BUSINESS - World Class Innovator Moves Up in Animal Health

Valpy Moves to Apply Builder Skills to LifeLearn

Friday was the last day for Randy Valpy in the pet health insurance business. His 15 year career in pet insurance was capped with the development of the innovative Pet Plus Us brand for Royal Sun Alliance.

Pet Plus Us was recently sold to Pethealth, a Fairfax Company operating in the UK and across North America.

PPU colleagues say 'thanks'

At the Pet Plus Us farewell luncheon, Valpy was presented with a framed “Thank You” incorporating the remarks and best wishes of his colleagues.

Few people have achieved Valpy’s reputation as a builder of businesses and brands.

In addition to Pets Plus Us, he was responsible for building Canada’s first pet insurance brand, Pet Plan; Canada’s largest pet insurance brand, Petsecure; and, Canada’s first pet insurance underwriter, Securican.

These four brands were successful at meeting business goals and each was later acquired by other interests.

In addition to building brands and businesses, Valpy worked to create a more collaborative industry as a co-founder of the Summit for Urban Animals and co-founder of the North American Pet Health Industry Association (NAPHIA).

Lisa Milton congratulates Randy Valpy

In recognition of his achievements, Valpy was awarded the 2013 Summit for Individual Achievement by his peers in North America.

The award was sponsored by IAMS Canada to recognize an individual whose innovation, skills and achievements are respected by the entire companion animal industry.

On Monday, Valpy will move up in the animal health value chain to lead LifeLearn Inc.

This organization has an important role to play; equipping businesses to lead in the animal health industry as they meet the challenges of the digital environment and learn to succeed in a consumer driven economy.

BUSINESS - Valpy Departure from Pets Plus Us Unexpected

Randy Valpy, noted developer of Canada’s leading pet health insurance brands, Petsecure and Pets Plus Us and founder of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) is leaving the pet health insurance industry.

In June 2016, Pethealth, a Fairfax Company, acquired Pets Plus Us from RSA and added this book of business to Canadian operations for Pethealth. Valpy became Vice President & Managing Director, Pet Insurance at PTZ Insurance Services Ltd. and continued in his role as Top Dog at Pets Plus Us.

Valpy received the Urban Animal Summit Award for Individual Achievement in 2013 for his strong collaborative goals and resolution to create healthy communities for people and pets.

The Summit for Individual Achievement recognizes an individual who is currently active in the companion animal industry and who is well regarded for their achievements.

According to the industry sources, Valpy will leave PTZ Insurance Services effective December 9th and take up responsibilities as President and CEO of LifeLearn in Guelph, Ontario, on December 12th.

Eric Coulson, Director of Sales and Operations for Pets Plus Us is expected to be named as interim ‘Top Dog’ and leader of the Pets Plus Us brand in Canada.

InfoStream has extended an invitation to interview both Eric and Randy about their new roles. 

Summit 2015 Claims

Sunday November 15, 2015 was the deadline for delegate and scholarship claims arising from Summit 2015. 

The claims received from delegates and those eligible for scholarships totaled $22,533.03. Urban Animal continues to seek the return of deposits and to gather contributions to allow complete reimbursement of these claims.

In October, Urban Animal reported that claims from delegates and those receiving scholarships for Summit 2015 could exceed $51,000. The fact that so many were able to contribute expenses and fees to the program is remarkable and would seem to be a testament to the support Urban Animal enjoys.

The Summit Awards program has now been completed and the Awards are on the way to each recipient by Express Post. Photo Ops with members of the Urban Animal Council will be arranged in each local area where possible. Readers may search 'Summit Award' in the InfoStream search area above (sort by date) to see recipient announcements they may have missed.

