Strategic Business Partnerships – Risks, Rewards & Results
Dalene Bartholomew
Vice President, VRC Investigations
Dalene Bartholomew talks about the risks, rewards and getting positive results of strategic business partnerships. She explains how organizations utilize outsourcing of service providers to reach their goals, specifically for the insurance industry. She also delves into how outsourcing a variety of providers allows insurance to focus on their competencies. Some examples of service providers frequently utilized are TPAs, medical bill review services, defense councils and investigation agencies.
Dalene then breaks down the difference between vendors and business partnerships, the positives and negatives of multi-partner models and preferred vendor relationships, the five points why preferred vendor relationships are on the rise, and the solution to balance out the pros and cons by creating a core of providers but keeping the processes open.
She provides her top three tips for an organization to create mutually beneficial out relationships:
- Clarity around goals and mutual commitment
- Communication that’s frequent, transparent and collaborative
- Selecting the right long-term provider
*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs/podcasts are those of each respective author/speaker. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*
Dalene Bartholomew
Vice President, VRC Investigations
Summary of Qualifications
Dalene is a thought leader and forward-thinking senior executive with a 20-year record of success. Recognized speaker, author, certified fraud specialist, creator of relationship-based partnerships, regulatory compliance officer, vendor program developer, board member, expert witness, licensed DOI education provider and collaborator. Dalene was awarded the inaugural “Fraud Fighter of the Year” by the Anti-Fraud Alliance, is a fraud regulatory compliance expert, serves as a fraud advisory council member and is an expert in vendor program management.
Business Experience
Dalene has a 20-year record of success as a senior executive in the investigation and fraud regulatory and compliance industry. Certified fraud specialist, creator of relationship-based partnerships, regulatory compliance officer, vendor program developer, expert witness, and licensed DOI education provider. She is an expert witness and serves as board advisor and past board chair with various organizations.
Professional Afilliations
- CFE - Certified Fraud Examiner
- CIFI - Certified Insurance Fraud Investigator
- Volunteer on ACFE Advisory Council
Education
- BS Business Management, Capella University
- Licensed Investigator in multiple states
You Might Also Be Interested In
Where Are They Now: Nicholas Esty
Nicholas Esty
Professional Liability Account Executive, Risk Placement Services
Nicholas Esty was a PRIMA Annual Conference Scholarship recipient in 2017. He speaks on the education sessions that stood out to him at the 2017 Annual Conference as well as some of the other activities that were offered. He emphasizes how the conference provided an overall educational and fun experience that also led to great networking opportunities.
Nicholas describes how he got onto the risk management/insurance track in college, and what drew him to the industry as he started to become more and more connected. He shares how the people he met, the potential for upward mobility and openings for younger professionals within the industry were significant factors in his decision making.
*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs/podcasts are those of each respective author/speaker. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*
Nicholas Esty
Professional Liability Account Executive, Risk Placement Services
Summary of Qualifications
- Double major in Finance & Business Mgmt with RMI track
- USLI 50/50 Sales Program
- 2018 WSIA Intern
- AINS - Associate in Insurance
- AIS - Associate in Insurance Services
Responsibilities
Currently, Nicholas handles small renewals and new business accounts for Risk Placement Services' professional liability team, including E&O, D&O, EPLI and cyber. This entails working with both retail agents and company underwriters to ensure that the accounts are marketed for the best coverage and premium for the insured. Nicholas makes sales calls and follows up on new business quotes to help win accounts and retain customers.
Business Experience
Nicholas worked in the Unum Scholars program in various roles for two years throughout college. He interned with Nationwide E&S in Scottsdale, Arizona and Worldwide Facilities in Los Angeles, California to experience the carrier and broker side of the wholesale and specialty insurance business.
Nicholas recently completed a two year sales training program, called the 50/50 program, where he worked as a marketing representative for his office at RPS while receiving sales training from USLI. During this program, he held virtual meetings and made sales calls on behalf of his company to bring in new business submissions and train retailers to use USLI's instant quoting platform. Since completing this program in November 2021, Nicholas has changed roles to join the professional lines team to handle renewal business and small new business submissions.
