As a reportercovering conferences from year to year, there are a number ofpeople I look forward to seeing. Part of the fun of being at ameeting is catching up with conference buddies, some of whom areother reporters.

One fellowjournalist that I've missed seeing at the last two captiveconferences is Karen Cutts, publisher and managing editor of theRisk Retention Reporter. We've been attending some of the sameconferences for the past eight or nine years.

Karen was absentfrom the Captive Insurance Companies Association conference inMarch and from the Vermont Captive Insurance Association conferenceearlier this month, for health reasons. She also has had to suspenda monthly column she writes for NU on risk retentiongroups.

I read a noticetoday in the latest Risk Retention Reporter that Karen is expectedto remain on medical leave for an extended period of time.Meanwhile, her husband and business partner, James Cutts, hasstepped in as publisher. Chris Dauer, whom I met at VCIA, is nowworking as staff writer for RRR, covering the East Coast, thenotice said. Chris, in fact, was an employee at NU beforeI started here in 2000.

Here's somethinginteresting that happened a couple of years ago at the CICAconference, when Karen and I were catching up at dinner in thehotel restaurant. Karen noticed that renowned White Housecorrespondent Helen Thomas—who was to be keynote speaker the nextday—had been seated at a table near ours. She suggested we sayhello, so we stopped by on our way out and chatted with Helen for afew minutes. Helen was warm and charming, and interested in thefact that we were both reporters. She also asked some questionsabout captives and the insurance industry in general, which we werehappy to answer.

And so I anticipateseeing Karen at the CICA conference in March—hopefully before then.I know Hugh Rosenbaum, retired principal for Towers Perrin inLondon, would also like to see here there. The two play musicalinstruments and have enjoyed practicing together over the yearsduring conference down-time.

Karen, get wellsoon!