569 Noland Ridge Rd
Slanesville, WV25444 / 304-492-5003

Richard A. Kowalczyk

  • Experience
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  • 1/2006 to 1/2012, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company,
  • Novato, CA
  • Senior Director, Surety
  • Directed the runoff of both the underwriting and claims of the surety department in discontinued operations.
  • 7/2003 to 1/2006, President, Fulcrum Management Group, Inc.
  • Consultants to Contractors, Financial Institutions and Sureties. Evaluations of and assistance to distressed construction companies, assistance in collection of receivables, assistance to Chapter 11 and Receivership entities. Evaluations of affirmative claims and change orders. Surety claim assistance and auditing. Expert witness testimony.
  • 5/2001 to 7/2003 Zurich Surety Claims
  • Manager, Mountbatten Surety Claims
  • Managed a team that handled the claims of Zurich’s alternate surety.
  • Formed, managed and trained unit of five claim counsel and a paralegal.

  • 1/1997 to 5/2001 Fidelity & Deposit Company of Maryland
  • Senior Claims Counsel
  • Handled the Guy F. Atkinson Construction bankruptcy related claims, the largest in the company’s history. Managed the completion of over $500 million bonded work. Recovered over $70 million in affirmative claims and over $120 million in total recoveries.
  • Instrumental in designing and implementing the company’s program for handling performance claims.
  • Negotiated standing contracts with national accounts for completion of surety’s performance default work.
  • Instrumental in implementation of surety’s consultant list.

  • 11/1993 to 1/1997 United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co.
  • Manager
  • Managed a unit which handled the surety claims in the northeast and Midwest regions.
  • Initially, the unit also handled financial institution and comprehensive crime policy claims.
  • Managed the recovery unit.
  • Hired and trained seven surety claims counsel.

  • 11/1986 to 11/1993 Fidelity & Deposit Company Baltimore, MD
  • Assistant Manager And Senior Claims Counsel
  • Supervised home office claims counsel.
  • Directly handled serious large dollar exposure claims for both fidelity and surety bonds.
  • Directly handled large, multi-million dollar claims with the RTC.
  • Trained new surety claims staff.
  • Lead the department’s education committee for staff training.
  • 10/1974 to 11/1986 Yost & Smith P.A.
Glen Burnie, MD
  • Private law practice with a small firm oriented to small business clientele. Handled a general civil practice, including trial work.
  • 6/1973 to 10/1974 O’Connor, Preston & Glenn Baltimore, MD
  • Civil litigation practice in a firm at which I had clerked for the three years of law school.

  • Education
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  • 1970–1973University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
  • Juris Doctor.
  • Admitted to the Maryland Bar in December, 1973.
  • 1968, St. Alphonsus College, Suffield, CT
  • BA, major in philosophy.

  • Other
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  • Wrote the chapter on Takeover and Completion in ABA Bond Default Manual, 2nd Ed.