The Workers' Compensation Institute's (WCI) 70th annual Workers'Compensation Educational Conference (WCEC), held Aug. 23 to 26at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Florida, once again sawrecord attendance numbers. The event officially opened Aug. 24 withits general session, during which WCI General Chair JimMcConnaughhay welcomed the crowd and Steven A. Rissman, WCI'sprogram chair, made opening remarks.

Scholarships were awarded to students whose families wereaffected by work-related injuries, and National Underwriter honoredits Excellence in Workers' Compensation RiskManagement winners for their stellar accomplishments. DavidNorth, president and CEO of the award sponsor Sedgwick, and MarkWalls, vice president of communications and strategic analysis ofaward sponsor Safety National, were on hand to present the winners—Southwest Airlines, Cedar Fair Entertainment and Broward County, Fla.—with their awardstatuettes.

Diana J. McCluskey, chair of WCI Volunteer Activities andService Day, presented a donation to Mayor Clayton ofGive Kids theWorld, a “storybook” resort in central Florida for seriouslyill children. Look out for NU-PC360 editor-in-chief ShawnMoynihan's story about volunteering at WCI's Service Day at GiveKids the World in the September issue of NationalUnderwriter Property & Casualty.

Click through for pictures from the General Session, and checkback tomorrow for pictures from WCEC 2015's 1980s-themed showroomfloor.

WCI General Chair Jim McConnaughhay gives his opening remarks atthe WCEC General Session, which included thanking the manyvolunteers who help make the conference the amazing experience thatit is.

Diana J. McCluskey, chair of WCI Volunteer Activities andService Day, announced that $50,000 was raised for Give Kids theWorld through its gala dinner held on August 22, 2015. McCluskeypresented a check of donations to Neal McCrod, vice president ofproject management, and Mayor Clayton and of Give Kids the World, a“storybook” resort in central Florida for seriously illchildren.

NU-PC360's Shawn Moynihan announced the winners of theNational Underwriter Excellence in Workers' Compensation RiskManagement, and delivered a moving account of his experience atWCI's Service Day at Give Kids the World.

Jeff O'Connor of Broward County, Fla. accepts his award fromMark Walls of Safety National and David North of Sedgwick.

Kathy Hawkinson of Cedar Fair Entertainment accepts heraward.

Patti Colwell of Southwest Airlines accepts her award.

Steven A. Rissman, WCI's program chair, contributed to theconference's opening remarks and introduced keynotespeakers Debbie Michel, president of Helmsman ManagementServices, and Herschel Walker, of college football and NFLfame.

Debbie Michel, president of Helmsman Management Services,delivered the first keynote speech on current trends in Workers'Compensation.

Former NFL player and College Football Hall of Famer Herschel Walker delivered the closing keynote at theWCEC 2015 General Session. Walker was an exceptional collegefootball player for the University of Georgia, winning the 1982Heisman Trophy. He started his pro football career with the NewJersey Generals, part of the now-defunct United States FootballLeague. He then moved on to the NFL, playing for the DallasCowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New YorkGiants.

See also: Scenes from WCEC: “Live” fromOrlando