The Adjusters
Robert Prefontaine,
Executive General Adjuster (EGA)
Robert.Prefontaine@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (416) 998•8690 | LinkedIn
Bob is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and began his adjusting career shortly thereafter. Over a period of more than 3 decades, Bob has had the opportunity to handle very large and complex claims throughout North America and in parts of Europe.
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He has adjusted numerous Catastrophe losses throughout the Caribbean, the Southern United States and most recently as a result of Hurricane Sandy.
He has specialized in all manner of Commercial and Industrial losses and has handled numerous Energy related claims including two of the largest to have ever occurred in Canada.
Bob is fluent in English and French, has his FCIP designation, is an Associate Member of the LEA and is a licensed Independent Adjuster in all lines.
Bob Krywiak,
CIP, FCIAA, CCFI-c, International Executive General Adjuster
Bob.Krywiak@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (647) 242•9780
Bob is an International Executive General Adjuster having joined MGB in April of 2019 and is internationally recognized as a leader in the mining and manufacturing field.
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Bob is Chartered Insurance Professional, a Canadian Certified Fire Investigator and Fellow of the Canadian Independent Adjusters’ Association. In addition to mining and manufacturing losses, Bob’s specialty extends to builder’s risk, pulp and paper, energy, boiler and machinery and business interruption.
Bob began his insurance career in 1972, having worked for three major insurance companies, joining G.W. Cleary & Associates in 1984, becoming co-owner and president in 1990. G.W. Cleary & Associates merged with Adjusters Canada Inc. in 1995 where Bob continued his career at what merged into Crawford & Company (Canada) Inc.
The market’s respect for Bob’s expertise has seen him travel internationally on complex industrial/manufacturing and mining losses
Neil Gibson,
CIP, Executive General Adjuster (EGA)
Neil.Gibson@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (416) 302•5952 | LinkedIn
Neil Gibson began his involvement in the insurance claims industry as a summer employee while attending the University of Western Ontario. In 1992 he began full time employment working on both property and casualty losses.
Between 1998 and 2001 he oversaw the day-to-day operations of Gaebel, Watkins and Taylor International’s New York City offices. He was previously the Entertainment and Contingency Practice Leader for a multinational adjusting company, and is the former President of the North American Contingency Association.
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AREAS OF EXPERTISE:
- Motion Picture and Television Production
- Non-Appearance- Event Cancellation
- Event and Venue Coverage
- Music
- Photography
- Theatrical
- Prize Indemnity
- Over Redemption
PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS:
- Certified Insurance Professional
- Licensed Independent Adjuster, All Lines
EDUCATION:
- University of Western Ontario
COURSES/SEMINARS:
- North American Contingency Association panel sessions- Event Cancellation, Non-Appearance, and Internet Promotions (Use of the RNG).
- Ontario Bar Association – Fairs, Festivals and Fundraisers
- Entertainment Claim seminars for various companies and clients
- Event Cancellation Claim seminars for various companies
- Contingency Claims – Prize Indemnity and Redemption losses.
- OBA Institute 2012 – Entertainment Program
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
- Ontario Adjusters Association
- Insurance Institute of Canada
- North American Contingency Association
SELECTED ASSIGNMENTS:
- 2012 Stage Collapse – Property Excess of $2 million
- 2012 Cast Film Production Losses – Extra Expense Excess of $1 Million
- 2012 Faulty Camera Production Loss – Extra Expense Excess $1 Million
- 2012 Event Cancellation – Extra Expense Excess of $1 Million
- 2012 Prize Indemnity Claim Investigation – $1 Million
- 2012 Online Game Promotion Security Assessment – $1 Million
- 2012 Prize Indemnity Adjudication (Live Event) – $1 Million
- 2011 Casino Prize Indemnity Security Review – $10 Million
- 2011 Stage Collapse (Indianapolis) – Property and Liability Excess of $2 Million
- 2011 Cast Television Production – Extra Expense Excess of $1 Million
- 2011 Print Promotion Adjudication – Excess of $1 Million
- 2010 Stage Collapse (Detroit) – Property and Liability Excess of $1 Million
- 2010 Multiple Musical Equipment Losses (Nashville Flood) – Excess of $1 Million
- 2009 Cast Fatality Loss – Extra Expense Excess of $5 Million
Layne Gardner,
BA, FCIP, CRM, Executive General Adjuster (EGA)
Layne.Gardner@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (416) 801•0832 | LinkedIn
Layne has been an adjuster since 1999. He became an independent adjuster in 2001. Throughout his career, Layne has gained experience handling claims in the following areas: Mining, Course of Construction, Manufacturing, Boiler Machinery and Business Interruption.
