Speakers

Joseph C. Abate, Esq. graduated cum laude from both Tufts University in 1989 and Syracuse Law School in 1994. He also obtained an LLM in Taxation from Boston University in 1996. He has been recognized as a Rising Legal Star by Boston Magazine twice and has developed special expertise in construction, insurance coverage and class action litigation. He is admitted in Massachusetts, the U.S. District Court (Massachusetts) and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Alden J. Bianchi, Esq., is a member of the law firm Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo PC. He is chairman of the firm's employee benefits and executive compensation practice. He advises corporate, nonprofit, governmental, and individual clients on a broad range of executive compensation and employee benefits issues. Alden represented the Romney administration in connection with the historic 2006 Massachusetts health care reform act, and he has testified before the Senate Finance Committee on health care reform. He is a member of the Bureau of National Affairs's pension and benefit publications advisory board—a resource to the tax and legal publisher.

Charlie Cook is editor and publisher of the "Cook Political Report." Widely regarded as one of the nation's leading authorities on U.S. elections and political trends, he has appeared on the ABC, CBS, and NBC evening news programs, as well as on "Good Morning America," the "Today Show," "Nightline," "Meet the Press," and "This Week." He has also appeared many times on CNBC, MSNBC, CNN, C-SPAN, CNN, and NPR. He is the political analyst for the National Journal Group, where he writes weekly for National Journal magazine and "CongressDailyAM." He also writes a regular column for the Washington Quarterly, published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and is a political analyst for NBC News.

The New York Times has called Cook "one of the best political handicappers in the nation" and noted that the "Cook Political Report" is "a newsletter that both parties regard as authoritative." Bob Schieffer of CBS News has called the newsletter "the bible of the political community." The Wall Street Journal's Al Hunt once referred to Cook as "the Picasso of election analysis," while David Broder of the Washington Post has written that Cook is "perhaps the best nonpartisan tracker of congressional races."

Joseph DeCarlo is the senior vice president of World Wide Specialty Programs Inc. DeCarlo has 30 years of insurance industry experience. Starting his career as a commercial casualty underwriter, he was promoted to branch manager after three years. DeCarlo had continuing insurance company management roles from regional branch manager through vice presidential positions. His insurance agency experience has ranged from producer to agency principal. He is an experienced manager ranging from claims and processing departments to underwriting divisions. He is known for the creation and control of insurance programs for such insurance companies as, Zurich American, CNA, AIG, Kemper and Seneca/Crum, and Foster.

Stephen C. Dwyer, Esq., is general counsel of the American Staffing Association. He coordinates the association's legal and public affairs activities, advises the staffing industry on labor and employment law and policy issues, and was instrumental in creating the ASA employment law professional certification programs. Before joining ASA, Dwyer was deputy general counsel of an 800-employee corporation located in Sterling, VA. He also was associated with Chadbourne & Parke, a New York multinational law firm, as well as De Forest & Duer, a 100-year-old Wall Street firm. Dwyer has written many articles on legal and policy concerns pertaining to the staffing industry. He graduated from Bucknell University with honors in economics and earned his law degree from Boston College Law School.

James A. Essey, CSP, is president and chief executive officer of the TemPositions Group of Cos., which operates in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and California. In addition to providing office support personnel, his firm offers staffing in information technology, accounting, human resources, legal, hospitality, light assembly, substitute teaching, and health care. He served five terms as president of the ASA-affiliated New York chapter. He was ASA chairman in 2004; has chaired the chapter relations, member education and certification, political action, and industry practices committees; and currently chairs the legal and legislative committee. Essey serves on the boards of the NYC Young Presidents' Organization and the DARE program.

Aaron Green, CSP, is the founder of Professional Staffing Group. One of Massachusetts' largest staffing firms, Professional Staffing Group provides clients with office support, creative, technical, and financial staff. He is past president of the Massachusetts Staffing Association, an ASA-affiliated chapter, and is currently its legislative representative. Green also serves as the chairman of the American Staffing Association.

