Link to the:2005 news archive2006 news archive2007 news archive2008 news archive2009 news archive
2009 NEWS ARCHIVE
OBITUARY - DIANE WILLIAMS
The Executive Committee has learned with sorrow of the death of former full member Diane Williams of Seattle. This obituary is based on notes received from Diane's sister Genie and Resident Associate Sue Goheen:
Born on September 28 1937, Diane lived most of her life in West Seattle with her husband Orval and her boys, Mark, Dale, Casey and Tom. She was a fixture at Farmers Insurance at “The Junction” in West Seattle, working for Ray Atwood since she was 18 when she graduated from Holy Rosary. She then moved up in the insurance world achieving the high rank of Average Adjuster for maritime claims, a feat rare for a woman. Diane worked at Frank B. Hall, Rollins Burdick Hunter (later became known as Rollins Hudig Hall) as well as FIS Marine. Diane was a competent, compassionate worker, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and sister who had care-taking down to a science. Funeral services were held in West Seattle at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Friday, June 26, 2009, followed by a reception at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
FIFTH ANNUAL MARINE INSURANCE AWARDS
Commencing in 2005, the Association’s Executive Committee has been allocating funds for a Marine Insurance Award in memory of our members who died on September 11, 2001, which is offered annually to those maritime academy candidates who have the best grade in their marine insurance course, or who, in the opinion of their instructors, have indicated the keenest interest in the marine insurance field. This year, the Association has presented awards of $500 to the following individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievement in the study of Marine Insurance:
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Eric D. Peterson
Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY
David Edwin Walraven
Resident Associate Member Richard Halluska presents the 2009 Marine Insurance Award to David Walraven
SUNY Maritime College at Fort Schuyler, NY
Brittany Littlejohn
We warmly congratulate all three honorees
2008 NEWS ARCHIVE
FOURTH ANNUAL MARINE INSURANCE AWARDS
Commencing in 2005, the Association’s Executive Committee has been allocating funds for a Marine Insurance Award in memory of our members who died on September 11, 2001, which is offered annually to those maritime academy candidates who have the best grade in their marine insurance course, or who, in the opinion of their instructors, have indicated the keenest interest in the marine insurance field. This year, the Association has presented awards of $400 to the following individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievement in the study of Marine Insurance:
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Ashley Zarella
Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY
Jeremy David Maginot
SUNY Maritime College at Fort Schuyler, NY
David Solomon
OBITUARY - ALLEN E. SCHUMACHER (1926 - 2008)
Former Full Member Allen E. Schumacher died on Jan. 23, 2009 from a rare form of blood cancer, at 82 years of age. Mr. Schumacher retired in 1987 as chairman and CEO of the American Hull Insurance Syndicate. Born Nov. 22, 1926, he was an honor student and Eagle Scout and graduated Alameda High School, California, president of his class and officer in the R.O.T.C. He enlisted in the Army at the end of World War II and attained the rank of first lieutenant in the M.P.'s serving in Augsburg, Germany and was awarded the Purple Heart. Subsequently, he was promoted to captain in the reserves.
Following his discharge, he attained his B.A. in economics from the University of California-Berkeley, graduating in 1949 (a fraternity brother of Phi Kappa Sigma). His marine insurance career began in San Francisco in 1950 where he trained and attained Full Member of the Association.
In 1955, he moved his wife and two children from South San Francisco to New York, accepting the position of assistant claims manager at American Hull Insurance Syndicate. In 1960, he was promoted to claims manager, 1968 deputy chairman and in 1971 was elected chairman and CEO at the age of 45. While holding that position, he also was chairman of United States Salvage Association. He also served on the Board of Managers (18 years) and Management Committee (10 years) of the American Bureau of Shipping.
In 1991, at the request of the government, he chaired the Committee on Fishing Vessel Safety and published their blueprint for a national program.
