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Gilbert Hine, co-chairman of NAPSLO’s Education Committee, is particularly proud of several upgrades accomplished in continuing education programs for surplus lines industry officials over the last several years. He is also a member of the NAPSLO board of directors.
Mr. Hine, president of McClelland & Hine, San Antonio, Texas, points to the Executive Leadership School developed by NAPSLO Education Committee members in conjunction with the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, Charlottesville, Va.
He also notes the establishment over the last several years of online continuing education programs specifically tailored for surplus industry members who need CE courses in order to retain their property and casualty licenses.
This program, developed with Success Continuing Education, a California-based firm, was established because surveys by NAPSLO indicated strong membership interest in such programs.
The Executive Leadership School program, now in its second year, was devised as part of long-range strategic planning initiatives by NAPSLO leadership aimed at facilitating the training of present and future surplus line management.
The next three-day session will take place April 7-10.
Mr. Hines explained that for a number of years NAPSLO has provided two schools, one for those employed by NAPSLO member-firms with one to five years of experience in the industry, and another for those with five to 15 years experience.
But the Darden program is aimed at providing management training for the “future leaders of our industry.”
He said that one of the unique features of this school is that it gives those attending insight into management issues in other industries. “People have found this useful in adapting these experiences to our industry,” he said.
The Darden School has served as a critical resource for businesses for over half a century, Mr. Hines said, and has adapted to serve the surplus lines industry in conjunction with input from NAPSLO.
It uses a case study approach, the same as that used by schools with well-known Masters in Business Administration programs, such as Harvard and the Wharton School.
“But this program is unique, because it has been condensed into an intense three-day period and is a lot less expensive,” he said.
As for the continuing education program, it is administered through Success CE and was instituted two years ago.
Under the program, NAPSLO member-companies staff are eligible to go online and take courses for CE credits in various states.
“The important thing is that NAPSLO people have access to SUCCESS CE,” Mr. Hine said.
The NAPSLO Education Committee has worked with Success CE to set this up. It covers property and casualty issues, and makes it easier for licensed personnel at NAPSLO member-companies to maintain their p&c licenses in the individual states.
Mr. Hine said NAPSLO surveys have indicated a high need for these types of programs. He said officials of NAPSLO member-companies receive a discount from Success CE for members who take these courses.
“Our participation is designed to make these courses particularly relevant to NAPSLO members and save them the time and trouble of finding these necessary programs on their own,” Mr. Hine said.
He said the CE program is a long-range initiative by NAPSLO to partner up with a vendor that has an online CE product and will work with NAPSLO over time to develop courses that are of particular interest to NAPSLO members and addresses our particular niche.