter's gift for toward the purchase of toys and educational materials for the children of this one-of-a-kind charity hospital.  The Mississippi Magnolia Chapter of the CPCU Society has given to this worthy cause for many years, with our members donating the cost of the December luncheon to help the kids. 

left to right:  Treasurer Frank Scott, Secretary Derek Rooker, President-elect Donna Rademacher, President Mark Mays, Past President Karen Livingston-Wilson, Regional Governor Joseph Deutsch, Vice President Mitch Miller.