Leader's Edge: Recent Episodes
A Council Platform
Established in 2004, Leader’s Edge is the award-winning content platform for The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, covering legal and legislative issues, international business and regulation, management trends and best practices, technology, and more. Leader’s Edge is written and recorded for large and mid-sized commercial insurance and employee benefit executives around the globe.
Brokers Vice President of Government Affairs Audra Jackson for a discussion during the 2026 Employee Benefits Leadership Forum.CEBE is the executive committee that guides The Council’s government affairs team in benefits-related advocacy and policy decisions. Olson, vice president of EB growth at brokerage BroadStreet Partners, discusses his priorities as CEBE chair, the “frustration and anger” over healthcare affordability and the complexity of change that would bring it in line, and the qualities he looks for in new industry talent.
Talking with Leader’s Edge at the 2026 Employee Benefits Leadership Forum, Dennis Gushue, ThreeFlow’s senior vice president of sales, discusses why he sees increased desire among carriers for data integration.He also dives into the AI experimentation he sees in the industry, how to spot pitfalls in that work, and weighing AI vendors.
In this episode recorded live at The Council's Employee Benefits Leadership Forum, Leader's Edge Podcast Producer Zach Ewell sits down with Isabelle Moins of APRIL International to talk international health insurance.Moins maps out how historically insuring expats abroad has given way to a new class of digital nomads and remote employees, needing new benefit solutions. From simplified digital-first coverage to the risks of under-assessing employer needs abroad, this conversation dives deep into the trends reshaping corporate international health insurance.
In this episode of The Politics & Risk Podcast, Democratic Representative Adam Gray of California’s 13th Congressional District shares how the ongoing government shutdown is affecting his constituents—and what can be done to end it.The Council’s senior vice president Joel Kopperud, vice president of government affairs Blaire Bartlett, and director of government affairs Audra Jackson also join the conversation to break down how we got here.
With the last day of the conference buzzing around us, the Leader’s Edge podcast caught up with Rob Newbold, president of extreme event solutions at Verisk.He shared takeaways from Verisk’s latest Global Modeled Catastrophe Losses report, discussed how modeling has evolved to use new data and technology and respond to modern climate risk, and offered suggestions for better integration and use of advanced modeling in the insurance ecosystem.
Speaking with the Leader’s Edge podcast at the Insurance Leadership Forum, Julie Wood, CEO of QBE North America, discusses the culture of dialogue, thoughtful listening, and transparency that she is fostering at QBE.She shares candid learning experiences from her personal history that are truly valuable lessons for leaders everywhere.
Sitting down with Leader’s Edge during at the Insurance Leadership Forum, Mike Victorson, CEO of M3 Insurance and co-CEO of BrokerTech Ventures, takes us back to his first real leadership experience and all the way through to what the next five years of innovation could look like in the insurance industry. Don’t miss this conversation live from ILF!
In this episode of the Personal Lines podcast, Chad King, CEO of King Risk Partners, shares how his career pursuits led him from professional baseball to insurance, what its like running a small business, and shares stories of leadership and innovation.
Every October, millions of Americans flock to haunted house attractions, or "haunts" as they are also called, to be entertained.From theme parks to mom-and-pop operations, over 1,200 haunted attractions open their doors to scare seekers each year, according to the organization America Haunts. The haunted house industry generates $500 million in ticket sales annually, with an average of 8,000 guests per attraction and some locations employing dozens of scare actors. But in this business, the risks—like the devil—are in the details.For the Leader’s Edge podcast, market analyst and podcast producer Zach Ewell spoke with people who love working at scare attractions and people who insure them. They share the risks that put them in danger and the policies that protect them.
In this episode of the Personal Lines podcast, Curtis Barton, CEO of ALKEME, shares why he chose a career in insurance, what it was like building a business alongside his father, and the most valuable business lesson he’s learned along the way.
Nationwide’s John Anthony, SVP, Contract P&C and Excess, E&S Wholesale, discusses advanced data use in E&S underwriting.In this episode, we dive deep into advancements in data analysis in underwriting in excess and surplus lines.We discuss how the evolution of third-party data and the use of AI have helped turn raw data into usable information, change management and barriers to implementing advanced technology in underwriting, and what’s on the horizon in this changing field.
AXA XL’s Head of Wholesale Solutions in the Americas Tim Whisler discusses growth, goals, and getting there.In our latest conversation with AXA XL, we discuss their focus on building out their wholesale solutions, including the programs segment, excess & surplus (E&S), and the wholesale underwriting unit.Topics include the value of the wholesale broker in complex risk markets, trends in E&S, and the importance of talent in achieving growth goals.
Lisa Hawker, Regional COO of people solutions at Lockton, and the current chair of the Council of Employee Benefits Executives, and Jenn Walsh, Founder and CEO of Genuine Shift, sat down with Leader’s Edge at the 2025 Employee Benefits Leadership Forum.They share stories drawn from over 30 years each of experience, muse on trends, and focus on the future of employee benefits.
Tom O’Neal's career has spanned over half a century.He made an early name for himself during the 1960s and ’70s, with photographs gracing the album covers of rock legends such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Steppenwolf, B.B. King, John Denver, and many, many more.In addition to photographing the musicians and songwriters who defined a generation, Tom has spent the past two decades photographing events hosted by The Council. After wrapping up a conference, podcast Producer Zach Ewell sat down with Tom to discuss his history with The Council, how he gets his subjects to open up, and how he feels about the ever-changing media landscape.
In this episode of the Personal Lines podcast, Ed Cha shares how his career path led to the insurance industry, says why he finds learning a reward for his job, and dives deep into the problem-solving intricacies of his role.
In this episode, Leader's Edge hosts its third conversation at The Council's Employee Benefits Leadership Forum, with Ahmed Marmoush, co-founder and CEO of Handl Health, an AI platform that aggregates and analyzes publicly available healthcare pricing data to aid insurance brokers.A world traveler, Marmoush discusses his life’s journey of immigrating to several countries, how he was inspired to start his business, and the intricacies of AI.
In this episode, FIRST Insurance Funding Vice President of Business Solutions Nolan Steenberg goes deep on agency payment processing system integration.Steenberg dives into detail around the current state of automation and the benefits agencies can reap when investing in integration. Later he shares what options suit different-size agencies.FIRST Insurance Funding is not endorsing any specific payment service provider or making representations about their privacy and data security resources. Any agency, broker, or any other entity that desires to work with a payment service provider should conduct their own due diligence as part of their vendor evaluation process to assess the necessary risks.
In this episode, Leader's Edge hosts its second conversation at The Council's Employee Benefits Leadership Forum, with Jochen Körner, CEO of Ecclesia Group, a Germany-based brokerage.Körner dives into detail about the Krankenhausversorgungsverbesserungsgesetz, which is changing how the German hospital system operates and funds itself. Körner also shares how his family’s history of working at brokerages led to his career in insurance and offers advice for people looking to break into the industry.