Professional Affiliations
Gamma Iota Sigma
Education
Bachelor of Science - University of Southern Maine (finance and business double major w/focus in risk management and insurance)
You Might Also Be Interested In
Where Are They Now: Debolina McClellan
Debolina McClellan
Vice President and Sr. Product Manager, Galaxy Digital
Debolina McClellan was awarded the PRIMA Annual Conference Student Scholarship in 2014. You'll hear her experience attending the conference and the benefits of her mentorship. She also speaks on the networking opportunities provided by the conference and how they influenced her career journey.
Debolina currently works at Galaxy Digital, which specializes in cryptocurrency investment. She recounts her experience transitioning from traditional finance into cryptocurrency and her thoughts of PRIMA's potential in getting involved within the cryptocurrency field and how she's been able to contribute to the field of risk management.
*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs/podcasts are those of each respective author/speaker. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*
Debolina McClellan
Vice President and Sr. Product Manager, Galaxy Digital
Responsibilities
With Galaxy Digital, Debolina works closely with the CFO and COO in developing the company road map and product strategy. She works with the finance team to gather requirements on strategic solutions, finance and accounting management systems and the automation of existing manual processes. Debolina also works with the operations team on post trading process improvements involved with settlements and transfers, break analysis and data reconciliations. Other responsibilities include serving as a liaison for clients, vendors and exchanges to enhance the company's existing infrastructure and processes while sourcing data through API.
Business Experience
Debolina is an innovative and proactive techno-financial-product management professional with over 9 years' experience in delivering digital assets, financial regulatory process and digital transformation initiatives. She has been working at Galaxy Digitial senior product manager/vice president for almost one year. Debolina worked six years with Bank of America as delivery lead/senior data-business analyst and technology operational risk and reporting officer. Other companies Debolina has worked with include Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Ltd., RCC-Ventures, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), etc.
Education
- Advanced Professional Program in Business - NYU Stern School of Business, NY, USA
- MS in Financial Risk Management - University of Connecticut School of Business, CT, USA
- MBA - Institute of Public Enterprise (IPE), Hyderabad, India
- BTech in Computer Science & Engineering-West Bengal University of Technology, Kolkata, India.
You Might Also Be Interested In
Artificial Intelligence And Modern Claims Handling
Karl Miller
Assistant Vice President, Sales & Compliance, American Computer Estimating, Inc.
Karl Miller shares the three models of artificial intelligence (AI): predictive, proactive and problem solving, while providing examples of how technology facilitates these processes as it relates to claims. He also shares how AI improves the overall claims experience for the claimant and claims professionals. Specifically, Karl speaks on how AI can help target the number one complaint of claimants and providing better means of prompt resolutions, data management and accuracy.
However, while the implementation of AI has many benefits, there’s always a risk when introducing new technologies. Karl shares the ways to mitigate the increased risks and fraud.
*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs/podcasts are those of each respective author/speaker. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*
Karl Miller
Assistant Vice President, Sales & Compliance, American Computer Estimating, Inc.
Summary of Qualifications
Karl has 25 years in the insurance claims industry, managing partnerships with hundreds of insurance companies and offices nationwide, including a number of municipal pools and transit agencies.
Responsibilities
Karl manages relationships with insurance industry/claim professional partners nationwide. His duties include development and incorporation of best practices for claims handling on behalf of ACE's partners, troubleshooting issues and working with other third party vendors/partners to provide exceptional claims handling.
Karl is also responsible for keeping business in compliance with legal changes (legislative and judicial) affecting the claims industry and keeping partners informed of such matters.
Business Experience
Karl has 25 years at American Computer Estimating, a vendor to the automobile and property claims industry which provides claims handling services nationwide, currently serving as AVP of sales and compliance. He has spoken at numerous industry events on topics affecting the claims industry, including presentations on issues such as diminished value, legislative changes in the automobile claims industry, impact of judicial decisions on claims handling procedures, etc.