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Layne joined MGB after 7 years at a multinational adjusting company. Layne is an Executive General Adjuster specializing in commercial and industrial property claims. Layne graduated from Wilfred Laurier University and began his insurance career in 1999 with Royal and SunAlliance.
Example of these types of files include:
- Rock Burst Damages in a copper mine
- Hurricane Damage to Casino
- Explosion at a lithium recycling plant
- Tornado damage to an auto parts manufacturing facility
- Water main break and extensive water damage to plastics manufacturing facility
- Fire in an auto parts manufacturing facility
Along with his Degree from Wilfred Laurier University, Layne is a Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP) as accredited by the Insurance Institute of Canada. He also maintains a Canadian Risk Management designation (CRM).
Ian Cheyne,
Executive General Adjuster (EGA)
Ian.Cheyne@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (647) 621-1519 | LinkedIn
Ian began his insurance career in 2003 with a multinational firm and has worked in both Canada and the United States. He has handled large and complex losses throughout North America, specializing on film, entertainment and contingency claims, as well as commercial property losses Ian has worked several CAT losses in the Caribbean, England and North America.
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Ian’s areas of expertise include:
- Film and Television Production
- Contingency/Prize Indemnity/Cancellation
- Commercial Property
- Boiler and Machinery
- Builders' Risk
Examples of these types of files include:
- Production loss with equipment, props and interruption - $2 million
- Production interruption loss - $750,000
- Production equipment loss - $500,000
- Production cast loss - $500,000
- Fire at golf course - $1.4 million
- Prize indemnity, tennis shot - $1 million
- Water damages at commercial office tower - $5.0 million
Ian graduated from Queen’s University with an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree. He is a Certified Insurance Professional (CIP), a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator and a Licensed Independent Adjuster in all lines. Ian hold adjuster’s licenses in both Canada and the United States.
Ian has been a member of the North American Contingency Association for over ten years and served as the co-president of the organization for the 2013/2014 year.
Scott Gibson,
BA, CIP, CFEI, Executive General Adjuster (EGA)
Scott.Gibson@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (647) 641•8237
Scott earned his BA in Law at Carleton University in 2001. For 15 years, Scott worked as an independent adjuster for a national independent adjusting firm before recently joining MGB. Scott has obtained his CIP and CFEI designations, and holds the title of Senior General Adjuster. Scott has handled claims across Canada and in the Caribbean
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He has significant experience in the follow areas:
- Commercial/Industrial Property
- Professional Liability
- Builder’s Risk
- Wrap Up Liability
- Equipment Breakdown
- Appraisals
Examples of these types of files include:
- 2010 Industrial Fire – Turbine Manufacturer $23.3 Mil
- 2013 Heavy Equipment – Drag Line $2 Mil
- 2014 Industrial Fire – Steel Plant $5 Mil
- 2014 Commercial Fire – Multi Tenanted Building $2.3 Mil
- 2014 Commercial Fire – Multi Tenanted Building $3 Mil
- 2014 Wrap Up $8 Mil
- 2015 Commercial General Liability – Roofing $2.5 Mil
- 2016 Retail Fire – Department Store $6 Mil
- 2017 Commercial Fire – Multi Tenanted Building $12 Mil
- 2017 Industrial Fire – Manufacturing Plant $12 Mil
- 2017 Commercial Fire – Golf Course $2 Mil
Colleen West,
BA (Hon), CIP, Executive General Adjuster (EGA)
Colleen.West@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (647) 927•5656
Colleen has been a loss adjuster since 1987. She became an independent adjuster in 1994, working for a multinational adjusting company for 24 years before joining MGB. Colleen has expertise handling a wide range of complex liability-based claims throughout Canada and the US.
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Colleen’s areas of expertise include:
- Commercial General Liability
- Product Liability
- Host Liquor Liability
- School Board Liability
- Sport Liability
- Professional Liability
Examples of these types of losses include:
- Bottle closure manufacturer products claim $1.2 million
- Fertilizer Manufacturer’s products claim $500,000
- Rugby / soccer / tennis and ski injuries
- Livestock supplement claims
- Vertical Fan Coil Unit failure claims
- Intoxicated driver fatalities
- Food production product claims (infestations, mislabelling, production errors)
Colleen graduated from the University of Western Ontario with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree. She is a Certified Insurance Professional (CIP) through the Insurance Institute of Ontario, and is a Licensed Insurance Adjuster in all lines.
Justin Do,
BBA, CIP, Executive General Adjuster (EGA)
Justin.Do@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (647) 938•4199 | LinkedIn
Justin has been an adjuster since 2008. He has experience handling catastrophic losses in Ontario and Newfoundland such as the Windsor flooding and Hurricane Igor. His experience includes Wrap Up liability, Builder’s Risk, Commercial/Industrial Property losses and Roofer’s Liability.