“Nobody wins when the insurance company can’t afford to sell insurance and the homeowners can’t afford to buy insurance.”In this episode of the Politics & Risk podcast, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) discusses the increasing pressure that wildfires are placing on insurance companies and their clients.Westerman for years has been a chief champion of the Fix Our Forests Act, a bipartisan bill that includes a host of measures to transform federal forest management in order to reduce the wildfire threat. The legislation easily passed out of the House in January, and Westerman expressed optimism that the Senate will also approve it and send it on to President Donald Trump for signing.
In this episode, Leader's Edge hosts a conversation at The Council's Employee Benefits Leadership Forum with Jonathan Hsieh, CEO of Pacific Prime Americas.Hsieh shares how his background in law helped him break into insurance industry, how medical inflation and tariffs are impacting his clients, and what trends he’s watching in the benefits market.
A conversation onsite at The Council’s Employee Benefits Leadership Forum with Prudential’s John Trevisan, Head of Distribution for Group Insurance, and Mark Devine, Vice President, Head of Life, Absence & Disability Product.Having recently surveyed employers and employees about modern benefits, Prudential gathered data on the disconnects between the two groups.In addition to discussing the survey results, the conversation covers benefits-related technology, opportunities for growth, new product development, better client service, and the 150-year history that provides the foundation for Prudential today.
In this podcast, Scott Goodreau CEO of Brightstone Specialty Group, shares childhood stories of waking up at 3 a.m. to help his dad's canteen truck business, and how that informed his entrepreneurial nature.Goodreau also dives into why higher education changed his life and how he started his company.
In this edition of our AXA XL podcast series, head of large commercial Donna Nadeau sits down with Leader’s Edge to talk about the latest on large-business risk.Nadeau discusses how clients are dealing with the impacts of tariffs, potential supply chain disruptions, AI algorithm bias, and much more.
It’s been nearly five years since Leader's Edge began the Falling Into It podcast.Our purpose is to interview up-and-coming insurance talent to find out why they chose this industry. These professionals have pivoted to insurance from careers on the fields of Major League Baseball and sailing the seas for the U.S. Coast Guard, to name just two.In this episode, we’re going back to school. We meet two former teachers who went from education to employee benefits. First up is Casey Allsbrooks, an elementary school teacher and librarian for 29 years who recently jumped to working as an account manager at the Marsh McLennan Agency. Next, we meet Julia Lacoste, who taught middle school for two years before pivoting to insurance, where she works as an account manager at CBIZ.Both women share why they moved to the industry of risk. Their stories are a part of a larger narrative insurers may want to pay attention to: past educators being a great source of talent for the industry.
In this episode, Kristina Talkowski, head of commercial lines, middle market for Nationwide, shares takeaways from a recent survey of small and medium sized businesses.Among the range of risk management issues covered are economic concerns, supply chain disruptions, cyber threats and regulatory compliance issues. She also discusses gaps in risk preparedness for middle market businesses, industry opportunities, and more.
A conversation with the president of McGohan Brabender. A native of Ashland, Ohio, Beth Ferrin shares how growing up in Amish country shaped her formative years, what it's like being the first female president of her firm, and the importance of advocacy in her role.
In this episode Leader's Edge talks with Matthew Scally and Grier Dienstag from McKinsey.Both authors of “Investing in insurance: The value imperative,” discuss recent private investment trends in insurance. They also evaluate what made 2024 M&A unique, and share why they expect increased deal activity this year.
The BrokerTech Ventures 2025 Accelerator startups are putting artificial intelligence to work in new ways, rethinking back-office processes from telephony support to employee offboarding, says Accelerator Executive Director John Jackovin.Talking to Leader’s Edge on the eve of the multiday, in-person BTV Mania, Jackovin shares insights on new areas of startup focus, investment trends, and what BTV startups and partners have to look forward to when they gather this week.
A conversation with Ryan Specialty’s chief compliance and privacy officer and head of diversity, equity, and inclusion.In this episode, Michael Blackshear discusses how growing up in New York City shaped him, how his consistent pursuit of education informs his role, and finding out that his father was an undercover detective.
At the start of 2025 the AI industry and stock market were both blindsided.By the end of Monday, Jan. 27, nearly $1 trillion in value had been wiped off the Nasdaq 100. U.S. tech companies that had invested billions of dollars in AI now faced new competition from DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup. Supposedly only costing $6 million to develop, and as intelligent as OpenAI’s reasoning models, the open-source application became the most downloaded free app for iPhone when released.For Brandon Nuttall, chief digital and AI officer at industry data solutions provider Xceedance, this was a Sputnik moment for the AI industry–referring to moment in which the Soviet Union surprised the United States and jump-started the space race in 1957 by sending the first artificial satellite into space. In this podcast, Nuttall discusses the risks for companies that use DeepSeek, how the AI was created, and why it needs significantly less energy than other large language models.
In an interview conducted on-site at The Council's Insurance Leadership Forum last Fall, Leader's Edge spoke with Mike Krzyzewski, former head coach for Duke University men's basketball and the Team USA Olympics team.Krzyzewski shares stories of leadership, talent, and rivalries with Editor-in-Chief Sandy Laycox, who attended the University of North Carolina, Duke’s primary rival. Although Krzyzewski is retired, the rivalry burns strong.
A conversation with the president of The Partners Group.In this episode, Sarah Friend shares how and why she started her own podcast, the importance of community in retaining young professionals, and her philosophy on leadership.
While on assignment to cover the disproportionate impact of natural catastrophes on low-income families and small businesses, journalist Russ Banham was evacuated from his own Los Angeles home. A Los Angeles County native, Banham himself was forced to evacuate his home with his family as the Eaton Fire edged toward his neighborhood in January. After the fire was contained, Russ was able to return to his neighborhood and house, still intact. He shares his personal experience and details from his reporting.
In this episode, Council VP of Health Policy & Strategy Katie King sits down with Dave Kerrigan, founder and CEO of benefits solution aggregator BenefitPitch, to get his take on the trends driving brokers and employers to prioritize solutions that thread the needle on controlling costs and retaining employees.From AI in benefits to the growth of individual coverage HRAs, Kerrigan discusses which solutions are top of mind, which are falling out of favor, and where we might see the most trend growths in 2025.
In this episode we meet Benjamin Verlingue, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Adelaide Group.Verlingue shares his story of becoming the 4th generation to run his family’s insurance business. He discusses what changes he wants to see during his time of leadership, and differences and misconceptions between U.S. and France.
In this podcast episode, we discuss women’s health and healthcare with chief medical officer Dr. Janet Choi and chief development officer Julie Stadlbauer from Progyny, a fertility, family building and women’s health benefits provider. From the history of exclusion in medical research, to the fragmented system and myriad point solutions now available, women’s healthcare requires expertise and navigation, the experts say. And it’s an opportunity for employers to better serve this crucial population.
In the second interview conducted on-site at The Council's Insurance Leadership Forum in October, Leader's Edge spoke with Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.Goodwin offers insights on the political strife, past and present, that has challenged numerous generations of Americans. She also offers anecdotes concerning the history of the presidency, a message on the importance of young people bringing change to the world, and leadership lessons applicable to all.