A board member of the American Institute of Marine Underwriters for many years, Mr. Schumacher was also an instructor with the College of Insurance (now St. John's University) and a member of Maritime Law Association. He was an active executive for the Seamen's Church Institute from 1976 until 1991 where he served on numerous management and executive committees including chairman.
Allen served as Chairman of the Association in 1973-74. In an introduction to the booklet that the Association produced outlining the major differences between the 1950 and the 1974 York Antwerp Rules, Allen wrote "With the possible exception of the tablets handed down from Mount Sinai, the codes which regulate Man’s social and economic conduct do not arrive full-blown, nor do they 'just happen.' Such codes – and the York/Antwerp Rules are among them – are the distillation of the thoughts of dedicated men and the accord they represent is reached through process of reason, negotiation and compromise to achieve that which may not always be perfect, but which blends principles and practices in such a way as to be both workable and enduring."
2007 NEWS ARCHIVE
THIRD ANNUAL MARINE INSURANCE AWARDS
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Michael J. Schmidt '07, was nominated by his Professor of Marine Insurance. He received the highest grade in his class in the marine insurance course, and also because he completed two internships in ocean marine underwriting with St. Paul Travelers Insurance in Boston. During these internships Michael worked closely with underwriters to understand and issue ocean cargo, hull & machinery, marine liabilities policies and yacht policies while also making numerous marketing trips to agents, brokers, and clients.
He participated in policy and systems training in New Jersey and took a training trip to New York City. His employer rates him very highly. We have received a letter of appreciation from Michael which you may read by clicking here.
Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY
Joseph Watson Judd
SUNY Maritime College at Fort Schuyler, NY
Elena Novikova
NEWS OF MEMBERS
OBITUARY - ED EFFRAT
Ed Effrat served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946. In 1948 he received his B.S. degree from the University of Michigan, later attending the graduate School of Business Administration of New York University. In 1948 he joined Johnson & Higgins as a trainee in the average adjusting department, becoming a junior member of this Association in 1950 and a full member in 1952. Ed ultimately became the manager of the adjusting department at Johnson & Higgins and subsequently moved to Shipowners Claims Bureau with his department in 1989. He retired from there in 1994.
Ed served as a member of the Association’s Advisory Committee on Rules of Practice and the Executive Committee, of which he was chairman in 1974/1975. He was chairman of this association in 1980.
Ed passed away on May 18, 2007 and is survived by his wife, Florence, 3 children and 3 grandchildren.
OBITUARY - GERALD E. MEEHAN (1933-2007)
We have received news of the death of former Full Member Gerry Meehan on August 17, 2007 at the age of 74 in Bethpage, Long Island, New York. He is survived by his wife, Ann, and four daughters. Gerry became a member of The Association of Average Adjusters in 1959, and worked as an Average Adjuster at Frank B. Hall. His colleagues fondly remember Gerry as always willing to give advice, and share his knowledge, experience and expertise with juniors training to be Average Adjusters. His passing is a great loss to our industry.
Gerry's former colleagues Richard Carney and Allan Jann have offered these remembrances:
Richard: "I first met Jerry Meehan at Frank B. Hall in 1974 when I joined as a trainee in the adjusting department. We had a unit structure back then and Jerry was not my immediate supervisor. However, if you were working late and you found yourself with a problem you needed some advice on, Jerry was more than willing to provide the benefit of his experience. Taking time out for some forlorn trainee was a mark of his professionalism. For someone just learning the trade, this was most appreciated.
"From my view, Jerry was always unflappable even in the face of the considerable pressure claims work can generate. He always had a smile, a joke and a good word for everyone. I never understood his nickname “Pop” considering he was only slightly older than most of the staff. Perhaps it was the silver grey hair? Then I came to realize it was nickname of true affection on behalf of his contemporaries. He will be missed.”
Allan: "Gerry was a true gentleman and a great teacher and fatherly figure in his family. He was fondly called "Pop' by his colleagues and friends because of the pure silver hair he carried even at the younger age and mostly because of the fatherly kindness he bestowed on to his peers when sharing his professional knowledge or when teaching his junior colleagues. I had the great fortune of working under his tutelage. His passing is a great loss to our industry."