The plan to complete the IRED Scholarship Competition for the 2015 Innovator, 2015 Researcher, 2015 Emerging Leader and 2015 Digital Journalist will be announced shortly. Completion of the 2015 IRED Scholarship Competition is made possible with grants from:

• PIJAC Canada
• Petsecure/Western Financial Corporation
• Kijiji Canada
• Ontario SPCA
• CDMV Inc
• Petland Superstores
• Canadian Veterinary Medical Association

Former ICBC CEO Tapped to lead Western Financial Group

Western Financial Group (WFG) board appoints Paul Taylor as President and CEO. 

As President and CEO, Taylor will lead business units including Western Financial Group Insurance Solutions, Western Financial Insurance Company (Petsecure) and Western Life Assurance Company.

Taylor replaces Company Founder and Interim CEO, Scott Tannas who was recently 'elected' to the Canadian Senate for Alberta. Tannas will work with Taylor to ensure a smooth transition from his position as Vice Chairman and Founder of WFG.

“We are delighted to announce Mr. Taylor as the new President and CEO of Western. He is the perfect person to continue to develop Western. His extensive experience, solid track record of leadership combined with his values make him the ideal individual to lead our team,” said Jim Dinning, Chairman, Western Board of Directors. “Western’s future is very bright with Mr. Taylor joining the Western family.”

Taylor brings with him a diverse background in both the private and public sectors. Most recently he held the position of President of TransAlta’s business operations in the U.S. and is a Corporate Director on the TransAlta Renewables Board of Directors. His extensive experience includes serving as President and CEO of the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) and he subsequently served as the Chair and Director of ICBC. His public sector experience includes serving as Chief of Staff to the Premier of British Columbia and as British Columbia’s Deputy Minister of Finance and Secretary to Treasury Board.

“We are excited to have Mr. Taylor join the Western team. He is a proven leader, and is a great fit with Western’s values of truthfulness, fairness, value and loyalty. He is the right choice to help Western continue to be a leader in the Canadian insurance industry,” said Scott Tannas, Vice Chairman and Founder of Western Financial Group. “Mr. Taylor’s prior roles give him the expertise and perspective to lead Western to a successful future and I look forward to working alongside him.”

About Western Financial Group (WFG):
WFG is a subsidiary of Desjardins Group, the leading cooperative financial group in Canada. WFG is a diversified insurance company that serves more than 800,000 customers across western Canada. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in High River, Alberta, WFG provides personal and business insurance services through more than 160 office locations and affiliates. With a skilled team of more than 1,800 employees, Western is committed to building the strongest insurance organization in Western Canada.

Petsecure Celebrates 25 Years and One Million Pets Insured

Petsecure pet insurance announced this week it has insured one million pets across Canada in its 25-year history. 

The 1 millionth pet insured is Zoe, a Corgi and autistic
service dog from Chilliwack, B.C. Photo Credit

"At Petsecure we are thrilled to have insured one million pets in 25 years and we continue to work to protect as many cats and dogs as possible across Canada," said Rod Cunniam, Interim President and COO of Petsecure. "Our goal is to ensure that pet owners are able to make important decisions about their pet's health without a large financial burden." 

Since 1989, Petsecure has been working to ensure pets have the care they need. Over the past 25 years, Petsecure has grown to become Canada's oldest and one of its's largest pet health insurance providers. 

READ THE ARTICLE

Petsecure and the Ice Bucket Challenge

Petsecure's interim President & COO Rod Cunniam, along with Grant Ostir, President of Western's Group Insurance Solutions, got wet for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge as staff looked on. 

Other Petsecure staff have taken the plunge as well. Take a look at this playlist of videos from Petsecure Territory Managers and others:

www.petsecure.com

Petsecure supports OSPCA with $17,500 donation

Photo Credit

Petsecure handed over a cheque for more than $17,000 to the Ontario SPCA resulting from their sponsorship of the 2014 National Cupcake Day for SPCA's & Humane Societies. 

National Cupcake Day™ is a first-ever, coordinated Canadian event to support local shelters, SPCAs and Humane Societies. In 2014, animal lovers across Canada raised over $450,000 to support their favourite societies. Funds raised from National Cupcake Day™ go back to help the shelters, clinics, inspectors and animals in communities across the country. 

