Panning for Risk Management at 14th Annual California JPIA Risk Management Conference

The California JPIA’s 14th Annual Risk Management Conference held at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco concluded October 30 in the midst of overwhelming gratitude and acknowledgement from an attentive conference audience. In support of our membership in these times of fiscal uncertainty, the Authority’s Executive Committee eliminated member registration fees for this year’s conference which contributed to an attendance of over 250 people.

The conference kicked off on October 28 with its traditional golf tournament, held this year at the historic Presidio Golf course. Golfers enjoyed unseasonably perfect San Francisco weather, and also took the opportunity to network, while enjoying some friendly competition. The foursome of Ernesto Marquez, Steve Gomez, Victor Farfan, and Steven Cooper won the tournament with a score of 73. Concurrent with golf, the conference kicked-off with a five-hour pre-conference session entitled Pick, Shovel, and TNT, From an Incident to the Doorsteps of Trial. The session was an interactive case study of an actual incident that took participants from the first notice of a claim through preparation for trial.

The session concluded on Friday with a mock trial, including jury deliberation. Defense panel attorney, Scott Grossberg of Cihigoyenetche, Grossberg & Clouse, was the lead presenter in this insightful glimpse into the dialogue and interaction of a jury panel in determining a trial verdict.

Defense panel attorney, Scott Grossberg of Cihigoyenetche, Grossberg & Clouse, presented an enlightening pre-conference and closing session at the conference.

This year’s keynote speaker was business humorist and an internationally-recognized Beatles expert, Bill Stainton. Bill’s presentation, Eureka! The 5 Best Decisions the Beatles Ever Made, shared key organizational strategies on leadership, teamwork, and innovation while engaging “volunteers” from the audience in a challenging game of Beatles trivia. The finale was one that will not be forgotten -- we have the pictures! Let’s just say that some of our members should keep their day jobs.

The significance of the California JPIA’s annual Risk Management Conference was underscored this year by the support provided from 36 sponsors that together contributed a record $130,000 to support the various conference endeavors. At the highest tier of sponsorship, the California level, were the firm of Bohm, Matsen, Kegel & Aguilera, LLP; the Law Offices of Scott C. Haith and Associates; and Cihigoyenetche, Grossberg & Clouse.

Mark your calendar now for the 15th Annual California JPIA Risk Management Conference to be held October 27-29, 2010 at the Fess Parker’s Doubletree Hotel in Santa Barbara.