Former Insurance Commissioner Dale to speak at Wesson Chamber banquet

The Wesson Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet will be held Monday, February 6, 2012 at the Thames Center on the Co-Lin Community College campus. The banquet will  begin at 6:30. Tickets are $20.  The speaker is former Insurance Commissioner of the State of Mississippi George Dale, now with Baker Donelson. Dale, senior public policy advisor in the Jackson office, concentrates his practice in the area of insurance regulatory, governmental and legislative matters. Mr. Dale served for 32 years as Insurance Commissioner for the State of Mississippi. Elected to that position in 1975 at the age of 35, Mr. Dale was the youngest insurance commissioner in Mississippi history and became the longest serving, elected insurance commissioner in United States’ history.
As chief executive officer of the Mississippi Insurance Department (MID), Mr. Dale was responsible for all aspects of MID operations including licensing, regulatory approval of transactions, litigation, financial and market conduct investigations, and legislative initiatives.
During his tenure, the MID was granted financial accreditation status by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) – an accomplishment that the MID still holds today. Mr. Dale was actively involved at the NAIC and served multiple times on numerous committees and work groups.
Mississippi endured eight hurricanes, including Hurricane Katrina, while Mr. Dale held office. As a result of his leadership, Mississippi successfully navigated the aftermath of those eight hurricanes without a collapse or mass exodus of the Mississippi market by insurance carriers. Mr. Dale worked to form substantive coalitions involving local, state and federal government agencies, as well as stakeholders from the private sector, to bolster the state’s economic recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina.
As Insurance Commissioner, Mr. Dale also served as the State Fire Marshall. Recognizing the impact that a well-trained and well-equipped fire department can have on public safety, Mr. Dale oversaw the enactment and implementation of the Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Act, resulting in 502 new fire trucks for Mississippi communities, which resulted in lower fire insurance rates for many Mississippians.
Contact the Wesson Chamber of Commerce at 601-643-5000.  Tickets may be purchased at Trustmark Bank and Copiah Bank branches in Wesson.