In this episode, Matt Waters, head of US Middle Market for AXA XL, shares what it has taken for his team to build out its business over the past couple of years.Waters also discusses what characteristics impact the middle market and what industry segments the company is focused on.
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the 2024 Insurance Leadership Forum, Leader's Edge held open mic hours in the magazine's podcast booth where conference guests could sit down and share thoughts on any topic.First to join in conversation was Kevin Davis, president of Kevin Davis Insurance Services, who shared how he uses his own podcast to help his business. Next, Leader’s Edge’s book reviewer Scott Naugle discussed the similarities between recommending a book and an insurance policy.
A Christmas miracle on Capitol Hill keeps the federal government funded through March 14, 2025.In this year-end episode of Politics & Risk, The Council’s senior vice president and vice president of government affairs, Joel Kopperud and Blaire Bartlett, discuss the turmoil in Washington, D.C., as Congress struggles to keep the government open through the new year.Additionally, Bartlett interviews Republican Rep. David Joyce, of Ohio’s 14th Congressional District. The congressman offers his thoughts on the incoming presidential administration and hot-button legislation pertaining to cannabis and banking.
Mark Siebold, SVP and head of workplace solutions at Wintrust Workplace Solutions, offers a comprehensive overview of health savings accounts (HSAs) and the benefits to both employers and employees.
Soldiers engaging in combat with native tribes in post-Civil War America. The free press waging a war of words on companies in the Wild West. A massive parade celebrating the tricentennial of the Massachusetts colony. These are all scenes that shaped the way American’s think about risk, from author Katherine Hempstead’s new book Uncovered: The Story of Insurance in America. The book shares how the American insurance industry developed over a period of centuries.In this discussion, Hempstead takes us through the stories and people in her book
Lívia Albuquerque Bisoni has had a fascinating life.After working in Brazil’s fashion industry and then pivoting to insurance and moving to Portugal, the 33-year-old today is head of international and institutional relations for MDS Group. Fresh off her team’s win in the Global Broker Smackdown at the 2024 Insurance Leadership Forum, Bisoni shares with Leader’s Edge how she was able to switch careers, the importance of international business etiquette, and what risk trends she foresees impacting clients next year.
Given his background working with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and medical insurers, as well as working with individuals to fill their prescriptions, Dr. Simon Leung, Vice President, Head of Pharmacy, Conner Strong & Buckelew has in some ways seen it all. Leung’s experience has shaped his approach to pharmacy benefit consulting and his view on transparency with respect to drug costs. He discusses where all the different industry players disagree, which cost-saving levers employers have access to and the value of different types of data that inform client strategy.
Leader's Edge was on-site at The Council's Insurance Leadership Forum in October to capture the conversations and energy that always accompany this key industry gathering.In the first of three special interviews conducted at ILF, retired U.S. Navy Admiral James Stavridis, former NATO supreme allied commander Europe and a current board member of global broker Aon, discusses what risks American companies face from abroad, what trends he foresees impacting the world, and what U.S. citizens can do to tamp down the political divisiveness running rampant in our country.
Everyone in the insurance value chain wins when the broker is equipped with better data, says Jeff Cohen, senior vice president at Zywave.Cohen paints a vivid picture of what a fully optimized digital industry could look like, but cautions that we’re not there yet. He discusses where the industry is on this journey, why digital evolution is moving at the pace that it is, and what we can do about it. He also digs into the differences between manual and digital processes, how to bring out useful data points for insureds, and how Zywave is building its data from the ground up.
Being a bank-owned premium financing company means that the economic environment, especially changes in banking, is a major factor in the business landscape, says Ben Rubin, chief risk officer for FIRST Insurance Funding & Wintrust Life Finance. In this podcast, sponsored by First Insurance Funding, Rubin discusses the particulars of the current financial services environment and how brokers can position premium financing in their conversations with clients. He also explains the different options it provides, how different sized companies might use premium financing in different ways, and more.
In this episode we meet Ryan L. Smith, Executive Vice President of Atlanta Life Insurance.Smith shares how his childhood entrepreneurial mindset led him to working with NBA legend Magic Johnson. He also discusses his perspective on life insurance, and why its vital for a family member to have.
For hundreds of years the insurance market known as Lloyd's of London has played a notorious role in the world of risk and finance.To understand how this market started, podcast producer Zach Ewell spoke with Geraldine Morgan, a history enthusiast who gives tours in London England around the history of Lloyds and insurance. Morgan takes us on a tour from the great fire of London of 1666 to the establishment of Lloyd’s Coffee Shop.
One year into the newly created role of head of North America, AXIS' Mike McKenna joins the Leader’s Edge podcast to discuss how he plans to execute on opportunities in the market as Axis dives deeper into specialty lines. McKenna drills down into where the opportunities are in the difficult casualty market, discusses the company’s new Lloyd’s syndicate focused on the energy transition, and talks about serving the lower middle market effectively.
As Fall conference season gears up, BrokerTech Ventures’ John Jackovin, Executive Director of the BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator, shares some insight into the upcoming BrokerTech Connect, a broker-focused mini-event held during InsureTech Connect in Las Vegas in October. Jackovin discusses the evolution of the conference over the years and what’s hot in Insurtech right now.
Can we fix the polarization that has engulfed our politics and government?According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, public trust in government has edged near all-time lows in recent years.The nonpartisan organization She Should Run believes part of the answer to fixing this problem includes increasing the number of women in public office. To understand how increasing women’s participation in public office could improve public trust in government, podcast producer Zach Ewell spoke with Tracey Vasile, a member of the Planning Board for Foxborough, Massachusetts, home of the New England Patriots. Vasile is also senior vice president for client strategy at Verisk, an information services company that specializes in risk. The New England native discusses her journey serving in elected office, the importance of women running, and recent risk trends.
In this edition of our AXA XL podcast series, chief client and distribution officer Matt O’Malley sits down with Leader’s Edge after taking on this newly created role for the insurer. He explains the interconnected risk that drove AXA XL to create this position and what he hopes to achieve in the role. He also talks market trends including the early Atlantic storm season, cyber risk, and opportunity in casualty.
In this episode of Politics & Risk from The Council’s government affairs team, SVP Joel Kopperud interviews Democratic Rep. Joe Courtney, who represents Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District.The congressman discusses his party’s new excitement surrounding the presidential ticket after President Joe Biden’s withdrew from the 2024 election, possible running mate picks for Vice President Kamala Harris after she became the Democratic Party candidate, and what’s at stake in November.
For over 34 years Mike St. Lawrence traveled the United States selling alien abduction insurance on local TV news and radio shows.With nearly 7,000 coverages sold at a $24.95 asking price, the Florida resident offered a $10 million payout for proof of abduction. The catch: The payout would come at $1 annually for 10 million years. Following our 2021 interview with St. Lawrence, podcast producer Zach Ewell recently attempted to reach the self-proclaimed comedian insurer to see how his business was going and pick his mind on current UFO phenomena.
In this episode we meet Dan Horton, CEO of the Horton GroupHorton shares how he made the career jump from airline pilot to insurance executive, the influence that family has had in his life, and the importance of company culture.