ERM Experience
Public Risk, PRIMA's national magazine, published a case study “How Fort Worth Drove Down Workers’ Compensation Costs While Getting Injured Employees Better Care” documenting how IntegerHealth's analytics drove down the City of Fort Worth’s costs by 23%. There was a similar article by D Magazine about how Fort Worth used these analytics entitled “Doing the Impossible: Better Care at Lower Costs.”
Education
- B.A., La Salle University, 1980
- J.D., Pace University, 1984
You Might Also Be Interested In
Anatomy of a Lawsuit
Scott Roloff
President, IntegerHealth Technologies
Scott Roloff explains the "ins and outs" of lawsuits and emphasizes the probability of encountering a lawsuit in one's life, whether summoned as a juror, giving a testimony, or as a plaintiff or defendant. He also delves into alternate solutions to a lawsuit, seeing as the best options are typically those that mitigate or eliminate costs and complexities.
For the circumstances where a lawsuit cannot be avoided, Scott provides a step-by-step breakdown of a lawsuit’s process, what to look for when selecting the best lawyer, different case classifications and the phases of a trial. He also defines the differences between attorney-client privilege and confidentiality obligation, as well as gives in-depth information about the process of jury summoning.
*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs/podcasts are those of each respective author/speaker. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*
Scott Roloff
President, IntegerHealth Technologies
Summary of Qualifications
Scott is both a CPA and a lawyer, uniquely blending financial, legal and operational experience. He is also a certified management accountant, certified internal auditor and chartered global management accountant.
Responsibilities
Scott is the president of IntegerHealth Technologies, which combines advanced analytics with medical expertise to quantify healthcare outcomes‒driving down the costs while improving the care for health plans and workers’ compensation programs.
Business Experience
Before joining IntegerHealth as one of its co-founders, Scott was the CFO or general counsel for companies in the healthcare, software and telecom industries, and he also led a wireless technology start-up in the Caribbean. Prior to going into industry, Scott was a corporate partner at the international law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld where he focused on M&A, SEC and general corporate matters.
ERM Experience
Public Risk, PRIMA's national magazine, published a case study “How Fort Worth Drove Down Workers’ Compensation Costs While Getting Injured Employees Better Care” documenting how IntegerHealth's analytics drove down the City of Fort Worth’s costs by 23%. There was a similar article by D Magazine about how Fort Worth used these analytics entitled “Doing the Impossible: Better Care at Lower Costs.”
Professional Affiliations
American Bar Association (ABA)
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Institute of Management Accountants
Texas State Bar
- Federal District Court‒Northern District of Texas
- United States Tax Court
Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants
Education
Scott holds a BBA in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin‒Whitewater, an MBA from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a J.D. from Southern Methodist University (SMU), where he was the valedictorian of his law school class.
You Might Also Be Interested In
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: Pitfalls of Diagnosis and Treatment
Fernando Branco, MD, FAAPM&R
AVP of Claims and Chief Medical Officer, Midwest Employers Casualty
Dr. Fernando Branco details how to diagnose complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) as well as the difficulties that are associated with the diagnosis. For instance, he explains that it is not uncommon for CRPS to be mis- or over-diagnosed and that, to avoid an inaccurate outcome, a diagnosis should be made months after the acute stage. Dr. Branco further delves into the diagnosis process by discussing the tools used during examination as well as risks associated with potential treatments and medications implemented to combat CRPS.
*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs/podcasts are those of each respective author/speaker. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*
Fernando Branco, MD, FAAPM&R
AVP of Claims and Chief Medical Officer, Midwest Employers Casualty
Fernando is chief medical officer at Midwest Employers Casualty (MEC), a Berkley Company. He has over 30 years of experience in clinical practice and is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain, and addiction medicine. He is the former medical director of a multi-disciplinary rehabilitation pain center for the treatment of chronic pain cases – a center of excellence recognized by the American Pain Society. In his current role at MEC, Dr. Branco leads a team of medical management consultants handling complex workers’ compensation claims to help employers and injured workers achieve better outcomes.
