Become a fan of the Expat Youth Scholarship on Facebook to be entered into a special "Fans Only" contest! Plus, you'll get exclusive updates and information about the scholarship, as well as the opportunity to interact with other expats around the world.

Click here to become a fan today!

P.S. - While you're there, become a fan of Clements International, too! Click here.

Labels: Clements, Clements International, expat youth, expat youth scholarship, Facebook

Clements International announced multiple promotions in several key positions today. They include:

Vice President of Insurance Sales - Dan Tuman

Assistant Vice President of Operations - Lisa Kennedy-Mitchel

Assistant Vice President of Marketing - Michael Crossett

Director of Commercial Insurance - Smita Malik

Manager of Personal Insurance - David Brumbach

Manager of Commercial Insurance Account Services - Porche Sidbury

Manager of Operations - Diahann Ricks

Commercial Insurance Account Manager - Blade Smith

Commercial Insurance Account Manager - Mary Venable-Payne

Commercial Insurance Account Manager II - Sherman Kornmann-Blow

Clements congratulates these individuals and looks forward to their continued leadership.

Click here to read the official press release.

Labels: Clements, Clements International, Dan Tuman, Lisa Kennedy-Mitchel, Michael Crossett, promotion, Smita Malik

A diverse panel of expatriates will judge the 2010 Expat Youth Scholarship and help award a total of $10,000 to six students. Sponsored by Clements International, this scholarship program is designed specifically for expat students who acquire unique life experiences growing up abroad.

2010 Judges Panel

Kimberly Van Cleave Michaels,
Executive Director - Families in Global Transition (FIGT)

Jo Parfitt
Journalist, Teacher, Editor, Publisher & Mentor – Joparfitt.com

Alyson Rose-Wood,
2009-2011 Presidential Management Fellow with the National Institutes of Health, Foreign Service Youth Foundation Board of Directors, Former expat youth

Rosemary Whitcraft,
AFS Intercultural Programs Thailand, Writer & Teacher


Click here to read the official press release and learn more about our judges!

Reminder: The scholarship entry deadline is Thursday, May 13, 2010.

Labels: Alyson Rose-Wood, Clements, Clements International, expat families, expat youth, expat youth scholarship, families in global transition, Jo Parfitt, Rosemary Whitcraft

Clements appeared in three industry magazines last month, showcasing the company’s expertise in high risk insurance and its unique office culture. Please take a moment to view these articles and leave your feedback!

· Piracy/Kidnap/Ransom Threat Grows – Rough Notes

Rough Notes is a monthly magazine providing information for property-casualty agents and brokers about successful sales and management procedures, in addition to commentary on projected industry trends.

· Protection in High-Risk Areas - Monday Developments

Monday Developments magazine is an international publication that provides in-depth news and commentary on global trends that affect relief, refugee and development work. It also keeps readers updated on legislative action in Congress that could impact U.S. foreign assistance to developing countries.

· A Happy Niche - Independent Agent

Independent Agent is a monthly magazine for independent insurance agents and brokers who sell property-casualty, life and health insurance products. Regular issue features include agency management and automation, insurance and financial services products, markets, marketing, legislative issues and analysis of industry trends.

Labels: Clements, Clements International, expatriate insurance, high-risk, Independent Agent, Monday Developments, Rough Notes, Yan Bui

Yan Bui, a commercial insurance account executive at Clements International, recently published an article in the January/February 2010 issue of Monday Developments, titled “Protection in High-Risk Areas.”

Monday Developments magazine is an international publication that provides in-depth news and commentary on global trends that affect relief, refugee and development work. It also keeps readers updated on legislative action in Congress that could impact U.S. foreign assistance to developing countries.

NGOs face inherent risks overseas. Many are often targeted by criminal and terrorist groups, either for financial or political gain. Last year proved to be deadly for NGOs, with increasing incidences of kidnapping and violence against the humanitarian community. Insurance is one way these organizations can help mitigate these risks.

Read the full article here.

Labels: Clements, Clements International, commercial sales, high-risk, Interaction, International Insurance, International Organizations, Monday Developments, NGOs, Yan Bui

Clements International is now accepting submissions for its 2nd annual scholarship program for expatriate students. Clements will award $10,000 in scholarships to six students who best answer the question, “Where would you go in your flying house?”

