iUniverse Press, in conjunction with Author House, has accepted Hide! Here Comes the Insurance Guy into their portfolio.

Look for the latest updated version of Hide! in bookstores in the fall of 2008.

Rick Vassar has been a risk manager for over 20 years. Although he has an extensive insurance resume, he has spent his entire career the corporate side of the insurance transaction, an aspect greatly overlooked by both business and the insurance industry.

Hide! Here Comes the Insurance Guy is devoted to the risk management and insurance process from the buyer's perspective. The book is an easy read, and is laid out in a way that allows the information to be used immediately as well as a reference source in the future.

Rick Vassar started in the automotive industry in 1981. In 1996 he earned the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) from the Insurance Institute of America.

In 2005, Mr. Vassar achieved the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation, considered to be the highest educational achievement in the property and casualty industry. This is remarkable for the following reasons:

• Less than 2% of CPCU's are risk managers
• Less than 1% of CPCU's work outside the insurance industry.

The CPCU designation is called the "Master's Degree" of property and casualty insurance, consisting of an eight course graduate level curriculum.

Mr. Vassar's story is even more groundbreaking because he was able to complete the entire course of study for the CPCU in less than six months!

This is unheard of for any insurance professional whose entire experience is outside the insurance industry.

Mr. Vassar was Director of Risk Manager for Welcome Corporation, a Thrifty Car Rental franchisee and the largest independently owned car rental operation in the world until 2002.

In 2003 through 2008, Mr. Vassar was the Vice President of Risk Management for Valcourt Building Services, a leading project management and building services company located in Arlington, VA.

He is currently the General Manager, Risk Management for Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. in Herndon, VA, responsible for risk management, insurance and group health for North American operations.