Berkley Design Professional’s BDP Risk® Learning Management System Wins Gold in 2023 Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards

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Monterey, Calif. (December 5, 2023) – The BDP Risk® Learning Management System (LMS) from Berkley Design Professional (BDP), a division of Berkley Alliance Managers, a Berkley Company, has won a Brandon Hall Group Excellence Award for Learning for the fifth consecutive year. This year’s Gold Award for “Best Advance in Custom Content” recognizes Berkley Design Professional’s success in increasing user engagement with the addition of learning plans tailored to specific roles or topic areas.

This highly-coveted honor, which recognizes self-paced, custom-designed online courses related to workplace learning, marks the sixth Brandon Hall Group Excellence Award for the BDP Risk® Learning Management System (LMS) program.

“BDP Risk® is a state-of-the-art risk management program and LMS platform that provides policyholders with valuable educational resources to help them prevent professional liability claims, improve management practices, enhance business performance and qualify for premium rating credits,” said Diane P. Mika, senior vice president, risk management officer at Berkley Design Professional. “By adding curated learning plans based on policyholders’ interests, experience level and role, BDP Risk® enables them to complete a series of courses suited to their professional development and risk management needs.”

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Celebrating a Decade Together!

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November 14, 2023

As the leaves change and the year comes to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on the journey of Berkley Design Professional. As you know, this year marks a significant milestone for us – our 10th Anniversary!

A decade ago, we embarked on a mission to provide outstanding service and expertise in the A&E professional liability insurance industry. Today, we’re proud to have achieved and surpassed many of our goals, thanks to your support and trust.

A Look Back

Over the past ten years, we’ve faced challenges, celebrated successes and forged lasting relationships. From our humble beginnings to becoming an industry leader, our growth story has been nothing short of remarkable. We’ve introduced innovative solutions, expanded our reach and most importantly, served thousands of satisfied clients.

Our Gratitude

Our success would not have been possible without our dedicated team and you, our valued brokers. Your feedback, loyalty and partnership have been the cornerstone of our achievements. As we celebrate this milestone, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each one of you. Your belief in our vision and services has propelled us to new heights.

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Design/Construction Standards and Building Codes Evolving to Address Climate Change

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By Andrew Mendelson, FAIA
Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Management & CX Officer
Berkley Design Professional, a Berkley Company

October 23, 2023

Climate change is already having a significant impact on the design and construction industry and this impact is only going to grow in the years to come. Extreme weather events such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires and tornadoes are becoming more frequent and severe and buildings and infrastructure are increasingly being damaged or destroyed.

In response to these challenges, building codes and construction standards are changing to address climate and extreme weather concerns. Local, State and Federal agencies are also working to update design and building requirements, a meaningful factor in the evolution of the standard of care for professionals in the industry.

Changes to building codes and construction standards

One of the most significant changes is an increasing focus on resiliency. Resilient buildings are designed to withstand extreme weather events and quickly regain functionality when damaged.

Specific changes include:

  • Higher wind load requirements: Buildings in areas prone to hurricanes and other high-wind events are compelled to withstand higher wind speeds.
  • Flood-resistant design: Buildings in flood zones are required to be elevated above the floodplain and to have flood-resistant materials and construction methods.
  • Wildfire-resistant design: Buildings in areas prone to wildfires are required to utilize fire-resistant materials and to create site features such as defensible perimeters and flame-resistant plantings.
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Free Webinar: Project Risk Engineering for General Contractors

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Presented by:
Andrew Mendelson, FAIA, EVP, Chief Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional
Timothy Brashear, P.E., Officer and VP, Construction Services, Rimkus

Thursday, November 2, 2023
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time
1.0 AIA Learning Units 
1.0 RCEP Professional Development Hour

This webinar has been recorded and is available on demand for Berkley Design Professional policyholders and our appointed agents and brokers on the BDP Risk® Learning Management System.

bdp Risk® lms login

This one-hour webinar was developed to provide participants with a working knowledge of the due diligence and risk engineering recommended practices for a robust and formal risk assessment, project selection, and risk transfer process for construction projects. 

A comprehensive risk engineering process is necessary to determine the bid, preconstruction, design development, construction, delivery, and warranty risks associated with a project and to enhance a contractor’s ability to achieve an on-time, in budget, fit for purpose, project delivery.

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Complimentary Webinar: Could This Happen to You? A Compendium of Claim Tales and Lessons Learned

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Complimentary Webinar: Could This Happen to You? A Compendium of Claim Tales and Lessons Learned

Presented by:
Diane P. Mika, Senior Vice President, Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional
Cindy Russell, Assistant Vice President, Senior Claims Examiner, Berkley Alliance Managers
Michael Cecere, Assistant Vice President, Senior Claims Examiner II, Berkley Alliance Managers
Liz Molina, Assistant Vice President, Senior Claims Examiner, Berkley Alliance Managers
Derek E. Steffen, Assistant Vice President, Senior Claims Examiner, Berkley Alliance Managers

Wednesday, October 25, 2023
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time
1.5 Health, Safety, and Welfare AIA Learning Units 
1.5 Technical, Health, and Safety RCEP Professional Development Hours+

Berkley DP policyholders who participate in this program can qualify for a 15% Risk Management Education credit. Contact your agent for further information*

This webinar has been recorded and is available on demand for Berkley Design Professional policyholders and our appointed agents and brokers on the BDP Risk® Learning Management System.

bdp Risk® lms login

This program tells the tale of four claims. Each will be presented by a Berkley DP claims examiner who will set the stage by describing the project type, delivery method, and parties involved, followed by the problems that arose and technical factors that led to the claim. The resolution and lessons learned for each case will be revealed, including the impact of the design professionals’ errors and omissions on the project and its owners/users. These valuable insights will help participants examine and improve their business practices and project controls to avoid similar situations.

