^{Kurt Bingeman Honored with Charles A. McAlear/NAPSLO Industry Award}

Kurt Bingeman, CPCU, RPLU, CIW, ASLI of Buffalo, New York, was awarded the Charles A. McAlear/NAPSLO Industry Award for his contributions to the industry.  Mr. Bingeman received the award during ceremonies at the 2007 NAPSLO Annual Convention in New Orleans.

The Industry Award was established by NAPSLO in the 1980s to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the surplus lines industry. The award was renamed in 1994 to recognize the Association’s first president and founding member.

Mr. Bingeman has been active on the Board of Directors of both NAPSLO and the Derek Hughes/NAPSLO Education Foundation. On the NAPSLO Board he was President in 1991-92 and during that time he helped oversee the creation of the Foundation. In addition he spent a considerable amount of time over the years on meeting with students at schools to educate others about the industry. 

Since serving as NAPSLO President, Mr. Bingeman served on the Foundation and gave his time to further the interest of students in the surplus lines marketplace. Through NAPSLO and other industry organizations Kurt has been involved in legislative issues

“His involvement has made this industry a better place,” said former NAPSLO president Bill Newton who presented Mr. Bingeman the award.

Mr. Bingeman, owner and President of Russell Bond Inc., is also a Past President of the Professional Insurance Wholesalers Association of New York State, Inc. and received PIWA’s Service to the Industry Award in 2004. His industry involvement also includes serving on the Government Affairs Committee of the American Association of Managing General; as a member of the Public Policy Committee of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of NY and on a Regional Advisory Panel of the Professional Insurance Agents of NY. He is also a past Director and Officer of the Excess Line Association of New York, which he helped found, and later chaired the Industry Liaison, Legislation & Regulation Committee for many years.

In other awards, The Richard M. Bouhan Legislative Advocacy Award was presented to Andrew S. Frazier, CPCU, a former member of the NAPSLO Board of Directors and current member of the Board of the Derek Hughes/NAPSLO Educational Foundation, whose legislative work with NAPSLO as former co-chair of the NAPSLO Legislative Committee and past service on the PCI surplus lines committee and current service on the Board of Governors has helped advance the industry’s legislative issues.  Mr. Frazier is President and CEO of Western World Insurance Group of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

In other awards, in recognition of his work on the Education Committee, the President’s Award as hardest working Director was presented to Randall D. Jones, co-chair of the NAPSLO Education Committee. The Dana Roehrig (Past President’s) Award was presented to Philip R. Ballinger, Jr. CPCU, ASLI, Executive Director of the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas for his work as a member of the NAPSLO Education Committee.