Buffalo Chapter of the CPCU Society

07/27/2026

2026 Local Conferment & Officer Installation Holiday Party

Join the Buffalo Chapter of the CPCU Society as we celebrate the accomplishments of our 2026 CPCU Designees during our annual Local Conferment & Holiday Party at Bobby J's Italian Grille.

Enjoy an evening of networking, cocktails, dinner, and a special Local Conferment Ceremony as we recognize our newest CPCU designees for their dedication and achievement.

We are honored to have Past Chapter President Matthew Paluch, CPCU, preside over the ceremony and present the official CPCU pins to our new designees.

The evening will also include the installation of the 2027 Buffalo Chapter Officer Team and recognition of our outgoing Chapter President, Harmony Johnson, CPCU, for his outstanding leadership and service to the chapter.

🎉 Congratulations to Our 2026 CPCU Designees
Kyle Gilckert, CPCU
Joseph Butler, CPCU
Rachel Holdsworth, CPCU
🎖️ 2027 Buffalo Chapter Officers

President: Robert Christ

Vice President: Matthew Whittemore

Treasurer: Shannon Van Doorn

Secretary: To Be Announced

Immediate Past President: Harmony Johnson, CPCU

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, December 8, 2026

Location:
Bobby J's Italian Grille
204 Como Park Boulevard
Cheektowaga, NY 14227

5:30 PM – Cocktail Hour

6:30 PM – Dinner & Local Conferment Ceremony

Attire: Business Professional or Holiday Cocktail Attire

Your Registration Includes
Italian dinner buffet
Two-hour open bar
Local Conferment Ceremony
Officer Installation Ceremony
Holiday celebration with fellow CPCUs, candidates, and industry professionals

Registration will open soon!

Please note: Event date and time are subject to change.

The CPCU Pledge

As a CPCU:

I shall strive at all times to live by the highest standards of professional conduct;

I shall strive to understand the needs of others and place their interests above my own;

I shall strive to uphold a standard of honor and integrity that reflects credit on my profession and the CPCU designation.

We look forward to celebrating this special evening with you as we recognize our newest CPCUs, install our incoming chapter leadership, and celebrate another successful year for the Buffalo Chapter.

Thank You to Our 2026 Chapter Sponsors

The Buffalo Chapter of the CPCU Society gratefully acknowledges the generous support of our 2026 sponsors. Your partnership helps make our educational programs, networking opportunities, scholarship initiatives, and special events possible.

Genesee Patrons Insurance -www.gpins.net
USI Insurance Services -https://www.usi.com/
Lawley Insurance -https://www.lawleyinsurance.com/
Insurance Women of Buffalo -https://insurancewomenbuffalo.com/
Merchants Insurance Group -https://www.merchantsgroup.com/

07/11/2026

Congratulations to the CPCU Class of 2026!!! You have worked hard to achieve this honor.

Rachel Holdsworth, CPCU

Kyle Gilckert, CPCU

Joseph Butler, CPCU

As a CPCU:

I shall strive at all times to live by the highest standards of professional conduct;

I shall strive to ascend and understand the needs of others and place their interest above my own;

I shall strive to maintain and uphold a standard of honor and integrity that will reflect credits on my profession and on the CPCU designation.

Enjoy your national conferment ceremony in Las Vegas at In2Risk 2026!!

07/11/2026

National Seminar

Nat Cat Trivia: Cloudy with a Chance of Bragging Rights

Presenter: Kelly McAnally

July 31, at 11 a.m. ET
It's time to reason with hurricane season and put your natural catastrophe knowledge to the test! Leave those umbrellas at home and join host Kelly McAnally for a fun, fast-paced 45-minute trivia webinar featuring questions developed in collaboration with your industry peers in the CPCU Society interest groups. Covering a range of Nat Cat topics and spanning three tiers of difficulty, this game-style session brings you a brainstorm of entertaining education.

Knowledge is more than a competitive edge. Understanding natural catastrophes, the science behind them, the patterns that precede them, and the losses they leave behind, is what allows us to better predict risk, prevent harm, and serve the communities who depend on us most. Whatever your role, the answers blowin' in the wind will challenge you, surprise you, and reinforce why staying sharp in this space matters. Come ready to rock your know-how like a hurricane, because when you come for the trivia, you leave with instincts for the work that matters most. Winners will be announced later that same day. Bragging rights are on the line.

https://www.cpcusociety.org/Public/Education/Webinar/TRIVIA726.aspx

CPCU Society webinars are live, one-hour sessions designed to educate and empower you on a wide variety of topics. Learn from insurance and risk management professionals who are experts on a wide variety of topics, ask questions, interact with other participants, all without leaving your office.
Free for CPCU Members
Non-member individual registration is $49.
Non-member group rate registration is $99.