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Justin started his career with a multinational insurance company handling property and liability claims. Since joining MGB he has gained experience with the following examples:
- Burst sanitation line affecting approx. 20,000 pairs of shoes at a major department store
- Theft of 1,600 feet of copper cable from Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion project
- Ceiling collapses for of a newly constructed condominium under the Completed Operations – Wrap up liability
- Fire to a Course of Construction fire hall on a Military Base
- CAT losses for Hurricane Igor
EDUCATION:
- Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP)
- Insurance Institute of Canada
- Honours Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
- Wilfrid Laurier University
Tara Drabik,
BA, CIP, Licensed All Lines, General Adjuster (GA)
Tara.Drabik@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (416) 919•4119
Tara Drabik began her insurance career in 1996 working for an international insurer shortly after graduating from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She has extensive experience working both personal and commercial lines involving complex claims. Tara began her career in Personal Lines moving over to incorporate Commercial lines, as an Independent Adjuster in 2002.
Throughout her career, she has a wide experience handling claims for Liability, Casualty, Automobile Accident Benefits, Automobile Liability and Automobile Property Damages. She is also a Certified Catastrophe Adjuster. Tara is also Teacher Trained through the Insurance Institute and has taught C17; CIP Course.
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Tara has a wide range of experience which includes:
- Control Adjuster for numerous Recreational Facilities and Child Care Centres; handling all the Facilities and Child Care Centre claims; including Abuse claims;
- Municipality claims handling; Complex and Catastrophic Claims; Liability/Casualty and Automobile;
- Presentations to Municipal Claims Committees;
- Mediations, Arbitrations, Pre-Hearings, Trials;
- Mortgage Broker Fraud claims;
- Commercial General Liability Losses;
- Automobile Bodily Injury including handling and investigation; Pre-hearings/ Arbitration/ Litigation;
- Crime and Employee Dishonesty Claims;
- Product liability
- Manufacturer’s Liability;
- Accident Benefits claims;
- Catastrophic Accident Benefits Claims:
- Commercial Property related Liability Claims;
- Trip/Slip and Fall Claims;
- Skating Rink Claims & Swimming Pool Claims;
- Wrap-Up Liability;
- Liquor/ Allery Restaurant Liability.
EDUCATION:
- Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP)
- Insurance Institute of Canada
- Bachelor of Arts (Social Sciences)
- McMaster University
- Teacher Certification for CIP Courses
- Insurance Institute
Jon Kirshenblat,
BA, CIP, Senior General Adjuster (SGA)
Jon.Kirshenblat@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (905) 741•1747
Jon has been employed in the insurance industry since 2008. He began his career working on class action claims for an multinational adjusting firm, dealing with class members in the Residential Schools Settlement and the Hepatitis Tainted Blood Settlement.
In 2010 he moved to another multinational Independent Insurance adjusting firm, as an all lines adjuster, where he stayed until joining MGB. During that time, he gained further experience and specialized in municipal liability claims, commercial and institutional property and liability claims (hospital and tertiary education sectors), as well as not for profit housing authority claims.
Jon was also in charge of account management for a number of clients, examining claims outside of his territory.
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Some types of files / expertise Jon has includes claims handling in:
- Educational building roof failure - $700,000.00
- Roadway fatality / catastrophic injury design claims
- By-law claims against municipality
- Golf course liability claims
- Municipal grant programs – Sewer backups Hamilton 2009 – 2018
- Commercial liability claims – Construction, healthcare, not for profit
- Conservation area fatality claims
- Course of construction
- Builder’s risk
Jon earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from McGill University, is fully licensed by FSCO, and is a Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP).
Jennifer Pelkman,
General Adjuster (GA)
Jennifer.Pelkman@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (416) 726•9205
Jennifer came to MGB Claims Consultants after working with two large independent adjusting firms over the course of 17 years. She is a General Adjuster, and holds her Adjuster’s License in all lines.
Jennifer has a wide range of experience which includes claims handling of both Property and Casualty losses for both Commercial and Personal lines.
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Jennifer's experience includes:
- CGL Losses
- Wrap Up Liability
- Products Liability
- Host Liability
- Auto BI Claims Investigation
- Fire losses in excess of $500,000
- Arson Investigation
- Appraisal Disputes
- Jeweller's Block
EDUCATION:
Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP)
Insurance Institute of Canada
Bachelor of Arts (Political Science)
The University of Waterloo
Darragh Lenahan,
CDIP, L.A., CRM, General Adjuster (GA)
Darragh.Lenahan@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (647) 988•4064
Darragh began his career in the insurance industry in 2008 with an adjusting firm in Ireland. During this time he obtained his Irish CIP designation and a diploma in loss adjusting via the Insurance Institute of Ireland. In early 2014 he joined a global brokerage firm in Toronto as a claims consultant and progressed to the position of senior claims consultant where he handled claims in Canada and across North America. Darragh joined MGB in 2017.
