Western Surety is opening a Toronto office, with details to be announced as
they're finalized over the next few weeks.
The goal, says President Scott Donald, is to raise the profile for Western
Surety in central Canada and increase the number of clients we can serve.
"We've been in the Ontario market for 48 years," he says. "In the early years we were recognised as leaders in subdivision bonds. Then we expanded as specialists in surety bonds for contractors of all types.
"We've built our reputation there on excellent service. How do you improve on nearly half a century of service?
"We listened to our brokers, and they told us the next step is locating our personnel in Toronto. That increases our face-to-face service and provides a quicker response when last minute meetings are required. It also overcomes some of the challenges that time zones create.
"We have a lot of confidence in the Ontario economy and want to continue to grow with it."
Donald says staffing will be announced shortly, and will be based on a team of
proven, Ontario-savvy professionals.
Giesbrecht an Excellent Fit for Binner's Shoes
With
the retirement of Dale Binner planned for 2010, Arden Giesbrecht has moved into
the position of Controller and Corporate Secretary at Western Surety.Arden has been associated with Western Surety over the last 20 years through his work in the corporate accounting department of the Hill Group of Companies, of which Western is a part.
He holds a CMA designation and Bachelor of Commerce degree. He is also
a past chapter president of Treasury Management Association of Canada
and a member of the Canadian Insurance Accountants Association.
At Western Surety, Arden will focus on financial management, and correspond with reinsurance companies on treaty matters, and with investment advisors on the company's portfolio.
Arden is working in tandem with the soon to be retired Dale Binner, about whom more will appear in a future issue.
Highlights from a hundred years
Branching Out
In 2001, Western Surety opened its first-ever branch office to meet rapidly-growing demand in Eastern Canada. Located in Dartmouth, the Atlantic Branch provides presence and accessibility for brokers and their clients throughout the region. That office moved into brand new, expanded quarters overlooking the harbour in 2008.
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