Last month, hundreds of insurance company investigators,special agents, law enforcement officials, and other partners in(fighting) crime from across the nation and several other countriesgathered in San Antonio, Texas for the International Association ofSpecial Investigation Units (IASIU) 26th annual seminar.

This educational offering represents one of many mechanisms thenon-profit organization uses to further investigator training andcommunity outreach while supporting anti-fraud legislation. Theultimate goal of IASIU and its membership is to prevent and detectinsurance fraud, which the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud (CAIF)projects to cost insurers and policyholders an excess of $80billion each year.

During a ceremony held on Sept. 12, IASIU recognized a selectnumber of individuals who have gone above and beyond the call ofduty, and whose tireless efforts and relentless pursuit ofunraveling fraud have not only benefited the insurance industry butalso society at large. David J. Rioux, vice president of corporatesecurity at Erie Insurance and IASIU president, enlisted the helpof fellow board members to distribute the 2011 awards in fourcategories: outstanding service, public service, analyst of theyear, and investigator of the year.

Miles H. Watters Jr. of State Farm received the OutstandingService Award. A 30-year claims professional, Watters has trainedhundreds of claims and investigative professionals throughout hiscareer and has served as president of the National Society ofProfessional Insurance Investigators and a board member of theInternational Association of Arson Investigators.

Ellen Withers, IASIU Secretary, presented the 2011 OutstandingPublic Service award to Dave Klimek, a special agent at the FBI.Klimek dismantled a large-scale staged crash ring in Texas,resulting in a 21 individuals being sent to federal prison.

After receiving a standing ovation, Klimek donated half of hisaward to amemorial fund that honors two officers killed in the line of duty.  IASIU donated $10,000 to the same organizationearlier this year. Klimek donated the remaining half to theWounded WarriorProject, the chosen beneficiary of the seminar's golftournament.  

In other awards, NICB's Anna Kostovos was named the Analyst ofthe Year for her impressive work related to a large commercial lossclaim. The Investigator of the Year award went to Pamela Stiefel ofHartford Insurance. Stiefel's successful operation began with asingle suspicious claim involving a pickup truck and led to afar-reaching scam involving hundreds of vehicles being exported toMexico and Lebanon.

“[Her] investigation helped to spur legislation to closeloopholes that had allowed these scams to thrive,” noted Riouxduring the presentation.