Labels: Clements, Clements International, expat families, expat youth, expat youth scholarship, Expatriate, Expatriates, Expats

On Sunday, September 20, 2009, Vice Presidents Tom Lentz and Dan Tuman served as grill masters at the Foreign Service Youth Foundation’s (FSYF) Annual Welcome Back Picnic. The event gathered recently returned U.S. Foreign Service families for a fun afternoon in Vienna, Virginia.

“The picnic was a great opportunity for Foreign Service families to get together and share their experiences,” said Lentz. “Clements working the grills allowed the FYSF members more quality time to enjoy the picnic.”

Clements is a proud supporter of FSYF and its continuing contribution to the expat community.

Labels: Clements, Clements International, community, community service, Dan Tuman, Foreign Service, Foreign Service Youth Foundation, fsyf, picnic, Tom Lentz

Clements is proud to announce two employee promotions:

Dan Tuman, former vice president of commercial insurance, is now vice president of insurance sales.

Smita Malik, former commercial insurance account executive, is now director of commercial sales.






Both Dan and Smita have been instrumental in the company’s growth and success, and the Clements team looks forward to supporting them in their new roles.

Congratulations!

Labels: Clements, Clements International, commercial sales, Dan Tuman, director, global insurance, insurance, insurance sales, International Insurance, Leadership, Smita Malik, vice president

Clements International, the leading provider of global insurance solutions, has named J. Christopher Beck as president. Beck was previously senior vice president of the company.

“This is an exciting time of growth for Clements,” said Jon Clements, chairman and chief executive officer. “Chris’ dedication and expertise have been proven time and time again, making him the ideal candidate to lead the company moving forward.”

Beck has led the sales divisions of Clements International since 2000. With over 20 years of insurance experience, he was responsible for the design of key insurance programs tailored to the unique needs of international organizations and the expatriate community. He has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Maryland.

Labels: Chris Beck, Christopher Beck, Clements, Clements International, J. Christopher Beck, Jon Clements, president

As part of Clements International’s ongoing community involvement, the company sponsored the Foreign Service Youth Foundation’s Community Service Awards once again this year. The awards honor outstanding U.S. Foreign Service youth who have served their community either at home or abroad while tackling the challenges of growing up all over the world.

The contest was open to all U.S. Foreign Service youth and teens, and the winners were honored on Friday, July 17 at an awards ceremony at the U.S. Department of State, hosted by the Foreign Liaison Office. Two first place winners each received a $1,500 savings bond. Vice President Tom Lentz attended the ceremony to honor this year’s recipients:

Labels: American Foreign Service, Clements, Clements International, community service, expat families, expat youth, Expatriates, Foreign Service, Foreign Service Youth Foundation, Tom Lentz

Congratulations to Juliana (Lily) Hightower of the U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, the 2009 recipient of the M. Juanita Guess Award. The M. Juanita Guess Award is conferred on a Community Liaison Officer (CLO) who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, dedication, initiative or imagination in assisting the families of Americans serving at an overseas post.

Hightower is credited with significant improvement in post morale due to her responsiveness, dedication and commitment. She helped foster greater social consciousness among Embassy members about the challenges in Ethiopia by arranging tours to many of the country’s cultural and historic sites, in addition to organizing volunteer and study programs. Hightower also worked closely with the medical unit on important health issues and provided medical assistance to embassy members.

“She is the most important focal point in the mission, indispensable… touching so many lives and helping so many people handle so many difficulties and cope with the extreme rigors of living in Ethiopia,” said the U.S. Ambassador who nominated her for the award.

This award was established in memory of M. Juanita Guess, former President of Clements International, and is one of several presented annually by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA). The runners-up were Michelle Destito, U.S. Embassy Ankara, and Mary Knight, U.S. Embassy Beirut.

Labels: American Foreign Service, American Foreign Service Association, Clements, Clements International, M. Juanita Guess

Account Executive Janness Pooran-Thomas tutored Imani, bright, energetic fifth-grader, on basic math problems once a week. Along with nine other Clements employees, she donated 30 minutes of her time each week, which the company matched with a monetary contribution to the school.

“It was a very rewarding experience for me,” said Janness. “I’m proud that Clements is involved in the local community and offered its employees this special volunteer opportunity. I looked forward to spending time with my buddy every week and felt like I was doing my part to give back.”

Labels: Clements, Clements International, community, community service

An article written by Chris Beck, senior vice president of insurance sales, titled “Piracy trends highlight need for K&R protection,” was recently published on AgentandBroker.com.

Due to recent events highlighted in the national media, the issue of Kidnap and Ransom insurance has garnered international attention as organizations strive to protect their employees and investments in the face of heightened risks.

