21
I find myself again at the end
of what I believe was another
successful Leadership Conference
at the Sheraton Roanoke Hotel &
Conference Center. How much of
that was due to my effort? Very
little! Other than maybe a knack for
managing email blasts, it was other
people who worked so hard and
performed so unselfishly that work
got done and people were served so
well that everything “seemed” to fall
into proper place and order.
And who were these people that
deserve the credit? Let’s begin with
the folks behind the consolidated
2017 VSCA/Tom Farrell Memorial
Golf Tournament on Thursday,
October 5th. While not technically
a part of the annual leadership
conference which began Friday, it
has long ago occupied a cherished
place in our extended weekend
of activities involving colleagues,
friends, supporters, family and yes,
sometimes even competitors. Our
gratitude goes to the core of our
golf organizers, Brenda Giles of
G2 Insurance Services, and Charlie
Matthew of Roanoke Valley Claims
Service. Charlie has been the chief
patron of the Tom Farrell Memorial
Tournament in Roanoke and, this
year, the 10th annual event was
celebrated by combining resources
with the Virginia State Claims
Association Golf Tournament, as
Roanoke’s annual event would have
customarily been held less than
two weeks before the Conference.
Two events in such proximity would
have competed for golf registrants,
sponsors and donors. Brenda
is a veteran of dozens of similar
tournaments in multiple states,
including previous contributions to
the success of Roanoke Valley’s golf
tournament, and knows the process
and pitfalls as well as anyone could.
Our thanks to both of these key
people!
We’ve plenty of people to thank
in addition to Brenda and Charlie.
Carolyn Gearhart of ServPro of
Roanoke County has helped with
golf and other activities for years, as
has Pete Lassen of Next Step Claims,
along with his wife, Kathy. Other
assistance came from Linda St. Clair, a
colleague of Carolyn’s at ServPro, and
Raynelle Lankford of Roanoke Valley
Claims Service. Rounding out our golf
crew, and from our sister Mid-Valley
Claims Association, is Mary Taylor
of Augusta Insurance in Staunton,
and her husband George, as well as
Lynchburg Claims Association’s own
Gary Barkman of Hanover Insurance,
who stepped in with critical donations
and suggestions. He closed on critical
sponsor contributions the last 30
days or so leading up to the golf
tournament, to bring the books much
nearer to balance. Please note, the
volunteer list above represents three
of our six active state associations,
which was our goal to begin with;
that is, conducting this conference
as a cooperative effort between
Roanoke Valley, Mid-Valley and
Lynchburg Claims Associations, and
these people really delivered!
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Nicki
Waff of the Rockingham Botetourt
County office and members of her
family who helped us out most of the
day. Also, sincere thanks to the local
Golden Corral catering crew who
provided a great lunch; underwritten
by BELFOR USA Group. A local
treasure, the Roanoke Weenie Stand
on Apperson Drive, donated their
famous hot dogs on the course and at
the Clubhouse later in the afternoon.
And finally, thanks to our lunch and
beverage sponsors, the many hole
sponsors and dozens of others who
provided balls and accessories, door
prizes, raffle items and other free
giveaways during what turned out to
be a beautiful day to play golf!
Of course, we had many others
outside the tournament who
contributed their time and talent at
the official opening of the Leadership
Conference Friday morning, October
6th, and again, those people
were drawn from the three sister
associations above. We’ll start with
Pete and Kathy Lassen, who followed
up their help with golf by spending
hours at the registration desk Friday
and Saturday, and even keeping track
of folks at the Saturday afternoon
activities, including both the Local
Roots meal and the Black Dog
Salvage Tour. This was offered to us
during Pete’s organizing and opening
his new firm, Next Step Claims. The
same can be said of Jo and Randy
Tomlin, who filled in for hours and
hours, keeping our Vendor Night
Exhibitors informed, and managing
all of Friday afternoon and evening;
also, while just beginning to organize
and open their own Tomlin Claims
Consulting firm.
Prior to Friday morning’s
registration, late in the evening the
night before, Debbie Bell and Gary
Bell of Holland’s General Contractors
arrived in our Conference workroom
(AKA, my King Suite Boardroom) with
Debbie commanding the packing
of “goody bags” and Gary taking
charge of “Snow”, their little dog, to
keep it clear of any dropped Milky
Way Minis. Randy Tomlin of Tomlin
Claims Consulting and Gary Feazelle
of State Farm Insurance dropped in
to join the effort and we cleared the
table and packed away more than
150 goody bags for the registration
table by around 10:30, then went our
separate ways to settle in for some
rest before the reality of the next
two days arrived, and the stress that
came with it.
Now it’s Friday and, as I lumber out
of bed, my little fold-out hand cart is
filled with the tubs and trays of goody
bags; extra, late-minute walk-up
registration forms and receipt books;
those items, along with promotional
posters displaying both the Signature
Sponsors and the details of the next
afternoon’s activities in the Grandin
Village Community of South Roanoke,
made their way down the elevator
with me to the registration area. As
usual, Pete and Kathy were the first
to report, with Gary Feazelle checking
in to see whether he could assist, and
all settled down to begin our work;
providing attendees with the details
of the Conference, and making sure
our educational seminar presenters
were welcomed, made comfortable
and had the resources to concentrate
on their task without distraction.
The first relief for registration an
hour or more into the process was
provided by a long-time contributor