Former National Hurricane Director Mayfield to Speak in First Address since Retirement at 2007 Windstorm Insurance Conference, January 29 - February 1, 2007 in Tampa, Florida.

TAMPA, Fla. -- "What happened to the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season?" This question and more will be addressed by Max Mayfield, newly retired director of the National Hurricane Center, during his keynote address at the Eighth Annual Windstorm Insurance Conference, set for January 29 - February 1, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency in Tampa, Fla.

According to Mayfield, "We know why the 2006 season resulted in such light activity, which is the good news, but the bad news is, we will very likely see a return to above average hurricane activity. We just can't get complacent," he says.

Mayfield, in his first presentation as newly retired director of the NHC, will address some of the topics he hasn't been able to speak on as freely in the past. His keynote address, "The 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season: Where Did It Go?," is scheduled for Jan. 30 at 8:15 a.m. in the hotel's Regency Ballroom. Mayfield's presentation will review the 2006 hurricane season and look to future years, discuss global warming, address what our nation's hurricane program needs and the mistakes to avoid, and share a nightmare scenario that our nation has yet to experience.

The important issues arising out of the past hurricane seasons and current property insurance issues will be the focus of the 2007 Windstorm Insurance Conference, which is hosted by the Windstorm Insurance Network, Inc. (website address: www.windnetwork.com). The conference will provide a forum for review and discussion of windstorm and related property insurance issues. More than 1,200 property insurance professionals are expected at the three-day event.

Other keynote speakers include Carl Van, CEO of the International Insurance Institute, presenting "Keeping the Trust in Catastrophe" and Diane Fojt, CEO of Corporate Crisis Communication, presenting "The Psychology of the Catastrophe Claim," both scheduled for February 1, 2007.

The conference, which is co-sponsored by the American Bar Association/Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), is designed to provide a variety of general sessions and workshops for insurance agents, insurance company claim managers, adjusters, risk managers, attorneys, accountants, contractors, engineers, and other experts and consultants. By bringing together all of the segments of the property insurance industry which deal with the aftermath of a windstorm, the 2007 WIND Conference develops and promotes a greater understanding of windstorm issues among insurance professionals. Approximately 1,100 people attended the 2006 WIND conference in Orlando, Florida.

In addition to keynote presentations, more than 20 professional development workshops will discuss such topics as Florida's building code update, wind vs. water damage, builder's risk, catastrophe fraud, cause and origin of water damage, condominium losses, valued policy law, mold, commercial losses, and more.

The 2007 WIND Conference will offer an expanded continuing education (CE) program by providing credits for general sessions and workshops for insurance agents, adjusters and attorneys in multiple states, and for several professional organizations. Certifications will also be offered by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Windstorm Insurance Network Umpire Certification Program.

Log on to www.windnetwork.com for a complete schedule and for instant downloading of the conference brochure. For conference information, please contact the conference meeting planner, Meeting Management Group (MMG) at 813.988.0737.

The Windstorm Insurance Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing education and training, and to promoting a cooperative dialogue among insurance professionals concerned with windstorm issues.