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Last Post 03/09/2012 4:17 PM by  pdixon555
Welcome - Say "Hi" or "What's up", introduce yourself!
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host
CatAdjuster.org Founder
Posts:709


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12/21/2006 3:41 PM

    The last "welcome" thread we had was removed in error, sorry for the trouble.

    Use this thread to say hi and introduce yourself to the community.

    1/21/2007 Edit:  I was able to restore the thread that was deleted but not merge the post.  You can find the old thread here.

    Tom Toll
    Moderator & Life Member
    Senior Member
    Senior Member
    Posts:1865


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    12/22/2006 4:57 PM
    Well, as I was the one who accidentally deleted it, I will start out again, (pause here to laugh).

    I am 67, married to one the finest /best female adjusters around, Janice Toll,  who is much younger and prettier, (pause here for cheers). I am a General Adjuster, not by my own design, but schooled and earned. I still consider myself, just  an adjuster, (pause here for adoration). I have been doing this adjusting work since I was 21, (again pause for adoration) and love it. Like Ray Hall, who is older than me, (pause here for admiration or concern).  I have been doing this for 46 years, (but you already know this if you read the above.) We live in Austin, Arkansas, which is near the Little Rock Air Force Base. We have 6 kids, 13 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren, (pause here for the, your kidding statement). I have been a skydiver, pilot, bike rider, rafter, mountain climber, and finally a single dad raising four daughters. I am 6'4" of tough, if only I weren't 67, (pause here for laughter and sorrow). I love my work and have made many friends in this business, of whom I cherish.

    Thank you for your understanding and indulgence. (pause for silent prayer for Tom)
    Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
    PORTASATGUY
    Guest
    Guest
    Posts:49


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    12/24/2006 2:07 AM

    Hello Everyone, I am Roy Estes 45 years old. Been adjusting since 1991 when I started Eagle Finance Adjusters kind of by accident. At first We worked the SIU & Casualty part of th business for Attorney Client base, and ended up with a private investigators license and IA License as I got caught and didn't know I was supposed to have a license whatsoever, so the State of Fla was kind enough to allow me to obtain my licenses and get legit.

    Soon I realized that Property was the way to go. And Here I are In Myrtle Beach, SC. I WAS married for 20 some years, Owned several large restoration, construction, heavy equipment, mining,  Petrochemical services and other companies based in the Southeast USA. I was Born In Corpus Christi Texas, and have No college Background with the exception of Local Technical and engineering courses, which taught me nothing and sucked.

    I have met many people in the business since 1991, and made life long friends in the Industry.  Although I am not as Lucky as Tom to have a better half, (Which to me is a very important part of life) I do have a wonderful son of whom I put through Fla State (GO FSU).

    I am An advocate for all that is good in the industry and in life, I am opinionated,  aggressive, and will likely skid into my grave sideways, and say "MAN WHAT A RIDE" instead of pass on laying there. Ill Just say I don't think there are any Grey areas about how I feel, what I think, and how I say it! Which is all good!

    To me Life is supposed to be lived, and Time is against us all. Having had A terminal and live with the threat of a terminal diseased, I try and Live my Life doing what is right, and what is proper for all involved. I Love to Laugh allot, and Have Goals in my life that do not involve money. I am a FIRM BELIEVER that We were ALL Born with the Greatest Gift of all From GOD and that is LOVE, everything else we learn along the way, and can honestly say i try and Live my life with what God gave me at birth.

    There are many people in the world who live Negatively as far as attitude is concerned and if they only knew that their negative attitude hurts them only, and others around them maybe the world would be a better place?

    I fear No evil, and Love to ride My Choppers, Fish, help others, Play and hang with my Son and 3 Grandchildren, Go to the Beach, Travel, Gamble, And Just Overall Live in Peace.

    Does that Explain a little about me? Merry Christmas to everyone!

     

     

     

    R. Estes
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    Medulus
    Moderator
    Veteran Member
    Veteran Member
    Posts:786


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    12/24/2006 3:05 AM

    I'm younger than Tom and older than Roy. Ray Hall, though, is the only adjuster of whom I'm aware who is enough years ahead of me to call me "Sonny" if he should ever get the urge to do so. Adjusting is my second career. My master's degree is in theology, and I worked for more than a decade as a church pastor before becoming a claim adjuster. I still preach a sermon now and then.  I started as State Farm staff in 1990, and eventually decided to go independent. I love this life and this career.

