Instructors
President of Education in Pursuit LLC
Kay has been in the insurance industry over 30 years primarily on
the independent agency side with experience in personal lines,
commercial lines, production and office management.  She
completed the INS program in 1979, CPCU in 1999, AIS and then
ACS in 2005 and AAI in 2007. Kay was Part-time CoDirector of the
Insurance Division at the Community College of Aurora from 2000
to 2006. She has continued on as an instructor for insurance
classes sponsored by the Colorado Chapter of CPCU. Since August
2009 she has been working for Denver Agency as an Account
Executive. She previously ran an insurance recruiting firm (QPS
Consultants), which she started in 1998.  Kay is past president of
Insurance Women of Denver, Member, Past Director, and President
for 2009/2010 of the local CPCU Chapter as a well member of
Denver Claims Association and Blue Goose Association.  Kay has
been awarded Level III Outstanding Instructor Award by The
American Institute.
Joan Schmitt
Joan has over 25 years of human resources and business experience in
manufacturing, finance, research and development, and insurance industries.  Her
experience includes strategic planning, organizational design and development,
executive and employee development, team building, facilitation, compensation,
performance management, employee relations and employment, change
management and business consulting.

She has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a Master's Degree in
Communication from the University of Denver.

For the past six years, Joan has been president of HR Expert.Com, Inc., an
organization which offers human resources consultation and recruiting for
administrative positions and for the insurance industry.  
Paula vonLindern, CPCU, ARM
Prior to joining the insurance industry, vonLindern counseled troubled teenagers
and worked in the food and beverage industry.  She retired from State Farm in
December 2004 after over 23 years - 14 as a claims manager for property, casualty
and workers' compensation claims.  Paula served as Co Director of the Insurance
Division at Community College of Aurora from 2004/2005 and then joined Beecher
Carlson as Risk Management Consultant, focusing on the formation of home
builders' captives.  Having earned her CPCU designation in 1991, she furthered her
insurance education with an ARM designation in 1994.  She joined the faculty of
the Insurance Education Department of the Community College of Aurora in 1996
and teaches various CPCU and all ARM courses now for Colorado Chapter of CPCU.  
The Insurance Institute of America recently recognized Paula as an Outstanding
Course Leader.  In her spare time she enjoys traveling, especially to Europe.  
Judi Burk, CPCU, CLU, ChFC / State Farm
Judi graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Business with emphasis in Marketing in 1984.  She joined
State Farm in August 1987 as a claim representative handling Auto property and
injury claims.  Promoted to Claim Supervisor in 1991 and Claim Superintendent
in 1995.  Began the Auto Special Investigative Unit in Metro Denver area in
1995.  Began the Organized Activity Unit in SIU in Denver in 1997.  Currently
supervise Auto and Homeowner's property and injury SIU claims.  Obtained the
CPCU designation in 1995.  Obtained the Certified Insurance Fraud Investigator
designation in 2001.  Obtained the CLU designation in 2002 and the ChFC
designation in 2003.  A member of the International Association of Special
Investigative Units, the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators,
and the Colorado Auto Theft Investigators.
Education in Pursuit LLC
P.O. Box 741316
Arvada, CO 80006
720-939-5575/Fax 1-866-899-4898
John E. Putnam, CPCU, ARM, is a consultant with his new company, Putnam
Assurance & Risk Services, LLC. Prior to starting this new firm, John was an agent for
twenty-eight years with three P&C agencies in Colorado Springs: Putnam Associates,
SCA Insurance, and Hub International SW. As an agent and agency owner, these
experiences have provided him with a wide range of opportunities to address customer,
business, and industry issues facing front-line insurance agents. In his early career, he
served with Aetna Casualty and Surety in two capacities: a claim representative and an
administrator leading a team that developed systems and procedures for handling claims.

He attended the University of Massachusetts where he received a degree in Government
and the University of Colorado where he earned a Masters Degree in Political Science.
He received his CPCU designation in 1981 and his ARM in 1999. During his agency
years, he has taught seminars and courses on a wide range of topics.

As an advocate of the independent insurance agency system, John has served as a
director and officer in the Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Colorado, Inc.
as well as Colorado’s Director to the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of
America, Inc. In those capacities, he has worked to change certain industry practices
addressing Workers Compensation Reform, construction defect issues, and most
recently Certificate of Insurance issues.  In addition, John served on the Board of
Colorado Compensation Insurance Authority, the predecessor of Pinnacol Assurance,
for three years where he was able to contribute to the development of this company in
its transition years from a State Fund to a stand-alone Colorado insurance carrier. He
looks forward to sharing with other insurance professionals his diverse insurance
experiences.