May guest speaker, Jennifer Marino, of the San Francisco Police Department, addressed safety issues.

2007 EBCA Officers & Board of Directors: Stevan Muir, Ray Depa, Justine Bone, Patricia deRouen, Ken Ridings, Karen Cowan, Kelly Sullivan, Susan Spencer, Carol Valenzuela, Phil Hughes, and Kim Tamayo.

EBCA 2007 President Karen Cowan, of Restoration Mgmt Co.

EBCA President Karen Cowan thanked guest speaker Jennifer Marino for sharing her experience and knowledge.

EBCA Secretary and Golf Tournament Chair, Carol Valenzuela, announced the August 17th tourney

Sisters Justine Bone and
Jennifer Marino.

Ricelli Mordecai, of FRSTeam by Custom Commercial brought Mothers’ Day-themed center-pieces to the May meeting, which one member per table got to take home.

Lon Anderson, of Anderson Claims Service, Inc. with EBCA Sec. Carol Valenzuela, of ProTech.

Dave Dunkle is back! The one-time AC Transit claimsman is now with AIMS.

EBCA Rep. to the Claims Conference of Northern California, Inc., Lisa Winn, announced details of the September 13-14, 2007 event. Lisa is also the Exhibitors’ Committee CoChair. Booths are selling out quickly. Go to ClaimsConference.org

Kelly Sullivan and Teresa Atzman, with Konong & Associates.

Frances Hewitt, of Tucknott Electric Company, is helping to organize the next EBCA "Members Only" mixer, June 14, 2007.

Congratulations to first-timer, Azor Lopez, of Material Analysis & Characterization Service (MAC Labs, Inc.), on winning the 50/50 Raffle.

Personal Safety in the Field at May EBCA
By Bryan Harrison

The nature of the job for many claims adjusters requires that they spend a good deal of time out in the world. “Maintaining a high level of personal safety awareness can serve to in minimize risk,” said Jennifer Marino of the San Francisco Police Department at the May 9, 2007 gathering of the East Bay Claims Association.

Marino, a mother of five (three of her own and two step-children), is a twelve year veteran of the SFPD, and is the sister of East Bay Claims member, Justine Bone, of Data Safe, Inc.

Jennifer spoke to another large luncheon crowd for EBCA, this one outdoors in the warm Spring sunshine at the Radisson Dublin. She covered a lot of ground, with safety tips on a variety of levels: from driving habits and buddy-systems to environmental precautions and proper use of pepper-spray, she offered a great deal of sound advice.

“Your goal is to be the person who doesn’t get picked (as a target),” she offered up.

Keeping clutter from view in your vehicle is a great way to reduce the likelihood of finding your window broken and valuables missing, besides the possibility of having your vehicle stolen.

“More people are killed each year in car accidents than from violent acts,” she stated with regard to safe driving habits. “Make driving your vehicle your focus,” she said. “Get off the phone, or at least get ‘hands-free’,” as in get a head-set!

“When taking statements in someone’s home, casually ask ‘oh, who’s home today?’, and position yourself for optimal view of what’s going on,” she suggested.

Doing the little things to keep oneself as safe as possible not only brings greater peace of mind, but can help us all be more productive in our daily routines.

Todd Deike and Evan Lazar, with PALS.	First-timer to EBCA Carlos Downing, with Service Plus Construction, Inc.	Barbara Larson and Susan Spencer, with Cunningham Lindsey Adjusters.