News

I am not sure what is more depressing – all of this bad weather, the cold and rain (not to mention the terrible devastation caused by the tornados) or (dare I be so shallow?) the loss of my hometown hockey team? Do you recall that Punxsutawney Phil promised us an early spring? I think what we got was a false spring instead. I wonder if that’s anything like a false hard market?

Jinny and I share a subscription to the Pittsburgh Speaker Series that is sponsored by Robert Morris College. For many years now they have been bringing Nobel Prize winners, Pulitzer Prize winners, statesmen, distinguished journalists, and other outstanding personalities to give lectures that are both enlightening and entertaining. We have had the privilege to hear people such as Colin Powell, Salman Rushdie, Madeline Albright, Robert Kennedy, and Steve Forbes. At the beginning of each season we divide up the tickets and pick our personal favorites, which means Jinny usually goes to see all of the liberal speakers and I go to see the conservative ones! Well, we were stumped when the final lecture this season featured a debate between Carl Rove, the former senior political advisor for President G.W. Bush, and  *Howard Dean, one-time presidential candidate and former chairman of the Democratic National committee.

From the outset I thought I had tickets to what would be a really contentious fight. However, each one spoke about their history and their passions for 30 minutes and then they both answered some very compelling and interesting questions from the audience. By the time the evening was over, I was completely won over by both men! And to tell the truth, it was because I discovered that they were not at all how the media portrayed them! They are patriots - intelligent and passionate about our country, which makes me realize how terrible it must be to live in a country ruled by a madman like Muammar Gaddafi. As Warren Buffet says, we are the winners of the genetic lottery because we were born in the United States. Don’t waste your good luck – get involved in your community and get informed about upcoming local elections. And finally, do your duty and get out and vote. 

That is why I love the insurance business. There are always so many ways to work on a risk and the challenges we must overcome to do the best job are gratifying. Along that line, I wanted to mention that we have started working with a great new Personal Umbrella market. They offer both admitted and non-admitted paper and can do the vanilla risk or the triple death by chocolate variety (like the affluent client with multiple properties, LLCs, additional insureds, and children with DUIs). Honestly, you can spin your wheels looking for a Personal Umbrella market for your customer (you know they all need one), or you can call Tuscano and get a quote for any flavor of client. 

Thanks for your business,

* Editor's note:  The print and email version of this newsletter were distributed with an editorial error.  The correct name of the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee is Mr. Howard Dean.