Helen L. Konrad, Esq., is a director in the immigration practice group of the law firm McCandlish Holton PC. At the firm, she concentrates on work site compliance (including questions relating to the Form I-9 and E-Verify), as well as employment-based and professional immigration. She has worked directly with the staffing industry for more than 15 years and has addressed staffing professionals at ASA events such as Staffing World^® and the Staffing Law Conference. She has regularly been voted one of the "Best Lawyers in America" for immigration, listed in the International Who's Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers, and named to Virginia Super Lawyers.

Edward A. Lenz, Esq., is senior vice president, legal and public affairs, of the American Staffing Association. Lenz is the staffing industry's chief legal advocate and a leading authority on the legal and public policy aspects of staffing. He has testified before Congress, state legislatures, and regulatory agencies, and he has written and spoken widely on industry issues. He is author of the authoritative reference book on the subject of co-employment published by ASA. Before joining ASA in 1989, Lenz was vice president and assistant general counsel of Kelly Services in charge of legislative and regulatory affairs, and served as chairman of the ASA legislative committee. Prior to entering the staffing industry in 1982, he served in government and in private law practice in Washington, DC. In 2001, he was inducted as a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Lenz received a bachelor of arts from Bucknell University, a juris doctorate from Boston College, and a master of laws from New York University.

Gerald L. Maatman Jr., Esq., is a partner in the Chicago and New York offices of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. He has a primary emphasis in his practice on employment law counseling and defending employers and business executives sued in employment-related class actions brought in federal and state courts throughout the U.S. Maatman pioneered the process of conducting employment practices audits to assist employers in structuring effective and practical personnel policies and protocols. He represents several leading staffing firms and has developed legal risk management programs to assist staffing firms in reducing and minimizing workplace exposures. Maatman also writes and lectures extensively on employment discrimination and labor law topics. He has authored six books on employment law topics and has spoken to employer groups throughout Asia, Europe, and North America. Maatman received his bachelor of arts from Washington and Lee University and a juris doctorate from Northwestern University.

Toby Malara, Esq., is government affairs counsel for the American Staffing Association. He handles federal and state legislative issues, assists association members and state chapters in state lobbying efforts, and provides industry-related information to members on laws, legislation, and regulation. Prior to joining ASA, Malara was executive director of the National Technical Services Association. He also served as legislative counsel to Rep. Jack Quinn (R-NY). Malara received his law degree from Catholic University and holds a bachelor of arts from Georgetown University.

Robert J. Nobile, Esq., is a partner in the New York office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. He specializes in labor and employment law. He is involved in all areas of client representation including day-to-day advice and counsel in all areas of labor and employment law (e.g., employment discrimination including handling issues involving sexual and other forms of employee harassment, disability discrimination, age discrimination, reductions in force, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, policy and procedure development, and more). His daily work also includes administrative litigation, management training regarding sexual harassment and EEO, mediations and arbitrations, and more. In addition, Nobile devotes a substantial portion of his practice to handling a variety of wage- and hour-related matters arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act and state laws. Nobile is in the International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, which identified him as one of the leaders in the field of management labor and employment law. He has authored five books and published numerous articles covering all aspects of human resources and employment law. Nobile received his bachelor of arts from Adelphi University, a master of science from the Long Island University, and a juris doctorate from the St. John's University School of Law.

Damiano Servidio is a vice president at Zurich North America in New York. Servidio is responsible for professional liability and multiline programs that include the staffing services industry, lawyers, veterinarians, security guards, travel agents and tour operators, schools, and golf clubs. He joined Zurich in 1996 and has more than 19 years' experience in the insurance industry in both underwriting and claim management. Servidio received his juris doctorate from Saint Louis University School of Law and a bachelor of arts from Fordham University.

Dorothy Taylor is president and chief executive officer of World Wide Specialty Programs Inc. Taylor has been with World Wide for more than 30 years—she has earned the ability to have a key role in the development and implementation of what has now become one of the most comprehensive programs of insurance for the staffing industry. Taylor's passion and commitment to the staffing industry is unwavering. She has witnessed first-hand the changes and growth the industry has undergone and made sure, through her career, that World Wide's coverage has met the challenges that the industry has faced. The staffing industry is World Wide's sole focus and Dorothy leads the way.