NJ Pure

A team of award-winning, industry experts working hard for you and your business.

Dr. Lena Chang Cofounder and President

Lena Chang, PhD, is a nationally award-winning insurance actuary and co-founder of CURE Auto Insurance (formerly NJ CURE) in Princeton, New Jersey. Born in China,
Dr. Chang came to the United States at age 16, earned a bachelor’s degree in physics at age 19, and her doctorate in mathematics from the University of Illinois by the age of 23.

Dr. Chang was not only a professor at many universities, but she also served as an assistant dean of the Temple University Business School. She worked as an independent actuary at the Massachusetts Division of Insurance and coauthored an article awarded the nationally acclaimed Clifford D. Spangler Award for her theorem of rating and risk evaluation in 1989. This award is awarded by the Insurance and Risk Institute for publishing a mathematical theorem that has the largest ten-year impact on society.

Dr. Chang also started Massachusetts Employers Insurance Exchange in 1989 (currently AIM Mutual), a workers' compensation insurance reciprocal credited with bringing relief to the state’s workers' compensation crisis. AIM Mutual is currently rated A+ by A.M. Best.

Dr. Chang along with Mr. Sheeran (co-founder) also started the highly successful auto insurance reciprocal CURE Auto Insurance (formerly NJ CURE) in 1990 during the JUA auto insurance crisis.

Dr. Chang's in-depth knowledge of actuarial science, ratemaking and insurance operations ensures that NJ PURE maintains adequate reserves for the long term.

Eric S. Poe, Esq., CPA Vice President of Marketing and Business Development

Eric Poe is solely responsible for expanding new business premium writings and promoting the overall growth of NJ PURE. Eric joined CURE Auto Insurance in 1994 and is currently Chief Operating Officer for that Exchange.
Mr. Poe earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from the University of Colorado. Soon after, Mr. Poe secured his license as a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Poe subsequently received his Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall School of Law in New Jersey and is an active member of the New Jersey Bar.

Mr. Poe’s strong legal, accounting and insurance knowledge have led him to be a frequent keynote speaker at medical society events, as well as a published author on the medical malpractice industry. Mr. Poe's experience in operations, as well as his comprehensive insurance, accounting, legal and marketing skills, enable NJ PURE to market to responsible doctors while saving the exchange the high costs associated with agents' commissions.

Douglas W. Wheeler, CCLA Vice President of Claims

Douglas Wheeler has more than thirty years of experience in medical malpractice litigation and claims management, twenty-three of those in New Jersey. He served as corporate medical malpractice claims manager for Chubb & Son, Inc. and was a principal in the formation of The Medical Inter-Insurance Exchange of New Jersey, as well as director of claims for MIIX from 1980-1990. Mr. Wheeler currently holds a casualty claims law associate’s degree.

Mr. Wheeler's experience at MIIX during its highly successful era serves as an invaluable safeguard to ensure that the only claims paid by NJ PURE will be those of merit.

Audrey Poe-Knox, Esq. Vice President and Assistant General Counsel

Audrey Poe-Knox handles all general corporate issues and contract reviews, as well as legislative and regulatory actions for the company. Audrey has more than fifteen years of insurance and claims experience, and has served as assistant claims manager for CURE Auto Insurance, assistant director of government relations for the law firm of Pringle Quinn Anzano, and as government relations counsel for MetLife.
Mrs. Poe-Knox received her Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall Law School and holds a degree in mathematics from Clemson University. She is also an admitted member of the New Jersey Bar.

Mrs. Poe-Knox has in-depth understanding of legal, regulatory and insurance matters, ensuring the successful protection and compliance of the Exchange.

Annie Pena, Director of Loss Control and Risk Management

Annie Pena, a registered nurse, has been in the healthcare field for 22 years. She has extensive risk management experience, having served as a Director of Nursing in both in-patient and out-patient surgical settings, and as an international consultant for Johnson & Johnson Health Care Services. Ms. Pena received an undergraduate degree from Seton Hall University and a master's degree from the University of St. Francis in Healthcare Administration. She is a member of the Association of Operating Room Nurses and the Federal Association of Ambulatory Surgical Centers.