    My wife Jennifer, is a former social worker who has little interest in insurance or construction, but she is as extroverted,intelligent, and compassionate as anyone I have ever known.  In addition to setting my appointments, fielding a lot of phone calls, and doing data input, she serves as our social director and gets involved with people with disabilities and AIDS patients whenever we are at an assignment long enough for her to get intensively involved with individuals.

    Jennifer and I are currently spending the Christmas season in Oaxaca, Mexico, where I am reading, writing, and generally goofing off.  Jennifer is teaching English at the grass roots mission for street children.  We have just returned home from "The Night of the Radishes". We actually stood in a line for almost three hours to look at radishes. And afterward, we thought it was worth it. That's probably a story for another time.

    Merry Christmas and Buena Noche de Rabanos to everyone.

    Steve Ebner CPCU AIC AMIM

    "With great power comes great responsibility." (Stanley Martin Lieber, Amazing Fantasy # 15 August 1962)
    Russ
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    01/12/2007 11:53 AM

    Hi Ya'll. My name is Russ Doe. I am 58 years young and a native Floridian (not many left). I have been adjusting since Northridge  Earthquake. I have been in construction most of my life, the last ten years of my construction life was as a high rise supervisor. I am a retired Navy Seabee, serving two Vietnam tours and spending 26 years in the Reserve. I started in 1966 as an E-1 and retired as an O-3. I retired in 1995 due to becoming an adjuster. The schedule just wouldnt allow me doing both.

    Doreen, my lovely wife of 30 years has her own law practice in St. Petersburg and is a yankee from Pittsfield, Massachussetts. You couldn't get her to leave Florida now, she only wants to visit snow. We like to travel and play golf. We are taking two months next year to travel through Alaska and the west coast.

    I love what I do and wish I would have found adjusting many years ago. I joined CADO in 1998 and have met a lot of  top shelf individuals that are truly inspirational and giants in our profession. I wish most people that visit this site would realize the depth of knowledge in our membership and use it!!   Much thanks to Roy.  

    sbeau4014
    Founding Member
    Member
    Member
    Posts:427


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    01/13/2007 11:03 AM
    My name is Steve Beaumont, and my better half is Joyce. We actually met at hurricane Hugo a few years back, but were staff at the time and it took us another 12 years from that to go full time cat work. I am 50 and got into the business through GAB immediately out of college in 79 up in ILL where I was raised. I worked for GAB 5 years, then went staff in property with St Pau Ins. in OK and worked with them in OK as an adj and TX as a property/recovery claim manager after Hugo. I am a person who will probably never "retire" so in 2001 we decided to start our retirement in our own way. We sold our house, put all our stuff into storage, bought a 40' 5th wheel and Ford 450, quit our day jobs and hit the road as homeless unemployed gypsies. Our gameplan was to work cat work at least 6 months out of the year and at that point decide if we want or need to work more financially and mentally. When we weren't working we planned to travel the country visiting family and friends, and seeing things we have never had a chance to see. The time we didn't work would be our "retirement" a little at a time when we were young enough to enjoy it. We formed a corporation to work under called MLC Adjusting (Mid life Crisis) and within a couple weeks of quiting our day jobs there was a great convention in a place called Biloxi by a group called CADO. We decided to go to that, had a great time, listened to some good presentations and met a lot of very good people in the business of strictly cat adjusting. I have always loved the cat adjusting end of the claims business and being able to do it all the time was a great opportunity for us.

    I inherited two wonderful teenagers when Joyce and I married in 91 who have made me a very proud stepdad and now grandpa two times over. We bought some land in the Branson, MO area a few years back and at some point will build a house on it that we can get our "land legs" whenever, if ever, we get tired of traveling fulltime. We have traded in the 5th wheel and truck for a 40' motorhome and SUV and Joyce, myself and our two labrador retrievers enjoy being on the road as much now as we did 6 years ago when we started.

    I have been in the insurance claims business close to 28 years now and can truly say that I have always loved my job and career. There aren't a lot of people that can say that and I feel blessed to be in this profession and to be able to make my living doing something I enjoy so much. I have also been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to work enough to support my free-wheeling gypsy lifestyle that I have become so accustom to. Overall in life my interests besides work and family have been sailing, travel, motorcycles, reading, movies and music. I am 6'3" and my wife wants to get me involved in an organization called the Alagamated Order Of The Real Bearded Santa's (AORBSantas) so that may clue you in to my hair and beard color, but fortunately I will have to use a lot of padding to fill in the suit.

