EPB&B held our 5th annual holiday open house on Friday December 2nd to benefit the Oregon Food Bank.  Over $2400 in cash and several tons of food were collected for the worthy local charity.  This event has become a tradition that we look forward to every year.  We invite insurance company representatives to join us for an open house that features Huber's famous Spanish coffee and hors d'oeuvres in addition to a silent auction and raffle to benefit Oregon Food Bank.  Thanks to everyone who attended and helped us reach our goal.  A special thanks to the fine folks from Ron Rothert Insurance!!

Windstorms are common in the Northwest and can cause significant damage whenever they occur.  Storms lashing the area can leave downed trees, debris and thousands of homeowners can be left without power.  Don't be left in the dark when it comes to your insurance coverage for damage following a windstorm.

Depending upon your coverages, you can rely on your insurance company to shoulder much of the cost to repair any damage to your home or vehicle.

Elliott, Powell, Baden & Baker Insurance offer these tips to help speed the process of getting your life back to normal if your home or vehicle are damaged during a wind storm.

5th Annual Concert & Induction Ceremony - Saturday, October 8th. 

Come join The Crazy 8's and Johnny & The Distractions for a night of music and fun.  Bid on one of several signed guitars during the massive live auction.  Proceeds from Oregon Music Hall of Fame benefit music programs and education in schools.

Health coach and friend of EPB&B, Sherri Sacconaghi, will provide a free lunch series on healthful eating during the holidays.  Each teleclass will include a Q&A and plenty of specific information to help you navigate the holiday madness and ease into 2012 feeling happy and healthy.

10/12/2011 - Noon - 1:00 PM - Learn how to get rid of those sugar cravings and listen to your body - just in time for Halloween.

11/16/2011 - Noon - 1:00 PM - Gain insight into mindful eating, as well as some tips for managing the holiday parties and buffet tables.

12/14/2011 - Noon - 1:00 PM - Diet strategies that make a difference - no resolutions needed.  Gain the tools to make life-long lasting changes.

These teleclasses are FREE but space is limited so register by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

After a series of company failures, (think Enron) stockholders have begun to hold directors and officers of companies accountable for their failure to exercise management reviews and oversight.  Increasingly stockholders have seen litigation as the way to recoup losses and punish management for their failure to fulfill their obligations.

Enter the world of directors and officers liability insurance, often referred to as D&O coverage.  Check out Portland Business Journal's Guest Columnist, Marc Baker and his thoughts on the world of D&O coverage.

The Portland Business Journal 

Earthquakes and California go together. Or at least that’s what most of the country thought until Tuesday’s East Coast earthquake centered in Virginia.

Reports of the earth moving were widespread, coming from New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Georgia. Even a few came from as far away as Chicago.

Although no news of significant damage emerged, such a widespread impact raises questions about preparedness and insurance coverage. That’s  because earthquake damage is not covered under standard homeowners or business insurance policies.

These policies typically exclude damage from earth movement such as earthquakes and sinkholes, said Chris Hackett, director of personal lines policies for Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, a trade group. However, it is common for property insurance to cover a fire that might be the result of an earthquake. Homeowners should read know the exclusions in their policies.

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A recent survey found that 54% of people check their smart phones while driving. We are over one year into Oregon’s ban on talking and texting while driving and the sight of drivers gabbing on cell phones is still a common sight around Portland.  

In a recent University of Utah study of driving and talking on the phone, only 2.5% of test subjects were able to do both safely. For the other 97.5%, the ability to hit the brakes quickly was slowed by 20%, and the tendency to drive too slowly to keep up with traffic rose by 30%. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 16% of all fatal crashes in 2008 were caused by driver distraction. Think you are able to multitask behind the wheel? Gauge your level of distraction.  When you are done, you will see how much slower your reaction time was while texting compared to the average driver. If you have kids who think they can text or talk on the phone while driving, have them take the test.