READ MORE: National Cupcake Day becomes a nationally recognized success!

Petsecure announces new Veterinary Advisory Board

 Petsecure Veterinary Advisory Board (from left): Board Chair Dr. Berney Pukay,
Petsecure Interim President & COO Rod Cunniam, Dr. Jean Gauvin,
Dr. Susann Hosie, Dr. Lynn Webster, Dr. Lesley Steele.
Photo Credit

Dr. Bernhard Pukay has been appointed Chairman of the Petsecure Veterinary Advisory Board. 

Petsecure, Canada's oldest pet health insurance company announced its new board last week. Doctors Jean Gauvin, Lesley Steele and Suann Hosie, will join Dr. Pukay as additional board members. The members of the Petsecure Veterinary Advisory Board are committed to expanding the pet health insurance industry's reach and representation. The Board advises on the risks, strategies, plans and performance of Petsecure and provides counsel to the Interim President and COO. 

Alongside Regional and Territory Managers representing all areas of Canada, the Board will extend Petsecure's reach and work with industry shareholders to explore ways to make pet health insurance more accessible to all pet owners. 

READ THE NEWS RELEASE 

Petsecure creates buzz with Super Bowl commercial

Long-time Urban Animal sponsor, Petsecure, launched its first ever Super Bowl commercial during the big event last Sunday. 

The 30-second ad, "Petsecure Was There For Our Family" aired on CTV Winnipeg during the game and will help create awareness of how pet insurance can give families peace of mind when it comes to their pets' health. 

READ THE PETSECURE BLOG

AWASCO receives 2013 Sheltering summit

Kathy Innocente, AWASCO (left) and 
Chrissy Gaetan, Petsecure (right)

Local collaboration and shared opportunity in south central Ontario has been recognized at a national level by the Urban Animal Program. 

The Summit Award for sheltering, sponsored by Petsecure, recognizes an organization that best addresses the care of animals in shelters, pounds, retail outlets, kennels, veterinary clinics/hospitals, grooming shops and breeding facilities. In 2013, the Animal Welfare Agency of South Central Ontario (AWASCO) was presented with this prestigious award at the second of four cross-Canada stops on the 2013 Summit Award Tour in Cambridge, Ontario.

In July 2012, the Ontario SPCA Perth Branch officially merged with the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society (KWHS) creating the new Animal Welfare Agency of South Central Ontario. The communities of Perth County, Kitchener-Waterloo and North Waterloo Region are still served by their local shelters as well as the regional branches operating as Stratford-Perth Humane Society and the KWHS. These two branches share resources, senior staff and expertise providing new opportunities to cooperate and collaborate in providing better and expanded services to the communities within these two regions and shelter, care and protection for its animals. 

With 54% of ballots cast, AWASCO was recognized and rewarded by the Urban Animal industry for completing the amalgamation of the Perth and Kitchener-Waterloo agencies and for increasing the live release rate of the organization to 90%. As of August 31, 2013, AWASCO had reached its goal of increasing adoptions by 87% and decreasing euthanasia by 192%. 

Petsecure Announces Veterinary Clinic Winners for Pet Health Insurance Month Contest

Last week, Petsecure announced Anderson Animal Hospital (Winnipeg, Man.) and Vetwise Animal Hospital (Dartmouth, N.S.) as the winners of the 6th annual Pet Health Insurance Month Clinic Decorating Contest. 

During the month of September, Petsecure challenged veterinary clinics across Canada to raise awareness on the benefits of pet insurance and show off their creativity by decorating waiting rooms. Petsecure's 11 territory managers voted on a record 51 photo submissions from across the country. One winner was selected for each Eastern and Western Canada. All clinic submissions can be viewed on Petsecure's Pinterest page located at http://www.pinterest.com/petsecure/

"We believe that Petsecure provides a valuable service to pet owners who may otherwise not be able to afford treatment for their pet," said Dr. Markus Stasiulis, veterinarian with Vetwise Animal Hospital. "Our creative staff helped make the contest an enjoyable experience, raising awareness on Petsecure in a fashion that was both fun and informative." 

