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2010 Speakers Rey André, Workers’ Comp Claims Manager - Office of Risk Management Michael S. Bednar, M.D., Orthopedic Surgeon Tom Blackwell, Director of Strategic Services Paul Brandel, Claims Manager, Risk Management Janet D. Brown, ASM, Senior Director, Marriott Claims Services - Chicago Jesse P. Butler, M.D. Jean Chocola, Claims Manager James R. Clune, Esq., Shareholder Rita B. Coffey, Program Analyst Lynn Combs, Esq., Partner Thomas Cronin, Esq., Attorney Anita M. DeCarlo, Esq., Attorney Miles DePaepe, Loss Control Consultant Mark M. Flannery Christopher J. Gibbons, Esq. Leon M. Huddleston, M.D., President/Physiatrist Eugene Keefe, Esq., Partner Larry Krause, Risk Manager Nancy Lindsay, Commissioner William A. Lowry, Esq., Shareholder Amy J. Masters, Acting Chairman David B. Menchetti, Esq. Bridget A. Neuson, RN, BSN, JD, President Christina Ozuna, Vice President of Claims Ranney P. Pageler, Vice President, Fraud Investigations Department Barb Pelak, Disability Management Specialist Diane M. Pidgeon, Director of Workers’ Compensation John F. Power, Esq., Partner Sundrea Richardson, Paralegal, Workers' Compensation Practice Group Jay Scheid, Director, Risk Management John Smolk Barbara J. Spain, Counsel - Workers' Compensation Practice Group Mary Stanton, Esq., Chief, Cyber Crimes Division; Assistant State’s Attorney Dave Taylor, AIC, ARM, CWCP, RWCS, Manager, Workers' Compensation & Integrated Disability Craig Thorstenson, Esq., Partner Daniel J. Ugaste, Esq., Shareholder Mary B. Wahlheim, Regional Workers’ Compensation Supervisor Francis “Buzz” Walsh, Unit Supervisor, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Tian Xia, D.O., Anesthesiologist Andrew S. Zelby, M.D., F.A.C.S., Neurosurgeon Mary Zmuda, Senior Manager, Health, Safety, and Environmental Programs Rey André Rey André has over 24 years of claims experience mainly in workers compensation but he also has had experience handling all lines of claims including general liability, auto liability, products liability and property. He began his Insurance claims career as a Claims Adjuster with Liberty Mutual Insurance in 1986. Rey sites his experience at Liberty Mutual as an adjuster handling all lines of insurance as being inspirational. After his tenure at Liberty Mutual he went on to Cigna Insurance where he worked as a Senior Examiner. In 1993 he joined Casualty Fremont as a Workers Compensation Claims Supervisor before arriving at Northwestern University in 1996 as The Office of Risk Managements Claim Manager. Since arriving at Northwestern and directing its Workers Compensation program with the full support of the University administration he has implemented claims handling procedures that over the years have impacted claims severity quite favorably. Because of his ability to wear many hats he has also managed claims internally for the Universities Student Hospitalization Health Insurance Program and in 2005, given the overall success of it’s Workers Compensation program Senior Administration requested that Mr. André implement and manage a similar internal claims program for the Universities Short Term and Long Term Disability Plans. Michael S. Bednar, M.D. Michael S. Bednar, MD, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. Following a surgical internship at Pennsylvania Hospital and his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, Dr. Bednar completed a Fellowship in Hand Surgery and Microsurgery at The Indiana Hand Center. In 1992, Dr. Bednar joined Loyola University Medical Center, where he is active in clinical practice, research, and teaching. Dr. Bednar is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School Of Medicine. Special interests are carpal tunnel syndrome, pediatric hand problems, spinal cord injury, and wrist problems. Dr. Bednar has had publications in scientific journals related to the upper extremity as well as national presentations. He has served on committees for the American Society of Surgery of the Hand and as president of the Chicago Society of Surgery for the Hand. He is also active in several professional organizations for orthopaedic surgery, surgery for the hand, and spinal cord injury. Tom Blackwell Tom Blackwell is the Director of Strategic Services at Gould & Lamb. Gould & Lamb, LLC, is a medical-financial services company based in Florida, with nationwide service capabilities. Gould & Lamb provides Medicare risk management services including but not limited to Medicare Set Asides (MSAs), Conditional Payment Verification and Lien Negotiations, Medicare & Social Security Verifications and compliance solutions for the Medicare Medicaid & SCHIP reporting. Tom is a credentialed Medicare Set-Aside Consultant Certified with 6 years experience in developing Medicare Secondary Payer compliance programs. He has trained thousands of claims professionals in Medicare Secondary Payer compliance and developed protocols and best practices in reducing Medicare exposures for many national insurance carriers and TPAs. Tom’s past work experience started in 1992 when he was recruited by Raymond James Financial’s Municipal Bond Department. Tom held the series 7 and 53 licenses and was a Certified Financial Planner. At RJF, Tom traded in high yield tax free securities and derivatives. In 1995, Tom took the helm of Autoworth, Inc., a regional automotive & ferrous metal recycling firm based in Clearwater, Florida. Tom held the position of President and COO for eight years. In that time he was elected to several recycling association boards and gave presentations on creating process efficiencies. In 2003, Tom began working at Gould & Lamb, LLC and since has held positions of increasing scope and responsibility. As the Director of the Western Region, he was responsible for expanding Gould and Lamb, LLC’s national foot print by opening the Western Market. He then oversaw sales and training efforts in the Northeast and Southeast United States as the Director of those regions. In 2006 Tom took a Home Office position as the Director