You Might Also Be Interested In
Methods for Agencies to Mitigate Media Inquiry
Richard Spiers, CPCU, ARM, ARe, AIC
Claims and Risk Management Consultant, Spiers Consulting, LLC
Richard Spiers explains which events are more prone to capturing the media's attention, such as police cases, city employee accusations and specific characteristics of a community that may be viewed as significant. He offers examples of what type of videos grab the highest attention, how the media selects who to contact and the best response tactics, even in instances where not all of the information is readily available. He also emphasizes how handling the media can be improved through internal communications training, public discussion and building better relationships with the media before an incident occurs.
*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs/podcasts are those of each respective author/speaker. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*
Richard Spiers, CPCU, ARM, ARe, AIC
Claims and Risk Management Consultant, Spiers Consulting, LLC
Richard has been in the insurance industry since 1980 and was a claim executive in the reinsurance and excess marketplace since 1985. He was with Genesis Management and Insurance Services for over 20 twenty years. He is currently doing claim consulting work. Richard has extensive experience handling the wide array of claims faced by public entities, K-12 school districts and the higher education sector. Based in Chicago, he has also worked for Transamerica Insurance Group, Northbrook Excess and Surplus Insurance, CNA and Allstate Reinsurance. He is a graduate of Northern Illinois University, a member of the Society of CPCU, and holds associate designations in risk management, claims, and reinsurance. Richard has been developing and presenting insurance industry-related training sessions to a variety of client and industry groups for over 25 years.
You Might Also Be Interested In
Insurance Requirements in Contracts: Tips for Effectively Transferring Risk
James Curbeam, CPCU, ARM, AIC
Director of Risk Management, Las Vegas Valley Water District
Courtney Ramirez
First Vice President, Public Entity Group, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.
James Curbeam and Courtney Ramirez address the longstanding question, How much insurance is enough? Also discussed are the benefits to standardizing policies and procedures, and how to further streamline language and reviewing requirements. James and Courtney expand on the changes in the overall market and increased litigation costs have impacted coverage requirements and limits, how to manage cyber risk in contracts and ISO updates that have affected coverage application.
*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs/podcasts are those of each respective author/speaker. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*
James Curbeam, CPCU, ARM, AIC
Director of Risk Management, Las Vegas Valley Water District
James is the risk manager for the Las Vegas Valley Water District. He holds a B.S. in finance from Creighton University and an executive MBA from the University of Nebraska Omaha. James has served in the following industry leadership roles: president, Nevada Chapter of RIMS; president, Nebraska Chapter of RIMS; and president of the Las Vegas CPCU Society. He also was named a 2018 Risk & Insurance All-Star and the 2019 PRIMA Risk Manager of the Year.
Courtney Ramirez
First Vice President, Public Entity Group, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.
Courtney joined Alliant in 2006 and her expertise is in the public entity sector. She has been heavily involved in finding solutions to address some of the unique needs of many of Alliant’s public entity clients. This includes establishing a platform to control costs for State lottery agencies and developing the Alliant Deadly Weapons Response Program (ADRWP) for active shooter coverage. Some of her clients include the States of Minnesota, Montana, Ohio and Texas, the Cities of Austin (TX), Las Vegas (NV), Sacramento (CA) and Oklahoma City (OK), Airports including Sacramento International, Will Rodgers (Oklahoma City) International, Austin-Bergstrom, Los Angeles World Airport, Transit Agencies and Higher Education/University risks. Courtney enjoys educating others and is proficient in reading contracts and providing recommendations for insurance requirements to mitigate risk for her clients. Courtney received a Bachelor of Science degree in business management and leadership and has earned her Associates in Risk Management (ARM), Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Certified Insurance Services Representative (CISR) designations. Courtney was named Power Broker by Risk & Insurance Magazine for the Public Entity Sector in February 2020 and a Rising Star by Risk & Insurance Magazine in May 2020.