How is artificial intelligence shaking up the film industry?Sinead Murphy, managing director at carrier MiC Specialty, discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the film and media industries.With over 12 years of underwriting experience, Murphy shares how AI risks will impact E&O, cyber, and other policy coverages. She also discusses how this new technology is affecting the relationship between brokers and carriers. This conversation comes nearly a year after the Screen Actors Guild went on strike for reasons that included AI being used to replace actors’ performances.
In this edition of the Politics & Risk podcast, The Council’s government affairs team is onsite at the Employee Benefits Leadership Forum (EBLF) with Council VP of health policy & strategy Katie King. King oversees the Council of Employee Benefits Executives’ agenda and reveals new insights presented to the group by McKinsey, including findings from McKinsey’s brand new 2024 employer survey. The team also discusses what potential federal budget and tax code decisions could mean for employer-sponsored insurance next year.
Blake Watts, channel partnerships leader for Ochsner Health, has a busy agenda for The Council’s Employee Benefits Leadership Forum [EBLF] this year.Speaking with Leader’s Edge on the first day of the meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Watts said he was looking forward to conversations with his peers on healthcare point solutions and partnering with the consulting community.In this podcast, Watts dives into “point solution fatigue” and research that has thrown the value of these services in healthcare into question. He also discusses Ochsner’s focus on value-based care and addressing health challenges in the company’s home state of Louisiana, among other topics.
In this episode we meet Belen Tokarski, President and COO of Mylo.Tokarski shares inspirational stories of family members who inspire her, how she fell into the insurance industry. And why she’s sticking around.
In the latest episode of Politics & Risk from The Council’s government affairs team, SVP Joel Kopperud interviews Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen, who has represented Colorado’s 7th Congressional District since 2023.Having served in the Colorado state legislature for a decade prior to becoming a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Pettersen shares the top issues for Coloradans, including housing and climate change.As a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, Pettersenalso dives deep into the systematic issues that Congress faces when getting work done.
This Spring has seen protests pop up on college campuses all over America.As a result of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, student organizations have been demanding action from their universities to divest from Israel. Meanwhile counter protests have also occurred. While some protests have stayed peaceful, others have broken out in violence. Lucy Straker, Focus Group Leader of Political Violence & Deadly Weapons Protection at Beazley, and Matthew Westhoff, Head of North American Commercial Property at Beazley discuss strike, riot and civil commotion policies (SRCC). Additionality they share the risks associated with the upcoming 2024 election and current heightened political climate.
A conversation with GameStop’s Co-founderVideo games, eccentric personalities and past presidential candidates have all made their way through Gary Kusin's career.The entrepreneur and business mentor is the former CEO of FedEx Office and co-founded the company now known as GameStop. Kusin shares how he started the first large-scale video game retailer, why GameStop surged in the financial market during the meme stock craze of 2021, and how a summer internship at an insurance company changed his outlook on leadership and life. We spoke with Kusin ahead of the April 30 publication of his new book, Always Learning.
In this episode we meet Tim Hall, CEO of Relation Insurance Services. Hall shares how he got his start creating a business in high school, what life is like in his home state of Nebraska, and how the insurance industry needs to sell itself to a younger generation.
Donnacha Smyth, president of global excess casualty for AXA XL, discusses pressure points in the market and his takeaways from brokers.In the newest addition to our AXA XL podcast series, Donnacha Smith, president of global excess casualty for AXA XL, discusses ongoing claims litigation and nuclear verdicts, geopolitical tensions, climate change and renewables, and how to remain relevant for clients dealing with these pressures.
Creating efficiency and speed for agents and brokers is a major topic in this podcast sponsored by BrokerTech Ventures. Jeff Lobeman, assistant vice president for digital and head of innovation, and Bob Pick, CIO and executive vice president, both at Tokio Marine North America, discuss how they stay on top of brokers’ operational and customer service needs, balancing automation and human interaction, and what’s next for insurers and the internet of things.
"I like to be where the rubber meets the road."In this episode we meet Jenni Lee Crocker, President of PCF Insurance Services. Crocker shares how growing up in a small town in Virginia shaped her outlook on life, and how experiences from her local community gave her the tools and can do attitude to tackle whatever her job and the industry demands of her. She also explains what characteristics contribute to good office culture.
With a reduction in deals and dollars, insurtech investment going forward will favor companies with a proven track record and products that will be widely usable across the insurance industry, says Kylie Hubbard, director of innovation at Insurica. In this podcast, sponsored by Ascend, Hubbard also provides a broker perspective on the state of data connectivity and discusses whether and how the insurance industry will use technologies such as blockchain and AI.
A conversation on digital evolution with IVANS CEO Reid Holzworth.We discuss connectivity, carriers data evolution and how AI is really being used in the insurance industry.
A discussion with Pamela Wheeler, Chief Diversity Officer at NFP.In this episode we meet Pamela Wheeler, who shares stories about her early career in the sports industry working for the WNBA. Then Wheeler dives deep into why she traded in sports for insurance, and why its important to understand DE&I as a business imperative.
In this podcast sponsored by finance automation platform Ascend, we talk with Andrew Wynn, Ascend co-founder and CEO. In between conversations about digitization, integration and what good looks like, we discuss the nature of relationships, community and the thread between his time in the Peace Corps and insurance.
What kind of knowledge and benefits does a past minor league pitcher wish he had?Slade Smith, Employee Benefits Specialist at Cobbs Allen shares stories about the early days of his career as a professional baseball player, drafted by the Detroit Tigers, and how he pivoted to working in the insurance industry after an injury.The 33-year-old also shares his thoughts on what major trends the employee benefits space could see in the near future.
Will Democrats or Republicans flip or flop The House and Senate?The Council’s SVP and VP of government affairs Joel Kopperud and Blaire Bartlett kicks off their Legislative Summit with a run down of today's hotbed of political issues.They talk flipping the house and senate, regulatory issues in the healthcare space, reauthorizing tax cuts, PBM transparency and cannabis.
Keith Schuler, CEO of InterWest Insurance Services shares his background and brokerage history, industry issues, as well as his new focus as Council Board Chair.
art of our AXA XL sponsored podcast series, we talk with Lucy Pilko, CEO, Insurance in the Americas for AXA XL. Just a couple months into the role, Pilko talks about beginning the process of executing AXAL XL’s long and short term strategic visions. She discusses market opportunities and areas of challenge, and learning how to really use the data and technology we now have access to.
Wick shares what he learned from his short comings in brokerage relationships, and how that prompted him to start his own firm. He additionally talks about the importance of vulnerability, the process of change, being a community focused agency and acquisition strategy.
In this podcast sponsored by AXIS, we talk with Jay Hamilton, Global Head of Accident and Health Insurance at AXIS. He discusses the eclectic mix of product lines in accident and health, current lines of interest including employee benefits, pet insurance, and travel, among others. He also discusses market headwinds, the outlook for 2024, and aligning with market and client needs.