    I do thank Roy and the moderators on this site for all the hard work and support that they give here, and for all the imput that the other people lend to the site. In our business, education is very important and this site is probably the best place to get education in the cat business, and also general insurance information too.
    Jud G.
    Advanced Member
    Advanced Member
    Posts:509


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    01/15/2007 9:50 AM

    Wow, I had no idea, but that's a real association.  Click this LINK and see the photo below.  Good news Steve, there's plenty of skinny Santa's left.  However, I was not as shocked as I was when I first heard about the Flat Earth Society...

     

    Jud G.
    Advanced Member
    Advanced Member
    Posts:509


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    01/15/2007 10:53 AM

    Hello, I am Jud Gardner and have been in the insurance industry since I graduated from college in 2000.  I started out trying very to be like my dad and stay with one company for over 33 years, but, as you will see, I became a victim of circumstance and now reap the rewards of an IA lifestyle. 

    I skipped my long and hot graduation ceremony from Carson-Newman College in the summer of July 2000, in eager anticipation of my first day of Early Liberty Training in Norcross Atlanta.  My first 2.5 years was as a Bodily Injury Claims adjuster with Liberty Mutual in Chattanooga, TN.  I started out handling direct deal cases and eventually switched to mid-sized litigation claims covering a three (3) state territory (TN, MS, & AL).

    That office shut down due to downsizing and reorganization, so I found a job as a Multi-Line Adjuster in Baton Rouge, LA with Audubon Insurance Group.  Audubon was a subsidiary of American International Group.  Three (3) months after they paid to relocate me to Baton Rouge, AIG announced that Audubon no longer fit within the big picture of the company at large and would eventually close. 

    Without any tenure with Audubon Insurance, my severance (or incentive, for that matter) was limited.  I was fortunate enough to find my next position as a Staff Independent, Multi-Line Adjuster with CunninghamLindsey.  Here, I was able to focus more energy on becoming acquainted with an eclectic assortment of Property, General Liability, and Electrical Contact investigations.  I had my most fun with claims involving a few nasty Electrical Contact investigations.  At CL, I experienced 5 of my first Catastrophes and enjoyed the intense pressure and reward associated with them. 

    When the storms began slamming FL on all sides in 2004, I made the switch as a true independent and served Atlantic Claims, Inc. and Apple Adjusters, Inc.  After working Commercial mom/pop claims in New Orleans from Katrina, I was asked to sign on as Apple's Catastrophe Manager.

    I have two children and we are expecting our third on August 2nd.  My first two children were born in the middle of busy Hurricane Seasons, so chances are good that 2007 will be overflowing with work!  I expect to have a fourth child soon after our third and a quick vasectomy following, lol.  In my family, Chaos and change are pretty much the norm.  I and my beautiful wife Susanne simply choose to embrace and enjoy the madness.  My wife is pretty much the main reason why am able to suceed in this hectic line of work.  One example of her fortitude and tenacity is while I was in NC goofing around with Ophelia claims, she stuck a sign in the yard of our Baton Rouge, LA home and sold it the next day.  She then moved our two children and all our belongings to our Daphne, AL home that we saw on an email.

    I enjoy people and appreciate every opportunity that 1st Party Catastrophe claims avail for me to show compassion and deliver excellent claims service.  (3rd party claims don't quite allow the same ministry opportunities as 1st party claims do.)  I thoroughly enjoy the freedom of being an IA and have a capitalist mindset.  I believe that the economy should, in large part, be allowed to operate on its own- apart from the excessive and debilitating government subsidies.  

    Trust and Loyalty are important attributes to me.  As one astute adjuster put it, "Without trust, you simply have nothing."  I was born with a 70-80db hearing loss.  My oldest child, Maddie (age 4) has a less severe case (50-60db) and my son, Judson (age 2) hears fine.  Provided my claims career doesn't turn me into a cynical old grump, my epitaph will read, "The only disability in life is a bad attitude."

    BobCat66
    Guest
    Guest
    Posts:1


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    02/08/2007 12:26 AM

    Well I'm back. Was a regular before Katrina. Good too see the same people (old school) still around. I still have the upmost respect for you guys/gals. During Katrina I did'nt have any time to check in and see what was going on in here. After Katrina I did'nt want to touch a computer and did'nt for a long time. I guess you can call it "puteridice"! Katrina left scars on many families and adjusters. It is good to be back home.

