Location: United States

EFI Global and Unified join forces to strengthen their industry-leading position

MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 10, 2018 – Sedgwick, a leading global provider of technology-enabled risk, benefits and integrated business solutions, has announced that its EFI Global and Unified Investigations & Sciences divisions will come together and operate under the brand name EFI Global. The combination solidifies EFI Global’s position as a premier global consulting firm in engineering, fire investigation, environmental health and safety, and specialty services.

This announcement follows the completion of Sedgwick’s acquisition of Cunningham Lindsey and is part of the company’s strategy to ensure its global solutions, core values and services are aligned with current and future market conditions.

“We completed a careful brand analysis and listened to feedback from clients and business leaders in making our branding decision,” said Steve Powell, executive vice president of specialty services for Sedgwick’s property division. “These two strong and successful companies will now, together, under a unified structure and single brand, offer greater resources in more places to a wide variety of industries.”

EFI Global is a well-established brand with an excellent reputation in multiple countries, including Brazil, Canada, U.S. and U.K., and a market leader in environmental consulting, engineering failure analysis and origin-and-cause investigations. Unified Investigations & Sciences is one of the largest forensic firms in the U.S. The expanded operational capabilities of the combined business will mean that EFI Global can excel in its ability to provide skilled and experienced professionals and technical specialists to carry out in-depth investigations, deal with a full range of losses, and provide immediate response to clients worldwide.

“Our forensic investigation, engineering and environmental services teams around the world share a dedication to technical excellence, timely and accurate work product, and ultimately demonstrating to our clients and colleagues the value of Sedgwick’s caring counts® philosophy,” said Jeremy Mele, president of EFI Global’s combined operations. “I look forward to bringing together the best of those values and seeing this next chapter of growth under the EFI Global name.”

 

About Sedgwick

Sedgwick is a leading global provider of technology-enabled risk, benefits and integrated business solutions. We provide a broad range of resources tailored to our clients’ specific needs in casualty,

property, marine, benefits and other lines. At Sedgwick, caring counts®; through the dedication and expertise of more than 21,000 colleagues across 65 countries, the company takes care of people and organisations by mitigating and reducing risks and losses, promoting health and productivity, protecting brand reputations, and containing costs that can impact the bottom line. Sedgwick’s majority shareholder is KKR; Stone Point Capital LLC, La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and other management investors are minority shareholders. For more, see sedgwick.com and efiglobal.com.

 

Media contacts:

Catherine Bennett, public relations director, North America | 615-892-9361 |

[email protected]
Judy Molnar, VP, public relations | 813-215-9358 | [email protected]

Sedgwick completes acquisition of Cunningham Lindsey

Company embarks on next chapter under combined leadership team, will operate globally under Sedgwick name

MEMPHIS, Tenn.– Sedgwick has finalized the purchase of global loss adjusting, claims management and risk solutions firm Cunningham Lindsey and its subsidiaries. The combined organization—including the subsidiaries of Sedgwick, Vericlaim and Cunningham Lindsey, with select exceptions—will move toward operating globally under the Sedgwick brand name.

The strategic acquisition brings Sedgwick nearly 6,000 highly skilled Cunningham Lindsey colleagues in 65 countries who provide expert support to a global customer base of businesses, insurance companies, brokers and policyholders. The professional services they deliver—which include property loss adjusting, third-party claims administration, global account management, forensic engineering, and restoration and repair consulting, among others—complement the capabilities of Sedgwick and Vericlaim around the world and across all aspects of the risk management lifecycle.

“The close of this transaction brings a wealth of talent to Sedgwick, broadens our international footprint, and reinforces our position as the leading global provider of technology-enabled business solutions in the risk and benefits space,” said Dave North, Sedgwick’s president and CEO. “Now, with more than 21,000 colleagues around the world, Sedgwick can meet the complex needs of more clients and take care of more individuals in more locations than ever before.”

North will continue to lead the company’s executive council, now comprising global chief financial officer Henry Lyons, group presidents Mike Arbour and Bob Peterson, and Jane Tutoki, who previously served as global CEO of Cunningham Lindsey and has been appointed vice chair of Sedgwick.

“Bringing together the talent, expertise and robust capabilities of our esteemed organizations under the Sedgwick banner will allow us to provide a unified, end-to-end service solution to clients around the world,” Tutoki said. “Integrating our services and further growing our reach redefines what we can offer the global market.”

About Sedgwick

Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. is a leading global provider of technology-enabled business solutions that include property, casualty and integrated risk services and benefits administration. At Sedgwick, caring counts®; through the dedication and exper­tise of more than 21,000 colleagues across 65 countries, the company takes care of people and organizations by mitigating and reducing risks and losses, promoting health and productivity, protecting brand reputations, and containing costs that can impact the bottom line. Sedgwick’s majority shareholder is KKR; Stone Point Capital LLC, La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and other management investors are minority shareholders. For more, see www.sedgwick.com.

 

VCS Desk Reviews

Vale Consulting Services has been helping carriers control the rise in average indemnity in various ways.