In this special podcast episode, the Leader’s Edge art team dissects work created by AI art generator Dall-E. Using our October cover story on artificial intelligence as the basis for our own AI experiment, we gave the same exact instructions to a human illustrator and the AI art generator tool, then compared the results and chose one for our October cover. This conversation is our post-mortem on the process. Contributors include Leader’s Edge creative director Brad Latham, associate art directors Raeanne Hytone and Ted Lopez, content specialist/AV producer Zach Ewell, editor in chief Sandy Laycox, and publisher Susan Rushford.
The Council’s SVP of government affairs Joel Kopperud interviews Congressman Pat Ryan (D-NY).Son of an insurance agent, Rep. Ryan discusses his relationship with the insurance industry, the important issues impacting his constituents and global ramifications of national security. Additionally, the team shares exciting news on PBM reform.
A conversation with Steve Sublett, Senior Director of Employee Experience and Engagement, CBIZ, San Diego, California.Sublett shares what it was like growing up on the grounds of an Illinois juvenile state penitentiary where his father was the warden, and how that experience shaped his life. He also discusses what lead him to the insurance industry.
In this episode of our partner podcast series with global insurer AXA XL, we talk Steven Bauman, Global Programs & Captives Director, for the Americas for AXA XL. The conversation covers the unprecedented growth in captives in recent years, new lines forming captives that haven’t before, and how captives play a role in risk management and transfer for systemic risk.
In this episode, The Council’s VP of government affairs Blaire Bartlett is joined by guest host Charlie Daniels, SVP of NFP.The two interview Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY). Their discussion touches on Molinaro’s history of service, farm policy, the importance of inclusion in the workforce and legislation on the hill post Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s reign as House Speaker.
In this podcast sponsored by Nationwide, Mark Berven, president and chief operating officer of Nationwide Property and Casualty, shares his thoughts on range of topics. The conversation incudes uncertainty and inflationary pressures in the casualty market, continued pressure from weather in property, building and pricing for resiliency, and how carriers can improve transparency amid these factors so brokers can work proactively with clients on managing risk.
A conversation with Olga Collins, CEO, Worldwide Broker Network, Atlanta Georgia.Collins discusses her international background, love for languages, food and travel, and how she became interested in risk management.
In this podcast sponsored by AXIS, Ann Haugh, CEO of Axis Re, digs into current trends in the reinsurance market. She discusses headwinds in the property and casualty markets, as well as areas of opportunity. Also on the agenda are emerging risk and reflections on one year into her role.
In this installment of Politics & Risk, Council SVP of government affairs Joel Kopperud talks with Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL).They discuss the tumultuous path to electing a new House Speaker, clean energy and impacts of the the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The Council’s SVP and VP of government affairs Joel Kopperud and Blaire Bartlett, respectively, discuss how a breakdown in negotiations in Congress have led to a pending government shutdown.How will House Speaker McCarthy move forward? How is he working across the aisle while negotiating within his own party? The team also discusses news on the pharmacy benefit manager front and shares exciting updates for the Insurance Leadership Forum.
Since the pandemic, experts have cautioned that the office building market is poised for collapse. In this podcast, we hear directly from Ryan Flanagan, executive vice president and real estate practice leader at Heffernan Insurance Brokers, on how his office clients are coping with post-pandemic workforce changes. He also discusses crime as a growing factor in property rates, along with persistent natural catastrophe losses, and how the overall economic environment is affecting property owners.
In this episode of Falling Into It, we chat with Mara Blagojevich, a Senior Marine Risk Consultant at Allianz Commercial.Blagojevich attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point New York where she later served in the U.S. Coast Guard early on in her career. The 29-year-old shares how serving during Hurricane Harvey became one of the most momentous challenges of her career, what it was like changing careers and working in insurance, and the most topical risk trends she foresees impacting shipping for the next decade.
A conversation with Kira Kimball, Chief Diversity Officer, Marsh McLennan Agency , Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Kira Kimball shares innovations within DE&I and what has kept her in the insurance space, all while sharing pride for her home state of South Dakota.
As our podcast series with global insurer AXA XL continues, we host Rose Hall, senior vice president and head of innovation for the Americas, and Billy Volz, Southwest property underwriting leader and ecosystem ambassador for AXA XL. The intersection of their two roles is at the heart of the conversation as we discuss technological innovation in risk management, the rate of client adoption and how that factors into policy terms and conditions.
The Council’s SVP and VP of government affairs Joel Kopperud and Blaire Bartlett bring the latest from Capitol Hill and around the country as states make legislative moves regarding non-compete agreements and legal defense costs.
Plus, Heather Steinmiller, executive partner, general counsel and national claim advocacy and consulting leader for brokerage Conner Strong & Buckelew joins Joel Kopperud for a conversation with Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA), who represents Steinmiller’s hometown.
Aaron Davidson, CEO of Relay, has a long history in insurance, starting with Aon nearly 20 years ago as it was being investigated by Eliot Spitzer. His path to now leading the multi-carrier insurance platform has evolved along with his theories on digitization. He discusses where the industry is in its digital evolution, which markets are saturated, which are underdeveloped, and how complexity of risk translates into complexity of process.
Plus, a deep dive on cyber markets.
Church Mutual Insurance CEO Alan Ogilvie talks current risk trends in purpose-driven organizations. With a policyholder base that includes youth camps, schools, religious institutions, senior living facilities and several non-profits, Church Mutual Insurance has a wide range of risks to cover.
In this episode of our new government affairs podcast, Council VP of government affairs Blaire Bartlett talks with Rep. Erin Houchin (R-IN). A member of both the House Financial Services and Education and Workforce committees, Houchin is entrenched in multiple issues crucial to the insurance industry, including healthcare costs, flood insurance, and support for small businesses. She has always been driven to public service, and her story is one of local involvement, working parents, and a “won’t take no for an answer” attitude.
An adjunct professor at Columbia University, Masia discusses healthcare issues including Medicare price negotiations, the 340B drug pricing program and how current economic headwinds are impacting the healthcare landscape.
Bob Peretti, chief distribution officer, Americas, for AXA XL, discusses capacity in the property market, hidden costs reflected in underwriting, and how clients are leaning into risk management.
In this episode we pick the brain of Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA).Having worked with Liberty Mutual and a cyber startup, Rep. Auchincloss brings insurance acumen to Capitol Hill. He shares his thoughts on debt limit issues, housing costs, gun violence and the astonishing amount of legislation that actually has been passed by Congress in recent years. Plus, Joel Kopperud, The Council’s SVP of government affairs, and Blaire Bartlett, The Council’s VP of government affairs, give an update on PBM legislation.
Our second installment in our Capitol Hill Chatter series brings Council president Joel Wood and SVP of government affairs Joel Kopperud to the mike, joined by special guest Rep. Mike Carey (R-OH).
Rep. Jason Smith plus The Council's government affairs team on Congressional priorities this year.
“Relentless” is how Bob Klonk describes the work ethic that was born from a childhood of scrimping and settling and has driven him to strive to outwork everyone for more than 45 years.As The Council’s 2023 board chair, he joined Leader’s Edge for a conversation on the changes he has seen in the employee benefits industry, Oswald’s 2020 merger with Maryland-based RCM&D, leading through a pandemic, and his role in the greater Cleveland community.
