5/29/2025
11 am PT / 12 pm MT / 1 pm CT / 2 pm ET
*approximate length: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Sponsored by: Axis Insurance Services, LLC
Presenters:
Mike W. Smith Principal/CEO Axis Insurance Services, Inc.
Paul Hacker, Professional Liability Broker
Join us for an information session addressing how commercial crime insurance can help protect a property manager from today’s harsh reality of employee, cyber and vendor theft. This session hosted by Mike Smith and Paul Hacker from Axis Insurance Services will provide insight into real life examples of risks, claims and cyber threats. The session will also provide best practices suggestions on everything from cash management, vendor payments, as well as banking and cyber controls to help mitigation risk for property managers. Mike and Paul draw from a 25-year history of insuring commercial real estate firms in every state and are industry experts in the commercial real estate insurance market. As frequent speakers and authors of industry topics, they will provide a unique perspective for a property manager not shared by most speakers.
Some specific learning objectives are:
- Understanding trends in theft and cyber-crime.
- Practical use of real live claims examples
- Discussions of Best Practices
- Understanding the IREM accreditation insurance requirements and of how to protect your companies with commercial insurance
Mike W. Smith Principal/CEO Axis Insurance Services, Inc.
Mike is the founder and owner of Axis Insurance Services, LLC and PL Risk Advisors, Inc. both nationally recognized Professional Liability insurance brokerages.
Mike has become a valuable market resource and has been requested to be a frequent speaker, panelist and writer on professional liability risk and insurance. Having over 20 years of experience in the industry, he brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique ability to create innovative coverage solutions.
In 1999, Mike founded Axis Insurance Services, LLC to provide customized coverage options for clients and in 2012, he formed PL Risk Advisors, Inc. to create a presence in the wholesale market. Today, both companies are enjoying success across the areas of errors and omissions, commercial crime, EPLI, privacy and network security.
Formerly a CPA audit manager at Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC), Mike managed audit and consulting services for insurance and healthcare clients, including some of the nation’s most well-known Fortune 500 companies. He specialized in mergers and acquisitions and insurance company liquidations. Dealing with hundreds of insurance companies, agencies, reinsurers and alternative risk companies provided him with valuable insight into the needs of his clients.
At Medical Inter-Insurance Exchange (MIIX), a medical malpractice carrier, Mike was responsible for assisting the company in mergers and acquisitions and development of numerous insurance programs. Later, as the Chief Financial and Operations Officer of a subsidiary, he built a physician-owned insurance carrier from the ground up, including all hiring, systems development, licensing and marketing.
Mike lives in Wayne, NJ with his wife Kathy and his son Drew, who is a Junior in college. Mike volunteers, as well as is a Lay Leader in his local church and part of a community Emergency Response Team. He also enjoys scuba diving, fishing and attending sporting events.
Paul Hacker, Professional Liability Broker
Paul Hacker is a seasoned Professional Liability Broker, Retail Division. for Axis Insurance Services, LLC (Axis). Paul joined the firm in 2018 after a successful career in the healthcare industry. He recently celebrated his six-year anniversary at Axis servicing the company’s clients and helping them meet their professional, management and cyber liability insurance needs.
Before joining Axis, Paul spent 28 years in the healthcare delivery market where he focused on the cost containment arena. He worked with large employers to develop cost containment strategies and effectively reduce their healthcare costs. His experience in the industry provides Paul with keen insight into the inherent risks in the healthcare industry as well as the contacts he needs to successfully build his professional, management and cyber liability practice. Paul met Axis CEO Mike Smith many years ago through networking and after an initial conversation was sold on embarking on a Property & Casualty career.
Paul specializes in Professional, Management and Cyber Liability insurance programs with specific specialties in insurance agents and brokers, real estate, healthcare, and cyber liability for all industries.
Paul graduated Magna Cum Laude from Siena College with a BA in Psychology and a Concentration in Marketing and Management.