07/11/2026

National CPCU Live Seminar

TRIA at a Crossroads: The Terrorism Insurance Market

Presenters: Andrew Mais, Peter Bransden, CPCU, ACII, Louis Nunez, CPCU, AU, AAI, ARM, AIM

July 21, at 2 p.m. ET
The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) has long served as a critical safety net for U.S. property-casualty insurers, and its future hinges on congressional action. This webinar brings together two leading voices to break down what TRIA means for your book of business and where the legislation stands today. Andrew Mais, former Connecticut Insurance Commissioner and NAIC President, will walk through the NAIC's current efforts to renew and preserve this vital public-private partnership. Peter Bransden, Head of Crisis Management at Willis Towers Watson, will then map out the broader crisis risk insurance landscape, drawing on WTW's Global Terrorism Index to highlight where capacity exists, who the key players are, and how markets outside the U.S. have approached this exposure in vastly different ways. If you write commercial lines, work in risk management, or advise clients on complex exposures, this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss.

Key Takeaways:

Understand where TRIA stands in the legislative process and what its renewal or lapse would mean for your clients and your organization.
Identify the private market capacity that exists beyond TRIA and how to evaluate coverage options for risks that fall outside the federal backstop.
Recognize how global crisis risk markets differ by region so you can better advise clients with international exposures or cross-border operations.

Register Below:

https://www.cpcusociety.org/Public/Education/Webinar/TRIA72126.aspx

CPCU Society webinars are live, one-hour sessions designed to educate and empower you on a wide variety of topics. Learn from insurance and risk management professionals who are experts on a wide variety of topics, ask questions, interact with other participants, all without leaving your office.

Free for CPCU Members
Non-member individual registration is $49.
Non-member group rate registration is $99.

The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) has long served as a critical safety net for U.S. property-casualty insurers, and its future hinges on congressional action. This webinar brings together two leading voices to break down what TRIA means for your book of business and where the legislation stand...

07/11/2026

National CPCU Seminar

State of the Insurance Industry 2026

Presenter: Sean Kevelighan

July 17, at 2 p.m. ET

Sean Kevelighan’s last state of the industry presentation quickly became one of our most popular webinars of the year, with members calling it one of the best we’ve offered.

This year, Sean returns with a fully updated look at where the industry stands now, what has changed, and what’s coming next. Don’t miss this live conversation with Sean Kevelighan, CEO of the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), as he breaks down key issues impacting the insurance industry in 2026, including climate risk, legal system abuse, and the latest economic and underwriting performance trends.

Main takeaways from this webinar include:

Insurance industry news cycles: Key insurance issues reported in the media along with relevant takeaways
Economic analysis: How the insurance industry is performing in relation to key economic indicators (GDP and inflation growth)
Underwriting performance and forecasting: How the insurance industry is projected to perform based on overall combined ratio and direct written premiums for both personal and commercial lines of business

Register Below:

https://www.cpcusociety.org/Public/Education/Webinar/SII71726.aspx

CPCU Society webinars are live, one-hour sessions designed to educate and empower you on a wide variety of topics. Learn from insurance and risk management professionals who are experts on a wide variety of topics, ask questions, interact with other participants, all without leaving your office.

Non-member individual registration is $49.
Non-member group rate registration is $99.

Sean Kevelighan’s last state of the industry presentation quickly became one of our most popular webinars of the year, with members calling it one of the best we’ve offered.  This year, Sean returns with a fully updated look at where the industry stands now, what has changed, and what’s comin...

07/11/2026

July Monthly Meeting

July 15, 2026
9AM -10AM

Please join us for our Chapter Meeting. We will have updates on Events and from Committee Members. Attached you will find the Financial Statement, The Meeting Agenda, Meeting Minutes from last Meeting and a recent Webinar overview.

https://buffalocpcu.starchapter.com/meetinginfo.php?id=89&ts=1783544231

07/11/2026

07/09/2026

🎓 Class of 2026: We want to hear your story.

We're inviting members of the Class of 2026 to participate in the Share Your Story competition and share what earning their CPCU designation has meant to them.

One winner will be selected to represent the Class of 2026 and speak during the Conferment Ceremony on October 21 at In2Risk in Las Vegas.

Submitting is easy:

✔ Complete a short form
✔ Write an essay of 500 words or fewer
✔ Share your CPCU journey

Your story could inspire future CPCUs and fellow industry professionals. Share your story today: https://forms.cpcusociety.com/261254118034852

07/01/2026