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Free Webinar with Deltek | Managing Project and Financial KPIs to Boost Firm Profitability

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Presented by:
Andrew Mendelson, FAIA, EVP, Chief Risk Management & CX Officer, Berkley Design Professional
Megan Miller, Director, Product Marketing, Deltek

Wednesday, September 13, 2023
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Eastern Time
1 AIA Learning Unit
1 RCEP Professional Development Hour

Berkley DP policyholders who participate in this program can qualify for a 15% Risk Management Education credit. Contact your agent for further information*

Register Now

Managing projects goes beyond just schedule and deliverables, but also requires a focus on project performance and profitability as well as the overall impact of the project to the bottom line. In this session, attendees will gain insight into top key performance indicators (KPIs), identify industry benchmarks for KPIs, and understand how to leverage the metrics to boost profitability.

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Free Webinar with Deltek | Developing a Risk Management Plan for Your Firm

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Presented by:
Andrew Mendelson, FAIA, EVP, Chief Risk Management & CX Officer, Berkley Design Professional
Michael Heinsdorf, PE, Senior Director, Product Alliances, Deltek

Wednesday, August 9, 2023
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm Eastern Time

Register Now

Developing a formal risk management plan is an essential step in proactively protecting your firm from financial risk, and setting your firm up for success.

During this session, our Chief Risk Management Officer, Andy Mendelson, will join Michael Heinsdorf from Deltek with the key steps you can take to reduce your risk with a formal plan at your firm, and explain the importance of understanding what risks can be controlled through legal contracts and insurance products.

Session highlights:

  • Learn how to establish a risk management team to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risk
  • Explore how careful project and client selection can significantly reduce potential risks
  • Gain insights into the importance of understanding the role of legal contracts and insurance products in managing risks effectively
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WTW A&E Webinar: Pre-Construction Services – Cure or Curse?

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Presented by:
Andrew Mendelson, FAIA, EVP, Chief Risk Management & CX Officer, Berkley Design Professional
David Ericksen, Esq., Attorney at Law, Hinshaw Culbertson

Monday, December 11, 2023
11:30 am – 1:00 pm Central Time

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Andy Mendelson, executive vice president and chief risk management officer, will co-present alongside David Ericksen on a WTW A&E webinar, “Pre-Construction Services – Cure or Curse?”, on Monday, December 11.

Third-party review and comment on any design professional’s work product can be uncomfortable. It exposes the design to critique, second guessing and “alternative” views. However, it can also validate and improve the design before any deficiencies lead to economic harm and consequences.

Drawn from real-life cases in the media and courts, this program will highlight the potential risk and risk management opportunities emerging from third-party pre-construction design review by other design professionals, contractors and construction managers. In addition, it will offer corresponding strategies to help you successfully engage in those processes as the designer or the reviewer.

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Diane Mika Presenting at Society for Design Administration (SDA) EDSymposium23

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Managing Risk Through Effective Contracts

Presented by:
Diane P. Mika, Senior Vice President, Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Diane Mika, senior vice president and risk management officer, will be speaking at the Society for Design Administration (SDA) EDSymposium23.

Mika will present on “Managing Risk Through Effective Contracts” as part of the conference’s Project Administration Workshop.

More details on the event below.

***

Everyone practices project management. Whether getting a building out of the ground, planning a health care open enrollment, an office move, or working a marketing plan, the skills needed to reach your goal rely on project management:  budgeting, scheduling, communicating, and managing people. The role of the project administrator (PA) in managing A/E projects also requires an understanding of project phases, contract administration, document control, financial management, and risk management.

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Free Webinar: Real-Life Ethical Situations in Design and Construction

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Presented by:
Mike Bilderbeck, PE, FASHRAE, Principal Emeritus, Chief Mechanical/Fire Protection Engineer, Pickering Firm, Inc.
Andrew D. Mendelson, FAIA, Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional
Jennifer Leach, PE, LEED AP, Associate, BR+A
Kristin L. Schaefer, P.E., PhD candidate, University of Houston, Schaefer Engineering 

Thursday, June 22, 2023
10:00 am – 11:30 am Pacific Time
1.5 AIA Learning Units
1.5 RCEP Professional Development Hours

Berkley DP policyholders who participate in this program can qualify for a 15% Risk Management Education credit. Contact your agent for further information*

Register Now

As construction projects, project delivery, and owner expectations become increasingly complex, it is more important than ever for design professionals to make proper decisions based on professional standards and codes of ethics. In this webinar, presented by a panel of experts, you will review the process of ethical decision-making and explore actual ethical situations and decisions rendered by review boards. 

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