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Management Team

NIP Management Company, LLC, a subsidiary of NIP Group, Inc., is the Attorney-In-Fact for Conventus Inter-Insurance Exchange. As Attorney-In-Fact, NIP Management Company, LLC manages the day-to-day operations of Conventus and provides expert services including underwriting, claims management, risk control services, actuarial analysis and tax advisement, reinsurance intermediary services, legal services and financial and administrative management.

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Conventus - Medical Professional Liability

The NIP Management Team includes:

	Richard Augustyn, Chief Executive Officer Richard Augustyn is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the NIP Group Inc., one of the top 100 largest U.S. insurance intermediaries. Mr. Augustyn has been a successful entrepreneur and innovative commercial insurance executive for more than 20 years. In addition to founding NIP Group, Mr. Augustyn has founded and directs a portfolio of several highly successful ventures in the commercial insurance and financial services industries. His business success led to being named in 2003 to NJBIZ's Forty Under 40, a program that honors young men and women who have made outstanding contributions to their fields. Mr. Augustyn is a nationally recognized commercial insurance expert. His television appearances include interviews on CNN/FN, WABC, and public television’s PBS and NJN. He has been quoted in publications such as the New York Times and the Newark Star-Ledger and speaks on insurance-related topics throughout the country.
	Lyn W. Winters, CPCU, ARe, President Lyn Winters has over 25 years of knowledge and experience in medical professional liability insurance, with a focus in underwriting. With Conventus since its inception, Ms. Winters helped develop and continues to uphold the strict underwriting and admissions standards that have helped Conventus build an extremely strong and balanced book of business in a highly competitive marketplace. She has been the driving force behind Conventus' strong customer-centric focus, ensuring that the best services, programs and overall value are consistently provided to Conventus member-owners. Most recently, under Ms. Winters' leadership, the first Conventus Owner Benefit Plan (COBP) was administered, returning dividends and surplus to members based on 2009 results. Ms. Winters holds the designation of Associate in Reinsurance and is a member of the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management, the New Jersey Chapter of the CPCU Society and the Professional Liability Underwriting Society. Ms. Winters can be reached at Ext. 221 or via e-mail: .
	Lawrence J. Dunn III, CPA, Chief Financial Officer Larry Dunn is CFO of NIP Group, Inc. and a member of its management committee. Mr. Dunn’s business career spans over 25 years in the insurance and financial services industries. Prior to joining NIP Group he was Managing Director and Chief Operational Risk Officer for a major subsidiary of GMAC Financial Service (GMAC) a global financial services company, a senior financial executive at American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) and Treasurer of C.V. Starr & Co., Inc., one of the world’s largest Managing General Agents (MGAs). He began his career in public accounting as a member of the insurance practices first at KPMG and later at Deloitte & Touche. He also served as President of the Society of Insurance Financial Management. Mr. Dunn graduated from Pace University with a BBA in Accounting with highest honors and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Mr. Dunn can be reached at Ext. 255 or via e-mail: .
	Linda Eng Encinas, MBA, Vice President, Underwriting Linda Encinas has over 25 years experience in the Property and Casualty industry specializing in Medical Professional Liability. Prior to joining Conventus, she was a Vice President in the Healthcare Practice at Marsh and McLennan’s Companies (NYSE: MMC) and a Professional Liability Placement Specialist at Aon Corporation (NYSE: AON) a leading provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage. In a former role, Linda was the North East Region’s Healthcare Underwriting Manager at Zurich (VTX: ZURN) an insurance based financial services provider and most recently, she was an Assistant Vice President at Allied World Assurance Company (NYSE: AWH) a specialty insurance and reinsurance company. In addition to her insurance and underwriting experience she has an extensive background in risk management and has provided consulting services to hospitals, physicians, risk retention groups/captives and healthcare organizations. Ms. Encinas has an Associate in Applied Science from Pace University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rhode Island College, and a Masters in Business Administration in Executive Management from University of Miami. She has a 220 Agent’s General Lines Property and Casualty license, and is also licensed as a Registered Nurse. Ms. Encinas can be reached at Ext. 427 or via e-mail: .
	Susan Lieberman, BSN, MBA, CHRM, Vice President, Risk Management Susan Lieberman has 26 years of healthcare experience, with specific expertise in risk management, patient safety and quality improvement. At Conventus, Ms. Lieberman has established a popular Consultation and Emergency Hotline for physicians and their staff to obtain immediate, confidential advice about unanticipated patient outcomes and other patient care issues. She coordinates the Board of Governors Risk Management Committee that guides the Risk Management Program. Innovative and evidence-based Risk Management products and services have been developed that are tailored to the individual needs of physicians, such as practical toolkits directly impacting on daily practice, onsite consultations to assist in reducing risk exposures, ongoing educational programs for various groups, as well as many other services for a rapidly changing environment. Ms. Lieberman has consulted in various settings, has written for risk management publications, and is a national speaker. She received a BSN in Nursing from SUNY Downstate Medical Center and a MBA in Healthcare Administration from CUNY Baruch College/Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. She also has a certificate in healthcare risk management from the American Society of Healthcare Risk Management. Ms. Lieberman is former President of the Society for Healthcare Risk Management of NJ, and is a member of the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management and the Association of Healthcare Risk Management of NY. Ms. Lieberman can be reached at Ext. 426 or via e-mail: .
