Fraternal Advantage - January/February 2009

MEMBER NEWS

NFCA Associate Member Receives Award

Bob Bowsher, CLU, ChFC, Vice President of Business Development for askAFS has been awarded the Inter-Company Marketing Group (ICMG) 2009 Don Kampe Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award, named after its first recipient, Don Kampe, a board member and president, is given to a dedicated individual who has made significant long-term contributions to the growth and development of the ICMG through their leadership and personal service. Bowsher is an ICMG board member and was the 2005 President. Audrey Whittenberg, Executive Director of the ICMG, who has worked closely with Bob said, “Bob has been an outstanding leader within ICMG and in the industry, and an enthusiastic supporter of strategic alliances. I’m pleased to see Bob honored with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award – he is truly deserving.”

Bowsher graduated from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio, and received his MBA from the University of Dayton. He has served as a board member for the Binghamton Philharmonic and LIMRA International. He and his wife of 41 years, Sally, reside in Frisco, TX. They have two children and three grandsons.

The ICMG began in 1985 by industry professionals desiring to develop a network and create continuous learning opportunities about strategic alliances. For more information, visit www.icmg.org.

The Independent Order of Foresters Celebrating 135 years in 2009
For 135 years, the Independent Order of Foresters has endured, sharing our financial strength with our members and their communities, and providing benefits of membership. With a solid foundation on which to build, Foresters will continue to grow. To find out more about Foresters’ 135 year history, visit www.foresters135.com.

Joseph Hoffman Hired as New CEO of The Order of United Commercial Travelers of America

The Order of United Commercial Travelers of America (UCT) is pleased to announce the hiring of Joseph H. Hoffman as its new CEO.

"I am excited to have been selected for this position by UCT's Board of Governors," said Hoffman. "Fraternal benefit societies like UCT play an essential role in our communities, both financially and socially. I look forward to working with the organization's Board, staff and members to develop and implement the strategic planning that will drive UCT's growth."

Prior to joining UCT, Hoffman served as Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer for Central Benefits Mutual Insurance Company (CBM) and its subsidiaries, where he was responsible for the financial, investment management, cash management, actuarial, strategic planning and information technology functions. His experience also includes a variety of management positions with Liberty Mutual and several companies in the financial and telecommunications industries.

Hoffman's duties as CEO include overseeing the daily administration of UCT's Home Office, acting as liaison between the Home Office staff and Board of Governors, initiating strategic planning, implementing policy directives and establishing organizational goals. His responsibilities also include executing financial, investment and actuarial functions as well as interfacing with insurance regulators and reinsurers.

Born in New York and raised in Boston, Mass., Hoffman earned a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth and an MBA from the University of Chicago. He is a past president of the Central Ohio Chapter of Financial Executives International and he teaches part-time at The Ohio State University Fisher School of Business. He has also been involved with the Upper Arlington Booster Club, the Dartmouth Club of Central Ohio and a youth soccer league. He and his wife have three children.

Mike Hammontree Named Senior Vice President of UCT

The Order of United Commercial Travelers of America (UCT) has named Michael J. Hammontree Senior Vice President. He has been employed by UCT since 1987.

In his role as Senior Vice President, Hammontree oversees operations of the fraternal, agent services, sales/marketing, public relations, office services and print shop departments, ensuring they align with the organization's business objectives.

Hammontree began his career with UCT as Fraternal Affairs Manager, advancing to Vice President of Fraternal/Marketing. He was named Senior Vice President in July 2008.

Before joining UCT, Hammontree was employed by the Lee Company of Salina, Kan., from 1959 to 1987. He started in the warehouse and worked his way up to regional sales manager in 1970. For the last 14 years with the company he was consistently one of the top two salespeople, leading the sales force three of the last five years with Lee.

Hammontree graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Salina and attended St. Benedict’s College in Atchison, Kan. He has served on the athletic board of St. Michael Grade School in Worthington and on the board of Bishop Watterson High School, where he was president during 1999-2000. He is a past regional president of UCT and is an officer of the organization's local council.

He and his wife, Martha, have four children, five grandchildren and one on the way.

For more information, visit www.uct.org.

Modern Woodmen Bank Will Move to New Rock Island Location

100 17th Street named the Modern Woodmen Bank Building

Rock Island’s Modern Woodmen Bank office will move to the newly-named Modern Woodmen Bank Building at the corner of First Avenue and 17th Street in Rock Island. The building was formerly occupied by National City and Wells Fargo. The move is tentatively scheduled for mid-March 2009 and will take place following renovations and improvements to the first floor.

