2022 Distinguished Speakers

Eric Arnum

Eric Arnum is the editor of Warranty Week, an online publication written for the warranty industry professional. Based in New York and launched in late 2002 as both a free weekly email broadcast and a website at www.warrantyweek.com, the newsletter has quickly gained a following among manufacturers, retailers, servicers, and insurance professionals. Subscriptions to the free weekly email edition have now surpassed 7,000 people, while Web traffic is typically around 12,000 to 15,000 page views per week.

Weekly topics have included specific market close-ups on product warranties, extended warranties, claims rates in industries such as air conditioning, automotive, PCs, disk drives, printers, consumer electronics, solar panels, construction, mining, telecommunications equipment, plasma TVs, jetliners, sports stadiums, new homes, skateparks, and farm equipment. On a quarterly basis, trends in warranty claims and accruals by more than 800 manufacturers are detailed in depth. Also featured are periodic articles about industry conferences and warranty claim processing and analysis software providers.

Before launching Warranty Week, Arnum edited two different newsletters about the data communications industry -- Messaging Online, and Electronic Mail & Micro Systems (EMMS) -- while also engaging in custom research projects tracking the growth of the World Wide Web in Europe and the market for Internet services in South America. He also has worked as a reporter and freelance photographer for various online music publications. Eric Arnum is a graduate of Syracuse University with a degree in economics.

Jimmy Bennett

Jimmy Bennett is the Director of Product Management for GSFSGroup. He is responsible for managing F&I product development, contract development and distribution, systems setup, product underwriting results and product eligibility.

Mr. Bennett has over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, all with GSFSGroup. He has held several positions within the company, including Senior Manager of both Claims and Business Processing.

During his tenure, Mr. Bennett has played an integral role in the development of multiple product offerings and operational systems utilized by the company. His areas of expertise include claims adjudication, cancellations, data entry, claims payments, underwriting, contract development, document storage/retrieval and systems integration. Mr. Bennett has also achieved a level of Master ASE Mechanic and holds a type two adjuster’s insurance license in Texas.

Mr. Bennett graduated from the University of Houston with a B.S. in Psychology in 1990. He is also a graduate of The University of Texas McCombs School of Business Friedkin Companies Executive Education program.

Darius Bullock

Darius Bullock is currently the General Manager for Pentair in the Pool Business Unit, responsible for the overall strategic growth of Services Programs via consumer marketing, dealer network sales, pricing, and profitability strategies. Darius has over 17 years of Warranty and Services experience, having led Fortune 500 programs at both major manufacturers and big-box retail, and also has served in a variety of service contract leadership positions.

Derek Bunkall

Derek Bunkall first joined the automotive industry in 2003, where he worked in sales and leasing for the Larry H. Miller Automotive Group. After working for the Group for a couple years, Derek left to pursue a career in the financial and investment planning industry and then returned in 2007 to work for Miller Automotive Operations as a digital/CRM/sales process specialist.

In 2009, Derek transitioned to Total Care Auto as their Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. In May 2016, he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations. In January 2021, Derek accepted a position with Assurant in their Global Automotive Division and currently serves as the VP of Global Automotive Strategic Research. Derek earned an associate degree from Dixie State College while playing football. During his two years of football, Dixie played twice for the Junior College National Championship coming up short of the win each time. He later continued his education years later and graduated in 2019 with his Bachelor of Business Administration from Northwood University, in Michigan.

Derek enjoys traveling, health and fitness, and spending time with family. He is involved with boxing through his ties to his wife’s famous fighting Fullmer family. He has participated in many service opportunities. His first role was a service mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where he lived in Venezuela and Aruba from July 2000 – July 2002. Later he served as an executive committee member of the Larry H. Miller Charities during the years 2017 - 2020 and currently serving as Executive Vice Chair of the Fullmer Legacy Foundation.

Derek has been married for 19 years to Tiffany Bunkall. They both stay busy with their four children Dyson 18, Jensyn 15, Blakley 12, and Charley 9. Derek currently resides in South Jordan, UT.

Chad Burris

Chad Burris is the Product Protection Program Manager for Nationwide Marketing Group, a buying group for independent retailers in the appliance, furniture, and bedding channel. In his 6 years with Nationwide, Chad has focused his efforts on developing warranty programs that provide unique advantages to the members of Nationwide, with a specialty in assisting the members with implementation of warranty programs in their stores. Prior to working for Nationwide, Chad gained valuable retail and management experience working for Best Buy.

