October 18, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
8:00 am – 11:30 am CST
Mesirow Financial
353 North Clark Street, 4th Floor Conference Center, Mesirow A&B
Chicago, Illinois 60654
Kindly RSVP by
Monday, November 4, 2013
Join Mesirow Financial’s Deputy Chief Economist Adolfo Laurenti and insurance industry experts for a forum on the economy’s impact on the nonprofit sector and state unemployment tax and funding options for 501(c)3 organizations and government entities/municipalities. With continuing strains on funding for nonprofits, your organization has alternative options to save on unemployment tax costs.
Agenda
| 8:00 – 8:30 | Registration and continental breakfast |
| 8:30 – 8:45 | Welcome and introductions by Jennifer Gavelek |
| 8:45 – 10:00 | Adolfo Laurenti–The Economy’s Impact on the Nonprofit Sector |
| 10:00 – 10:10 | Break |
| 10:10 – 11:15 | Cecilia Piazza– Funding Options for State Unemployment Taxes |
| 11:15 – 11:30 | Q&A |
Speakers
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Adolfo L. Laurenti-Mesirow Financial Senior Managing Director and Deputy Chief Economist |
Adolfo Laurenti develops ongoing economic research and commentary critical to supporting clients and contacts of Mesirow Financial. Adolfo authors Themes on the Global Markets, a periodic newsletter providing insight into trends, issues and the forecast for the global economy. As an expert on the European economies, Adolfo is a new face in demand by the financial press and among local media. He also lectures at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Adolfo was selected as an Emerging Leader by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs for 2011. He was an Earhart Foundation Fellow in 2002. He received a Washington Society of Investments Analysts Scholarship and a Graduate Scholarship for Excellence in Academia from the Economic Club of Washington D.C.
Adolfo is a graduate of Bocconi University Business School in Milan, Italy. He specialized in industrial organization as a visiting scholar at the Center for Industrial Economics in Copenhagen, Denmark, and concentrated in financial economics at Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. Adolfo earned his master of arts degree in economics from George Mason University, where he also pursued doctoral studies.
Adolfo serves on the board of the National Association for Business Economics and is a member of both the American Economic Association and the Chicago Association for Business Economics. He is also a board member for the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago.
Jennifer Gavelek, CPCU, ARM-Mesirow Financial
Managing Director and Insurance Nonprofit Practice Leader
Jennifer Gavelek is a managing director within Mesirow Financial’s Property and Casualty Insurance Services Practice and the Nonprofit Practice Leader. She is a specialist in evaluating, marketing, developing and servicing insurance and risk management programs. Jennifer works with risk managers and underwriters to negotiate and secure comprehensive, cost-effective coverage for clients. In addition to her active role in sales and client relations, Jennifer was involved with the in-house risk management for each of Mesirow Financial’s four divisions and quality control of the Insurance Division for more than 10 years.
Jennifer’s specialties include program assessment (analysis, planning, control and financing) and specialty coverage lines including professional liability, management liability and security/privacy. She has strong analytical, organizational, planning, interpersonal and negotiating skills with the ability to effectively communicate. Jennifer incorporates strategic solutions to achieve clients’ risk management objectives while maintaining expectations and business processes. She finds creative solutions to complex problems and partners effectively with clients, insurance carriers, risk management professionals and claims services.
Jennifer joined Mesirow Financial in 1996 and began her insurance industry career in 1990. She holds a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) designation and is currently pursuing an Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation. Jennifer earned a bachelor degree in finance from Northeastern Illinois University.
Cecilia Piazza-First Nonprofit Group
Vice President of Member Services
Cecilia Piazza earned a bachelor of arts in business with a concentration in human resources from St. Xavier University. She has over 20 years of combined management experience in the U.S and abroad. Cecilia was a key individual responsible for staff, training and development of new products for the largest employer in New Zealand; successfully completing their management graduate program and traveling extensively throughout the country. After returning to the U.S. she broadened her experience to include the nonprofit sector and insurance.