Read the full article here.

Labels: Agents and Brokers, Chris Beck, Clements, Clements International, International Insurance, International Organizations, kidnap, kidnap and ransom

Medical Travel Today, the authoritative newsletter for medical tourism, recently interviewed Vice President of Commercial Sales Dan Tuman to discuss products and solutions that specifically address the unique liability issues faced by this industry.

Medical tourism is the growing practice of traveling abroad for a medical procedure. What once seemed unusual and unsafe has now become common and practical, as millions worldwide travel outside their home countries to partake in medical tourism. However, as with any procedure, comes the risk of complications, which could jeopardize a company’s reputation and assets. Clements International is one of the first to develop insurance products tailored to the needs of medical travel providers, including Professional Liability and Personal Accident insurance.

Read Dan’s entire interview here.

Labels: Clements, Clements International, Dan Tuman, International Insurance, liability insurance, medical tourism, Medical Travel Today, Personal accident, Professional liability

Energy independence has been an important issue in American politics, largely due to the growing demand for oil and the country’s growing dependence on foreign suppliers. This demand is leading the industry to expand into new, often hazardous areas of the world. In order to protect their investments, employees and equipment, companies need medical and safety solutions when working in remote, high-risk locations.

Clements International isn’t alone in its mission to provide services to individuals and organizations working in hazardous areas around the world. Exploration Logistics is also in the business of minimizing risk for customers operating in challenging environments. They offer specialized services to clients in the oil and gas, mining, construction, governmental and humanitarian sectors, including driver training, safety and medical services, and mine clearance. With extensive international reach and 22 years of experience, Exploration Logistics is a valued and proven partner to its clients.

Labels: Clements, Clements International, Exploration Logistics, high-risk, International Organizations

Clements International’s tradition of service to human resources professionals who send employees overseas continued with a visit to the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) Global Conference in Toronto, Ontario. The annual conference, which took place March 30 – April 1, gathers international human resource managers from all over the world to offer education, training and networking opportunities.

Laura Schauble, a commercial insurance account executive at Clements, hosted a roundtable discussion during the conference to discuss international insurance and risk management issues relevant to today's global HR professional.

The event also featured an exposition for organizations to showcase their products and services to attendees. Exhibitors included 65 companies providing global compensation and benefit packages, relocation, worldwide banking, language training, corporate culture audits, medical and emergency support services, and transportation. Clements participated in the exposition to provide information on its commercial and personal insurance products for expatriates, as well as promote the Expat Youth Scholarship to SHRM members.

For more information on SHRM and the Global Conference, visit http://www.shrm.org/.

Labels: canada, Clements, Clements International, conferences, expatriate insurance, global insurance, human resources, insurance, SHRM, Society of Human Resource Management

Robert E. “Dusty” Staub II, author and Chairman/CEO of Staub Leadership Consultants, will visit Clements International’s office in Washington, D.C. next week to conduct an annual leadership development seminar. Each year, Staub visits Clements to share his expertise, and help improve company performance and culture.

Staub’s philosophy is featured in his books, The 7 Acts of Courage: Bold Leadership for a Wholehearted Life and The Heart of Leadership: Twelve Practices of Courageous Leaders. He explains that we all need courage to make changes and lead better, more fulfilling lives. With over 25 years of experience working with executives, families and community groups, as well as with private and public companies, Staub educates individuals to be leaders in all areas of their lives.

For more information about Staub, his books or Staub Leadership Consultants, visit http://www.staubleadership.com.

Labels: Clements, Clements International, leaders, Leadership, washington dc

You might think St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday that’s only celebrated in Ireland and your local Irish pub, but it’s actually a worldwide celebration. In fact, St. Patrick’s Day is one of the most recognized holidays on the global calendar, with parties in China, Japan, Belgium, Italy, Argentina and Australia, just to name a few.

Have you ever wondered exactly why the world celebrates St. Patrick’s Day? The holiday is named for Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland who is said to have converted the country to Christianity and banned all snakes from the land. Patrick’s real name was Maewyn and he was born in Wales, but was sold into slavery in Ireland at age 16 and later adopted the Christian name Patricius (“Patrick” in English). He also made the shamrock famous, using the three-leaved version to illustrate the Holy Trinity. Today, the rare four-leaf clover is a symbol of good luck. Patrick died on March 17, 461 A.D., which now marks the annual celebration of his life and place in world history.

