Michael Pertschuk was the strategist in the U.S.Senate behind much of the major consumer protection and health promotion legislation of this half century; he was the most aggressive Federal Trade Commission Chair in history in pursuing health-jeopardizing marketing and promotion; and he has been a leading strategist and advocate for tobacco control for more than 40 years.

Although by the nature of his work and role, his imprint was usually invisible, knowledgeable observers—ranging from Ralph Nader to historian Richard Kluger—have testified that no one has contributed more to the prevention of disease, injury, and death in the last half of the 20th century. 

Pertschuk has had not one, but four distinct careers in public interest advocacy:  (1) from 1965–1976,as consumer counsel, ultimately Chief Counsel and Staff Director to the U.S.Senate Committee on Commerce;  (2) as Commissioner and Chairman ofthe Federal Trade Commission from 1977 to 1984;  (3) from1984 to 2004,as teacher and mentor to emerging social justice advocacy leaders and  founding co-director and director of at the Advocacy Institute;  and (4) as author of four books, more than 20 guides, and other writings on the art of public interest advocacy leadership.

His experience, as witnessed by his impressive career, provides Civility Mutual with powerful insight and guidance. 

Senior Vice President
AVRECO

Sarah Dore specializes in evaluating malpractice insurance needs and developing and marketing medical professional products and programs for a variety of health care organizations. She also assists in the formation of captive medical malpractice insurance programs for physician groups and hospitals. She has consulted on the evaluation and formation of several medical professional insurance and alternative risk financing programs countrywide. 

Prior to joining AVRECO, Sarah was an independent insurance consultant, specializing in assisting insurance companies, brokers and agents and health care providers with their strategic planning, underwriting, marketing and product development initiatives for their medical professional liability insurance business.  She has also served as the rate survey editor for Medical Liability Monitor, an independent newsletter focused on medical malpractice insurance trends and issues.  She is a frequent speaker at insurance industry and health care industry events.

Sarah began her career with CNA Insurance in the claim department.  She joined CNA’s Professional Liability Division and progressed through various underwriting and marketing technical and managerial positions. Sarah joined Continental Insurance health care in 1992 as Vice President and Underwriting Director.  She was named President in 1994.  After leaving Continental in 1995, she joined Travelers Insurance to head their health care professional liability department. She left her position at Travelers as Vice President in 1998. Sarah joined Kemper as Sr. Vice President for Kemper Professional health care, leaving in 2000 to pursue her consulting practice.

Sarah has a CPCU designation.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.  She is an active member of PLUS and ASHRM.

AVRECO, a member of the Park Group, is a recognized medical professional health care specialist and one of the largest independent insurance wholesalers in the US. AVRECO specializes in insurance, reinsurance and alternative risk financing solutions, primary or excess, for most health care providers including dentists, physicians and surgeons, facilities, allied health care professionals, and advanced medical technologies countrywide.

Tom Aug is the founder and President of Development Partners, a health care consulting company dedicated exclusively to improving the health care experience for all.  Tom began his health care career in 1981 as a radiology business manager and Chief Operating Officer of a physician’s medical billing company.  Beginning in 1994, he directed the conversion to a centralized information system at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center serving 16 clinical departments and over 500 physicians.  The project quickly expanded to an integrated delivery network servicing 180 more physicians practicing at 47 locations.

In 1998 Tom founded Development Partners to assist health care organizations improve operations and customer satisfaction.  His firm has consulted with health care systems and physician group practices in the areas of strategic planning, organizational development, physician leadership, process improvement and managing difference in the workplace. In 2000 Development Partners was named as a Preferred Consulting Partner by Press Ganey and Associates, the world’s largest provider of patient satisfaction measurement tools.

Prior to his career in health care, Tom was an award winning high school English teacher and school administrator.  He was named the Outstanding Young Educator of the Year by a Cincinnati civic organization in 1974.  Tom has continued to use his teaching skills as a consultant and is a popular presenter to local, state and national health care organizations and trade groups. 

Tom holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati and a master’s degree from Xavier University.  Tom and his wife Kathy have been married for 37 years and are the proud parents of four grown children and six grandchildren (pictures available upon request).  In addition to his family, Tom enjoys running, reading and golf when the ball stays in the fairway.