OBITUARY - CHARLES F. KILLIAN
Charlie Killian passed away on June 23rd, 2007 in Sacramento, CA at the age of 73. He had been a member of the Association since 1960 and became a Full Member in 1963. A 1957 graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York, he served as a deck officer on U.S. flagged merchant vessels. In 1958, he came ashore and commenced training as a junior Average Adjuster with Johnson & Higgins in New York, with whom he served until 1961, when he joined the John F. Curry Agency.
In 1966, he rejoined Johnson & Higgins as a Vice President and relocated to San Francisco, bringing his wife and four young children. He continued in their average adjusting department until 1980, when he became Marine and Aviation Insurance Broker, Account Manager, Unit Manager, and Training Coordinator.
Leaving J&H in 1994, Charlie joined Jordan Harrison Insurance Brokers as an insurance broker and average adjuster and remained active on a consulting basis through 2006.
Mr. Killian was highly respected by his peers during a career that spanned 45 years.
OBITUARY - CHARLES B. ACHUFF 1933-2007
The Executive Committee has received the sad news of the death in Philadelphia on February 27th, 2007, of Full Member Charlie Achuff, who joined this Association in 1961.
Charles B. “Charlie “ Achuff was born in Philadelphia in 1934. After graduating from Collingdale High School, he immediately began a long career in the insurance industry when he started working for Reliance Insurance Company. He later embarked on his long association with H.C. Knight, an Insurance Broking and Average Adjusting firm. Charlie became a partner in the firm in 1965.
In 1988, Charlie became the sole Owner of the firm when he bought out his partner. During his years with H.C. Knight, his main account was Keystone Shipping. In 1990, H.C. Knight merged with the firm of Sedgwick James of Pennsylvania, Inc. After the merger, Charlie continued to service the account of Keystone Shipping to whom he provided more the 50 years of service over his working career. In 1998, Keystone Shipping transferred its account to Aon Risk Services. Subsequently, Charlie became a valued Aon employee and so remained until his passing.
Charlie was very active in his Church and community. He served as a deacon, elder, trustee, Sunday school teacher and endowment treasurer for the Tully Memorial Presbyterian Church in Sharon Hall. He became a full member of the Association of Average Adjusters of the United States in 1961 and regularly attended the annual business meeting and dinner up until his passing away. He was also proud that he was a non lawyer member of the Maritime Law Association the United States and regularly attended their annual dinner and associated events.
2006 NEWS ARCHIVE
The Association's Don Moore presents our check to Midshipman Nathan Robert McCrillis
SECOND ANNUAL MARINE INSURANCE AWARDS GO TO JEFFREY COOK OF SUNY AND NATHAN ROBERT McCRILLIS OF KING'S POINT
Commencing in 2005, the Association’s Executive Committee has been allocating funds for a Marine Insurance Award in memory of our members who died on September 11, 2001, which is offered annually to those USMMA (King’s Point) and SUNY (Fort Schuyler) candidates who have the best grade in the respective marine insurance course, or who, in the opinion of their instructors, have indicated the keenest interest in the marine insurance field.
The 2006 awards, of $500 each, have been presented to Jeffrey Cook, a graduate student at SUNY Maritime College, who is now looking to pursue a career in underwriting and to Nathan Robert McCrillis of King's Point.
The 2005 awards, of $500.00 each, were given to Vladimir Durandin of Fort Schuyler and to USMMA graduate Dawn Ashley Ivancik from California, Maryland.
NEWS FROM LONDON
At its private meeting on May 10th, the UK Association re-elected Nigel Rogers as Chairman. Our congratulations go to him. At the AGM the following day, Nigel gave an address on "Shipbuilders' Risks", which we have posted on the Papers page of this website.
