System Mourns Loss of Chuck LaShelle
It is with regret that NOLHGA reports the passing of Charles "Chuck" LaShelle, Executive Director of the Texas Life, Accident, Health & Hospital Service Insurance Guaranty Association. Chuck was 53.
Chuck joined the Texas Association as Executive Director and CEO in 1992. His service to NOLHGA included being a member of the NOLHGA Board of Directors from 1993-1999, and as the task force chair in a number of high-profile insolvencies, including Confederation Life and the Thunor Trust Companies.
As chairman of the Confederation Life Task Force, Chuck's leadership was instrumental in resolving the insolvency, which had $3.5 billion in covered obligations at essentially no cost to the guaranty association system. As chairman of the Thunor Trust Task Force, Chuck managed the guaranty association efforts in the most visible insolvency the system had faced in years.
NOLHGA and the entire guaranty system will miss Chuck greatly, both professionally and as the friend he was to all of us.
Staff Contact - Sean McKenna First National Life Insurance Company (AL)Update to GA Claims
The FNLIC Receiver has filed a petition with the receivership court for appointment of a Special Master for the purpose of reviewing claims against the FNLIC estate. Once the order for appointment has been entered, the Special Master is expected to have 120 days to complete the claims review. In light of this recent development, the guaranty association claims against the FNLIC estate must be updated at this time. A request for updated claim and expense information was sent out to each of the affected guaranty associations on April 12, 2001, with a noted return date of May 1, 2001. The request included copies of the appropriate forms to be used for reporting claims and expenses. This information should be returned to Paul Peterson at NOLHGA by May 1st. Please contact NOLHGA with any questions or if you need additional copies of the reporting forms.
Task Force Chair -Mike Marchman; Staff Contact - Joni Forsythe American Chambers Life (OH)Claims Office Transition
As previously reported, the NOLHGA claims office in Downers Grove closed this week, and claims are now being processed at the Antares Management offices in Westlake, Ohio and Parkersburg, West Virginia. The Westlake office will provide technical support of claims processing, appeal and DOI responses, medical history investigations and guaranty association facsimile inquiries. Beginning April 27, 2001, the following contact names and phone numbers apply (some are the same as previously reported):
Finance and Invoicing
Dan Leo: 440.414.2175
PPO Vendors, NOLHGA Check Runs
Frances Pignataro: 440.414.2145
NOLHGA Customer Service
Jim Harless: 440.414.2141
GA Fax
Karen Yerse: 440.414.2140, 440.414.2102 (fax)
Subrogation
Frances Pignataro: 440.414.2145
DOI, Appeals, Correspondence
Jim Harless, Primary: 440.414.2141
Premium Billing & Collections
Joan Manley, Secondary: 440.414.2155
As a reminder Anne Hancock's phone number (in Westlake) is 440.414.2154 and her fax number is 440.414.2102. Her e-mail address stays the same.
Task Force Chair - Chuck Gullickson; Staff Contact -MPC Status Reports
MPC Status Reports and briefing materials for the May 9-11 MPC meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, have been sent to those registered for the meeting. If you have not yet registered for the meeting and would like a copy, please contact Pete Marigliano.
Staff Contact - Sean McKennaETC.
Puerto Rico Association
The new e-mail address for Roberto Ramirez of the Puerto Rico Association is [email protected].
Bryan Owen
NOLHGA would like to welcome Bryan Owen to its staff as the Manager of Information systems. In that role, Bryan will have responsibility for the NOLHGA website and for the implementation of NOLHGA's library system.
Pete Marigliano
Congratulations to NOLHGA Manager of Communications Pete Marigliano and his wife Alicia on the birth of their first child, Emma Julia, on April 1. Mother and daughter are doing well.
Staff Contact - Sean McKenna