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

Foundation Dinner celebrates 165 years of service

The 2013 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies presented the first ever Urban Animal Foundation Dinner which introduced delegates to the industry's newest non-profit and recognized the long-term achievements of leaders in the industry.

Western Financial Insurance Company (Petsecure) demonstrated its fidelity to the Urban Animal Program by generously sponsoring the Foundation Dinner. Founding sponsors of the SUAS, Petsecure continues to support its industry partners and allowed delegates to celebrate 165 years of service to animals and the people who love them. 

For 25 years, PIJAC Canada has proven itself a valuable player in the Urban Animal Industry. As an organization committed to strengthening the collaborative ties amongst all five sectors, PIJAC plays a critical role in the Urban Animal Program. 

Celebrating 140 years of service, the Ontario SPCA has been a long-time supporter of the Urban Animal Program. The organization's efforts to reinvent the humane and rescue sector have identified it as a role model, a leader and a partner. The Ontario SPCA featured  as one of 2013's Innovation Showcase models and received the Summit award for Community Compliance. 

PetLynx used this celebration to announce the Urban Animal Foundation which represents a momentous change in the way it will work with the Urban Animal Program to resource industry initiatives. The Foundation is a non-profit vessel to hold collateral and resources for the benefit of the entire industry. The Urban Animal Foundation will resource initiatives (like Care for Cats) arising out of the Summit and Urban Animal Conferences. 

Urban Animal Foundation Guiding Principles 

• Vessel – Creative Commons gathers and holds resources for the benefit of the Urban Animal Program
• Hybrid – Actively promotes/resources not-for-profit elements of PetLynx Corporation and the Urban Animal Program
• Develops consensus – For Urban Animal initiatives
• Models technology – Employ modern technology to ensure transparency for funding, for process and for decisions
• Supports Centre of Excellence – Used to prove up strategies and tactics
• FutureWorks – Gathers Urban Animal evidence (not necessarily driven by market demand)
• Lean/mean machine – Administration and infrastructure provided by PetLynx 

Petsecure promotes Pet Health Insurance Month

Veterinary clinics across Canada are partnering with Petsecure pet health insurance during the month of September to raise awareness on the benefits of insuring your pet. 

Participating clinics will be decorating waiting rooms to promote and increase awareness which, according to a survey from Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Magazine, can mean the difference between life and death. The survey found pet owners choosing euthanasia for economic reasons is not uncommon. 

"When a dog or cat with a treatable condition is euthanized because of economics, the situation can be devastating," said Colleen Skavinsky, chief veterinary officer at Petsecure. "Not only for the pet parents, but also for the hospital staff who have devoted their careers to keeping pets healthy. Pet health insurance allows pet owners and veterinarians to make medical decisions based on what's right for their pet without the worry of financial constraints." 

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

Petsecure head office moves to new location

After five years at its Portage Avenue location, Petsecure's Winnipeg head office has moved to a new state-of-the-art building. 

Petsecure has joined its parent company, Western Financial Insurance Company, at the Western Financial Group complex. The building is home not only to Western Financial Insurance Company but to all of Western's Winnipeg operations, including life insurance and banking. 

Petsecure Pet Health Insurance

300-600 Empress Street

Winnipeg, MB

R3G 0G2

Winnipeg Humane Society waiving cat adoption fees as hundreds of cats look for homes

Shelter overpopulation and adoption are top priorities of the Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS) right now as they struggle to find space to house the roughly 220 cats that arrive at the shelter every week. In an effort to find homes for the hundreds of animals coming through the shelter, the WHS is offering to waive cat adoption fees for one day. 

Over 1,750 stray and abandoned cats arrived at WHS between May 1 and August 11. Around 600 entered the shelter in July alone. According to a press-release dated August 13, these numbers are expected to increase in the coming weeks and the shelter is presently at capacity. 

