On June 22, 2017 the American P&I Club gathered its membership for the 100th Annual General Meeting in New York. As a part of its following celebratory centennial dinner, the Club paid tribute to the loyalty of the three longest standing active members of the Association.
The evening reflected achievements of the club, marking 100 years of history servicing the P&I marine insurance industry. The 500 guests represented its shipowning and chartering membership, brokers, representatives of shipping organizations and fellow International Group clubs, associates, correspondents, and lawyers from all over the world.
A special tribute was paid to three members who entered the Club in the early nineties and remain active members to this day: Harley Marine Services (Public Service Marine), Reinauer Transportation and Ziddell Marine. All three members were presented with awards for long-standing membership.
Since being founded in 1917, the Club has experienced many changes. Mr. Joseph E. M. Hughes, Chairman and CEO of Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc., reflected on its history, relayed through its recently published centennial book.
Further, he detailed the transformation of the Club over the last 20 years: a more than fivefold increase in entered tonnage; fourfold premium growth; eightfold growth in total funds; a tenfold increase in free reserves as well as expanding diversification of product lines.
The Chairman of the American Club Board of Directors, Mr. J. Arnold Witte, emphasized: “I would like to acknowledge not only the Members, not only the American Club Board, for the success we’ve achieved over the years, but in particular SCB and Joe Hughes and Vince Solarino who have led us with distinction and fair consideration.”
A special highlight of the evening was Mr. Vincent J. Solarino, President and COO of Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc., who stressed the importance of every member of the management team, who take on the day to day load of the Club’s business: servicing the membership. He called each global manager onstage with him to a standing ovation from all in attendance.
Ms. Dorothea Ioannou, Global Business Development Director, then took the podium in what appeared to be a surprise address on behalf of the management staff to pay homage to the management’s leaders, Mr. Hughes and Mr. Solarino. All members of the Club’s Board of Directors were called to the stage for a momentous photograph to document the historical centennial celebration.
The night was topped off by Vince Solarino who expressed his view on the spirit of the American Club through a rousing rendition of the legendary Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” backed up by the renowned Modern Gentlemen.