Chad is a proud graduate of Harding University and enjoys spending quality time with his wife and children, always looking to create fun experiences together with his family.

Christopher Costin

Christopher Costin is the Senior Director of Global Business Development for AIG’s Warranty & Service Programs division. In 4.5 years at AIG, Christopher has been responsible for new business strategy and product development initiatives for Global and U.S. OEM, Retail and Financial Services partners in addition to management of existing global OEM accounts.
Prior to joining AIG, Christopher spent 11 years in finance and accounting at PwC, Northern Trust and Guggenheim Partners as a licensed CPA. Christopher graduated from the University of Kentucky with a B.S in Accounting in 2006 and a M.S. in Accounting in 2007.

Mike Dimler

Mike and his team lead Asurion’s global logistics, supply chain platform technologies, and Asurion Tech Repair and Solutions inventory operations teams across our warehouses in North America and the Philippines. Mike has over 25 years of experience in strategic leadership roles at Asurion and in the technology and telecommunications markets. Beyond Asurion, Mike has lead global teams at both AT&T, Synchronoss Technologies, and CSC. He has held a variety of roles in technology, product management, service delivery and operations. Mike holds an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a BS in Computer Science at Rutgers University.

Tracey Eppes

Tracey Eppes is a leader and professional with expertise in customer support, service and sales management. Currently, in her 5th year at Ferguson, Tracey is a Program Manager who oversees Ferguson's nationwide standardized appliance service process and protection plan offering to customers - a program she successfully launched in 2017. With a background that includes over 18 years of industry experience, Tracey knows the value of connection and effective communication. Tracey holds a BA in communications from Alabama A&M University and a MPA from Tennessee State University. She also holds a Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma.

David Froning

David Froning directs a Product Management team that focuses on Quality & Service Solutions. Mr. Froning works in partnership with manufacturers, suppliers, and industry organizations to develop solutions for manufacturing industry issues such as early warning, accelerated problem solving, predictive maintenance, and fraud detection. Before SAS, Mr. Froning worked for General Motors. He managed the development, operation, and continual improvement of quality and warranty information systems across GM’s North American operations and supplier community. His experience also includes work with leading automotive market research firms. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University and a Master of Science from the University of Wisconsin.

Jon L. Gillum

Jon has practiced in Locke Lord LLP’s Austin office for 20 years, and represents clients in matters concerning insurance regulation and service contract (extended warranty) regulation. He has particular experience advising clients on complex regulatory compliance and classification issues involving new product development under laws governing insurance, residential service contracts (home warranties), service contracts (extended warranties), vehicle protection products, and limited warranties (including the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act) and the agencies that regulate them.  He routinely assists clients in compliance matters, transactions, and disputes involving the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLSOT), the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), and the Texas Attorney General's Office (OAG), and the statutes and rules addressed by those entities.

Matt Haas

Matt Haas is the Manager, Construction & Forestry Extended Warranty, he holds responsibility for the Division’s processes and programs as it relates to global extended warranty business, and has been a board member of John Deere Captive Insurance. Matt is located at the Deere & Company headquarters in Moline, Illinois.

For the past 15 years Matt has held positions in Quality & Reliability Engineering, New Product Development, Manufacturing Leadership, and Customer & Product Support all within John Deere.

Adam Hamberg

Adam focuses on Stone Point Capital’s investments in warranty services, P&C insurance and real estate technology & services. He Joined Stone Point in 2014 and has more than 10 years of experience in the private equity and investment banking industries.

Scott Harder

• 44+ years in the service business; 3rd Generation Service Technician, who started in the service business through my grandfather’s TV and Appliance repair shop in Alton, IL.
• Joined the Marine Corps when I was 17; after serving 4 years returned home and back into the repair business.
• Served as a technician for a local medium sized independent service provider in St. Louis.
• After one year there, went to work as a technician for Sears, Roebuck and Company. During the 16 years at Sears, I was assigned to several leadership positions in a variety of locations in both union and non-union workforces. While serving at Sears I was able to obtain a Associate degree in Business and Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from Oakland City University as well as a Six Sigma Green Belt.
• After 16 years at Sears, I spent the next 12 years in service leadership roles with a large appliance OEM (Electrolux). While serving at Electrolux as service director, I was able to go back to school and earn my MBA. Leveraging my designs and leadership, we started what’s known today as Electrolux Branded Service (EBS), which is a growing and thriving W2 factory service organization today.
• In 2016, I joined my current employer Asurion as Sr. Director, supply chain. We operate a large network of independent service provider as well as a significant W2 service technician organization
• Personal interest: Own and operate a special events beverage vendor business, lifelong learning, behavioral economics, senior softball, mountain biking, hiking etc.

