The Washington State Legislation that created the Criminal Investigations Unit also mandated that the insurance commissioner appoint a 10-member volunteer board to advise him on the fraud program (leg.wa.gov).
The board includes representatives from the insurance industry, consumers, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (www.nicb.org), the county prosecutor's office and law enforcement.
Insurance industry
Keith Friedrich -Travelers Insurance
Mr. Friedrich is a regional manager for Travelers Insurance Company's Investigative Services. In 1982, he started out his career in the U.S. Army and then served 16 years as a detective sergeant for the Vermont State Police. In 1993, he earned his B.A. in Criminal Justice from Columbia College in Columbia, Mo.
Craig Williamson - Farmers New World Life Insurance
Mr. Williamson manages the Special Investigation Unit for Farmers New World Life Insurance Company, Zurich American Life Insurance Company and Universal Underwriters Life Insurance Company. In 2012 he was appointed head of the Fraud Expert Network for Zurich Global Life. He has a Bachelors of Science degree from Washington State University in Police Science and a M.A. in Criminal Justice from Pacific Lutheran University. In 2004, he earned his Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential. In 2009, he received the Association of Life and Health Claims (ALHC) designation from the International Claims Association.
Anthony Ferry - Liberty Mutual Insurance
Mr. Ferry is the Special Investigations Unit team manager for Liberty Mutual. He has 20 years of law-enforcement experience managing many aspects of investigations. Mr. Ferry attended Washington State University and the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. He is affiliated with the International Association of Special Investigations Units (IASIU) and Western States Auto Theft Investigators.
Bill Baldwin - Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers
Mr. Baldwin is the president of Baldwin Resource Group in Bellevue, Wash. He has a B.A. in Business from the University of Nevada.
Patrick M. Guiton - Cambia Health Solutions
Mr. Guiton is the director of the External Audit and Investigations (EAID) Special Investigations Unit (SIU) at Cambia Health Solution/Regence BlueCross Blue Shield (BCBS). He has law-enforcement experience and earned his B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice Administration from East Stroudsburg State University.
Consumers
Eric Gonzalez Alfaro - Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Mr. Gonzalez Alfaro is the Legislative and Policy Director for the Washington State Labor Council. Prior to his current position, he served as staff lobbyist for Washington’s largest immigrant and refugee right’s organization, OneAmerica. He has dedicated his professional career to promoting social and economic justice, and pursuing a life long-goal: giving a voice to those in need.
Steve Geertz - AARP
Mr. Geertz has been in the accounting field for more than 20 years and currently provides contract accounting and consulting services, operating under the name BG & Company LLC (“BG”), which he formed in 2010. Mr. Geertz is a volunteer with the AARP Fraud Fighter Call Center. He has a B.A. from Seattle University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).
National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB)
Dana MacDonald - NICB
Mr. MacDonald is the director of operations for the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB)(www.nicb.org) for Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. Mr. MacDonald entered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in June 1972, and retired from the FBI in June 2002.
In 1971, Mr. MacDonald graduated from Santa Clara University with a B.A. in commerce. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
County prosecutor's office
Olivia Zhou - Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office
Ms. Zhou works for the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office serving in the General Felony unit where she handles cases ranging from embezzlement; felony traffic to include vehicular assault and homicide; theft; and burglary. Her expertise is also utilized in handling appeals in the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. She has a B.A. in Political Science and History from Washington University and her Law Degree from Lewis and Clark Law School.
Law enforcement
Sheriff Gary Simpson - Kitsap County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff Simpson is a 30-year veteran of the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office (www.kitsapgov.com/sheriff). Since 1984 he has served in a variety of increasingly responsible leadership positions to include: patrol deputy, patrol corporal, shift sergeant and chief civil deputy, and has worked as a K-9 handler and in the marine services unit (boat patrol). He is a part of several community service organizations and serves on the board of directors for the YWCA and Habitat for Humanity.
He is also a recipient of the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office Medal of Valor for heroism. He is a graduate of the 206th Executive Session of the FBI National Academy, Quantico, Va.