of Strategic Services and has since worked to develop internal processes and compliance programs with carriers and TPAs nationally. Paul Brandel One of Paul Brandel’s responsibilities with Hyatt Hotels Corporation is overseeing the workers’ compensation program for full service, select service and vacation club properties in North America. Mr. Brandel oversees and supports six Occupational Health Managers across the country with Hyatt’s return-to-work program, cost containment, safety training, OSHA programs and reserving/settlement procedures. He also is involved with general liability, auto and employment practice procedures for Hyatt. Mr. Brandel’s previous positions were as a claims consultant and adjuster for both workers’ compensation and general liability claims for self-insured and insured programs. Janet D. Brown Janet D. Brown is the Senior Claims Director of Marriott Claims Services-Chicago, Marriott International, Inc. With over 26 years of service at Marriott, Janet started her insurance career at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company in East Orange, N.J. in February 1982. After a brief stint at Liberty as a claims and senior court adjuster, Janet began her career with Marriott as a claim adjuster in the Eastern Region claims office of Marriott in October 1983. She worked through various insurance roles including Claims Supervisor, National Claims Examiner, and Training/Development Manager before accepting her current position. During her tenure as a National Claims Examiner at Marriott’s headquarters in Bethesda, MD, she was responsible for directing and evaluating high exposure casualty claims in eighteen states. Key responsibilities included coordination of defense strategy with outside counsel, corporate law department and regional/corporate claims associates. Additional responsibilities included auditing regional Marriott claims operations and TPA branch offices to ensure policy and procedure compliance. In addition, she coordinated and handled Marriott’s worldwide property insurance program including coverage analysis. In her current role, she is responsible for management of workers’ compensation, auto, and general liability losses for all Marriott managed operations within 11 Midwestern states. During February 1999, she helped develop and implement the Marriott Qualified Health Plan in the state of Ohio and during the same time frame secured her Administrative Services Manager license in Michigan. As an active member of the Illinois Self Insurance Association (ISIA), she served as President from September 2002 to September 2004 and is currently on the Board of Directors for the ISIA, Executive Committee. She is also a member of the Tuesday Working Group serving on the Executive Board. Jesse P. Butler, MD Dr. Jesse P. Butler graduated from Southern Methodist University Cum Laude with a BA in Chemistry & Economics. He attended medical school at Finch University/Chicago Medical School, orthopaedic residency at Northwestern University and completed a 1-year spine fellowship at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center under the direction of Dr. Howard An. He was certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners in 1993 and certified Diplomat by the American Board or Orthopaedic Surgery in 2000. Dr. Butler continues to perform research for DePuy Spine, Medtronic, Kyphon, and is also a Medical Director and Director/Surgical Advisory Board at Vertebral Technologies. Dr. Butler has been treating patients in the workers’ compensation industry for over 9 years and is board certified and fellowship trained in Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Butler was appointed to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission Medical Fee Advisory Board in 2005. Dr. Butler’s areas of practice include: adult revision/ reconstructive surgery, cervical/thoracic/lumbar spine disorders; occupational injury/workers’ compensation; degenerative disc disease, herniated disc, sciatica, spinal stenosis & spondylolithesis; osteoporotic compression fractures; Independent Medical Exams (IME). Jean Chocola Jean Chocola has a 25 year insurance background of which 18 years were dedicated to workers’ compensation. She began her career on the carrier/broker side of the workers’ compensation working with major insurance companies such as Travelers, CNA, and Wausau Insurance. Prior to moving to Follett Corporation, she was an independent claims consultant for TJ Adams Group. Jean has been the claims manager for Follett Corporation since March 2006. James R. Clune, Esq. Mr. Clune is a shareholder with the Chicago firm Garofalo, Schreiber, Hart & Storm, Chtd., where he concentrates his practice on workers' compensation litigation. He has lectured for the Chicago Bar Association, to claims associations, and to the insurance industry. Mr. Clune has been selected by his peers as a Leading American Attorney in the field of work related injuries. He has also been named as an expert witness regarding the valuation of work related claims and associated liability issues in cases before the Circuit Court of Cook County. Mr. Clune is a member of the Illinois State and Florida Bar Associations and is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association. He received his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Rita B. Coffey Rita B. Coffey is the Program Analyst in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Chicago District Office. As the Program Analyst, Ms. Coffey serves as the technical assistance, outreach, training and public relations manager for the Chicago District Office. Ms. Coffey participates as a speaker, instructor and panelist in training sessions. She also serves as a media contact and liaison. Prior to becoming the Program Analyst for the Chicago District Office in 1998, Ms. Coffey served as the Administrative Officer for approximately 10 years. As the Administrative Officer, Ms. Coffey supervised the budget, procurement and personnel functions of the Chicago District Office. Prior to becoming