Welcome to the 44th annual Houston Marine Insurance Seminar. The seminar dates for 2009 are September 20 - 22, 2009. We are looking forward to our 44th year as the leading Global Energy and Marine Seminar. Over 700 paid delegates annually come to Houston for the three-day event.

As you all know, the 2008 seminar was cancelled due to Hurricane Ike’s impact on Houston. This would normally limit our ability to support the educational institutions that are a core part of our mission. However, due to the continued generosity of the attendees, we were able to continue to support 13 institutions with total grants of USD 86,900. We are truly grateful to the delegates for that.

One change for 2009 is that due to circumstances beyond our control (refurbishment of The Westin Galleria), we have moved the venue across the Galleria to The Westin Oaks. We will be returning to the newly renovated Westin Galleria in 2010.

Since 1965, what is now Marine Insurance Seminars Inc. has been sponsoring the Houston Marine Insurance Seminar. In all that time only last year was there a cancellation. Marine Insurance Seminar Inc. is a 501(c)(3) corporation whose purpose is the education of the Marine/Energy communities world wide as well as assisting young, bright university talent to attain education and contacts for careers related to the Marine/Energy Insurance Industries. The seminar has donated over USD 1,000,000 to various educational institutions supporting their programs, scholarship opportunities, moot court scholarships or other ways in support of academic excellence in Marine and Energy Insurance and Law. As noted above, even in a year where we were forced to cancel, we donated over USD 86,000 to these schools.

Thanks for your generous, continuing support.

Looking forward, we have a brilliant group of presenters representing a global view on Marine and Energy insurance as well as topical items like piracy. The 2009 speaker list includes:

  • Dan Glaser, Chairman &CEO – Marsh
  • Admiral William Baumgartner, Head JAG Officer - U.S. Coast Guard
  • Andrew Draycott – Managing Director, Newman, Martin and Buchan
  • Graham White, Deputy Chairman – Lloyds
  • David Rider, Executive Director – Seaman’s Church
  • Steve Vivian, Managing Director – Guy Carpenter
  • Mark Berry, General Manager – XL RE
  • Scott Callahan, Executive Vice President – Everest Re
  • Hal Watson – Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, LLP
  • Pat Bonner – Freehill, Hogan & Mahar
  • Robert Carvell, Vice President – McGriff, Seibels and Williams
  • Don Kramer, Chairman & CEO – Ariel Re
  • Alan Crain, Sr., Vice President & General Counsel – Baker Hughes
  • Barbara Jennings, Director Offshore - The Standard Steamship Owners P&I Association
  • Vince Morgan, Sr. Associate - Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
Continuing Education credits are being applied for with the Texas, Louisiana, New York, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, Washington State, the Province of Alberta, Canada and several other Departments of Insurance. Continuing Legal Education credits are being applied for with the MLA, Texas and Louisiana Bars. Some states are reciprocal on CE and CLE so check with your Department of Insurance or Bar Association to see.

We have been able to hold the line on costs and the seminar will be USD 400 again this year. Registration can be accomplished by printing out the registration form or by credit card online (Available starting July 1st). You will also be able to register using cash, checks or credit cards at the seminar. Please mail the pre-registration checks to Sammie Aden or Kellie Whittleman at the address on the form. Registration questions can be addressed to Kellie at kwhittleman@navg.com.

As noted above, all seminar functions will be held at The Westin Oaks. Reservations for accommodations can be made on the web at: http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/hii15 or by mail using the hotel reservation form. All hotel reservations are to be made directly with the hotel.

We sponsor two cocktail parties open to spouse or date of registrants. The first is Sunday night from 6 PM to 8 PM in the Ballroom at the Westin Oaks. Registration will also be available starting at 5 PM that same afternoon. The registration will again open at 8 AM on Monday morning.

The Monday evening cocktail party will begin at 5:30 PM in the foyer.

I also want to personally recognize the hard work of the Seminar Committee. This group of volunteers starts January of each year with a clean slate and puts in countless hours to make the seminar a success. Please extend your appreciation to them when you see them.

Seminar information requests, questions or suggestions can be addressed to Steven Weiss at steve.weiss@libertyiu.com (713) 470-5803 or Lucina Gonzalez at lucina.gonzalez@libertyiu.com (713) 470-5805.

Future Dates
September 19-21, 2010
September 18-20, 2011

Sincerely,

Steven P. Weiss, CPCU, AMIM, NAMS-CMS
Seminar Chair
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