Obituary – Howard L. Myerson
The Executive Committee reports with sadness the death of Lifetime Member Howard Myerson, in New York on March 12th, 2006, after a long illness. He had been a member of this association since 1957.
Howard was one of the few average adjusters to have practiced on both sides of the Atlantic. Born in Chicago on December 18, 1929, he was a graduate of the University of Chicago (Class of 1950) and served in the US Army before joining the Chicago office of The Hartford Insurance Company. After taking evening classes in Admiralty law, Howard became interested in average adjusting and joined Despard & Company. In the early 1960s, he took up an opportunity to work for ER Lindley in London, broadening his experience from Great Lakes Practice into blue water and international claims. He returned to the US to take up a position in New York with Despard, which later merged into Fred S. James. Subsequently, he joined Johnson & Higgins, retiring from that firm in the mid-1980s.
Howard always valued his ties with his English colleagues and this was reflected in ER Lindley’s inviting him to become their US representative when he left J&H. When ER Lindley later took over Richards Hogg, Howard continued to serve the newly-formed Richards Hogg Lindley in a consulting capacity.
Besides our own Association, Howard was a tireless and hard-working member of AIDE and of the US MLA and served as valuably in those associations as in our own. He enjoyed helping to organize international conferences and attending meetings worldwide, combining his love of the profession of average adjusting with his love of foreign travel and passion for haute cuisine, fine wine, theater and opera.
Howard worked extensively on the 1994 revision of the York Antwerp Rules, particularly the 1994 revision, both as chairman of the MLA’s subcommittee on General Average and as a US delegate to the CMI conference in Sydney. He served as our Chairman in 1995-1996 and gave a characteristically scholarly address entitled The American Experience at Sydney: Some Reflections on the York-Antwerp Rules, 1994. His more recent work on the Rules of Practice is appreciated by every Full Member and many outside our membership.
He became a Lifetime Member of the Association in 2006.
Howard died peacefully at home, in his sleep, surrounded by members of the medical team that had ministered to him during a long bout of ill health. A memorial service was held in Manhattan on Friday, March 31st, 2006.
Members wishing to add to this remembrance of Howard are invited to use this link to contact the webmaster. Reminiscences and messages of condolence have been received from numerous colleagues:
From Janusz Fedorowicz, President of AIDE: “not only was Howard a very learned Average Adjuster, he also was a wine expert and I recall that on the occasion of one of our meetings the wine was not quite up to the expectation of his palate so that, gently as usual, he whispered into my ear some comment about what he required to drink.”
Stefano Cavallo, immediate past President of AIDE:
It is with great sorrow and sadness that I learn the passing away of Howard.
I remember that when I joined AIDE he was one of the first to do his best to make me feel at my ease. In particular, when during our GA Assembly in Lisbon I was unexpectedly proposed to become the Treasurer of AIDE (the first step for the Presidency) I was very anxious reluctant to accept. Well, the first encouraging words came just from Howard who was sat near me. He smiled to me and said "don't hesitate , I'm sure you will be a good chairman" . I may assure that this represented for me the real spur to stand up and accept. Also for this reason I will never forget his friendship.
Also on behalf of my father and all the members of Studio Cavallo I ask you to kindly extend my deepest sympathy to the friends of the American Association of the Average Adjusters.
With sincere condolences
Maurice Gesner, Chairman of the Association of Average of Canada: “Until a few years ago, Howard had been a regular visitor to our Association's meetings in Montreal. He will be sadly missed, but not forgotten, by his many friends in Canada. His Average Adjusting knowledge was a credit to our profession.”
Geoffrey Hudson, who celebrated 50 years' membership of the Association of Average Adjusters in 2005, sent the following memorial, with his wife Anne:
HOWARD and PEGGY MYERSON - AN APPRECIATION
I first met Howard when he came to London from Despards to join Lindley’s front office team of David Milburn, John Castle and myself some time in the sixties. The object of the move was to supplement Howard’s knowledge of adjusting - he knew all there was to know based on Great Lakes practice – with international and Bluewater experience. It was very soon evident to us that not only was Howard a quick learner in his tradecraft, but also that he and Peggy had taken to London like ducks to water. Both socially and intellectually alert, Howard and Peggy were delightful people to work with, talk with, and just be with generally.
