All the winners at the Insurance Business Canada Awards 2017

Our Canadian counterparts know how to throw a party

All the winners at the Insurance Business Canada Awards 2017

Insurance News

By Bethan Moorcraft

Insurance Business America brought the glitz to Chicago’s Navy Pier this week for the most glamorous awards ceremony in the insurance calendar, which saw the industry’s brightest and best gather to find out who would be awarded one of 22 coveted accolades.

After our huge night on Wednesday (November 29) it was the turn of our Canadian counterparts – and they certainly know how to throw a party. Hundreds of spruced-up insurance leaders gathered at The Liberty Grand in Toronto on Thursday night (November 30) for the Insurance Business Canada Awards 2017.

It was a night to remember, with 21 jubilant award winners being tipped as the best in the trade. HRT Consulting’s president and CEO, Ross Totten, was honored with the First Insurance Funding of Canada Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Other individuals to pick up prizes were: AIG Canada’s president and CEO, Lynn Oldfield (Woman of Distinction), Sharp Insurance’s Nick Wong (Broker of the Year), and Benson Kearley IFG’s Joshua Kearley (Young Gun of the Year).

Northbridge Insurance was a big winner on the night, scooping the sought-after DKI Canada Award for P&C Insurer of the Year. Stephanie Dudley, director at Northbridge Insurance, told Insurance Business: “It’s an incredible honor. I think it’s very special to us. We’re being recognized for putting our customers first. And we want to thank all of our broker partners for their great support.”

The Best Brokerage Under 10 People accolade went to ALIGNED Insurance. Andrew Clark, president and CEO, reacted: “It’s really a team award. We built this brokerage from scratch - we have a long way to go but this is an amazing milestone.”

Award winners were treated to a red-carpet affair with free-flowing champagne and first-class entertainment. Hosting the night was “the funniest woman on TV today, period” – CBC TV’s Canada’s Smartest Person host, Jessi Cruickshank.

The Insurance Business Canada Awards celebrate the best and brightest of the insurance industry, including those who give back to their communities. Preferred Insurance Group picked up the CNA Canada Award for Outstanding Philanthropy and Community Service.

Peter Carr, partner and VP of Sales, Preferred Insurance Group, commented: “This is a tremendous honor. There are a lot of talented individuals and very well-respected businesses represented at this event tonight, so to be included within this group is an accolade in itself. We’ve been very active in the communities we serve for many years. We don’t do it for rewards or business gain, we do it because we care about the people in the communities we serve.”

Full list of winners:

ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR - The Guarantee Company of North America "Guarantee Gold H20+"

THE IB MAGAZINE READERS' CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST INDUSTRY SERVICE PROVIDER - Keal Technology

THE iv3 Solutions AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN RISK MANAGEMENT - Intech Risk Management

THE KEAL TECHNOLOGY AWARD FOR DIGITAL INNOVATION - McDougall Insurance

THE PAL INSURANCE BROKERS AWARD FOR YOUNG GUN OF THE YEAR - Joshua Kearley

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER OF THE YEAR - Julia Fischer

THE WYNWARD AWARD FOR BROKERAGE NETWORK CLUSTER OF THE YEAR - Prolink Broker Network

THE EMPIRE LIFE AWARD FOR LIFE & HEALTH ADVISOR OF THE YEAR - Samuel Waxman

THE WINMAR AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CLAIMS SERVICE - Crawford & Company

INSURANCE INDUSTRY EMPLOYER OF CHOICE - Trisura Guarantee Insurance Company

BEST BROKERAGE UNDER 10 PEOPLE - ALIGNED Insurance

THE DKI CANADA AWARD FOR P&C INSURER OF THE YEAR - Northbridge Insurance

THE FIRST INSURANCE FUNDING OF CANADA AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT - Ross Totten

WOMAN OF DISTINCTION - Lynn Oldfield

LIFE AND HEALTH INSURER OF THE YEAR - Great-West Life

THE CNA CANADA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PHILANTHROPY & COMMUNITY SERVICE - Preferred Insurance Group

THE MARKEL AWARD FOR BIG BROKERAGE OF THE YEAR - Archway Insurance

OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE BY A BROKERAGE - BMS Canada Risk Services

THE BURNS & WILCOX CANADA AWARD FOR BEST BROKERAGE OVER 10 PEOPLE - Platform Insurance Management

THE ARAG CANADA AWARD FOR MGA OF THE YEAR - Anderson McTague & Associates

THE SOUTH WESTERN GROUP AWARD FOR BROKER OF THE YEAR - Nick Wong


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