A graduate of the University of San Diego, Bellanca studied accounting. We discuss how he got his start in insurance, what advice he would give to his younger self, and how a positive daily routine keeps him happy, healthy and motivated.
Leader’s Edge caught up with Amrit David, managing director at Barclays, to discuss today’s market dynamics and how some macroeconomic conditions are impacting brokerage M&A going into the new year.
Bradley Plummer, senior vice president of employee benefits at Cottingham & Butler, shares how he went from an on-campus recruit to a long time insurance executive, and what it's like to have two sons play Division I college football.
Digging deeper into the concepts of inclusion and psychological safety, humanocracy, and the dangers of power, Farzad and Wright give leaders at all levels useful advice in this new age of humanness.
John Nelson, co-CEO of Warner Pacific, shares what inspired him to work in the insurance industry, the valuable lessons he has learned from historical figures, and the hobbies that help take his mind off work.
In our latest episode of the Leader’s Edge podcast, we speak with Dave Miles founding partner of ManchesterStory, an Iowa-based startup investor in the insurtech, fintech and health tech sectors. We talk with Miles about access to funding for diverse founders, what funding rounds might look like in the next year or so, and how Des Moines is a major insurance center with opportunities for numerous partnerships, including ManchesterStory's work with BrokerTech Ventures.
In this episode of Falling Into It, we meet Chris Senkbile, founder and CEO of Project Ferro, a client-first insurtech platform that uses data to create a digitally enabled customer experience.
An insightful, mixed-bag conversation with the former presidential candidate. Leader's Edge recently sat down with him to talk about the 2020 presidential election, big tech's role in disinformation, corporate social responsibility, climate change, the opioid crisis, and his plans for the future.
Vinnie Hager, president of JGS Insurance in Holmdel, New Jersey, talks about how his experience as an intern on Wall Street helped him realize a better life for himself in insurance. Hager also shares his love for sports and what inspired him to become a licensed charter boat captain.
Kacie Conroy, director of IT at M3 Insurance, has played a major role in the development of BrokerTech Ventures and the broker focused agenda at the major insurtech conference, InsureTech Connect (ITC). She shares her thoughts on tech development in the industry, how to reach future female talent at the start of their professional journey, and offers some sneak peeks from the upcoming BrokerTech Connect agenda at ITC.
Nolan Steenberg, solutions engineer at FIRST Insurance Funding, shares new developments in the digitization of premium financing, the importance of integrated systems, managing compliance and more.
Bill Johnson, founder, chairman and CEO of The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, shares how he was able to combine his knowledge of risk assessment and passion for film to pave a unique career path.
Havoc Shield is a cyber company that helps small and midsize businesses prepare to meet the ever-stringent requirements for cyber coverage. We discuss how the cyber threat has changed for small and midsize businesses and the challenges they have even completing the application. For brokers, this means business just sitting in the pipeline.
A conversation with Joe Tocco, Chief Executive Officer of the Americas, AXA XL
In our latest podcast, we speak with Joe Tocco, chief executive officer of the Americas for AXA XL. Our conversation revolves around the role environmental, social and governance (ESG) plays in companies’ decision-making, newly proposed ESG regulations and their potential effect on insurance carriers and the U.S. business community, and next steps the industry can take to evolve on these issues. Tocco also shares his personal experience with the social side of ESG, illustrating what happens when leadership truly understands diversity, equity and inclusion.
In this episode of Falling Into It, we meet Chris Moran, a senior underwriter of cyber, tech and media at Allianz Global Corporate Specialty. Moran, a young professional based in New York City, shares how he got into the field of underwriting, the role his internships played in paving his career path, and what he hopes to learn from Allianz' global underwriting exchange program—a unique opportunity to travel internationally and establish connections with different teams around the world.
The Council's government affairs team—Joel Wood, Joel Kopperud, and Blaire Bartlett—give us the latest on recent state legislative primaries, what a potential overturn of Roe v. Wade could mean for employers, and the push for transparency among pharmacy benefit managers.
Todd Thams, founder of Mod Advisor, just finished his in-person accelerator experience with BrokerTech Ventures and we are hearing firsthand what his team learned and how it will affect their business. We also talk a little workers comp.
Talking with ResourcePro CEO Dan Epstein. Having spent years helping all aspects of the insurance value chain improve their operations and innovate for the future, Epstein shares his thoughts on M&A, fragmentation and specialization, talent, and the future of risk.
Elizabeth Chrane, Chief People Officer at OneDigital shares lessons from her career and what changes she hopes to see in the insurance industry.
The BTV Accelerator offers unparalleled access to the broker community for up-and-coming insurtechs. John Fohr, co-founder and CEO of TrustLayer, shares why he chose to join BrokerTech Ventures’ first accelerator cohort and how his company has transformed in the years since.
The Pulitzer prize winner discusses his new book. Davis is also the author of The Gulf: The Making of an America Sea for which he was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize in history. He is a professor of history and the Rothman Family Chair in the Humanities at the University of Florida. Davis is a polymath—historian, environmentalist, researcher and raconteur—placing the reader into the context of several pivotal moments over the last 300 years of co-existing with the bald eagle. He discusses his latest book The Bald Eagle: The Improbable Journey of America’s Bird.
The newly launched Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, which aims to provide hundreds of commonly used prescription medications to patients at steep discounts, officially opened for online orders earlier this year. Using Truepill, a health tech platform, to fill and deliver prescriptions, the company keeps prices down by cutting out pharmacy benefit managers. Leader’s Edge caught up with co-founder Alex Oshmyansky, a medical researcher and former professor at Stanford University, and Ron Harrison, the company’s vice president of business development, at The Council’s Legislative & Working Groups Summit, to hear about the company’s goal to curb drug costs by working both as a retailer and its own PBM.
Sam Lisi, product director for Resilience cyber insurance, explains modularity, a cyber policy production process that allows for more flexibility and individuation of coverage. The policy architecture enables parallel policy work so that new product variations and/or provision variations can be efficiently developed and pushed to market without delay or interruption to the production process.
Matt O’Malley, US Country Manager for AXA XL, shares his path from middle school teacher to insurance executive and discusses the need to expand industry recruiting. We also talk about the trends driving insurance pricing and where AXA XL is investing in data-driven new products and initiatives.
Amy Steadman, Chief People Officer at Newfront San Francisco shares what makes a good workplace culture, what changes need to be made to the brokerage industry and how she approaches management in her position.
In this episode of Falling Into It, we meet Ben Peach, a 26-year-old associate director of digital assets at Aon. A graduate from the University of Birmingham in England, Peach studied international relations, political science and political economy. Peach shares his passion for cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies, and how that led to him to working in the insurance industry.
The Council's Republican leaning SVP Joel Wood, Democratic VP Joel Kopperud, and middle-focused director Blaire Bartlett join us for an earful. We cover the Supreme Court, vaccine mandates, mid-term elections, and threats and opportunities for employer-sponsored insurance.
Daniel Pink is one of the best-selling non-fiction authors of the last decade. We discuss his latest title, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward, and how some of the lessons he has learned through research can shape the future of our work and personal lives.