Ms. Pena's combined medical and administrative expertise enables her to help physicians improve their focus on physician-patient communication, the informed-patient decision-making processes, and complaint management and patient advocacy, thereby reducing their risk of malpractice claims.

Teemu Korpijaakko, Chief Information Officer

Teemu Korpijaakko, Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO). Teemu, a native of Finland, graduated with a BS in mathematics from Clarkson University in 1989. Mr. Korpijaakko began at the Massachusetts Employers Insurance Exchange (MEIE) as a Database Administrator and became the Manager of Information Systems.

In 1994, Teemu joined CURE (formerly NJ CURE) as the Information Systems Manager, a title he held until 1998 when he was named the CIO of RMC. As CIO for NJ PURE and CURE, Teemu manages all operational aspects regarding technical infrastructure, including systems, networking and telephony. He is responsible for setting and implementing policies with respect to systems operation, and for designing solutions to meet new technical challenges.

Andrew Rozycki, AIAF, ARC - Vice President, Chief Statistical Officer

Andrew joined the management team in 1992 and has since held numerous statistical and actuarial positions for Massachusetts Employers Insurance Exchange, a workers' compensation reciprocal, New Jersey Citizens United Reciprocal Exchange, personal auto insurer as well as New Jersey Physicians United Reciprocal Exchange.

Andrew is responsible for overseeing all rate and forms filings, rate increases, statistical reporting and data quality.

Your Legal Team

Richard A. Amdur
Amdur, Boyle & Maggs
State Highway 35
1 Industrial Way West
Eatontown, NJ 07724
(732)-389-3800

E. Burke Giblin
Giblin & Combs, LLC
P. O. Box 1297
10 Madison Avenue
Morristown, NJ 07962
(973)-829-1500

I. Blakeley Johnstone, III
Johnstone, Skok, Loughlin & Lane
324 East Broad Street
P. O. Box 490
Westfield, NJ 07091-0490
(908)-233-9000

John Jackson
Kalison, McBride, Jackson & Murphy, P.A.
25 Independence Boulevard
Warren, NJ 07059
Tel: 908-647-4600
Fax: 908-647-6226

Rudolph A. Socey, Jr.
Lenox, Socey, Wilgus, Formidoni,
Brown, Giordano & Casey
3131 Princeton Pike-1B
Trenton, NJ 08648
(609)-896-2000

Peter L. Korn
McDonough, Korn & Eichhorn
Park Place Legal Center
959 South Springfield Avenue
P. O. Box 712
Springfield, NJ 07081-0712
(973)-912-9099

Donald J. Grasso
Orlovsky, Grasso, Bolger, Mensching & Halpin, P.A.
1314 Hooper Avenue
Toms River, NJ 08753
(732)-505-9778

John R. Orlovsky
Orlovsky, Moody, Schaaff & Gabrysiak, P.C.
Monmouth Park Corporate Center
187 Highway 36
West Long Branch, NJ 07764
(732)-222-6200

Jay Scott MacNeill
Post, Polak, Goodsell, MacNeill & Strauchler, P.A.
425 Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ 07068
(973)-228-9900

Thomas R. Reynolds
Steve Drake
Reynolds & Drake, P.C.
29 North Shore Road
P. O. Box 345
Absecon, NJ 08201
609-645-7406

James M. Ronan
Ronan, Tuzzio & Giannone
One Hovchild Plaza
4000 Route 66
Tinton Falls, NJ 07753
(732)-922-3300

David P. Weeks
Ruprecht, Hart & Weeks, LLP
306 Main Street
Millburn, NJ 07041
(973)-379-2400

James P. Savio
LAW OFFICE OF JAMES P. SAVIO
9220 Amherst Avenue, First Floor
Post Office Box 3163
Margate, NJ 08402
(609)-823-2555

Stanley P. Stahl
Dominic A. DeLaurentis, Jr.
John A. Talvacchia
Stahl & DeLaurentis, P.C.
Suite 103
1103 Laurel Oak Road
Voorhees, NJ 08043
(856)-380-9200

The existing list is not fully inclusive of all defense attorneys used by NJ PURE and may be modified without notice. Although NJ PURE is open to suggested use of attorneys in your area, NJ PURE reserves the right to select defense counsel.