As Dan Auslander, CNA Pro Commercial vice president, completes his term as PLUS president, he does so with a sense of accomplishment. “We got a lot done at PLUS to support the professional liability industry,” he says. “Our primary focus has been on providing education and networking opportunities for members, and I believe we’ve done a very good job.”

Key educational events—the annual conference and symposia held on specific professional liability topics—were well attended. So was a volunteer development session that brought PLUS members together for leadership training. “We were able to drive interaction and create interest in future opportunities,” Auslander notes, “but we also give back to individuals who give so much to PLUS.”

Local chapters hosted more than 60 networking and educational events, and PLUS ventured into online learning, launching Webinars that drew hundreds of attendees. The group is building online networking functionality to complement—and bridge the learning opportunities between—its annual conferences and symposia. “We continue to enhance our capabilities using blogs, which members update frequently, and LinkedIn,” Auslander explains.

Other initiatives include PLUS University, attended by 40 students this year, and PLUS Bookstore, an online resource. A source of special satisfaction for Auslander is the PLUS Foundation, which last year launched a Women’s Leadership Initiative at the International Conference that spawned local chapter follow-up events.

The Foundation also organizes a Conference Cause in conjunction with each year’s conference. “Last year, more than 100 members volunteered at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a 268,000-square-foot warehouse that receives and separates bulk food donations into family packs for distribution to local residents,” Auslander says. This year’s Conference Cause is The Children’s Shelter in San Antonio, Texas.

Another Dan—Daniel Standish, a partner in the law firm Wiley Rein LLP in Washington, DC, takes the baton from Auslander and does so with keen optimism. “We’re particularly excited about this year’s conference,” Standish says. “We have some great keynote speakers—Condoleezza Rice on the first day and Steve Wozniak, one of Apple’s co-founders, on the second.” On the final day, John Doggett of the University of Texas McCombs School of Business will address the emerging international economic trends given the growth of China, India and Brazil as economic powerhouses.

The conference theme, “Blazing New Trails in Professional Liability,” focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship in the professional liability arena, a topic Standish believes is important in today’s marketplace. “Given the change that’s always taking place and the growth in the number of firms offering products and services in the space, innovation and entrepreneurship are more important than ever,” he comments.

Standish expects the conference and PLUS symposia to continue to do well notwithstanding the economic downturn. “Our organization has emerged from the last couple of years stronger than ever,” he remarks. “While other nonprofit educational organizations suffered through tough times, PLUS has done well.”

Continued focus on Webinar development and on the delivery and expanded use of online resources to educate and connect members will be hallmarks of the next year, Standish notes. “We are updating our Web site and look forward to offering improved usability and value when that is launched,” he says. “We’ll also expand our use of blogs and social media to bring members together more.”

In-person events won’t be ignored. “PLUS will continually work to upgrade and enhance our conference experiences,” Standish says, “because they are extremely well attended and are at the core of what we do.”