the Administrative Officer, Ms Coffey was a Paralegal Specialist in the Legal Division of the Chicago District Office. Lynn Combs, Esq. Lynn Combs is Partner with Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie & Lowry, P.C. She is a graduate of University of Wisconsin, for her undergraduate degree and law school, and has been practicing since 1995. Lynn’s practice focus areas are workers’ compensation, employer liability and employment law. Lynn is a frequent lecturer on workers’ compensation and ADA issues. Ms. Combs is licensed to practice law in both Illinois and Wisconsin and is also admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit; U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, including Trial Bar; and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. Thomas Cronin, Esq. Thomas P. Cronin received his law degree, with honors, from IIT-Chicago-Kent College of Law, and his undergraduate degree, with honors from Indiana University, where he was elected Phi Beta Kappa. Tom is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Illinois, all Illinois state courts, and the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Tom is a member of numerous bar associations and the Workers' Compensation Lawyers Association. Tom co-authored Illinois Jurisprudence Encyclopedia Vol. 26, Workers' Compensation, Matthew Bender, 2004; and "Recent Developments in Employment Law," Tort and Insurance Law Journal, Vol. 37, No. 2, 2002. He lectures to employer groups on managing workers' compensation costs and managing employment litigation. Hennessy & Roach, P.C. is a general practice law firm with offices in Chicago, Springfield and St. Louis, committed to the representation of employers in workers' compensation, general litigation and labor and employment throughout Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin. Anita M. DeCarlo, Esq. Anita M. DeCarlo is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago and received her Juris Doctorate from The John Marshall Law School. She has lectured and drafted articles for the Illinois State Bar Association. Before joining the firm, she practiced with her father, Vito DeCarlo, at DeCarlo, Greenfield & DeCarlo, P.C. for eight years. Since workers' compensation "runs in the family," she spent many summers and her law school career working with her father. Prior to attending Loyola, Ms. DeCarlo attended Marquette University where she studied at La Universidad Complutense de Association where she was elected to the Board for Governors and acts as the liaison to the Workers' Compensation Section Counsel and Employee Benefits Section. Further, she is a member of the Executive Committees of the Justinian Society of Lawyers and was recently elected secretary of the John Marshall Law School Alumni Association. In 2008, she was named an Illinois Rising Star by Super Lawyers and received a Distinguished Service Award from The John Marshall Law School. Miles DePaepe Miles brings over 25 years of safety management and OSHA consulting expertise to Employers Loss Control. Miles worked for some large manufacturing operations (A. Finkl & Sons, Helene Curtis, Unilever Home & Personal Care), before spending four years with MPD Associates, a safety & health consulting company. Mark M. Flannery Mark M. Flannery is the Workers' Compensation Manager for Caterpillar Inc. and subsidiaries. He earned his J.D. at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago in 1985, with distinction, and engaged in the private practice of law, focusing on workers' compensation defense of employers, until joining Caterpillar Inc. in August 2003. He currently sits on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission Advisory Board as the representative of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, having been appointed by the Governor in September 2005. Christopher J. Gibbons Mr. Christopher J. Gibbons is a Shareholder with the Chicago Law Firm Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie & Lowry, P.C. and Executive Secretary of the Illinois Self- Insurers’ Association. Mr. Gibbons received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin in 1987 and his Juris Doctorate in 1992 from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Illinois, all Illinois state courts, the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Supreme Court. His areas of specialty are trial and appellate practice in the workers’ compensation and employer liability law. Mr. Gibbons’ clients include Advocate Health Care, Caterpillar, Inc., Provena Health Care, Commonwealth Edison/Exelon and Exxon-Mobil. He is also a frequent speaker, having spoken most recently at the 2009 Illinois Self-Insurers’ Association Annual Meeting and the 2010 WCRI Annual Issues and Research Conference. The Illinois-Self Insurers’ Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to representing and promoting the interests of self-insured employers in Illinois. For more information on the ISIA, please visit http://www.illinoisselfinsurance.org. Leon M. Huddleston, M.D. Dr. Leon Huddleston graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine in 2001. He completed his General Surgery internship at Loyola University in Maywood, Illinois, in 2002. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital/University of Chicago in 2005. He received his board certification in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in 2006. He is on the medical staff at Weiss Memorial Hospital, Rush University, Rush Oak Park Hospital, Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital, and Advocate South Suburban Hospital. He maintains a private musculoskeletal medicine practice in Merrionette Park, Illinois, where he treats patients with work- and non-work-related injuries and pain complaints. He has a special interest in shoulder pain, knee and low back pain, electrodiagnostic studies and independent medical examinations. He performs interventional procedures for low back pain and all peripheral joint pain. In addition, he performs arthrograms as indicated. Eugene Keefe, Esq. Mr. Keefe’s areas of practice include workers’ compensation, employment litigation and general liability. His professional affiliations are with the Chicago Bar Association; Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association; Workers’ Compensation Claims Association; Arbitrator, Cook County Mandatory Court Annexed Arbitration; and the Editor of Workers’ Compensation Law Update, July 1992-present. His written work has been published in the Journal of Workers’ Compensation, Vol. 4, No. 2, Winter, 1995, Standard Press, Boston, MA, and he is Co-Author of The Road to Understanding Workers’ Compensation. He is a frequent lecturer on workers’ compensation and employment law. He earned his undergraduate degree from Loyola University of Chicago and his Juris Doctorate at John Marshall Law School where he was member of the John Marshall Law Review. Gene has been appointed an adjunct professor at John Marshall Law School and will be teaching Workers’ Compensation Law in the spring 2007 term. Larry Krause Larry Krause has been the Risk Manager for the City of Champaign since May 1999. He is a board member of the Illinois Self Insurer's Association, President of the Eastern Illinois Safety Network and President of the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the Risk and Insurance Management Society. Prior to joining the City, he was the Loss Prevention/Office Service Manager for the Sun-Sentinel, a Tribune Company newspaper in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. He was the Risk Manager for Discovery Zone, an indoor playground chain from 1993 to 1997, and was involved in retail loss prevention and claims management for the J.L. Hudson Company, Saks Fifth Avenue, Target Stores and Venture Stores with positions ranging from uniformed guard to Regional Assets Protection Manager. He has been involved in safety, claims management and workers' compensation since the early 1980s. Nancy Lindsay Nancy Lindsay was appointed to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission in June of 2006, as an employer representative. Prior to her appointment, Commissioner Lindsay was engaged in the private practice of law. For over twenty years she represented small businesses, major corporations, self-insured businesses, and insurance companies at all levels of workers’ compensation proceedings throughout Central Illinois. Commissioner Lindsay received her law degree from St. Louis University School of Law, a Master’s Degree in Legal Studies from the University of Illinois at Springfield, and her undergraduate degree, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Illinois College where she was also honored with the College’s Young Alumnus Award in 1991. While engaged in private practice she was active in various community groups, taught part-time in the Business Department at Illinois College, and belonged to numerous professional organizations focusing on workers’ compensation issues. Over the years, she has been a frequent lecturer on workers’ compensation law and related issues. Commissioner Lindsay divides her professional time between Springfield and Chicago, thereby constantly testing the limits of the “traveling employee.” She currently presides over review hearings in Chicago, Peoria, and Quincy. William A. Lowry, Esq. William Lowry is a shareholder with Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie & Lowry, P.C., a Chicago law firm with 32 attorneys, where he conducts a trial and appellate practice in Workers' Compensation on behalf of employers. He is admitted to the Bar in Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. His areas of specialty are trial and appellate practice in workers' compensation and employer liability law. His clients include General Motors Corporation, Marriott International, City of Aurora, Navistar, Inc., University of Illinois, Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America, Inc., and the Illinois Hospital Association. He is a member of the American Bar Association, The Chicago Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association (Section on Workers' Compensation Law), Workers' Compensation Lawyers Association, Cook County Bar Association, The Economic Club of Chicago, Durban/Chicago Sister Cities Committee. He is the author of: "The Expansion of the Accidental Injury Concept in Repetitive Trauma Cases," ISIA Bulletin (January, 1989); and "Mental-to-Mental Stress Claims in Illinois," Illinois Bar Journal (April, 1992). He has presented seminar lectures to Illinois Self-Insurers Association, Illinois Manufacturers Association, Associated Employers of Illinois/Management Association of Illinois, Lorman Education Services, Illinois Workers' Compensation Coal Group, The Chicago Bar Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and Chicago Dental Society. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Coordinated Advice and Referral Program for Legal Services (CARPLS), Lake Forest College, and The Ancona School. Mr. Lowry received his undergraduate degree from Lake Forest College and Juris Doctorate from Loyola University of Chicago. Amy J. Masters Amy Masters is Acting Chairman of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, the state court system for workers’ compensation cases. As Chairman, she is the chief administrative and executive officer of the Commission, and oversees a staff of approximately 180, including 32 arbitrators and 9 commissioners. Her appointment was recommended by the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board, a bipartisan board made up of six representatives from the business community and six representatives from the labor community. Chairman Masters has worked at the Commission more than 5 years. During that time she held various positions including Chief of Staff, Operations Manager, and Secretary of the Commission. As Secretary, she implemented a new file tracking system utilizing bar-code scanning to track hundreds of thousands of cases at the Commission and executed other technology-based improvements within the Operations Division to improve efficiency and accuracy. Before joining the Commission, Chairman Masters managed public relations for the Chicago Bar Association and the Laborers' International Union-Midwest Region. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Southern Illinois University. Chairman Masters has a six sigma green belt certification and is a former president of the Chicago Bar Foundation Young Professionals Board. David B. Menchetti, Esq. David B. Menchetti is a shareholder in Cullen, Haskins, Nicholson & Menchetti, P.C. in Chicago and concentrates his practice in the representation of injured workers throughout Illinois before the Workers’ Compensation Commission, the Circuit Courts and the Illinois Appellate and Supreme Courts. He graduated from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law (JD) and attained an undergraduate degree (BA) with distinction from Stanford University. Mr. Menchetti is a former staff counsel to Illinois State Senate President Philip J. Rock and concentrated in legislation dealing with insurance, pensions and licensed activities. He has served as counsel to Illinois State Senate President Emil Jones, Jr. and advised about and drafted reforms to the Workers’ Compensation Act in 1989 and 1991. He is a member of: the Illinois State Bar Association (Workers’ Compensation Law Section Council Chair and Legislation Committee member); the Chicago Bar Association (Industrial Commission Committee Chair ); the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (Workers’ Compensation Committee Chair); the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association (President); the American Association for Justice (Workplace Injury Section); the Workplace Injury Litigation Group; and the Board of the Chicago Area Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (CACOSH). He has authored the chapter on “Penalties” in the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Workers’ Compensation Notebook and has lectured on workers’ compensation issues for the Illinois State Bar Association; the Chicago Bar Association; the National Business Institute; the Council on Education in Management; the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education; the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Claims Association; the judicial training program for the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission; the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission; the United Food and Commercial Workers Union; the Laborers International Union; Combined Orthopedic Specialists; the Illinois Bones Association; Kankakee Community College; the University of Chicago Hospitals. He serves as an advisor to the Illinois AFL-CIO on workers’ compensation matters and participated in the negotiations and drafted the amendments contained in the historic 2005 Workers’ Compensation reform legislation. He is listed in the Who’s Who in American Law, has been designated as one of the Best Lawyers in America and has been selected by his peers as a Leading Lawyer and a Super Lawyer. The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association has presented him the President’s Award. By appointment of the Governor, he now serves on the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board. Bridget A. Neuson, RN, BSN, JD Ms. Neuson, a nurse and attorney, practices law in the areas of employment law, workers’ compensation and civil litigation defense. She is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Wisconsin, and is admitted to practice before the Illinois Supreme Court, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the U.S. District Courts in Illinois, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. She is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, American Bar Association, The American Association of Nurse Attorneys, and the Chicago Area Nurse Attorneys Association. She is currently serving as a Director of The American Association of Nurse Attorneys. Ms. Neuson’s reported cases include National Manufacturing v. The Industrial Commission, 331 Ill. App 3d 1045 (3rd Dist., 2002); Hydraulics v. Industrial Commission, 329 Ill. App. 3d 166 (2nd Dist., 2002); Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute v. Industrial Commission, 314 Ill. App. 3d 149 (1st Dist. 2000); Palos Electric Company v. Industrial Commission, 314 Ill. App. 3d 920 (1st Dist. 2000); and Effremidis v. Industrial Commission, 308 Ill. App. 3d 915 (1st Dist. 1999). Ms. Neuson’s publications include, Avoiding Discrimination Claims When Interviewing Job Candidates, Vol. 38, No. 2, Nursing Management, page 16, February, 2007; What You Don’t Know About the FMLA Can Hurt You, Vol. 37, No. 5, Nursing Management, page 14, May, 2006; Properly Investigate Harassment Complaints, Vol. 36, No. 6, Nursing Management, page 14, June, 2005; Facts Come First With Work Injuries, Vol. 36 No. 3, Nursing Management, page 20, March, 2005; Recent Developments In Employment Law, 37 Tort & Insurance Law Journal 391 (2002) (co-author); Sexual Harassment: Supreme Court Adopts New Standard on Student to Student Sexual Harassment, Monograph for ISACS (Independent Schools Association of the Central States) (co-author); Sexual Harassment Liability Under Title VII, Monograph for ISACS (Independent Schools Association of the Central States) (co-author), 1998. Ms. Neuson has been a Registered Nurse in Illinois since 1985, and received a Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing from Loyola University of Chicago (1985) and a J.D., with high honors, from Chicago-Kent College of Law (1994), where she was a member of the Law Review. Ms. Neuson represents and counsels employers in Illinois and Wisconsin. She frequently speaks to business and professional groups on the subjects of Employment Law, Workers’ Compensation, discrimination law, and litigation. Christina Ozuna Christina has 20 years experience in the workers’ compensation insurance industry where she has held multiple positions, progressing to her current role as Vice