“Modern Woodmen Bank has been operating nationwide since 2003, and its move will make more Quad Citians aware of the services it offers,” says W. Kenny Massey, Modern Woodmen Bank chairman of the Board of Directors and Modern Woodmen president. “The new location will provide better visibility to the community in a convenient location.”

The new office will be staffed by a loan originator, additional customer service staff and will have drive-up lane capabilities.

A new drive-up ATM is already available at the new Modern Woodmen Bank Building. The ATM is surcharge-free for the community.

“The new Modern Woodmen Bank Building displays our commitment to downtown Rock Island and to the Quad Cities,” says Steve Ollenburg, president and CEO of Modern Woodmen Bank. “The move is fueled by continued growth, and the larger office will allow us to continue growing while providing even better service.”

Total Modern Woodmen Bank account holders have grown to more than 22,000 since its opening. Rock Island office transactions have grown more than 25 percent between 2007 and 2008. The downtown office is the only Modern Woodmen Bank office nationwide. As a direct bank, Modern Woodmen Bank conducts business primarily via the Internet, mail, telephone and other electronic means.

Modern Woodmen Bank’s walk-up bank office is currently located at 226 17th Street, Rock Island, inside the Holiday Inn Rock Island. The bank moved into its current office in January 2003.

"Modern Woodmen Bank has been a great addition to our community, and specifically downtown Rock Island. Since its opening, Modern Woodmen Bank has supported several of Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation's housing initiatives. We are happy it is expanding its presence downtown," says Brian Hollenback, President of Renaissance Rock Island.

The Modern Woodmen Bank Building was purchased by Modern Woodmen of America in 2000. Modern Woodmen occupies the second and third floors of the building. Additional tenants occupy the fourth floor.

Based in Rock Island, Modern Woodmen Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Modern Woodmen of America. With approximately $205 million in assets and 22,000 account holders, Modern Woodmen Bank serves Modern Woodmen members nationwide and the general public in the greater Quad-City area.

For more information, visit www.modern-woodmen.org.

Catholic Aid Association Welcomes New Senior Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer

The Catholic Aid Association (CAA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Harald Borrmann as Senior Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer effective January 1, 2009. Borrmann was unanimously elected to the position on by the Association’s membership at its annual convention on Aug. 2, 2008.

 “The Board of Directors and I are pleased to welcome Harald as our new Senior Vice President and we look forward to working with him as we serve our 74,000 members,” said President and Chairman Michael McGovern.

Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, Catholic Aid Association serves approximately 74,000 members with 150 active fraternal councils in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Borrmann has more than 30 years of experience in the reinsurance industry, and has a degree from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Business in Marketing and Finance. He has taken numerous courses since then in the fields of life insurance, property/casualty insurance, taxation, pensions and sales management. He has executive management experience with various reinsurance firms in Minnesota.

From 1999 to 2008, Borrmann was the Senior Vice President of Holborn Corporation in Minneapolis, Minn., a New York-based reinsurance intermediary firm. From 1982 to 1999 he held numerous positions culminating in the position of Managing Director and Minneapolis Branch Manager for Guy Carpenter & Company, the reinsurance intermediary arm of Marsh & McLennan Companies. Through the years 1976 to 1982, Borrmann worked at E.W. Blanch Company in Bloomington, Minn., where he worked his way up to Assistant Vice President.

Borrmann and his wife, Mary, reside in St. Paul, Minn., and have three grown children.

Borrmann succeeds Senior Vice President Dennis “Denny” L. Olson, who retired in 2008. Olson worked for the Catholic Aid Association for the past 28 years (1980-2008), and was elected as senior vice president and secretary/treasurer in 1993. He has earned several professional designations: CLU, ChFC, REBC, FLMI, and also Associate, Customer Service from the Life Office Management Institute.

Olson is past president of the Secretaries Section of the National Fraternal Council of America, a past member of the Finance Committee of the Insurance Federation of Minnesota, and was active in the Insurance Accounting and Software Association, and the Risk & Insurance Management Society. He will enjoy his retirement with his wife, Irene, five children and ten grandchildren. He lives in Vadnais Heights, Minn.

“I have been busy learning as much as possible about the duties of my new position, and working with Denny Olson to assure a smooth transition for our members,” Borrmann said. “It has been great getting to know all my new colleagues here in the CAA Home Office. In addition, I have spent as much time as possible learning about what we have done in the past to make Catholic Aid so successful in order that I can continue to help us grow larger and stronger in the future.”

For more information about the Catholic Aid Association, visit www.catholicaid.org.



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