A generation has passed since the founding of IASIU in 1984. Then, as now, the leaders of our organization recognized the importance of providing quality training for our members.

The first training seminar was held November 6-8, 1985, at the Hyatt Crystal City, Arlington, VA. It was co-hosted by the National Association of Special Investigation Units – as IASIU was then known – and the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS, known as ASIS International since 1990).  In 1986, the first standalone IASIU seminar, organized by Bill Lundy and Bob Smith, was held at the Henry VIII Hotel, St. Louis, MO. It drew 104 attendees. During the next 28 years, the annual seminar bounced back and forth between the east and west coasts, with the seminar being held 13 times east of the Mississippi and 15 times west of it. Had it not been for Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed the hotel selected for the 2006 seminar in New Orleans, there would have been an even split between east and west coast locations.

Many of the challenges that the formerly Seminar Committee, now Annual Conference Committee, faces today are the same ones our forefathers experienced – finding an economical location conducive to learning, but one that doesn’t leave the impression of a boondoggle; meeting the hotel commitment numbers; recruiting sponsors and exhibitors whose participation underwrites the cost of the conference, while striking a balance between their needs for a return on investment and members’ desire for a meaningful conference and not mere participation in an infomercial; locating the best speakers possible on topics of current interest; and demonstrating to our companies the return on investment when they send an IASIU member to the event.

Many of the insurance fraud related crimes our early members experienced, our investigators still see today – application misrepresentation, auto theft, arson, falsified receipts, billing for services not rendered, up coding, and staged accident rings. It is not so much the “what” that has changed but the “how.” Technology has changed significantly during the last 30 years, allowing us to gather, evaluate and act on information in greater volumes and speed than our predecessors ever dreamed possible. Unfortunately, those who commit insurance fraud adapt quickly to change and rapidly modify their behavior and actions, allowing them to continue to ply their trade.

As we move into the future, our training must remain cutting edge; we must find ways to quickly adapt to technological changes and to get the knowledge and techniques out to our members in real time. We need your help to accomplish this by being active in your local chapters and by sharing your knowledge and experience with your colleagues. 

Annual Conference Committee Members:

Co-Chair
Nikki Soriano
Travelers Insurance

Thomas Beaudoin
Shelter Insurance

Mark Beavers, CIFI, CFI
Travelers Insurance

Marc Godman, CIFI
Hanover Insurance

Nicole Mann, CIFI, FCLS
Nationwide Insurance

Nikki Soriano, CIFI
Travelers Insurance

Skee McAllister, CIFI, CFE, FCLS
Nationwide Insurance

Jolene Nell, FCLA, FCLS
TruStage

Adam Willingham, CFI, CIFI, FCLA
TN Farmers Mutual Insurance Co.

Jeff Schmersahl, FCLS
USAA

Leslie Wagner, FCLS
Liberty Mutual Insurance

Jennifer Fogarty, FCLS
GEICO Insurance

Alycia Grenesko
IASIU

Joe Rosario
IASIU