We have performed claims process assessments and audits to identify and control leakage, and have also been performing pre-settlement desk reviews of commercial and residential property estimates.

Vale Consulting Services Desk Reviews are performed by highly skilled estimators who take into account the carriers estimating guidelines, the documentation in the file, and industry best practices.

Our reviewers comment in the estimate on the errors they find and enter the corrected amounts.  The corrected estimate is then returned to the carrier within two business days from receipt.

Savings typically average 10%-25% of the original estimate and 20 to 40 times our fee for this service!

Vale Training Solutions answers the call


Overview
Expert in this field


Late August 2017 brought Hurricane Harvey to the US, targeting the Texas Gulf Coast as a CAT 4.  It was the first major hurricane to make landfall in nearly 9 years.  On the heels of Hurricane Harvey, CAT 4 Hurricane Irma struck the Leeward Islands before making its way to Florida and Georgia.  Hurricane Marie followed 10 days later as a CAT 4, striking Puerto Rico and impacting several other islands in the Caribbean.  In just three weeks, three major hurricanes brought a tremendous amount of devastation to many parts of the region. 


  • Challenge

    The impact of these historic major storms in such a short time highlighted a clear problem for the loss adjusting market, with respect to a lack of adjusting capacity industry-wide.

  • Solution & Results

    Using its global scale and nationally-recognized training programs in the US, Cunningham Lindsey assisted by training new loss adjusters.

    We were aware of the need for additional loss adjusters to assist in managing claims in the US. We quickly provided a solution by immediately developing courses through Cunningham Lindsey’s subsidiary, Vale Training, which specializes in training adjusters and auto estimators in the insurance industry. 

    At a time of obvious peak demand and interest, an email campaign was launched and we reached out through a network of family, friends, social media, LinkedIn and existing emails from previous classes to help spread the word about the free courses and opportunity to enter the adjusting industry by joining the firm.

    The course provided practical sessions and hands-on training, including the logistics, inspections and technology to process claims.  Three classes were offered and filled up instantly.  The training was held at the Vale Training facility in Dallas and at the Rollins Learning Center campus in Atlanta.

    The training provided a comprehensive, fast track program with pre-work in industry-specific courses, followed by a course comprised of experiential learning, which included classroom, lab and field.  The team leads supporting the instructor also conducted evening sessions to cover practical application of concepts.  The Vale and Rollins mock-house labs exposed the learners to actual claims, real material and outside conditions

    Results
    The recruitment campaign was closed in less than 48 hours due to strong interest and full capacity. 

EFI Global names Ron Maggard as VP and Director of Operations

EFI Global  is pleased to announce Ron Maggard, PG as Vice President and Director of Operations. Ron will work closely with the Regional and Service Line Vice Presidents to drive strategic direction and resource alignment for operational efficiencies that support future growth and expansion.

“I am delighted to welcome Ron to our executive team,” says Jeremy Mele, President of EFI Global. “Ron’s addition provides us with a deeper level of technical and operational expertise that will accelerate our continued growth and extend our global reach.”

Mr. Maggard is an experienced senior corporate leader with more than 30 years in forensic services. He is a Registered Professional Geologist and a recognized expert in subsidence and sinkhole-related subsurface activity.  He has a Bachelor’s of Science in Geology from Morehead State University and an MBA from the University of South Florida. Ron will be based in Tampa and will report to the President of EFI Global.

Cunningham Lindsey is Mobilized for Hurricane Harvey

In the light of the devastation being caused to Texas and Louisiana following the passage of Hurricane Harvey, Cunningham Lindsey have mobilized our full range of services to assist our clients at this difficult time.

Cunningham Lindsey have offices located in the affected states and have established a catastrophe coordination office in Dallas Texas, using our existing infrastructure there, augmented by further claims intake staff.

Our National loss adjusting, MCL Global teams and Specialist Practice Groups have been reinforced with staff from elsewhere around the United States to ensure we have sufficient staff to meet the expected needs.

Our adjusting teams also have access to our other specialist support divisions including: EFI Global – Engineering Fire & Environmental Services; FAS Global – Forensic Advisory Services; Oriel – Repair, Restoration & Migration Services and Sergon – Building Consultants.

Furthermore, our adjusting teams have access to satellite imagery which will give us pre and post loss comparative images to assist us in our work.

The threat and the scope of Hurricane Harvey is still ongoing but Cunningham Lindsey stands prepared to assist our clients in both the United States and international markets.

Media/Press inquiries – please contact Judy Molnar, Head of Global Communications [email protected]

Loveland Innovations Partners with Vale Training, Offers Drone-Specific Program for Insurance Professionals

Loveland Innovations®, maker of advanced drone solutions for the P&C Insurance industry, announced today a new partnership with the leading provider of educational tools and services for insurance professionals, Vale Training.

This partnership allows Vale Training to use Loveland Innovations’ first-of-its kind autonomous drone inspection solution, IMGING™, as part of a new program designed to help insurance and roofing professionals understand how and when to use drone technology for roof and property inspections.

With drones as a part of their toolkit, these professionals can increase their inspection efficiency, ensure more consistency between inspections, and gather amazingly detailed roof and property photos, all from the safety of the ground.

