2008 TASB RMF Members’ Conference Sets New Record for Attendance!

by Stacy Hobbs

With free conference preregistration, complimentary meals and events, attendance coverage credits, educational sessions and much more, Fund members and TASB staff came to Austin in the masses with over 620 people in attendance this year at the spacious Renaissance Hotel. For those of you who have attended before, you know the conference always kicks off with an Early Bird Dinner on Sunday evening. And because we are in Texas, Tex-Mex is always the choice! This year, Serrano’s in the Arboretum hosted the event. With over 300 people in attendance and plenty of fajitas for everyone, this venue was a hit.

Monday morning, Steve Gilliland, keynote speaker, started the day with an inspirational speech on how life can never be taken for granted emphasizing that everyone should just “enjoy the ride”. After that, the educational breakout sessions kicked into gear. Our conference theme, the Fund Survival Kit, provided members with 20 sessions. Topics ranging from Multi-Hazard Emergency Operations Plans, Part I and II, to District Finger Printing and Senate Bill 9, WC Claim Reporting Meltdown Remedies and Property Disaster Procedures after the Fact were all presented with 10 breakout sessions hosting over 100 people.   

At lunch, our very own Dubravka Romano, associate executive director for Risk Management Services, updated everyone with a State of the Fund address and presented the 2008 Fund Innovation Awards to 10 deserving winners. For more information on who won and why, check out the Fund Website. 

A bittersweet moment occurred when we concluded lunch with a farewell to Cindy Purdy, chair for the Fund Board of Trustees and board member for Muleshoe ISD. Cindy has decided to retire and did not run for re-election to the Muleshoe ISD Board. She has dedicated a great portion of her life to the betterment of schools and our members. She has served on the Fund Board since 1999 and will be greatly missed!  

In lieu of breakout sessions for the second day of conference, the Fund invited special guests from Colorado to present a very important and timely message on lessons learned from the Platte Canyon High School shooting that took place on September 27, 2006. The Park County sheriff, Fred Wegener, school superintendent, Dr. Jim Walpole, counsel for Platte Canyon and Columbine, Bill Kowalski from Caplan and Earnest, LLC, and Cheryle Mangels, executive director for the Colorado School Districts Self-Insurance Pool presented this three hour general session.

To conclude the conference, we conducted our annual coverage credit drawings where the Fund showed the money…to our members! The lucky winners were Del Mar College for the $1,000 credit, Littlefield ISD for the $3,000 credit, and Pasadena ISD for the $5,000 credit.

Didn’t attend this year? We would love to see you next year! Check the Fund Website in January 2009 for details.