Scott Naugle is president of consumer solutions for BXS insurance and co-owner of Pass Books/Cat Island Coffeehouse in Pass Christian and Gulfport, Mississippi. As an independent bookstore owner, writer, and book lover, Scott is bringing his expertise and author network to Leader's Edge in a monthly book review column and podcast series.
Moving from the broker side to the carrier side of the industry gave this AXA XL exec a unique view.
June Dwyer, senior vice president and Americas broker relationship leader for AXA XL, shares her journey from broker to carrier, and how that helps align her perspective with broker clients. She also discusses the crucial role brokers play in product development, DE&I progress in the industry, and AXA XL’s commitment to addressing climate change on all fronts.
In this episode of Falling Into It, we meet Eyad Kabbani, a 26-year-old assistant vice president who works in the Cyber and E&O Center of Excellence at Marsh. A graduate of the Fox School of Business and Management at Temple University, Kabbani studied risk management and insurance and earned a Council Foundation scholarship after his internship at Johnson, Kendall & Johnson in 2017. We discuss what attracted him to the industry, how his internship helped solidify his decision to pursue a career in insurance brokerage, and how growing up working in his family's small business shaped his work ethic and prepared him for the corporate world.
Guiding the Healthcare System: A Q&A with former U.S. HHS Secretaries Alex Azar and Donna Shalala
In this episode we talk with Lori Bailey, Chief Insurance Office at Corvus. With over 20 years of experience in cyber liability, Bailey shares her thoughts on the evolution of cyber risk and whether coverage has kept up. We also talk about the lack of historical data for cyber underwriting and how that's being addressed, as well as where the market is headed.
Karl Olson, vice president, professional management liability practice leader at Burns & Wilcox, talks about how healthcare organizations have managed this balancing act and what new risks may emerge as a result of COVID.
As one may suspect, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the labor-intensive agriculture industry particularly hard. But as Denise Brown and Rick Harrison from InterWest Insurance Services explain, how your Ag clients fare during coronavirus, and how they handle risk, will depend on many factors.
In this episode of our podcast series with U.S.-based insurer, Nationwide, we meet the company’s vice president of cyber insurance, Catherine Rudow, and its senior vice president and chief information security officer, Todd Lukens. Together, we explore the dynamics of ransomware, cyber entry points that businesses of all sizes should be aware of, the evolution of the threat actor, and how the public and private sectors can come together to improve the nation's cybersecurity. Rudow and Lukens warn that as we evolve as enterprises and as a society, threat actors will also evolve. They say business processes—beyond just systems and data—are at risk, and exposure is not going away any time soon. In this conversation, we identify ways organizations can improve their cyber hygiene, and better adapt to and manage the current cyber threat environment.
Amrit David works with management teams, private equity firms and alternative capital providers across a variety of transactions in the insurance brokerage space. We check in with him periodically on M&A and sat down recently to discuss brokerage IPOs, the use of SPACs, and other recent trends in brokerage transactions. Click for the podcast.
Hagerty, a global automotive enthusiast brand and classic car insurer, recently announced plans to merge with SPAC, Aldel Financial. The deal, which is valued at $3.13 billion, according to reports, will allow Hagerty to go public and trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol HGTY. We spoke with Fred Turcotte, Hagerty CFO, to discuss the recent merger, where Hagerty plans to grow, automotive trends, and, of course, the classic car market.
AXA XL’s Bob Peretti, Chief Distribution Officer, Americas, shares how his team is approaching broker relationships in the face of multifaceted risk, a constantly changing M&A landscape, and the ongoing pandemic
In this episode of Falling Into It, we meet Eleanor Ko, a 29-year-old account manager at Woodruff Sawyer. A graduate from Seattle University with a degree in business administration and management, Ko shares what she wished she had learned in college about the insurance industry, her passion for learning new skills, and what it’s like juggling her professional and personal life, while working from home.
This episode marks the beginning of a series of interviews with subject matter experts from U.S.-based insurer Nationwide.
In this episode we meet Ben Davis, a loss control manager with Nationwide’s loss control services team. Davis helps us better understand business continuity plan development (including the important difference between business continuity planning, disaster recovery, and contingency planning, and how they work together) and the critical importance of having plans in place for your organization, regardless of size. We talk weather disasters, cyber security, construction, supply chain, agriculture and more, and how business continuity planning plays an integral role for each business need and operational aspect, regardless of industry. Davis also highlights the opportunity for brokers and insurers to work together to ensure their clients have proper BCP coverage beyond standard policies. “Even the best insurance coverage cannot be the sole remedy,” says Davis. “A business continuity plan that includes integrated ins coverage [is] really the best risk management strategy that the insured can have.”
Tune in to hear Gabby Taveras, co-founder of Equal Pay Group, a D&I consulting firm, on why now is the time to close the wage gap. Taveras also shares how to educate organizations on integrating inclusivity and equity into business decisions, hiring practices and retention strategies.
We discuss what UnitedHealthcare is doing to address healthcare disparities and access to care, as well as the effectiveness of wellness programs and the future of telehealth.
Business leaders are looking for answers to what they see as unsustainable practices in our healthcare system. Shawn Gremminger, director of health policy at the Purchaser Business Group on Health, which supports public and private purchasers of healthcare, discusses the issues critical to their members. These include market consolidation of health systems, drug pricing reform, value-based payment in employer plans, and how a public option would mingle with ESI.
This is part 2 of our conversation with AXA XL’s Maria Duhart, Head of the Commercial Bonds, Political Risk, and Credit & Bond Practice, and Stuart Barrowcliff, Vice President & Senior Underwriter of AXA XL’s Political Risk, Credit & Bond team in the Americas. Here we turn to Covid-19 and the effects on the political risk and commercial bond markets. And we talk about AXA XL’s work in sustainability and climate change.
In this episode of Falling Into It, we meet Ilana Shackelford, a 32-year-old account coordinator on the executive risk team at ABD, who hopes to manage her own book of business one day, while continuing to effect change in the industry.
This episode marks the beginning of a series of interviews with subject matter experts from global insurer and reinsurer AXA XL. In this episode we meet Maria Duhart, head of the company’s commercial bonds, political risk and credit and bond practice. Joining her is Stuart Barrowcliff, vice president and senior underwriter of AXA XL’s political risk credit and bond division. They discuss the impact of political volatility on global investments in resilience and economic infrastructure as well as areas in which investment is growing.
In this episode of Falling Into It, we meet Isaac Lintz, a 28-year-old new to the brokerage scene whose pursuit of a career in insurance was fueled by his experience as a college athlete. Lintz, who played wide receiver for the University of Northern Iowa, spent several years in sales oriented roles following graduation, only to find his true passion in insurance brokerage in December 2019. Here, he discusses how being a college athlete helped him adjust to the pressures of starting fresh in a new field without any formal insurance background. Lintz found early success at Holmes Murphy thanks to his natural ability to learn and adapt, and to communicate with others. His mantra "slow down to speed up" has helped him gain knowledge and confidence as he continues down the path to a bright future.