    Medulus
    Moderator
    Veteran Member
    Veteran Member
    Posts:786


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    02/11/2007 3:19 PM

    Steve,

    I didn't realize we were at the CADO convention in Biloxi together, but then there were a lot of people there.  I met Russ Doe, Linda Asberry, and Tom and Janice Toll there.  Roy Cupps and Dave Hood I had met prior to that.

    It was sad, after Katrina to drive past the hulking shell of the Grand Casino in Gulfport where we had that first CADO convention.  Ironic, as well.

    I still have my CADO shirts and the special CADO catadjusting hat designed specifically to keep the sun off Roy's head.

    Steve Ebner CPCU AIC AMIM

    "With great power comes great responsibility." (Stanley Martin Lieber, Amazing Fantasy # 15 August 1962)
    Atlas
    Guest
    Guest
    Posts:3


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    09/01/2008 8:24 PM

    Hi. I'm not an adjuster, but I'd really like to get to know some of you. I'm based out of Asheville, NC and I run a small waste removal service. I'd like to find out how to get on the "short list" of contractors the Insurance companies call for fallen tree and storm debris removal throughout the southeast.  Any help from you all will be very much appreciated.

    Thanks,

    Jesse

    Ray Hall
    Senior Member
    Senior Member
    Posts:2443


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    09/02/2008 3:52 AM

    Insurance Companys do not call any truckers for debris removal. The homeowner or a General contractors will have the debris removed. No the State and FEMA get involved in the removal of curb side debris such as cut up trees or furniture placed at curp side for the cable dumps to come around and clean both sides of the street. This is a big operation with a big boss at the top and a bunch of sub bosses and a bunch of subs picking up the trash. Some incenerate it on a common lot like a football field etc. It political but get in and please get paid. The insurance carriers are really out of the loop. In a major event they will pick up almost any material that is stacked at the curb. Auto and such no.

    cegerney
    Guest
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    Posts:6


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    09/23/2008 3:03 AM
    My name is Carolyn Gerney and new to this site but not new to the insurance industry. I am a 31 year old agent approaching my tenth year in the business and am licensed in both Florida and Texas. I worked in Pensacola from 1999 until we moved to Abilene TX in 2006. My focus was primarily high value homes and commercial but I've written most lines. I am now a marketing/PR rep for a local independent agency. I have recently taken the"adjusting course" and am awaiting license issue. As of now I am unsure what I would like to do with this shiny new license. I will most likely not pursue field adjusting but explore other areas.

    I have been married for five years to a great man who is an Airforce B-1 aviator--hence the move to Abilene. I miss Pensacola-mostly the trees and the water but not the storms. We have two beautiful boxers as our only children--but they are enough for now.

    I must also mention that this site is a great compilation of both fact and opinions. It is nice to see the competency level in many of the posts and it truly has morphed my opinion of the adjusting community. I, along with many other educated agents, experienced---Well, you know what we experienced with Ivan and his other little friends that followed. I only wish that I had followed the forums during those rough years. It would have been an eye opener!

    hunter0544
    Guest
    Guest
    Posts:23


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    10/13/2008 5:08 PM
    Hello all, my name is Remi (full name is Oluremi - which means The Lord is my Comforter) and this is the third time trying to post on this thread to introduce myself. I've been a licensed general construction contractor for 21 years. Built houses in S. Carolina & Jacksonville to Key West in Florida. Did quite a few storm damage repairs during Hugo, Andrew and lately Wilma. Joined the adjusting industry by middle of this year but haven't got my first file yet. May be due to the fact that I got a PA License. I am glad to have found this forum where I have learned so much about the industry and the people that make it. Even though I do not see or read much about PAs here I do believe I can learn from you guys. I plan to enjoy my venture into insurance adjusting, have fun and success representing the insured and make friends on both sides of the fence as time goes by - (life is too short to go about in steel [or straight] jackets.)
    rodcookoh
    Guest
    Guest
    Posts:6


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    08/04/2009 5:38 PM

    I am new but not new.  I am 47 yrs old and have 15 yrs in claims in 8 yrs as an agent.  I am back to the DARK (adjuster) side.  I had always wanted to do storm trooping since I started in 1984 when I met a couple of SF adjusters who would take vacation and go storm trooping for 2 weks and make $25k.  I got my chance last year when Ike hit and an IA firm I used to work for gave me a chance to do storm claims for Nationwide.