"We're seeing too many cats coming into the shelter, and we simply do not have the space to house them all," said Judy Dean, Adoptions Manager at the WHS. "We'd much rather see these cats go to loving homes than face the alternative." 

On Friday, August 16 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. there will be no fees to adopt a cat over four months of age. Kittens under four months will be $25 to adopt. Normal adoption rates for kittens is $179. Regular adoption processes will still be in effect. Potential adopters need to bring ID with current address and can expect the process to take over 40 minutes. All cats adopted from the WHS are spayed/neutered, tattooed, vaccinated and receive six weeks of Petsecure pet insurance. 

Petsecure launches new commercial

Petsecure Pet Health Insurance launched a new ad today that will be airing on Animal Planet, W Network, National Geographic Wild, Pet Network, DejaView and Investigation Discovery. 

The ad is designed to introduce pet families to the importance of pet health insurance. 

Time to Say Thanks to Petsecure/Western Financial Insurance Company

The pace of change has quickened. With natural disasters, businesses re-factoring, people moving and industry relationships in flux, it isn't always easy to say thanks. On this day, the industry must.

More than seven years ago, PetLynx approached organizations to fund National Identification and Recovery in Canada. One brand stepped up and lead the way. During several different iterations of names and brands both PetLynx and Western Financial Insurance grew to become the largest in Canada and by sharing market intelligence became the very best at what they did.

Petsecure's funding allowed PetLynx to become the best way to recover animals in more than half of all Canadian communities, supported PetLynx to develop the best/only matching technology available in the world and encouraged PetLynx to launch web services that grew the Urban Animal Registry to a market penetration of over 8% in Canada. In a few days, PetLynx will submit the final invoice for these activities and this chapter of mutual history will draw to a close.

During the coming weeks both programs will be re-factored and moved to other sponsors. However, both PetLynx and Western Financial will have these accomplishments as elements of their service heritage.

On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of pet owners who were served across Canada, its time to say THANK YOU!  Thank you to Western Financial's management team for supporting a new vision and thank you to the Petsecure staff who collaborated in the field to create a successful recovery service.

Earlier this week, Glenn Williams and Sean Dexter advised Petsecure will continue to support the Urban Animal Program at Regional Conferences, at the annual Summit and in the annual Urban Animal Report. Having a founder of the Urban Animal program see the importance of continuing this involvement is a good thing!

Social media benefits for D'Arcy's ARC

Petsecure is turning to social media to increase its online presence and contribute to a local charity at the same time. During the month of April, Petsecure will donate $0.50 for each Facebook 'Like' and $1 for each new Twitter follower to D'Arcy's ARC (Animal Rescue Centre). 

Darcy's ARC is a non-profit, no-kill facility in Winnipeg, which has provided shelter, veterinary and adoption services for stray cats and dogs since 2001. 

PETSECURE ON FACEBOOK

PETSECURE ON TWITTER

Fab Five for Petsecure

Happy 5th Birthday to Petsecure Brand, which officially launched in March 2008 and has been serving the Canadian pet health insurance industry ever since. 

Petsecure's blog says, "Petsecure itself is a relatively new name, but we've been providing pet insurance in Canada since 1989 - making us the country's oldest and largest pet insurance company." 

A 100% Canadian-owned and operated company, Petsecure  is a noticeable force in the community, giving back to pets and pet families as sponsors and supporters of many different events and organizations. 

Skubovius Departs Petsecure

Petsecure’s Vice President of Business Development, Bill Skubovius left the company on Friday. A company spokesperson advised InfoStream earlier today this aspect of corporate structure is being reviewed.

Skubovius, arrived at Petsecure in April 2009 and undertook a key role in client services as Director of Customer Care. The Business Development role was assigned to him in late 2011. Skubovius could not be reached for comment.

Petsecure indicated the companion animal industry can expect an announcement regarding the assignment of Business Development responsibilities in due course.  In the meantime, the industry will continue to have the support of the Petsecure Territory Managers across Canada.