Let's Get Surety

On this episode, we are joined by NASBP President Zach Mendelson of EPIC as he shares both his career journey and his journey as a NASBP member and volunteer. He talks about his role as Chair of NASBP's Industry Relations Committee, where he played an instrumental part in launching the Be Guaranteed To Succeed (https://www.nasbp.org/guaranteed/home) public relations campaign. Zach also discusses h...

On this episode of "Let's Get Surety," we are joined by Caren Kelleher, the founder and CEO of Gold Rush Vinyl, a company acknowledged as one of the "Most Innovative Companies of 2020" by Fast Company magazine. Kelleher shares how she jumped, all in, and transitioned from being a music executive at Google to establishing her own vinyl record manufacturing company, riding on analytics and her passi...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we talk with Corban Enns of Gallagher Affinity Insurance Solutions, shedding light on the complexities of working with state agencies and navigating through the nuances of bonding. Corban shares his journey getting into surety, discusses the CSBS and NMLS, and addresses the confusion about the surety product that you might encounter. Most importantly he shares...

Are you familiar with customs bonds? On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we welcome John Sheppard, of C.A. Shea and Company, to share his expertise in this specialized area of the surety industry. John provides insight into common terms, and bond types, and defines who qualifies as an importer. He also explains the role and guarantees of a customs bond, including cover for duties, taxes, and fee...

Have you ever considered getting a CCIFP? On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by Damien Strohmier, CCIFP of DSP Insurance Services as we explore the value of the CCIFP certification and how it can give producers, underwriters, and CPAs a competitive edge in the construction industry. We discuss the certification, its components, and what it means to earn your CCIFP, as well as the...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by Todd Regan, a partner in the law firm of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, to discuss the many pitfalls to be avoided when negotiating personal guarantees. Todd explains how even when a corporate officer or agent signs what appears to be a clear agreement to personally guarantee a corporate debt, a creditor may later be surprised when the court f...

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a leader in the surety industry? NASBP is excited to announce a new series of episodes exploring that question, titled "The Corner Office: Conversations with Surety Leaders." In this first episode, we are joined by surety industry leader Larry Taylor, President of Merchants Bonding Company, to talk about what it takes to lead an insurance company solely f...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety® we learn from sales and leadership expert Ryan Estis how to approach sales with confidence and the power of relationships. Ryan explains how good salespeople are made and not born, and what qualities are necessary for success - like staying curious and being an expert in a particular industry. He explains the importance of trust and creating emotional connectio...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we talk with three surety professionals--Brad Babcock of Babcock Solutions and Chair of NASBP's Membership Committee, Nicole Campbell of Parrot Surety Services and Vice Chair of NASBP's Membership Committee, and Jennifer Morales of Intact Insurance Surety Group. All discuss reasons for joining NASBP and the extensive membership benefits and resources offered,...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we talk with CPA Jessica Krause, founder and owner of New Lyfe Accounting. Jessica shares her expertise in accounting for construction firms and the importance of having an accurate WIP report. We discuss the importance of small contractors learning how to prioritize, delegate, and grow their team of trusted advisors as their company grows. Jessica discusses h...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we talk with Steve Sandherr, CEO of Associated General Contractors of America, who has served the association for more than three decades as he announces his upcoming retirement . Looking back, he talks about his journey to AGC, building and keeping talented teams, and the importance of working with like-minded groups. Steve shares his insights on the commerci...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we speak with leaders of Women in Surety, Inc., a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization, founded in 2016 to offer surety women opportunities, mentorship, and support. Nancy Schnee, current President, Chandar Potter, Vice President, and Carol Levine, a co-founder, address how Women in Surety empowers, inspires, and advances women professionals in the surety industr...

On this 100th episode of Let's Get Surety®, we take time to celebrate another success on the advocacy front! We are joined by Philip Macres, a principal at Klein Law Group PLLC and leader of the Coalition that seeks alternatives to the letter of credit (LOC) requirement in the BEAD program, and NASBP's Director of Government Relations Larry LeClair. We discuss some background on Broadband and LOC'...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by Danette Back, Partner and Head of Industry Verticals at USI Insurance Services to discuss how surety and insurance teams can work together and support each other. She discusses the importance of having holistic conversations about Risk Management with clients, and the need to seek out education such as NASBP's Surety School to fill gaps in kno...

Among NASBP's valued stakeholder partners is the American Subcontractors Association, Inc., a national association representing the breadth of the subcontractor construction community. NASBP has enjoyed and continues to enjoy a productive relationship with ASA and looks forward to enhancing that strategic relationship in 2024. Let's Get Surety® sat down with Richard Bright, CEO of ASA, at NASBP's...

On this episode of NASBP's Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by NASBP Past Presidents John Bustard of King & Neel, Mark Munekawa of Woodruff Sawyer, and Tracy Tucker of Tucker Agency, Ltd. We look at the past, discussing each of our guests' entry into the surety industry as well as the roots of their NASBP involvement. Additionally, we discuss their unique presidential terms, all of which were alte...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by Aaron Steffey, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, of Propeller Bonds, who shares his insights and observations on electronic bonding. We discuss the importance of the digitization of surety, as well as some of the ups and downs, such as how the pandemic helped move electronic bonding forward more quickly, as well as the many hurdles still in front of us....

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by Nathan Wonder of CAC Specialty who shares perspectives and updates on alternative energy bonding. We discuss the growth and changes in the Solar and Wind power industries and the need to standardize the bond forms in the alternative energy space. Nathan also touches on bonding opportunities on the horizon in the burgeoning hydrogen and carbon...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by federal executives John Miller of the Office of Capital Access and Jermaine Perry of the Office of Surety Guarantees at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), who share perspectives and information regarding SBA's capital access lending and bond guarantee programs, which benefit and strengthen small businesses by giving them the capital...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by Cash McMillen of The Cashion Company and Brianna Stephenson of Parrot Surety Services to discuss their surety careers. They share how they found their careers in surety, what their roles and tasks are during a typical day on the job, and how they knew that they had found much more than a job with their surety careers. Both Cash and Brianna sha...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by Government Relations staff Larry LeClair of NASBP and Mike Oscar of the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) to discuss current federal legislative initiatives that NASBP and ASA are working together on and significant recent wins! They discuss efforts to amend the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) to ensure performa...

Are you curious how blockchain technology is changing the surety industry? On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by Greg Davenport of Liberty Mutual Surety and Sandy Hampel of The Institutes RiskSteam Collaborative to discuss the substantial strides a broad industry effort facilitated by The Institutes RiskSteam Collaborative has made exploring blockchain technology to digitize suret...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by three women executives from Liberty Mutual Surety, Patty Catanese, Renee Llewellyn, and Cissie Scoggin-Saslaw, who stepped away from the excitement and networking at NASBP's 2023 Annual Meeting to chat with us. We learn about their career paths, how they have grown their careers in a male-dominated industry, how the makeup of the surety indust...

On this episode, we are joined by NASBP President Patrick Pribyl of Lockton Companies, who shares information on the many exciting events in store during his presidential term. Patrick also shares stories regarding his journey as an NASBP member and volunteer and how his experiences lead him to his theme "All In." You can follow these links to get information on how you can be All In with NASBP th...

On this episode of Let's Get Surety®, we are joined by economist Dr. Anirban Basu of Sage Policy Group, just minutes before he stepped on the stage at NASBP's 2023 Annual Meeting to share his keynote presentation. Anirban shares his thoughts on some of the major factors shaping economic outcomes today and offers insights into what's to come, highlighting the major risks that economic stakeholders...