President of Claims, Western Region with EMPLOYERS, which includes responsibility for the claim operations in California, Nevada, Idaho, Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. Prior to joining EMPLOYERS, Christina worked for 8 years as a Regional Manager for a third-party administrator, serving large self-insured employers. In 1999, when the Nevada workers’ compensation insurance market privatized, Christina transitioned to working for a large, national insurance company as a regional director with responsibility over the claims operations for multiple states. Christina joined EMPLOYERS in 2003 and, in 2006, she transitioned into her current role. Ranney P. Pageler Ranney P. Pageler has been Vice President of the Fraud Investigations Department at Employers Insurance Company of Nevada, Employers Compensation Insurance Company, Employers Assurance Company, and Employers Preferred Insurance Company since 2002. In this role, he is responsible for the management and oversight of the anti-fraud program and operations for the combined organizations. He has 25 years of fraud investigation experience in both the insurance industry and law enforcement including serving as the Deputy Sheriff in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He is an active member in the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCIAA), International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU), Southern California Fraud Investigators Association (SCFIA) and Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (AFCE). Barb Pelak Barb Pelak is a Senior Disability Management Services Specialist at Meijer Stores, L.P. She attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She has 25 years of experience in the workers’ compensation field at Amerisure Insurance Company and, most recently, Meijer Stores, L.P. which is a self-insured employer in five states. Barb specializes in litigated workers’ compensation claims, FMLA claims and ADA claims. Diane M. Pidgeon Ms. Pidgeon has been at her position with Advocate Health Care since 1995. In her position, she manages and coordinates all activities of a self insured workers’ compensation program for eight hospitals, occupational health facilities and home care products involving approximately 27,000 employees. She previously held positions with Lutheran General Health System, Cook County Hospital and Public Health Service/Centers for Disease Control. She received a BS in Health Education/Community Health Education from Russell Sage College and a graduate degree in Public Health from the University of Illinois. Diane recently received her certification in workers compensation from the Workers’ Compensation Center, School of Labor & Industrial Relations, Michigan State University. She is the current President of the Illinois Self Insurers Association and has been a member of the Board of Directors for eight years. John F. Power, Esq. John F. Power concentrates in insurance law and insurance defense litigation with a focus in the area of workers' compensation defense. Mr. Power was born in Chicago, Illinois, and earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Tulane University in 1972. In 1976, he earned a Juris Doctor Degree from I.I.T./Chicago-Kent College of Law and was admitted to the Illinois Bar and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in 1976. Mr. Power's other licenses include: United States Supreme Court, 1979; United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar, 1988; State of Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1989; United States District Court, Central District of Illinois, 1993; and State of Tennessee Supreme Court, 1998. Mr. Power is a member of Illinois State Bar Association, Wisconsin State Bar Association and Defense Research Institute. He is also a member of the Illinois Self-Insurers Association and Workers' Compensation Lawyers Association Mr. Power served as the Advisor to Lead Negotiator for Management for the Senate Republican Economic Development Package from 1993 to 1995, and as the Advisor to Lead Negotiator for the Governor's Summit on Workers' Compensation from 1991 to 1993. He was appointed by Illinois Governor Jim Edgar as a member of Project Heart from 1991 to 1993, and he was a member of the Advisory Board of the Adoption Information Center of Illinois from 1993 to 1997. He was appointed as DRI National Workers’ Compensation Judiciary College Subcommittee Chairman in 2009. Mr. Power currently is Amicus Group Chairperson with the Tuesday Working Group (an employer workers’ compensation technical advisory group providing amicus assistance to employers in significant cases on appeals in Illinois.) He is a member of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Employment Law Counsel, Workers’ Compensation Committee and the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, HR Illinois Advisory Board. He is the attorney coordinator with the Joint Municipalities (a municipal work group focused on workers’ compensation changes affecting municipalities in Illinois, representing in excess of 2000 units of local government.) Mr. Power is also Subcommittee Chairman of the DRI National Workers’ Compensation Judiciary College and in July of 2009, he was appointed by the Chairman to the Rules Committee of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Sundrea Richardson Sundrea Richardson graduated from Texas Southern University in Houston with a BA in Public Affairs, and a minor in Business. She then spent 12 years in the insurance industry, primarily in the areas of policy and workers’ compensation claims management. Sundrea joined McDonald’s as the Workers’ Compensation Practice Group was being formed in 2005 and was instrumental in developing the direction of the team with a focus on ensuring the right, cost-effective care for injured employees. Of the core areas of focus (claims management, return to work, and care management), Sundrea has been key in the launch of the McDonald’s National Return to Work Program. Jay Scheid For the past 4 years, Jay