'Cat Center' calm, critical in storm Allstate campus mobilizes adjusters for disasters.(Business)

0 Comments | Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), August, 2005 | by Comerford, Mike

Byline: Mike Comerford Daily Herald Business Writer Wearing wire-rimmed glasses, a black sweater and comfortable sandals, Ann Chapman on Tuesday afternoon sits in her cubicle on Allstate Corp.' s South Barrington campus. Her blue eyes fix on her computer screen, watching a tropical depression, the winding down of Hurricane Katrina.

The storm continues to inflict havoc as it swings east of its expected path through Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Hundreds of miles away the storm churns up lives and property. In this Elgin resident's cubicle, a silvery, round smiley face sits on top of her computer with the inscription, "Can your smile be heard?" "There's no chaos here," Chapman says, referring to the hush of her insurance claims office. Instead,...