Conferees Elated Jeanne Will Miss NAPSLO Convention

Convention sponsors and conferees arriving in Orlando for the annual NAPSLO National Convention breathed a sigh of relief Sunday as Hurricane Jeanne was downgraded and would not be a threat to the Bahamas or Florida.

On Sunday, many of the 2,800 conferees expected to attend the Sept. 19-23 convention were arriving at the World Center Marriott in Orlando. NAPSLO said rooms at two conference hotels were sold out and that overflow was being accommodated at other hotels.

Hurricane advisories were discontinued in the Bahamas on Saturday as Jeanne’s original low-level center moved off to the west and weakened. On Sunday morning a trough was pushing Jeanne north and northeastward. The National Hurricane Center said Jeanne presented no short-term threat to the U.S.

The convention began Sunday with registration through the day and the opening reception at 6 p.m. Programs and convention events take place Tuesday and Wednesday. Monday is open for members to meet with their markets. Programs conclude on Wednesday morning with the Annual Business Meeting and a Reception.

Convention events kick off at 8:30 a.m. with opening remarks, awards and recognition events. At 9 a.m., William S. Cohen, U.S. Secretary of Defense from 1997 to 2001, will be the annual Derek Hughes/NAPSLO Educational Foundation Lecture Series speaker. The Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance Recognition will take place at 10:15 a.m.; followed at 10:30 a.m. by a panel discussion on Valuations, Mergers and Acquisitions at 10:30 a.m.; and the ASLI luncheon at noon.

Sally Ride, Ph.D., the first American woman in space, will speak at 9 a.m., Wednesday. At 10:30 a.m., panelists will discuss Building Relationships Among the Retailer, Wholesaler and Company, moderated by Mark Wells, publisher of Insurance Journal. The annual business meeting will follow the panel.

Topics Excess Surplus