The next stage of Howard’s professional development took place after his return to the United States. Perhaps because he and Peggy were such enthusiastic travellers, revelling in opportunities for overseas trips, Howard took an early opportunity of joining the International Association of European Average Adjusters (AIDE), even though at that time (the eighties) non-Europeans could only be recognised as Corresponding Members. It’s different now, of course. Fortunate in his wide professional experience and love of foreign travel, Howard became very much in demand to join AIDE committees and working groups, where his knowledge and sagacity became greatly respected.
So far as my own happy working life with Howard and Peggy is concerned, a new and fruitful development took place in January 1989, when Howard accepted my invitation to join Lindleys as our man in New York. Our happy collaboration came on apace during the next five years and culminated when from business partners we became “sparring partners” in the US v. UK contest for the YAR at Sydney in 1994.
Finally, we pay homage to two close friends, the like of whom we shall not see again.
Geoffrey and Anne Hudson
Charles Hebditch, former Chairman of the Association of Average Adjusters, and former President of AIDE: “I was very fond of him and appreciated his little mannerisms and his enjoyment of travel in Europe and of all the good wine and food that can be obtained there. He was also a skilled and knowledgeable adjuster of course.”
Esteban Vivanco, an average adjuster practicing in Argentina: “It is with great sadness I learn of Howard's passing away and would like to express my deepest sympathy to his family for their sad lost. I remember Howard especially for his kindness and generosity from the moment I became a member of [AIDE].”
Edvige Zampichelli Pizzorno, an average adjuster practicing in Italy: "it is with great sorrow that I learnt that Howard Myerson passed away and I would express my deepest sympathy to the Goodfriend family and to the American Association. I remember his professional competence and experience as well as his kindness and his love towards his beloved Peggy. With sincere condolences."
Fellow New York average adjuster Richard Carney contributes this reminiscence: "My clearest recollection of the Myersons had nothing to do with any professional or business relations. Nearly two decades ago I had finished a meeting with London solicitors one fine summer morning. A dinner had been planned for that evening and I had nothing set up for that particular afternoon so I decided to spend it at the National Gallery. In strolling through the galleries, I see Howard and Peggy Myerson. Howard had a meeting planned for the next day and they were taking in an exhibit on the maritime painting of Canaletto and Turner. We contemplated the pictures and remarked how each artist caught the wonder of sea and sky. I had fancied myself something of an aficionado of marine painting, but I enjoyed Howard's thoughts on the subject. Evening came on far too soon and we had to part company. It was time well spent with two delightful people. They will be sorely missed ."
Donald L. Ward - FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
With great sorrow we must report the passing of Life Member Don Ward December 17th 2005 after illness that recently kept him from his work. Don commenced his employment in the field with the London firm of Clancey & Sons where he became conversant with the basics of adjusting and went on to acquire extensive, practical experience. While smoking his pipe Don often recounted one of his yeoman duties there: stoking the office coal fire first thing in the morning.
During the 1970’s Don crossed the Atlantic in response to the rising demand for readily trained adjusters, as did a number of others from London at that time. He first went to work in New York with the firm of Frank B. Hall, qualifying as a Full Member of our Association. From there he joined Fred S. James, later a part of Sedgwick. In due course he initiated adjusting activities at B & P International while that firm was in its nascent form. Coming full circle, he most recently could be found issuing adjustments from Willis in their New York office.
Don served with distinction on the Membership and Executive Committees of our Association. As a child Don bore direct witness to the Battle of Britain, finding himself in the thick of the London bombings, and, unfortunately, had memories of those times revived as he commuted to the World Trade Center by PATH train, arriving there during the height of the 9/11 attack. Don will be sorely missed. Our sympathies are extended to his family.