	Conrad G. Cyriax Esq., Vice President of Claims Conrad Cyriax has handled claims for Conventus since 2003, during which time Conventus has posted outstanding claims results. He has practiced insurance law with Thacher, Proffitt & Wood in New York and with Riker, Danzig, Scheerer, Hyland & Perretti in New Jersey. He also has an extensive insurance background having been the Claims Manager for Alexander Howden (U.S.), Prudential Reinsurance and Liberty Mutual. Mr. Cyriax graduated Seton Hall University with a B.A. cum laude in Political Science and holds a Juris Doctorate degree cum laude from New York Law School. In law school, he served as editor of the Law Review. Mr. Cyriax can be reached at Ext. 425 or via e-mail: .
	Earl Miller, Vice President, Product Development and Board Secretary Earl Miller has more than 25 years of insurance industry experience in a wide variety of areas, and was part of the team that helped create and launch Conventus. He came to NIP Group from Magna Carta Companies, where he was Vice President of Human Resources and, before that, Vice President of Home Office Underwriting. He has extensive experience in the research and development of new insurance programs, as well as the reengineering of existing organizations. Mr. Miller has served as Secretary to the Conventus Board of Governors and Regulatory Compliance officer for Conventus since its formation in 2002. In these capacities Earl liaises with the Board of Governors on matters of corporate governance, coordinates the quarterly Board meetings, handles all rate, rule and form filings with the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance and manages the Exchange’s compliance with state regulatory and statutory requirements. Mr. Miller can be reached at Ext. 251 or via e-mail: .
	Joseph T. O'Shaughnessy, Vice President of Sales Joseph T. O'Shaughnessy joined the Conventus team in 2010, after four successful years in a related division of NIP Group. Mr. O'Shaughnessy has over 20 years of executive leadership experience in the insurance, financial, mortgage and human resources industries; and a demonstrated track record of exceeding sales goals in several past positions. Most recently, as District Sales and Training Manager for Extensis Group LLC, Mr. O'Shaughnessy created a comprehensive training and development program that increased the skills and knowledge of the sales representatives while simultaneously exceeding sales objectives. Mr. O'Shaughnessy can be reached at Ext. 420 or via email: .
	Mary Foulks, Controller Mary Foulks has been a part of the NIP Group for 15 years, and has been with Conventus since its formation in 2002. With over 25 years of accounting experience, Ms. Foulks has worked in various functions within the Conventus organization throughout the years. Her work with Conventus has included quarterly and annual statutory filings, annual audits and tri-annual stateaudits. Ms. Foulks is also responsible for management reporting and actively involved in the Audit and Finance Committee. Notably, Ms. Foulks recently led the distribution of the 2009 Conventus Owner Benefit Plan (COBP) cash dividend payment to member-owners and return of surplus contributions to qualified members. Prior to her work with NIP Group, Ms. Foulks worked as an Accounting Manager for Automated Concepts Incorporated (ACI), a consulting firm offering services to private sector industries and government agencies. In her role, Ms. Foulks was responsible for the accounting staff, annual audits, and coordinating and consolidating monthly reporting across multiple divisions. Ms. Foulks holds a B.S. in Accounting from Farleigh Dickenson University. She can be reached at Ext. 256 or via email: .
	Marina Slabyak, MBA, Marketing Manager Marina Slabyak has more than 10 years of experience in project and campaign management, working within the fields of marketing, advertising, project management and public relations, including extensive experience with interactive media campaigns and social media techniques. Before joining NIP Group, Ms. Slabyak was involved in managing multiple clients within a wide assortment of industries including retail, finance, healthcare, non-profit, fashion, food & beverage, and technology. Ms. Slabyak began her career in market research and public relations, holding a BA in Communication from Rutgers University and an MBA from Rutgers Business School. She can be reached at Ext. 242 or via email: .
	Christopher J. Payne, Senior Reinsurance Advisor Chris Payne began his reinsurance career in 1981, working for R. K. Carvill & Co., a leading specialty broker at Lloyd’s of London. In 1984 he came to the United States and joined John. F. Sullivan and Co. (now part of the Marsh & McLennan group), returning to Carvill as one of the founding employees of their American operations. As Senior Vice President of Carvill America, Mr. Payne was responsible for treaty servicing and production for medical professional liability clients. He spent three years with OUM & Associates, (a subsidiary of Aon Corporation) prior to forming his own company in 1997. Mr. Payne works as a consultant and intermediary for policyholder-owned insurers in the professional liability and healthcare insurance markets. He is an honors graduate of King’s College, University of London.

What Physicians Say

ABOUT Conventus

"Conventus is an insurance company you can actually trust to be on your side!"

- Scott David Lippe, M.D.
Gastroenterology, Westwood, NJ (Bergen)
"Because this is a physician owned company it is geared toward physician satisfaction and participation, which is something most other companies cannot do."

- Pieter Ketelaar, M.D.
Obstetrics & Gynecology, Brick, NJ (Ocean)