Welcome Message from David Demchak, ARM, CIRMA President and CEO

It is my great privilege to welcome you to CIRMA’s first ever virtual Annual Meeting of Members. Each year, CIRMA Staff, strategic business partners and hundreds of municipal, local public agency, and public school leaders join together as a community to reflect on our shared accomplishments, exchange knowledge and new ideas, and dissect and decipher the latest industry trends.
Celebrating 40 Years. A promise made. A promise kept.
This year, we have the distinguished honor of also celebrating our 40th anniversary, an important milestone in CIRMA’s history.
Just over four decades ago, our founders started CIRMA with a vision to establish a better way to provide critical protections to the Connecticut public sector. And they accomplished their goal, forming a sustainable business model that leveraged the power of a community with shared vision and values.
Today, CIRMA’s market leadership represents strength, protection, and stability. CIRMA’s financial strength and performance, especially through these difficult times, demonstrate the undeniable value of our underwriting excellence, expense management discipline, and unmatched claim and risk management expertise.
What started as a modest, yet innovative vision, has evolved over time to become a leading organization that represents community spirit in its purest form. In collaboration with our members and strategic business partners, we continue to fulfill our mission in profound and meaningful ways—ways that extend far beyond the limits of any policy. Our ability to stay grounded in our sense of purpose and remain true to our identity has allowed us to deliver unmatched and sustainable results for our members over the last 40 years.
For an organization to thrive over 40 years and be as relevant today as it was at its founding, is quite a feat. To be more relevant today, is an honor that goes to few.
I would like to extend my sincerest personal thanks to our staff, our members and our strategic business partners for their commitment to CIRMA and each other. I could not be more grateful or proud to work alongside so many outstanding, compassionate individuals and dedicated professionals. I’d be remiss if I didn’t emphatically point out that, behind our many successes is CIRMA’s real competitive advantage—the CIRMA community. Each and every one of you contribute to fulfilling our mission.
I hope you enjoy this year’s Annual Meeting of Members program which, like most everything this year, is sure to be like no other we’ve experienced. I’m confident that together we’ll find that CIRMA + our members are better, together. Even when we’re virtual.

Congratulations to our 2021 nominated Board of Directors!
Jayme Stevenson, First Selectman of Darien, Chairman
Matthew S. Knickerbocker, First Selectman of Bethel, Vice Chairman
Carl P. Fortuna, Jr., First Selectman of Old Saybrook
Susan Bransfield, First Selectwoman of Portland
Elinor Carbone, Mayor of Torrington
Thomas Dunn, Mayor of Wolcott
Justin Elicker, Mayor of New Haven
John Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry
Laura Francis, First Selectman of Durham
Barbara Henry, First Selectman of Roxbury
Matthew Hoey, First Selectman of Guilford
Catherine Iino, First Selectwoman of Killingworth
Edmond Mone, First Selectman of Thomaston
Marcia A. Leclerc, Mayor of East Hartford
Curt Leng, Mayor of Hamden
Michael Passero, Mayor of New London
Herbert C. Rosenthal, Former First Selectman of Newtown
John Salomone, City Manager of Norwich
Scott Shanley, General Manager of Manchester
Mark Walter, Town Administrator of Columbia