    now I have caught the adjuster bug again and have been doing daily claims ever since.  I look forward to new friends and fun across the USA.

    rschlicht
    Guest
    Guest
    Posts:1


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    08/10/2009 9:55 PM
    I guess everyone can see my name is Ron. I live in Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri with my lovely 5wife Karen. I am quite new to the claims world. I deceided at age 58 to make a carrer change a year ago so I attended an NCA adjusting class last summer and shortly after was deployed to Hurricane Ike. I leaned about 80% of what there is to know about how NOT,,to work claims.About 3 weeks into the storm, I was ready to bail but couldn't get ahold of my team leader to tell him. I didn't think I should just leave so I stuck it out and now I'm glad that I did. I finally settled in and figured some really important things out and made it through about 80 claims. WHAT AN EDUCATION !!!
    I spent the winter and spring,,oh yes and so far this summer, getting licenses and some certification in hopes of finding some more opportunities.

    In my prior life, I spent some 30 years in the Hospitality industry. During that time I operated hotels and resorts from 42 to 300 rooms. During that time I found myself deeply involved in renovating and building properties and that construction experience gave me a great deal of experience to work claims.

    Try as I may, I haven't seemed to be able to make the right contacts to get deployed to work any claims since Ike so I have spent the time since then doing handyman type jobs around the area where I live. Since about 80% of the homes around the lake area are 2nd home or vacation homes, most of the homeowners I do work for actually live somewhere else.

    I have been a regular visitor of CADO and have found it very educational and interesting.

    I hope to cross paths with some of you in the future.

    Thanks

    Ron

    Smitty
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    Guest
    Posts:1


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    08/14/2009 12:27 PM

    Hey guys! FNG checking in. I am not an adjuster, but I want to be one! I've lurked here off and on for quite some time and I figured I might as well register. I just spent the last 10 months working and wandering around Australia, and I am looking at making my next career move. I originally got interested in CAT work by my uncle, who suggested I sign up for Parsons Brinkerhoff FEMA Disaster Housing Inspector Program. I worked a few hurricanes in 2005, and kinda dropped off the radar. So now I need to get some things together and get on the ball!

    Here's a pic of myself on top of Mt King William I in Tasmania, Australia.

    chipolariverman
    Guest
    Guest
    Posts:14


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    08/28/2009 10:11 PM
    Hey everybody. I see that everyone does not introduce themselves but I will do my best here, not much on talking about myself. I am 39, no wife(had several)LOL, no kids, no pets, just me. Got family close by and spend lots of time with them, my brother is my best friend. I love to hunt and fish in my spare time, what there is. I live on a small river in NW Florida and love it. Had a real close call this past April to a personal flood. My home is 10 feet off the ground and I only had one concrete block left before the water would get into my floor system. Thankfully the river crested and I was spared.

    I have been a property adjuster for just the past 5yrs. I feel like I have learned much in the past but he much more to learn. I have worked from inside file examiner to outside field adjuster. Before this I was an Auto Adjuster and before that a Body Shop Manager for several years. I do have about 2yrs of minor contruction business that delt with roofing and siding mainly and small additions.

    I have meet some great people in this business and it is amazing how so many people know other people that you know from all parts of the country. I believe it is wise to not burn bridges in this business as I suspect you may have to cross that bridge again one day down the road. I am a firm believer that we live in a round world therefore what goes around comes around.

    Wish everybody the best and hope to meet some of you out there in the field someday.

    John K. Hall
    aka; chipolariverman
    steelers
    Guest
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    Posts:2


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    12/18/2009 11:46 PM

    contact mei have an idea for u

    TXAD
    Guest
    Guest
    Posts:36


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    01/03/2010 3:51 PM

    My name is Bud Porter (52) and I live in the Beaumont, TX area.  I've been a flooring contractor for 30 yrs and I also buy old, really run down houses, gut them, then put them back all new, then sell them.  I do all of the work myself (excluding roofing, and HVAC).  I've been an adjuster for 3 1/2 yrs, but as you can guess, have only worked 1 storm (Ike).  Fortunately, I don't HAVE to have the adjusting business, but I can't install flooring much longer either.  I absolutely LOVE the adjusting business and I take it very seriously.  This is what I plan to do until I retire, and I look forward to meeting many of the good folks on this board.

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