Ausure Insurance Brokers has announced a new award called the Mike Dunn Supplier of the Year Award. It recognises and honours the role Mike Dunn played in assisting a number of Ausure offices to build and maintain a portfolio, especially in the early days and consistently thereafter.
Mike Dunn, who passed away on 18 September 2010, worked in a variety of underwriting roles over the years with insure that, AXA, Federation/Wesfarmers, NGI and MLC.
The Mike Dunn Supplier of the Year Award will acknowledge a person who goes beyond their duties to assist and support our offices, something that was second nature to Mike. The recipient could be an insurer, underwriter, premium funder or underwriting agency. The award will be presented at the Ausure Insurance Brokers conference.
Ausure Chairman Wayne Brown reports: “It is with sadness we advise of the loss of a special friend and mate Mike Dunn (Dunny) who passed away this year. I will never be able to put into words what he meant to me and to most people who were lucky enough to meet him.”
“I commenced working with Dunny in 1988 at Federation Insurance and in the following years was joined by a number of our current ARs who until his death enjoyed his honesty, loyalty and expertise. He was special to Kate, myself and a number of Ausure people including the boys.”
“Dunny had many achievements in his life but his greatest achievement was the joy and happiness he brought to so many people, He could always find good in everyone and never complained. Dunny, we will never forget your contribution to our lives.”
Founding Ausure member, David Paul (Ausure Moree), who suggested the award, recalls: “During the insurance crisis of the late 1990s/early 2000s, following the demise of HIH and FAI Insurance, many of us were aware we were walking a tightrope. And when you don’t know you’re walking a tightrope, you fall off. There was an enormous amount of anxiety, fear and confusion. Insurance agents were cutting and running. It certainly was a tumultuous period. However, Mike Dunn (Dunny) was the main underwriter who dealt with us when everyone else was frightened and turned away. It was a mutually beneficial association and one that helped us form a basis on which to build our businesses.”
“Dunny was a real good bloke. He was exceptionally kind, never hesitating to assist anyone he possibly could or put himself out to do things for other people. He simply did the best for everyone. He was understanding, patient, could giggle with the girls as well as be one of the blokes. There should be more people like him in the world.”
“He mentored younger staff and new employees, taking them under his wing with unlimited patience and understanding. He would only get impatient with people he needed to get impatient with.”
“As an underwriter, he was of equal importance to our business as people in our own business. We trusted Dunny to help us, especially in the early days, and our trust was never misguided.”
Ausure General Manager Trent Brown recalls: “My introduction to insurance was a fortnight with Mike Dunn back in summer 1999, when I first started working for Ausure. Wayne sent me down to Sydney to spend time with Dunny to get a grasp of what underwriting was about. Although we spent a lot of time at the Paragon hotel at the Rocks, it was clear that Mike had an open approach and a very “human touch” to underwriting. He tried to make life easier for all of those he dealt with.”
John Kable (Ausure Southern Highlands) says, “What a wonderful and very appropriate award to be named in honour of a dear friend and a great work colleague.”
“Mike was one of the last of the “old school” underwriters, those who could underwrite a risk from their head rather than from a rate book and manual. It came naturally to him.”
“Mike was a bit of a larrikin at times, but always kind, generous and decent. He was gentle, and compassionate. Above all, he was a rare character. It is fitting that his memory be perpetuated by this award.”
-- News release issued by Gillian Lilley Writing, phone 02-4956-1135 02-4956-1135, mobile 0422-269-221 0422-269-221,e-mail gillylilley@gmail.com.--