Scheid has served as Director, Risk Management for the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company a division of MARS Incorporated. In addition, he has twenty-five years’ prior experience in risk management with other Chicago area firms: Tribune Company, Zurich Insurance, CNW Transportation, and Continental Insurance. Education: Executive MBA for Northwestern Kellogg Graduate School of Management; Master of Science from University of Illinois; BA Knox College. Certifications: CPCU, ARM, professional certifications in Safety (CSP) and industrial hygiene (CIH). John Smolk John Smolk is currently the Workers' Compensation Manager for United Airlines. He has been with United for 8 years and is responsible for workers' compensation strategy, vendor management and financing globally. United has over 48,000 employees and operations in 35 states and 24 countries. Previously John was a Risk Manager for various entities, managed an outsourcing program for safety services, worked for a TPA as Operations Director, and held various Marketing and Loss Control positions for an insurance carrier. John has over 29 years of combined Risk Management, Safety and Claims experience and holds the CPCU and ARM designations. John is an employer representative on the IL Workers' Compensation Commission Medical Fee Schedule Advisory Board and is a Board member of the IL Self Insurers Association. Barbara J. Spain, R.N., J.D. Barbara Spain has been an occupational health nurse for twenty years. She is licensed to practice nursing in Illinois and Wisconsin, has a Master's Degree in Public Health Nursing with a specialty in Occupational Health Nursing and is Board Certified in Occupational Health Nursing. Her occupational health work experiences include GTE Communication Systems, West Suburban Hospital Medical Center, Thomas L. Jacobs & Associates (a third-party administrator of disability claims), Quaker Oats, Andersen Worldwide, and Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting). Barbara has been licensed to practice law for three years. She has a solo practice limited to real estate transactions, wills, trusts, and contract disputes. Barbara is a member of the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago and DuPage County Bar Associations, the American/Illinois/Southwest Suburban Chicago Association of Occupational Health Nurses, the American Association of Nurse Attorneys and the Chicago Area Association of Nurse Attorneys. She received an Associate of Science in Nursing (AND) from Triton College, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Loyola University of Chicago, her Master of Science (MS), Public Health Nursing with a specialty in Occupational Health Nursing from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and her Juris Doctor (JD) from the DePaul University College of Law. She currently works as both an occupational health nurse and a lawyer. Mary Stanton, Esq. Mary Stanton is a graduate of Boston College and The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. She is currently the Chief of the Cyber Crimes Division of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office. She is a former supervisor of the Misdemeanor Division and the Juvenile Division of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s office. She has been a prosecutor with Lake County since 1989. She is a member of the Lake County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. She is a former member of the board for Lake County’s A Safe Place, which provides shelter and counseling for victims of domestic abuse. Likewise, she has been a speaker on areas of domestic violence, domestic abuse and cyber crimes for various community groups and law enforcement, and she guest teaches a computer forensics class at the College of Lake County. Dave Taylor, AIC, ARM, CWCP, RWCS Dave Taylor is the Manager of Workers’ Compensation and Integrated Disability for Navistar, Inc, directing the administration of the company’s nationwide self-insured and self-administered workers’ compensation and non-occupational disability programs. He serves as a Trustee of the State of Illinois Self-Insurance Advisory Board and is on the Board of Managers for the National Council of Self Insurers and the Illinois Self Insured Association. Dave has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and is working towards his master’s degree in the same field of study. He is a Certified Workers’ Compensation Professional (CWCP) through Michigan State University and holds the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Associate in Claims (AIC) designations through the Insurance Institute of America. In addition to his risk and claims management training, Dave is also completing the requirements of the Collective Bargaining Studies program at Cornel University. Craig Thorstenson, Esq. Craig Thorstenson concentrates his practice on the litigation of employment disputes and providing related counseling. His experience includes defending numerous WARN Act class actions, successfully handling complex labor arbitrations resulting from disputes arising out of a client’s acquisition and from changes to health care plans, and obtaining a verdict for the employer in one of the first Family and Medical Leave Act lawsuits to go to a jury. In addition to his litigation practice, Craig regularly acts as “in house” employment counsel for several companies that elect to outsource their employment work. Prior to the merger with Ford & Harrison, he was a Partner at Matkov Salzman in Chicago. Earlier in his career, Craig formed a partnership specializing in employment discrimination, primarily from the plaintiff’s side, an experience that gives Craig a unique perspective when counseling and litigating. He is a member of the Illinois Bar and admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, Western District of Michigan, Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, District of Colorado, Sixth Circuit, Seventh Circuit, and the Federal Trial Bar. He also is a member of the American Bar