“This is an industry first,” says Jim Loveland, Founder and CEO of Loveland Innovations. “Thousands of insurance professionals are ready to take advantage of the benefits drones can bring them, but aren’t sure where to start. This partnership is the first big step toward teaching the next generation of insurance adjusters and roofing professionals how to incorporate the latest technology into their processes. We’re excited to partner with Vale to make this happen.”

The four-day course will take students through a variety of topics including Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, how to fly and maneuver DJI drones, as well as how to use IMGING, which allows drone pilots to create flight plans, capture high-resolution aerial imagery, and build reports using all the detailed roof and property information the drone captures. With these skills, insurance professionals can increase the number of daily inspections they can complete five-fold or more, without compromising quality.

“Vale has been a leader in training insurance professionals for decades and we recognize drones are an evolving and important tool,” says Douglas Dell, Vice President and Director of Vale Training. “Our partnership with Loveland Innovations will make it simple for insurance professionals to learn everything they need to know about drones so they can make inspections and claims documentation easier and more consistent. The program design is a unique blend of pre-work, classroom and field-based, experiential learning that will ready claims professionals to optimize drone technology. ”

The next drone-focused course offered by Vale Training will take place October 17-20 at Vale’s Dallas facility. Visit valetrainingsolutions.com to learn more or to sign up.

For further information on Loveland Innovations® and IMGING™ – click here to view their video.

Vale Names Doug Dell as Vice President & Director

Vale Training, a subsidiary of Cunningham Lindsey specializing in training for adjusters and appraisers in the insurance and auto body repair industries, announces Doug Dell as Vice President & Director. Doug will build upon Vale’s 75-year legacy of professional development to strengthen customer engagement through new technologies and course offerings that match today’s claims management environment.

“Doug is a very energetic and accomplished leader with significant experience in the planning of corporate learning programs,” said Dan Daniel, Chief Operating Officer of Cunningham Lindsey US.  “His deep knowledge of instructional design in today’s educational environment will enhance the learning experience and further advance Vale to the next stage of training innovation and sustained growth.  Our clients will benefit greatly with Doug as Vice President and Director of Vale Training Solutions.”

Doug brings more than 15 years of corporate training experience spanning three industries with a proven record focusing on product development, revenue generation and customer engagement.  He specializes in online, classroom and virtual training program management, as well as technical development of learning infrastructures, virtual reality training labs and adaptive learning programs.  Doug holds an MBA in Marketing Management from Pace University and designed the Clinical Challenge gaming environment, which received CLO Magazine’s Gold Award for Excellence in Simulations & Gaming.  He is currently the Chairman of the Greater Atlanta Chapter for Association for Talent Development, and also serves on the HR Advisory Council for the United Way of Greater Atlanta.

About Vale Training
Vale Training (Vale), a subsidiary of Cunningham Lindsey Company, specializes in training solutions that turn knowledge into productivity. Vale’s staff of experts is unparalleled in training excellence. With a legacy of more than 75 years and over 600 courses and webinars, Vale trains to succeed using 24/7 access to online modules, state of the art classrooms, technology and laboratories, and practical hands-on applications to equip students to use what they learn faster than other training alternatives. Visit our website at www.valetrainingsolutions.com.

Cunningham Lindsey names Dan Daniel as U.S. Chief Operating Officer

Cunningham Lindsey has appointed Larry “Dan” Daniel as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of its U.S. loss adjusting business. Dan will provide strategic direction for U.S. operations to enhance service delivery and continual growth with a focus on the personal, commercial and High Net Worth Personal Lines. He will also provide operational leadership to additional business units including Vale Training and inTrust TPA services.

“Promoting Dan to this expanded leadership role is a win-win for our clients and our organization. He is a seasoned and trusted executive with proven ability to drive operational priorities, accelerate growth and sharpen service delivery,” said David Repinski, Chief Executive Officer of Cunningham Lindsey, Americas. “I am confident Dan will build on Cunningham Lindsey’s competitive advantages in claims management with leading practices and visionary ideas that continue to meet our clients’ evolving needs.”

Prior to rejoining Cunningham Lindsey recently as Senior Vice President, Dan served in numerous executive leadership and client-facing roles during his 20 years in the insurance claims industry. Dan will be based in Dallas, Texas and will work closely with the Americas Leadership Team including Jim Buckley, President of Cunningham Lindsey U.S. and David Repinski, Chief Executive Officer of Cunningham Lindsey, Americas.

Cunningham Lindsey ramps up its MCL Global team in the US

Cunningham Lindsey is pleased to share recent updates to its Major & Complex Loss (MCL Global) team in the US.

Peter Bonner has been appointed as Senior Executive General Adjuster in our Atlanta, Georgia office. Peter brings more than 30 years of experience across the Power and Energy sector, Mining, as well as Catastrophe Claims Management.

We are also pleased to announce Jon Carnahan as Senior Executive General Adjuster. Jon is a recognized leader in his field with more than 25 years of adjusting experience, based out of Little Rock, Arkansas.