You Might Also Be Interested In
Addressing the Biggest Challenges in Youth Protection Risk Management
Joaquina Scott Kankam, Ph.D.
Director and Senior Consultant, School of Solutions
In this episode, Joaquina Scott Kankam, director and senior consultant at School of Solutions, addresses what risk management professionals misunderstand about youth protection and the subsequent issues that follow. One of the biggest challenges involves non-comprehensive federal law requirements leading to insufficient procedures and policies.
Joaquina's experience as an educator and specialization in creating youth programs provided first hand experiences of negligence, which further highlights the need for efficient youth protection practices. She also emphasizes the importance of enhanced awareness, bolstering state laws and strong data collection habits.
*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs/podcasts are those of each respective author/speaker. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*
Joaquina Scott Kankam, Ph.D.
Director and Senior Consultant, School of Solutions
Summary of Qualifications
Joaquina Scott Kankam, Ph.D., is the director of School of Solutions, a consultancy specializing in youth protection. Not only is Joaquina an expert in youth protection compliance and risk management, but her practical experience has made her a leader in understanding the needs of youth-serving organizations.
Joaquina has worked in education for almost twenty years to improve the lives of others. In addition to being an educator (K-12 & Higher Education), Joaquina has presented at several national association conferences and participated as a panelist in several discussions regarding youth.
Responsibilities
Dr. Scott Kankam works nationally to assist youth-serving organizations with protecting minors from abuse and neglect. She helps to create a better tomorrow by auditing and enhancing youth protection policies and policies.
Business Experience
Dr. Scott Kankam's experience includes enhancing and creating an awareness of the Six Effective Practices of the Youth Protection Enterprise Risk Management System®. The Youth Protection ERM System® identifies unknown and uncontrolled risks associated with hosting, operating or sponsoring programs for minors.
You Might Also Be Interested In
Injury Prevention Programs and Early Symptom Intervention
Steven Clark, OTR
WorkStratrgies National Director, Select Medical
Steven Clark discusses the primary drivers and strategies that employers should examine in order to prevent or reduce incidents in the workplace, including: functional employment testing, educational programs, ergonomics and early symptom intervention.
He provides data centered around prevalent injury types, the costs associated with them and methods to minimize them. He also elaborates on a number of risk factors such as repetitive motion, forceful exertions and pre-existing conditions. He explains how to identify injury risk factors and how to dissect them in order to arrive at a solution.
*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs/podcasts are those of each respective author/speaker. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*
Steven Clark, OTR
WorkStratrgies National Director, Select Medical
Summary of Qualifications
Steve is currently the national director of WorkStrategies-Injury Prevention Services for Select Medical. Originally from Houston, TX, he graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in occupational therapy from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. Joining Select Medical in 1995, Steve has worked in the inpatient and outpatient settings treating neurological, spinal cord, orthopedic, hand and industrial patients. He has completed specialized training in functional capacity evaluations, ergonomics, job analysis, post offer employment testing and developed a specialization in industrial prevention and rehabilitation programs.
Responsibilities
Steve works with a wide range of employers on location, assisting in the development of injury prevention and return to work programs. He is also a regular speaker at local and regional conferences on many topics related to industrial rehabilitation and injury prevention.
Business Experience
Steve travels the country as an instructor for Select Medical’s Job Analysis and Functional Capacity Evaluation courses. In his role as regional director, Steve provides mentorship for WorkStrategies coordinators to expand clinical skills and industrial knowledge. Additionally, Steve is responsible for oversite of the Post Offer Employment Testing program for the national WorkStrategies program.
Professional Affiliations
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.
Education
- Bachelor of Science degree, Occupational Therapy, Texas Tech University
- Certified Ergonomics Assessment Specialist (CEAS)