James Chippendale - Partner

Partner of CSI Insurance Brokers, niche insurance broker specializing in coverage for the entertainment and hospitality industries.

James began his career in insurance in 1992 with Gregg-Miller & Associates, a specialty managing General Agency with $35 million premium volume. As Vice President of Marketing, he implemented and developed new programs for the Southwest region. During his tenure with Gregg-Miller, James developed the National Hospitality Program and co-developed both the Tow Truck and Home Health Care National Insurance Programs.

Using his background in developing niche insurance programs, James started his own agency, CMI, in April 1994. CMI specialized in niche programs for hospitality venues, convenience stores, used car dealers, contractors and special events.

In 2002, CMI merged with Talent Spalding, a specialized company in meeting the insurance needs of individual entertainers and athletes — including Spud Webb, Randy White, and Mookie Blaylock — and formed CSI Insurance Management. Since its founding, CSI has become one of the nation’s leading entertainment insurance brokers, providing coverage for more than 2,000 concerts and special events annually.

The success of CSI — and the expertise gained from working with more than 1,500 entertainment business owners and operators — has enabled James to become a noted speaker and columnist for the entertainment Industry. He has appeared in renowned publications such as Pollstar, Rolling Stone, Billboard and the Insurance Journal.

James has become a national figure as a leukemia spokesperson and survivor, and is co-founder of his “rock n’ roll charity,” Love Hope Strength Foundation. James has made more than 350 media appearances, including ABC, Fox News, CNN, USA TODAY, MSNBC, Bloomberg, Good Morning America, American Way, The New York Times, and The Howard Stern Radio and TV shows.

In addition, he hosts a lifestyle television segment called “Last Call with James Chippendale” during the sports show “Out of Bounds” — which airs on the NBC affiliate in Dallas on Sunday nights. The segment showcases an athlete, musician or celebrity and their favorite place to eat, drink, dance, play, or hang with friends and family.

Love Hope Strength Foundation

In March 2000, James was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of leukemia and given a 50% chance of survival, It was only through a generous bone marrow transplant from a German donor (from a tiny village outside Berlin) was James able to successfully beat his cancer.

Inspired by his battle, James launched the Love Hope Strength Foundation in 2006. Along with co-founder and cancer survivor Mike Peters of the music group The Alarm, they are providing critical funding and awareness for cancer centers worldwide. The mission is to save lives, right now, with the advances that have already been made in cancer care. Love Hope Strength Foundation (LHSF) is an international, music-centric cancer charity dedicated to providing support for cancer centers and inspiration to those affected throughout the world.

With chapters in the U.S., U.K., South America, Africa and Australia, the Love Hope Strength Foundation is now one of the fastest growing cancer foundations in the world. They are traveling the globe to remote venues, such as the base camp of Everest, the top of The Empire State Building, the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, and Mount Kilimanjaro (with many more to come), reaching out through the universal language of music to purchase life-saving equipment, spread awareness, promote early detection, and register people to the International Bone Marrow Database.

Joining the LHSF army in the battle against cancer are musicians from every corner of the globe. From high school bands and Nepalese folk singers, to rock ‘n' roll legends such as members of The Cult, The Stray Cats, Gin Blossoms, Chuck Berry, The Fixx, Tokyo Police Club, Squeeze, Candlebox, Seether, Smithereens, Dick Dale, Everclear and hundreds more have done their part to help spread the word through music.

www.lovehopestrength.org