Association and Chicago Bar Association. He is also AV® Peer-Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. During law school, Craig was a member of the Order of the Coif and served on the University of Illinois Law Review. Education: University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 1988; University of Colorado, B.S., 1984. Daniel J. Ugaste, Esq. Dan entered law school in 1985 at DePaul University College of Law. During law school, he clerked for the firm of Franzin & Fisher, a criminal defense firm. After graduating in 1988, Dan was admitted to the bar and subsequently began working at Jobin & Flynn. Before joining Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie and Lowry, where he currently works and is an equity partner and Vice President, Dan worked at Wiedner & McAuliffe and Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather & Geraldson. Since admission to the bar, Dan’s practice has primarily involved workers’ compensation matters. In addition to his experience before the Commission, Dan has prior experience in other employment-related matters and civil litigation. Dan has tried numerous cases at the Commission and has handled many appeals before the Commission and Illinois Appellate Court. His appeals before the Appellate Court include West Cab Co. v. the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, in which the Court found, for the first time, that a cabdriver was an independent contractor under the Workers’ Compensation Act. Dan is currently the President of the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers’ Association. He was elected to its Board of Directors in 2005, served as Secretary of the Association in 2007 and 2008 and Vice President in 2009. In addition to the WCLA, Dan is a member of the ISBA, where he served for a number of years on the Section Council of the Workers’ Compensation Committee, and of the Justinean Society of Lawyers. Dan is a past Chairman of the Workers’ Compensation Committee of the CBA. Mary B. Wahlheim Mary Wahlheim is a Regional Workers’ Compensation Supervisor at Erie Insurance, with responsibilities in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and New York. She has been working in the insurance industry for 20 years with 15 of those being in workers’ compensation. Mary has experience with traditional insurance companies, self insured’s and governmental entities. Francis “Buzz” Walsh Buzz Walsh received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Southern Illinois University in 1987, obtained an Associate in Claims (AIC) certification with the Insurance Institute of America in 1998 and received a Master Degree in Business Administration from Lindenwood University in 2007. In Nov 2009 he earned the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Buzz began handling workers’ compensation claims in 1993 while working at Illinois Power Company. He was responsible for the annual 3.5 million dollar workers compensation budget and 5 million dollar general liability budget until Illinois Power was purchased by Ameren in 2005. During his 7 years as a field adjuster he handled the investigation and resolution of over 1800 workers’ compensation claims. During his 5 years managing claims he facilitated over 300 workers’ compensation settlements. Buzz became a member of the State of Illinois, Department of Insurance, Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit in April of 2007 and he was promoted to supervisor of unit in April 2008. Tian Xia, D.O. Dr. Tian Xia is well versed in the most modern pain management techniques that are currently available. Dr. Tian Xia achieved additional training and education in China, which has allowed him personal insight into treating his patients as a whole person, rather than just symptoms and pain locations. Dr. Tian Xia has seen that his path of compassion, caring and the most up to date pain reduction treatments and modalities have significantly improved the quality of life for numerous suffering individuals. For nearly 10 years, Dr. Tian Xia has chosen to live, practice, and teach in Chicago, Illinois. Education and Professional Background Present: Director Integrated Pain Management, S. C. Chicago, IL Board Certifications: American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology 2007 for Anesthesiology Academic Appointment: Clinical Assistant Professor at Midwestern University Andrew S. Zelby, M.D., F.A.C.S. Dr. Zelby is a neurosurgeon based in the western suburbs of Chicago. He completed a residency in neurosurgery at Loyola University Medical Center, and a fellowship in spine surgery at Rush University Medical Center. He was faculty in both neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery at Loyola before going into private practice. He is on the staffs of four suburban hospitals, and was a clinical associate in neurosurgery at the University of Chicago. He currently holds an academic appointment as an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Rush University Medical Center. His practice covers all aspects of neurosurgery, with an emphasis on spine care. His spine practice includes conservative management and surgical management, including minimally invasive surgery and motion preservation procedures. He is board certified in neurosurgery, is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Mary Zmuda Mary Zmuda is currently the Sr. Manager of Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) Programs at Quaker Foods & Snacks, a division of PepsiCo. Mary has over 20 years of HSE experience working both in the Research & Development and Food industries. She is a key architect of Quaker's HSE Program structure that was developed in the late 1990's, and is also utilized by PepsiCo's Gatorade and Tropicana Business Units. She is both a Certified Safety Professional and a Certified Industrial Hygienist. Mary holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Indiana University and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology.
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