Labels: Clements, Clements International

Peace of Mind comes in many forms: a seatbelt you fasten before driving a vehicle, a reliable staff to keep your organization running smoothly, and proper insurance to protect your assets. While the first two ideas are easily implemented, finding the insurance coverage you need for your international relief and development organization can be a confusing task. Insurance is an important addition to any successful organization.

We recently published an article, "Proper Insurance Equals Peace of Mind" in the latest issue of Monday Developments, published by Interaction.

A pdf version of the article is avaible here.
/MondayDevelopments_Clements.pdf

Labels: Clements, Clements International, Interaction, International Organizations, Monday Developments, War Risk

Clements International is now accepting submissions for its first expatriate youth scholarship competition. Clements will award $10,000 in scholarships to six students who use words and creative media to illustrate life as an expatriate.

The theme of the 2009 Clements International Expat Youth Scholarship is “Life in a Flying House,” inspired by the idea that students who spend their childhoods moving between different countries and cultures acquire unique life experiences.

Each scholarship entry must include an essay of 500 words or more describing how his or her life has been affected by living as an expatriate, accompanied by some form of creative media that supports the essay topic, such as photographs, illustrations, paintings or video. Students between the ages of 12-18 of any nationality who have spent at least two years living outside their home countries are encouraged to apply. All entries are due by May 15 and the winners will be announced in mid-September.

For more information about the scholarship and to submit entries, visit http://www.expatyouthscholarship.com/.

Labels: Clements, Clements International, expat youth scholarship, Expatriate, Expatriates, Expats, Scholarship

Our own Lloyd Yavener was quoted in a recent issue of Best's Review regarding the increase in recent kidnappings and how insurance can assists those at risk. For those who subscribe to the publication, you can view the complete article by following the link below.

"Measuring Response: Kidnapping: A Changing and Growing Risk" Mexico has become a top destination for insurers and it's not exactly due to the country's sun-soaked coastline. Kidnappings are soaring south of ...

Source: Best's Review (January 2009 Issue)

Labels: Clements, International Insurance, International Organizations, kidnap, kidnap and ransom, lloyd Yavener, Mexico

As any organization develops operations overseas, it is important to become familiar with the unique risks associated with living and working abroad. One of those risks, which is easily overlooked, is the chance that a staff member could be kidnapped during the course of normal operations. It is estimated that over the past 6 years, kidnappings around the world have increased by 100%.

While these events can occur to anyone, organizations involved in relief and development projects may have increased risks due to the nature and location of their work. We have recently compiled a report that documents events that are far too real.

View and download a copy of our 2008 NGO Kidnapping Statistics Report.

For more information on Kidnap and Ransom insurance or other high-risk policies, please visit our website.

Labels: Clements, Clements International, International Insurance, kidnap and ransom, pdf, report

Kjaer Group, who has partnered with Clements International to provide vehicle solutions in developing countries, has been nominated in the World's Top Ten of Corporations in Global Development by the members of InterAction. InterAction has more than 165 members working in every developing country.This is an amazing achievement where we are in very prominent company with corporations like Coca Cola, Google and Citibank just to mention a few.

The article is featured in the November/December 2008 edition of Monday Development issued by InterAction. You may read the full article by clicking here.

Congratulations Kjaer Group!

Labels: Clements, Clements International, Interaction, international auto insurance, Kjaer Group, Monday Developments

Clements International was mentioned today in and article written by David Isenberg for the Middle East Times. The article discusses the diversity of companies and organizations that offer support within the private military contracting industry.

We offer a wide range of insurance policies to support and protect the investments of organizations involved in peace-keeping operations around the world, including Defense Base Act or DBA Insurance.

Follow this link to read the story.

Labels: Afghanistan, Clements, Clements International, DBA Insurance, International Insurance, International Organizations, Middle East Times, Terrorism Insurance

Clements International may be traveling to a city near you in October! Clements is participating is Expatica’s “I am not a tourist” Fair in Amsterdam at the Beurs van Berlage on October 12. Expatica.com is an online community, which offers news, features and resources to expatriates. You can order your free tickets here or purchase them at the door for 10€.

The following weekend, it’s on to Brussels, where you can find us at the Welcome Fair at Autoworld on October 18 and 19. This event is free. For more information, visit http://www.welcomefair.be/.

Stop by these expat fairs to hear more about unique services, organizations, and clubs available for you. We hope to see you there!

Labels: Amsterdam, Brussels, Clements, Expatriates, welcome fair