The Workers' Compensation Institute will host the 69th annualWorkers' Compensation Educational Conference (WCEC) this month,from Aug. 17 to 20 at the Orlando World Center Marriott inFlorida—and this year, agents and brokers can take advantage ofseveral new producer-centric program offerings.

The four-day conference, presented by WCI, is the largestgathering of its kind devoted to workers' comp issues. It featuresprogram tracks and breakout sessions from hundreds of nationalspeakers for the benefit and education of risk managers, insuranceagents and brokers, adjusters, employers, judges, lawyers, stateadministrators, safety professionals, nurses, doctors,representatives from the PEO and temporary employment industry,Medicare specialists, mediators, social security experts andLongshore specialists.

Additionally, attendees can earn continuing education units fromnumerous disciplines, and more than 300 exhibitors will be on handto present information on their products and services.

WCI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization thatserves all members of the workers' comp community—risk managers,insurers, brokers, agents, employers, employees, and claims,medical and legal professionals.

The role for agents dealing in the workers' compensation systemcontinues to evolve to include responsibilities such as helpingclients comply with regulatory and statutory mandates, as well asaiding them in developing more proactive measures and policies tohelp the client get a firmer handle on WC costs. Producers lookingto learn how to best serve clients in this market can attend aspecial session on Aug. 18 to become better versed in workers'compensation and skill up on their customers' obligations under thelaw.

Titled “The Agent's Role in Workers' Comp Risk Management &the Claims Process,” the breakout session is scheduled for 1 p.m.to 2:45 p.m. and will be moderated by Corey Mathews, CEO/executivevice president of PIA of Florida. Panel members are Joe Carraher,senior account executive at Lutgert Insurance in Florida; LewKachulis, president & CEO of Synergy Comp Insurance Co. inPennsylvania; and John McMahon, vice president of McMahon &Hadder in Florida.

Also on Monday, the “Workers' Comp Market Trends Impacting theIndependent Agent” panel will provide a “state of the market”outlook on where the workers' compensation market is heading andwhat developing trends to be mindful of. It is scheduled from 3p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Moderator and panelist Dennis Pillsbury,executive editor of Rough Notes magazine, will be joined by PatBorowski, senior vice president of PIA National in Washington,D.C.; and Paul Hughes, CEO of Risk Transfer in Florida.

Then on Aug. 19 from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.,Freddie July-Johnson, NCCI's experience rating manager, and LaurieKurtz, NCCI's product manager, will discuss how riskclassifications factor into the calculations of workers'compensation premiums, as well as how tools available through NCCIcan help to better classify customer employees in a presentationtitled “Risk Classification & Rules: Utilizing NCCI.com &Online Manuals.”

The duo also will present “Experience Modifications:Understanding, Managing, and Helpful Tools,” a session in whichproducers can gain a deeper understanding of how workers'compensation premiums are calculated and an appreciation of therole that claims frequency (quality of risk management and safetyprograms) and severity (management of medical for injured workers,return-to-work plans, etc.) have in determining how much premium ispaid for workers' compensation coverage.

For the full list of breakout sessions, visitwci360.com/conference/speakers to see a complete rundown of days,times and the top-level talent to be featured.

Scott Hudson, president and CEO of Gallagher Bassett ServicesInc., will be featured as the conference's keynote speaker. In hisaddress, Hudson will discuss opportunities and challenges oftoday's workers' compensation market, and how the political andeconomic climates affectthe industry.

During the event's general session on Aug. 18,NU will bestow its Excellence in Workers' Compensation RiskManagement Award, presented in conjunction with WCI and given tothree winning organizations whose accomplishments in cost control,WC risk management and effective safety practices place them wellabove their peers (see p. 24). The award is sponsored by Helmsman ManagementServices.

Additionally, as part of the conference, WCI will host itsinaugural fund-raising gala dinner and silent auction in support ofits adopted charity, Give Kids the World. The dinner will be heldSaturday night before the conference begins at the Orlando WorldCenter Marriott; for information on participating, check outwci360.com/conference/kids-world.

To register for WCEC 2014, go to www.wci360.com/conference/register.