Tracey Janey

Tracey is a 30 plus year veteran of the Appliance Service industry and currently is the National Customer Care Director at GE Appliances. He continues to focus on the ease of doing business with the GEA service partners, that impact the Ownership Experience of our end-user customers. Building a service management team, with technical training and enhancing the ease of doing business for our service partners. In the 30 plus years in appliance service, he worked for Whirlpool for 18 Years, LG Electronics for 8 Years, Samsung for 2 years and GE Appliances for 6 years.

Aaron Lunt

Aaron E. Lunt is an Insurance Regulatory & Government Relations Consultant for Meenan P.A. Prior to joining Meenan P.A., Aaron served as General Counsel for American Auto Guardian, LLC, a third-party administrator for automotive service contracts, GAP waivers and related protection products, overseeing all legal aspects of the organization including form filings, company licensing, regulatory guidance & counsel, employment matters and a host of other areas. Aaron has served in varying senior legal, government relations and regulatory roles at several companies including CNA, Assurant, The Warranty Group and Zurich. Aaron’s reputation is focused on identifying business-friendly compliant solutions to support profitable growth. By using these skills, his clients create market opportunities to innovate and solve customer problems while limiting financial, regulatory and reputational harm to each company.

Aaron is an Illinois-licensed attorney and holds the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Associate in Reinsurance designations. He has also served on several board/councils and in varying professional and personal volunteer capacities.

Aaron received his B.A. from Trinity Christian College in Business Administration in 2000 and his J.D. from University of Illinois, Chicago Law School (f/k/a John Marshall Law School) in 2004.

Ron Kaminski

Ron leads our Residential HVAC & Supply Procurement Team and is responsible for the business’s overall procurement strategy, development, and execution. Ron partners with the senior leadership team and our corporate category teams in building a reliable, cost competitive supply chain, aligned with our strategic priorities.

Ron has held procurement leadership roles at Trane Technologies in multiple business units, and most recently led our Global Procurement Category teams for the corporation, prior to rejoining the Residential team in 2020S. Prior to joining Trane Technologies, Ron had an extensive career in global operations, leading in procurement, materials management, distribution, and logistics for Nordson Corporation, Schick Corporation and Avery Dennison.

Ron earned his MBA from Baldwin Wallace College and a Bachelor’s degree in business from John Carroll University. He enjoys golf, boating and travel.

Kippy MacNulty

Kippy is a seasoned professional with 25+ years of leadership in business, account management, marketing and operations with more than half of that time in the Extended Warranty/Home Warranty space. With extensive experience in the global arena, she is also highly skilled at developing and maintaining solid relationships with international, national and regional executives. Kippy is an accomplished professional with a proven track record of delivering powerful results across a broad range of B2B and B2C strategies.

Rodney Martin

Rodney was born in Roanoke, VA and spent his early years in Lynchburg, VA then high school and college in Asheville, NC. This is where he met and married his high school sweetheart, Cheli. Rodney graduated from the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA) majoring in Chemistry. He also holds an MBA from Indiana Tech. Rodney spent 25 years in the hazardous waste industry working for the following companies; GSX, Laidlaw Environmental Services, Safety-Kleen and Clean Harbors. Over that time, Rodney and Cheli have lived in Asheville, NC; Greensboro, NC; Vancouver, BC; Bellingham, WA; Rockford, IL; Lansing, MI; Columbia, SC; Indianapolis, IN and they now reside in Atlanta, GA. During his career Rodney has held senior-level positions in operations, sales, human resources and executive leadership. Rodney has been CEO of America’s Preferred Home Warranty since 2013.

Rodney is an active member of the National Home Service Contract Association (NHSCA), National Association of REALTORS (NAR), REALTORS Political Action Committee (RPAC), Real Estate Services Providers Council (RESPRO®,) the Service Contract Industry Council (SCIC) and the Jackson Area Association of REALTORS (JAAR.) Rodney and Cheli have 3 grown children; Courteney, Tiffany and Daniel. During their free time you can find them boating, hiking, walking their dogs or touring on their Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Chris McDonald

Alan Meek

Alan is a corporate transaction and compliance lawyer, with over 30 years of operational risk assessment and mitigation experience. Alan represents clients who are established, growing or start-ups in the service contract/extended warranty industry, including home protection, auto, consumer products and portable electronics. He applies his vast experience in the design, implementation and testing of processes, procedures and controls, including sales and contract issuance, claims administration, service provider assignment and follow-up. Alan also assists clients in responding to government and third-party audits, inquiries and investigations. Alan advises clients in acquisitions and dispositions of businesses, and expansion through equity fundraising.