Cecilia has 14 years of service with First Nonprofit Group. Her successful oversight of a multi-million dollar program has resulted in the steady growth of the unemployment membership and a vital team of support personnel. Cecilia has been twice published in Nonprofit World magazine regarding the benefits of unemployment financing. She is a member of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management.
Cecilia continues to travel extensively across the U.S presenting to large and small groups about unemployment insurance and effective ways to manage this responsibility. Her knowledge and background in human resources, enhanced by several years of operational experience working directly with nonprofits, certified public accountants, attorneys, and consultants, has had a direct financial impact on the bottom line of nonprofit agencies.
Ready to chat? Get in touch today to request a no-obligation savings evaluation.
Visually Impaired Preschool Services has been a client of First Non-Profit since it was first offered as a benefit of VisionServe Alliance. We completed a thorough evaluation of cash savings to our agency before taking advantage of this wonderful benefit and it has been a very wise decision. Our experience with the processes from accounting to claims have been professional, expeditious and easy.
The Ensight Skills Center has enjoyed working with First Nonprofit for several years. We are enrolled in their Unemployment Savings Program and although we have not required a lot of intervention, there have been a few times. I know others have dealt with the same problem of unemployment fraud over the last year and in our case, a call to First Nonprofit (they actually answer their phones) cleared up the issue. They also sent us a letter to send to all our employees telling them what they needed to do to prevent this in the future and protect themselves. What a relief! Over the years if I have questions or concerns, they are happy to listen, advise and help if they can. Another BIG advantage of using First Nonprofit is that all the money that is paid into the Unemployment Savings Program lives on my balance sheet as an asset. The money continues to be Ensight’s not the governments. First Nonprofit has certainly given me peace of mind.
In addition to their money-saving purpose on behalf of nonprofit organizations like AHS, First Nonprofit’s Nonprofit Unemployment Fund streamlines the information we need to efficiently manage unemployment claims. Our relationship with NU Fund gave us access to such things as advice on planning for what’s ahead and how to analyze cost scenarios when unexpected events occurred. Both experiences were very helpful.
We have had a great experience with FNP. During Covid, when there was the chance that reimbursable nonprofits would have to pay 50% of the unemployment costs, FNP went to bat for us. We would receive weekly information on the Unemployment claim and how they were working to reduce the costs to reimbursable nonprofits. They have a great service also working with [our claims administrator] to make sure all the paperwork is completed correctly for any unemployment claim.
PORT Health Services has had a great experience with the Unemployment Savings Program offered through First Nonprofit. Throughout the years we have been involved in the program, we have increased our reserve account significantly through this program and find the reporting we receive both timely and useful. We look forward to our continued involvement with this program and our connection with First Nonprofit for many years to come.
Job One was spending a lot of money on unemployment. Our insurance broker, Mark Simcosky, recommended that we switch over to First Nonprofit. We did just that! This switch has been a huge savings for us! This switch saved us over $10,000 in the first year. Their customer service is Superior! Any time we have a question, we get a response very quickly. Any time we send them a report and they have a question; they call rather than just assuming. They were very responsive during COVID, even when they were in crisis mode their selves. They also were always there when we needed during COVID and very helpful! We would 1,000% recommend First Nonprofit to anybody that could benefit from it!
My experience with FNP has always been positive. Every time I have had to contact them, I’m always put in contact with a friendly and knowledgeable person. If something is missing from our account, they reach out to us to request it. It’s nice to work with a company that makes sure our account is current. I would recommend them to any nonprofit looking to reduce their unemployment insurance costs.
We’ve saved tens of thousands of dollars PER YEAR by changing to become a reimbursing employer, freeing funds for much needed capital investment. FNP has been a valued partner in this process, providing assurance that we have stopgap coverage for extraordinary claims and keeping claims response painless and simple. It’s a huge Win/Win!