HOW DID THE ORGANIZATION START?In the early Thirties a group of men with a common purpose met quite often at lunch and discussed information of general interest to all in a similar business. From the group discussions was born the concept of a more permanent, formalized association, “The Toledo Association of Claim Men.” The “Association” had as its overall objectives the establishment of a forum for the fair and honest exchange of ideas and information as well as an environment conducive to professional enhancement. A constitution and by-laws was adopted toward these ends on April 12, 1956. The first revision (our present Constitution and by-laws) occurred on February 8, 1962. Specific
objectives of the Association include:

• To promote harmony and cordial business relations among the members; to exchange information concerning matters of interest; to promote the general welfare of the companies represented.
• To ensure, through cooperation of its members, such administration of claims for insurance companies or companies which are self-insurers as will result in prompt and just settlement of meritorious claims.
• To promote plans for cooperation in vigorously resisting collusion, deception and false or fraudulent claims; to promptly discourage and expose dishonest, unscrupulous and unethical practices, whether indulged in by professional men or laymen.

From this humble beginning five men became the Charter Members of our
association in October of 1933. They were:

CharterMemberJohn E. Daniels, deceased, an Attorney and representative of the Aetna Casualty and Surety Company, Past President 1934-35. CharterMemberWilliam A. Finn, deceased, an Attorney and representative of many Insurance Companies and Self-Insurers. Past President 1936-37. CharterMemberLeslie O. Lewis, deceased, Travelers representative of many years. Past President 1935-36. CharterMemberRaymond S. Metzger, deceased, an Attorney and representative of the Toledo Edison Company as Claim Manager. Past President 1936-42. CharterMemberRobert H. Thompson, deceased, Claim Manager of the Buckeye Union Casualty Company. Past President 1938-39.PASTPRESIDENTS have been designated as “LIFE MEMBERS” in appreciation
of their efforts in behalf of our association. Their years of service are shown
below and on the following pages.

• 1934-35 JOHN E. DANIELS* (CharterMember)
• 1935-36 LESLIE O. LEWIS * (CharterMember)
• 1936-37 WILLIAM A. FINN * (CharterMember)
• 1938-39 ROBERTH. THOMPSON * (CharterMember)
• 1939-40 ARTHUR KNOTT*
• 1940-41 OVID J. MARSH*
• 1941-42 JOHN G. HERALD *
• 1942-43 RAYMOND S. METZGER *(CharterMember)
• 1943-44 ALFRED B. BELLG*
• 1944-45 E.L. KELLER *
• 1945-46 E.R. CHILDS *
• 1946-47 ARTHUR BROGAN *
• 1947-48 JAMES D. NESTROFF*
• 1948-49 C.C. RICKER *
• 1949-50 MALCOLM RAMEY*
• 1950-51 GEROGE L. MARSHALL*
• 1951-52 PAULR. ODOM *
• 1952-53 E.F. CREVIER *
• 1953-54 RICHARD C. WEBER
• 1955-56 FRED G. GRAU
• 1957-58 HOWARD C. BEVINGTON
• 1958-59 CARLL. SCHRUBB *
• 1959-60 EARLR. MATTHEWS *
• 1960-61 CARLL. DIENT*
• 1961-62 EUGENE A. MANN *
• 1962-63 WILLIAM L. TIMBERS *
• 1963-64 JAMES A. DUCEY
• 1964-65 EDWARD LITTRELL *
• 1965-66 ROYALLRED *
• 1966-67 GEORGE R. PRICHARD *
• 1967-68 JAMES P. LEYDEN *
• 1968-69 MARK F. COLDIRON
• 1969-70 GORDON F. MILLER
• 1970-71 JAMES J. HERREL
• 1971-72 ROBERTMOULTON *
• 1972-73 ROBERTHUDGINS *
• 1973-74 WILLIAM KIMBER *
• 1974-75 NORMAN HAAS
• 1976-77 LESTER LAWHEAD
• 1977-78 WILLIAM NATOLE
• 1978-79 ROBERTW. NEWELL
• 1979-80 JOHN E. MAHER
• 1980-81 J. RONALD MAINOUS
• 1981-82 RICHARD CASS
• 1982-83 ROBERTA. OSSEGE
• 1983-84 GARYK. WYMER
• 1984-85 NANCYREILLY
• 1985-86 JOSEPH WESTER
• 1986-87 WILLIAM T. SCHMITT
• 1987-88 WILLIAM WILLIAMSEN
• 1988-89 DONNAL. WYMER
• 1989-90 DON KING
• 1990-91 DEBBIE JACOBY
• 1991-92 JAMES BRIDGE
• 1992-93 FREDERICK L. CARTER
• 1993-94 ROBERTC. JACOBY
• 1994-95 DONALD C. ITEN
• 1995-96 WILLIAM WANGLER
• 1996-97 PHILIPR. GLESSER
• 1997-98 TERRI J. RAY
• 1998-99 ANDREAL. RIGGLEMAN
• 1999-00 DEBBIE JACOBY
• 2000-01 DOUGGUHL
• 2001-02 ALWEGMAN
• 2002-03 PHYLLIS FLEISCHMAN
• 2003-04 PATTYDONOVAN (DABROWSKI)
• 2004-05 JACQUES LEMERAND
• 2005-06 JACQUES LEMERAND
• 2006-07 PHILIP BENTSCHNEIDER
• 2007-08 TONI HAMILTON
• *Deceased

From five Charter Members in 1933, our membership grew to sixty-nine in 1939. In 1948 there were eight-eight members. On our Silver Anniversary our membership had grown to one-hundred and thirty-two active members. In our forty-ninth year there were two-hundred fifty adjusters and fifty associate member attorneys demonstrating that a qualified adjuster is a welcome member.

The need for a monthly newsletter with an identifying name was recognized. Apoll of the membership resulted in the selection of The Release as the title of this publication. William L. Timbers was the first Release editor.

During the year of 1960, Howard Bevington proposed to our Advisory Board that “an exchange of ideas with other claim organizations should prove of mutual benefit to all.” Incident thereto, a committee visited a number of other claims organizations and invited their representatives to visit with the Toledo Association on December 15, 1960 for that purpose.

Members of the Toledo Association of Claim Men present were: Howard Bevington, LD Bowman, Carl Dienst, John Rossler, William Timbers and Earl Matthews.

Representatives from Akron, Mansfield, Dayton, Canton and Cincinnati, met with the Toledo representatives on December 15, 1960 at Bancroft Hall. Many Individual meetings were attended by the appointed members of the Toledo Association of Claim Men. Chosen by the Officers and Advisory Board and on April 10, 1964 there was formulated the “inter-organization of Claim Men Committee. Comprised from the membership of the following claims organizations: Akron, Lima, Toledo, Canton, Lorain County, Youngstown, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, North Central Ohio and Southeastern Ohio.

In 1964, James Brooks, of Brooks, Inc. designed and constructed a claim association plaque.

During 1974, under the presidency of William Kimber, a motion was made by Ronald Mainous, which eventually led to the inclusion of women into the Association and to changing of the name of the organization to The Toledo Claims Association. James Ducey headed the committee to rewrite the constitution.

Realizing the necessity of reevaluating and rewriting the Constitution and By-Laws of the Toledo Claims Association, past president Robert Newell approached President Don King suggesting that this task be undertaken. Robert Newell was appointed by him to undertake this project. After several months of research and development the final draft was presented to the membership for approval and adoption in May of 1990.

The first printing of the new Constitution and By-Laws appeared in the 1991 Directory.