Tim Meenan

Timothy J. Meenan is an A.V. rated lawyer in the Martindale Hubbell law directory, and has spent over 30 years as an insurance regulator and attorney representing service contract companies, insurers, managing general agents, GAP providers, and other insurance and ancillary product related industries.

In his role as the General Counsel and Executive Director for the Service Contract Industry Council, Mr. Meenan has overseen the drafting, passage and implementation of fair and balanced regulation for consumer goods, automobile, and home service contract providers throughout the United States, with laws being implemented under his watch in more than 30 states. Mr. Meenan also serves as the General Counsel for the Guaranteed Asset Protection Alliance, and in that role assists lenders, administrators, insurers, and other providers of GAP in compliance, regulatory and legislative efforts. As General Counsel for the Motor Vehicle Protection Products Association, Mr. Meenan has worked with industry participants to authorize products such as tire and wheel, windshield protection, paint-less dent repair, key fob, appearance care, and other products across the United States. Mr. Meenan has assisted numerous manufacturers, insurers, administrators and retailers develop and implement national compliance initiatives for warranty, service contract, GAP, and retail insurance programs. Nationally, Mr. Meenan has spearheaded laws designed to streamline the provision of insurance products in the retail environment. Meenan P.A. also provides regulatory and governmental relations out-sourcing for numerous insurers in Florida and throughout the Nation.

Mr. Meenan's legal practice also focuses on regulatory law before numerous state agencies, with an emphasis on insurance company, financial products and agent regulation. He has assisted insurers and other regulated entities to obtain licensure, has represented life and health insurers and health maintenance organizations with various regulatory problems, and has helped numerous property and casualty insurance companies resolve their disputes with the Florida Department of Financial Services, Office of Insurance Regulation. As a legislative lobbyist in Florida, Mr. Meenan has represented many corporations amend statutes governing insurance, service contract, financial products, and other laws.

Tom Miller

Tom is the Group Manager for Toyota Financial Services’ Voluntary Protection Products Group. Tom leads a team delivering Vehicle Service Agreements and other protection products to Toyota, Lexus, and affiliated dealerships throughout the United States. Tom has been with TFS for 14 years and prior roles include: National Reinsurance Research and Development Manager, National Accounts Sales Manager, and National Dealer Lending Manager. Prior to joining Toyota, Tom held various positions in Commercial Banking primarily with Comerica Bank in Southern California. Tom has his BS from Indiana University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago. Tom currently resides in McKinney, TX.

Jim Mostofi

Career Summary
Jim Mostofi is the Chief Executive Officer of Choice Home Warranty. Prior to joining Choice, Mr. Mostofi was the Global Head of Business Development for the Service Programs Division of AIG Insurance and spent 10 years at Service Net Warranty, LLC, a leading warranty administrator, where he served in various roles including General Counsel, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Mostofi also spent several years advising warranty and non-warranty clients as a corporate attorney with Frost Brown Todd, LLC, specializing in merger and acquisitions and insurance regulatory matters. He began his career as a certified public accountant, where he spent 10 years working at several public accounting firms including the Chicago office of Ernst and Young where he specialized in taxation of large financial institutions.
Education and Credentials
Mr. Mostofi earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He also has an M.B.A. with a concentration in finance from Loyola University’s Graduate School of Business, and a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.

Mark Nagelvoort

Mark Nagelvoort is widely recognized as pioneering software administration systems within the Extended Warranty and F&I Product industry. He is a seasoned executive who has dedicated 30+ years to creating platforms that help the world’s TPAs, OEMs, and Insurers automate administration processes effortlessly. Mark specializes in using his expansive knowledge to help customers establish all phases of their extended warranty programs including sales, policy and claim administration, risk management, and offshore reinsurance within our PCRS software.

Chris Penn

Chris has spent 15+ years working in the service contract industry, managing large retail and OEM clients within the consumer product space for TPA’s and Underwriters. In addition, he’s also worked for large appliance manufacturers including Maytag, Bosch, and Samsung. His account management responsibilities have allowed him to work on many different aspects of a service contract program, including new product development, training, merchandising, aftermarket programs, and everything in between.

