The American Equity Underwriters, Inc. (AEU), the leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance for waterfront employers, announces Earl Burak has been elected vice president of the Longshore Claims Association (LCA), a non-profit organization of claims professionals serving the shipping industry and longshore and stevedoring communities.

Burak was elected to his new role during this month’s LCA roundtable meeting held in Long Beach, Ca. In this role, he will assist the LCA president in performing duties related to the day-to-day management of the LCA over a two-year term.

“Earl has attended the LCA half-day roundtable and golf tournament in Long Beach for the past three years, which shows outstanding commitment to attend and support LCA events as a paid member,” said Stacy Franz, president of LCA. “Earl’s presence on the East Coast aligns with LCA’s growth and expansion of events into new areas, including Texas, New Orleans, and potentially Florida next year. Earl is ready and willing to serve as LCA’s vice president.”

Burak, a claims supervisor with AEU, joined the firm in 2011 after spending more than a decade building his longshore claims career at several firms, including a third-party administrator, large insurance carrier, and investigation firm. He received his bachelor’s degree in criminal law from Glassboro State College.

Burak is the third AEU employee to be appointed a leadership position with LCA since 2017. John “Jack” Martone and Ryan Leveque currently serve on the LCA board of directors.

About the Longshore Claims Association

LCA is a non-profit organization of claims professionals serving the shipping industry, longshore, and stevedoring community, ship building, ship repair and ship breaking industries. They offer competitively-priced and comprehensive maritime and admiralty educational programs, including those focused on claims administration, insurance management, employer awareness, legal case management and other matters arising under admiralty, maritime and federal workers’ compensation claims under the Longshore & Harbor Workers Compensation Act, Non-Appropriated Funds Instrumentalities Act, Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Defense Base Act and War Hazards Act.