Institute for Church Safety and Risk Management Selects Insurance Leader to Head Newly Established Greater DC Metro Area Church Safety Roundtable

Tupelo, MS, March 04, 2010 --(PR.com)-- During the past several months ICSARM’s Executive Director Michael Boutot has been conducting various church interest polls and has held national teleconference calls with over twenty leaders in the church safety, security and risk management arena. The result is the announcement of launching this new initiative of local Church Safety Roundtables. “We are excited about the opportunity to expand our presence across the United States and Canada with the advent of these new Church Safety Roundtables” said Boutot.

Tina Crawford has been selected as the Chapter President for the Greater DC Metro Area Church Safety Roundtable. Tina is Vice President of the Property & Casualty Division of National Church Group Insurance Agency, Inc., an independent insurance agency located in Leesburg, Virginia, specializing in insurance and risk management solutions for churches, private schools, home school groups, and social service nonprofit organizations.

Ms. Crawford began her professional career in the field of corporate accounting for a publicly traded company in 1981. This position introduced her to the world of insurance and risk management and in 1984 she became a licensed property & casualty insurance agent. God led her to National Church Group in 1999. Since that time she has enjoyed the many opportunities provided her to share her knowledge and expertise as workshop leader for denominational groups, school associations, and the Metropolitan DC Chapter of the National Association of Church Business Administrators.

Tina is a member of Sterling United Methodist Church in Sterling, VA. Having relocated to the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia she and her husband are actively seeking a new church closer to their home. Her love of music and heart for teaching has allowed her to serve the church in a number of capacities, including Sunday school teacher, Children’s Choir Director, and Pianist.

Married over 35 years, Tina and her husband Chip reside in the quaint town of Shepherdstown, WV. They have two grown children, residing in Sterling, VA and Cary, NC. They delight in the joys of grandparenthood with their two wonderful grandsons, Patrick and Jacob, ages 10 and 6.

Tina holds the professional designations, Certified Insurance Counselor (since 1991) and Certified Insurance Service Representative (since 1994). She is a member of the National Fire Protection Association. She is presently pursuing the Management Liability Insurance Specialist designation through IRMI.

“My goal has always been to serve as a counselor to our churches and assist their leaders to be good stewards of God’s house” says Crawford. “Churches today often believe they are immune to the perils of the secular world. Our challenge is helping them understand that churches are “micro-societies” with all of the good, bad and ugly of the world”, continues Tina. “I am delighted to be a part of ICSARM’s Church Safety Roundtable. I believe this will provide a dynamic forum for information-sharing to protect and strengthen churches across the country.” “We are delighted to have someone with the caliber of experience that Tina brings to our Roundtables group” states Michael Boutot, founder and executive director of ICSARM. “Tina’s background is a perfect fit for those who desire to ensure the safety and security of their churches in the Washington DC area” concludes Boutot.

With over 600,000 churches reported in America and a growing concern over church safety and security, churches are looking for opportunities to ensure they are providing a true safe environment for all their church members. The local Church Safety Roundtable provides membership for local churches as well as safety and security service providers to those local churches. Local meetings include discussion on best practices to what to select for proper insurance coverages to what security system is best for a particular church. In addition to providing education and training for local churches, the Church Safety Roundtable is also designed to evaluate service providers to local churches to make sure the best service provider is being selected by the local church and at the best rates.

###