Currently, Chris manages the client services and training team at Centricity, which allows him to work with Centricity’s diverse group of clients on growing and optimizing their service contract programs

Petchiraj Piramuthu

Petchiraj Piramuthu is a AVP - Analytics for Tavant with 15 years of experience in Data & Analytics. Petchi specializes in After Market service life cycle analytics, optimization and is responsible for the product strategy for Tavant Manufacturing Analytics Platform(TMAP), including defining product features by talking to various stakeholders. Petchi is also a solution architect, designed and implemented cloud data platforms for various customers.

Michael J. Reth

For more than 26 years, Michael has been a visionary in the automotive industry. His 360-degree understanding of automotive has led him to innovate and reshape the future of automotive retail, insurance, F&I product development, reinsurance, and traditional warranty products. In addition to expanding conventional protection products, Michael focuses on technology and software development related to the F&I, Connected Car industries, and beyond. Michael received his B.S. in Business/ Managerial Economics in 2002 and earned his MBA, with distinction in 2004, from Maryville University in St. Louis.

Kevin Roney

Kevin has an extensive history in a variety of industries and functional disciplines, but has experienced a significant concentration in the Extended Service industry during his career. Twenty-plus years of his overall tenure has covered every aspect of ESP business activities, including integration with the core OEM business and manufacturing, product and ESP deployment, dynamic and direct marketing activities, administration and field service execution, analytics and price / claim optimization, as well as business, staffing, and actuarial oversight. Several times during Kevin’s career, he has identified a changing landscape at either the OEM or at the insurance partner, and created new and unique business models and consumer facing solutions to deliver step function changes to the underlying business model.

Chris Smith

With 32 years in the consumer electronics and technology industry, Chris is a seasoned InsureTech creator, service and CX veteran with experience honed at Samsung, AIG, ServicePower (Founder of ServiceOps), GE and Montgomery Ward.

Chris serves as a board member of Encompass Supply Chain Solutions and was awarded by NESDA as Person of the Year 2019, National Friend of Service in 2017, the Richard Mildenberger Outstanding National Officer in 2017, the National Electronics Servicing Dealers Association, the NESDA Person of the Year 2015 and the General Electric President’s Award for Service in 1999. He also serves on the board of Prodigal Ministries in Louisville.

Dan Tafel

Dan helped start Hornbeam Insurance, part of a well-established Life Insurance company founded in 1906. Hornbeam’s focus is exclusively in the warranty market providing insurance solutions to support innovative new programs in the small- middle markets. As a member of the Executive Team, Dan leads Hornbeam’s sales and marketing initiatives.

Prior to joining Hornbeam Insurance, Dan was Vice President of AIG’s global sales and management team for multinational warranty clients. He initiated client relationships and managed a team to launch AIG’s first two global warranty client with both Apple and Dell. He was responsible for organizing AIG’s regional offices to support multinational clients operating in over 70 countries spanning Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Latin America Regions.

Dan started his career in marketing with Philip Morris leading to Southeast Asia in 1993 where he founded a trade distribution company. In 1994, Dan established a licensed representative office in Vietnam, which managed marketing and distribution for consumer product companies such as L’Oréal and Keebler foods.

Dan returned from Asia in 1997 to join Appriss, a technology start-up specializing notification services. After leading government sales, he launched a commercial division for Appriss in 1999. Dan proposed and implemented the travel industry’s first flight status notification system with American Airlines in 2000.

In 2002, Dan joined Service Net leading business development. As a principal and member of the leadership team, Dan contributed to the growth of Service Net with the development of new clients including Philips, LG, and Apple. In 2010, AIG acquired Service Net to leverage both global and administrative opportunities.

Jesse D. Wilson

Jesse is an accomplished legal, regulatory compliance, business strategy, and risk management professional with 25 years of experience focused on risk identification and mitigation within the highly-regulated insurance industry. He has a thorough understanding of compliance, legal, and operational complexities, and a proven ability to create innovative product and program solutions to meet clients’ business objectives. Prior to joining the firm Jesse was a partner at Frost Brown Todd where he specialized in legal and regulatory work in the protection products industry

Jaimie Wolfert

As Claims Management, Manager, at Thermo King Jaimie has responsibilities over both Warranty and our Performance Advantage Service Contract team. She has worked as a part of Trane Technologies for over 4 years, but has been the Manager of this team since April 2021. Alongside the Claims Management team, Jaimie is responsible for setting the strategic direction, leading automation efforts, fully integrating and utilizing Claim Analytics, as well as delivering on our key customer metrics for our dealers and customers. As part of the Service Contract element, Jaimie is also responsible for developing and implementing new service offerings to drive business results.