Urban Insurance Partners Institute Web Site

Organization Profile

Name of Company
GeneralCologne Re

Street Address
Financial Centre
695 East Main Street

City, State and Zip Code
Stamford, CT 06901

Primary Lines of Business
Reinsurance

States of Operation
All 50

Number of Policyholders
Not Applicable

Approximate Premium Volume
$7 billion worldwide for 1999

Do you currently partner with or help fund any non-profit organizations or community groups in urban areas? 
Yes

If yes, which ones? In what ways?
We support many urban nonprofit organizations in the Stamford community, as well as other communities where GeneralCologne Re has offices.

We generally provide unrestricted support and volunteer help. An example of financial support is the Urban League of Southwest Connecticut. Our funding of the "2+2+1 = Opportunity" program gives underprivileged youth access to tutoring, counseling and after-school employment. When each youth completes the program they get a brand new computer. An example of volunteer help is our involvement in refurbishment of homes, meal preparations for AIDS patients and holiday dinners.


Has your company been involved in any community development projects or any other efforts that contribute to a stable insurance environment? (neighborhood revitalization, loss prevention, economic development, etc.) If yes, please explain.

Yes. We support several organizations that are involved in neighborhood revitalization. The"Stamford Partnership" is a coalition of community, business and government leaders that review all activity of the city of Stamford. "CTE" is a lead organization on revitalization that has made great strides in stabilizing the local community and particularly the poorer areas.

List any company accomplishments and awards related to urban affairs

GeneralCologne Re has received many awards for its community programs. Most recently we were named Corporate Citizen of the Year by the Stamford Red Cross for our HIV/AIDS education programs. We have also been named Corporate Citizen of the Year by the Urban League, Stamford United Way and Junior Achievement. 

Organization Web site address
www.gcre.com

Date Completed
1/4/01

Urban Insurance Partners Institute Chairman Named, Program Expansion Underway

WASHINGTON, DC ... The new chairman of the Urban Insurance Partners Institute is Sue Johnson, an executive at GeneralCologne Re. She was elected during the UIPI board of directors’ annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

“This is a time of growth for the institute, with several companies recently becoming new members,” notes UIPI President Suzanne Reade. “Sue has a strong interest in urban affairs and her reinsurance perspective will be very helpful.”

Previously Johnson was secretary/treasurer of UIPI, which is a nonprofit insurance industry organization devoted solely to urban affairs. Johnson is a vice president in GeneralCologne Re’s National Business Unit Treaty Division.

“Plans are already underway to expand institute programs to meet the growing urban affairs needs of companies,” comments Johnson. “We’re seeing strong support for our mission of being the insurance industry’s leading resource on urban affairs.”

Guy Douyon of Liberty Mutual Group will serve as interim vice chairman of the board. Liberty Mutual has been a guiding force in the organization since UIPI’s inception in late 1996. Douyon is assistant vice president and manager of urban market development at Liberty Mutual.

Irene Sewer of Grange Insurance will fill the newly-created board position of second vice chairman. She played a key role in the success of the institute’s first national workshop on urban insurance issues last November, serving on the Workshop Committee. Sewer is manager of emerging markets at Grange.
The head of the nation’s oldest insurance company will serve as UIPI secretary. Christina Webber, president and CEO of The Philadelphia Contributionship Companies, has been an active board member since her company joined the institute four years ago.

Paul Quinn of Farmers Insurance Group rounds out the slate of board officers as UIPI treasurer. The state executive director-Indiana has been involved in the institute’s homeowner insurance training program and chairs the Web Site Committee.

Other members of the UIPI board of directors include Immediate Past Chairman, Michael Yeager, Lehigh Mutual Insurance Company; Former Chairman Lorraine Brock, Nationwide Insurance; Chuck Chamness, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies; Harold Dorssom, Marysville Mutual Insurance Company; Linda Goff, Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company; Angela Herman, American Insurance Association; Ross Miller, Hanover Fire and Casualty Insurance Company; Tim Russell, Baldwin Mutual Insurance Company; and Gerald Wright, United Farm Family Mutual Insurance Company.
For more information about the Chicago-based institute’s programs, visit UIPI’s web site at www.uipi.org or call (773) 880-8780. UIPI is supported by a diverse group of insurers, reinsurers and insurance industry trade associations.