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Darragh has experience in Auto, Commercial General Liability, Large Government Infrastructure, Property and Construction (Wrap Up Liability & Builder’s Risk) claims including CAT work during the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires.
Darragh is a member of the Insurance Institute of Ontario and is working towards his CIP designation.
EDUCATION:
- Certified Insurance Practitioner (CIP)
- Insurance Institute of Ireland
- Diploma in Loss Adjusting (CDIP L.A.)
- Insurance Institute of Ireland
- Canadian Risk Management (CRM)
- University of Toronto
Andrew Latwis,
BA, General Adjuster (GA)
Andrew.Latwis@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (647) 550•5073
Andrew has been employed in the insurance industry since late 2007 and had begun his career at a national insurance services provider handling third party liability claims, accident benefits, auto bodily injury and moving onto examining municipal property and liability, commercial property and commercial general liability claims throughout Canada.
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In 2015 he moved to the field and worked out of a flagship office handling all lines. During this time, he gained experience in construction claims and large losses. In January of 2019, Andrew joined MGB claims.
Examples of losses that Andrew has handled include:
- Downtown Toronto Hotel sewer backup - $1,000,000.00
- Water damage to commercial warehouse - $500,000.00
- Several School Board property losses within the GTA
- Auto Bodily Injury Claims for construction firms
- CAT losses for Toronto, Windsor & Alberta
- Condominium Corporation Claims
EDUCATION:
- Insurance Institute of Canada
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- University of Toronto
Lisa Balcaen,
BBA, CIP, General Adjuster (GA)
Lisa.Balcaen@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (604) 839•1230
Lisa graduated from Capilano University with her Bachelor’s of Business Administration in 2009 and within a year of graduating, she found herself working as an Office Manager for an Independent Adjusting firm which gave her the opportunity to obtain her Level 1 Adjusting License. It didn’t take long before the drive for claims adjusting took over which started in habitation property, then commercial property and eventually to liability. Lisa has over 9 years of adjusting experience with the most recent years being in the commercial and liability sector. Lisa is based out of the British Columbia office and she is available to service the lower mainland, the interior, the north, and all of the islands.
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Lisa’s areas of experience include:
- Commercial General Liability (BI & PD)
- Liquor Host Liability
- Municipal Liability
- Course of Construction and Builders Risk
- Wrap-Up Liability
- Time-on-Risk Long-tail CGL claims
Education
- Chartered Insurance Professional Designation, Insurance Institute of BC (2019)
- Bachelor of Business Administration, Capilano University (2009)
- Advanced Diploma in Human Resources (2009)
Kevin Quinlan,
CIP, General Adjuster (GA)
Kevin.Quinlan@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (647) 203•8755
Richard Barnsdall,
CIP, TPA/Delegated Authority Manager
Richard.barnsdall@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (905) 431•8688
Richard began his adjusting career in 2008 with one of the largest personal and commercial insurers in the UK. Upon moving to Canada in 2014, he worked for a multi-national independent adjusting firm specializing in the handling of commercial general liability claims. With the same firm, he transition to the TPA division gaining all lines exposure, handling multi-million dollar losses. His areas of expertise include commercial general liability and professional liability.
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Education:
- Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP), Insurance Institute of Canada, 2020
Licenses & Membership:
- Licensed Independent Adjuster, All Lines
- Ontario Independent Adjuster Association
- Canadian Independent Adjuster Association
Jerry Gerschkow,
CIP, Executive General Adjuster (EGA)
Jerry.Gerschkow@mgbclaims.com | Mobile: +1 (416) 575•1171
Jerry has been a company adjuster, as well as independent adjuster, beginning his career in 1982. Prior to that he was Claims Manager for a major insurer in Western Canada. He was also Director Technical/Transportation Services for a major independent firm in Toronto.
As Executive General Adjuster for MGB he does transportation and cargo losses, as well as environmental fuel spillage claims. He is control adjuster for several large transportation companies.
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Areas of expertise include:
- Residential/Commercial Property and Liability
- Project Liability
- Liability Bodily Injury
- Losses/Fuel Spillage
- Ocean Marine claims/surveying
- Livestock Haulage
- Livestock losses (cattle-horses)
- Bodily Injury Environmental
- Fuel Hauler
- Car haulers for expensive high-end vehicles
- Furniture Haulage pertaining to furniture moves across Canada
Notable Claims
- Several Hundred Thousand Dollars to $4 Million in losses in Environmental clean-up for gasoline haulers
- $2 Million loss in Furniture Haulers
- $2 Million and many others below in Bodily Injury losses
- $7.5 Million Residential Fire
- $1 Million and lower amounts numerous cargo losses