Ramnath Balasubramanian is a senior partner at McKinsey focused on insurance and private equity. He works extensively with insurers, brokerages, private equity sponsors and portfolio companies on a range of topics including strategy, digital and analytics transformations, and distribution. Matthew Scally is a McKinsey partner serving private equity clients on engagements including the development of funds, diligence efforts and supporting portfolio companies after acquisition. He also works within the insurance and employee benefits ecosystem serving brokerages, carriers, benefits administration platforms and benefits aggregators.
Q&A with Andy Mathisen, Co-Founder and CMO, GloveBox. The 31-year-old talks about the company he co-founded, jumping into the commercial insurance space and what it was like growing up in a family full of insurance agents. Falling Into It is a new, limited-series podcast focused on young professionals in the insurance and risk management industries.
Talks 5-year forecast on the global economy, U.S. politics, technology, cyber and healthcare.
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner and a current Pfizer board member, shares his thoughts on the COVID-19 vaccine distribution and supply successes and challenges, potential drug pricing legislation, and the future of the ACA. At the center of the conversation? The employer role.
Falling Into It: Drew Taylor talks about his passion for insurance and shares what factors he believes will impact the future of the brokerage cannabis industry. Falling Into It is a new, limited-series podcast focused on young professionals in the insurance and risk management industries.
Falling Into It: Young Talent Speaks A 26 year old underwriter shares how she started off in insurance.
The Council’s Joel Wood and Republican political consultant Mike Murphy reconnect post-election to discuss presidential politics (“I got my differences on issues, but this is a competent team”), the Georgia runoffs (“it'd be a sign of divine intervention if they (Ds) ever win this thing”), prospects of a COVID relief package (“we're fighting World War II cost-wise right now, with a massive deficit to begin with”) and potential new stars in the Republican Party (“Trump will have a powerful voice, but I'm not sure it'll be the Omni voice”).
We can’t give it all away. A must-hear podcast.
In a follow up to their conversation during this year’s (virtual) Insurance Leadership Forum, Joel Wood, The Council’s SVP of Government Affairs, and national political analyst David Axelrod, discuss the incoming administration, what may come of the ACA, prospects of a public option, Medicare, prescription drug costs and more.
Where is the first place to start when planning for 2021? According to Penny Moore, chief commercial officer of Springbuk: employee healthcare data. It’s there that brokers and employers can identify gaps in care, coverage and education. Listen in as Moore gives her take on the role of data analytics during a national health crisis that’s forced employers to pivot their companies and their employee benefits offerings.
For more on the downstream effects of COVID-19, take a look at Springbuk’s latest 2020 health trend report.
https://www.springbuk.com/resources/white-papers/eht-2020
: Hospitals contain a mix of employees, doctors, patients and caregivers, creating a challenging environment in which to manage risks. Cindy Van Asten, Partner, Director of Employee Benefits – Green Bay Market, and Chris Halverson, Risk Management Sales Director / Director of Disaster Response and Recovery at M3 Insurance sat down with Chris Woleske, President & CEO at Bellin Health to break down the way health systems have pivoted during this pandemic to remain afloat. They discuss everything from value-based care and employee mental health solutions to consumer behavior and cyber risk.
The manufacturing industry has been humming along, albeit at lower capacity, throughout much of the Pandemic. Kevin Clary, VP of Risk Management at Amerisure, helps us understand the risks, best practices, and lasting impact of the crises that manufacturers have to consider when thinking about insurance as Covid-19 lingers through the near future.
Will COVID-19 be a catalyst for tech adoption in our industry? What ever happened with blockchain? What new technologies are making their way into the industry? We caught up with George Kucera of Patra to find out.
Tim Koenig, assistant vice president of EHD, provides insight on how one of America’s most essential sectors, the manufacturing industry, has managed risk throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic. He explains the impact he has witnessed on his manufacturing clients and how he thinks they will approach insurance differently in the future.
In the midst of a pandemic, the demand for commercial goods has only increased. Chad Hoppenjan, assistant vice president of Cottingham & Butler’s Safety Management Services Company (CMS), explains how COVID-19 pushed the sector to adapt to new risks, and adopt new rules and practices. From extended hours and closed rest stops, to concern around driver-lounge sanitation, the demand for commercial truck drivers has only increased. As commercial auto rates rise exponentially, will the current practices lead to an increase in efficiency?
In the first episode of the Leader’s Edge Back to Work podcast series on how businesses from a variety of industries are approaching reopening, Rob Boyce, Market Intelligence & Insights director at The Council, interviews Terry McCann, managing director of RT Specialty – Chicago. As construction projects were deemed essential during the pandemic, the construction industry was quickly forced to change its practices to stay operational. Terry McCann delves into just how the pandemic has affected the construction industry and the forms of liability construction businesses may face now.
Leader’s Edge sat down with Wamberg Genomic Advisors’ (WGA) Chief Innovation Officer, Darren Rowe, to talk about the innovation propelling WGA and how genomics promotes a more holistic view of patient health.
In 2019, Brian Comerford and Nick Lozano began publicly discussing their insights and struggles within the ever-changing world of information technology. Their podcast, Lead.exe, centers on the importance of leadership from a technology perspective. Comerford and Lozano get together twice a month to interview a wide variety of professionals, from radio personalities and SEO strategists, to rock and roll photographers. Leader’s Edge staff writer Zach Ewell sat down with them both to discuss how their joint interest in insurance and technology helped launch their popular streaming venture.
Dr. Keith Smith, co-founder, Surgery Center of Oklahoma and John Kirke, EVP of Employee Benefits, CCIG sat down with us to discuss the role of the free market in creating competition among providers, how employers are evaluating centers of excellence for their populations, and what’s at stake for patients.
Ryan Rice and Garrett Jerue of Prism Health Strategists share their path to pharma consulting, how PBMs are reacting to their fiduciarily-aligned service model, and how data analytics are driving their client relationships.
Ben Miller, PsyD, the Chief Strategy Officer at Well Being Trust, gives his take on the state of mental healthcare in the workplace. We talk delivery and payment reform, the “skimpy” options permeating the commercial market, and how to apply the concept of social determinants of health to the work setting.
We had the opportunity to chat with Leo Bernstein and Kevin Rabinowitz, executives from LineSlip Solutions. LineSlip is a cloud-hosted software platform purpose-built for the insurance industry that helps commercial brokers streamline critical broking tasks, including quote comparison and placement process. LineSlip is currently focused on streamlining panel business, but its custom approach is built to automate “existing workflows,” not just limited to panels.
The Council Foundation’s 2018 Dave Oberkircher Future Leaders Scholar, Samantha Dever, shares her internship experience at the Marsh & McLennan Agency and what the scholarship meant to her at The Council’s 2019 Employee Benefits Leadership Forum.
Justin Oliver, Senior Director, Business Development for Employee Benefits, CyberScout Ann Barron-DiCamillo, Vice President of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Incident Response at American Express
Broker Buddha CEO Jason Keck discusses technology as a tool for solving administrative burdens for brokers and their clients.
Sandy Laycox, editor-in-chief of Leader’s Edge magazine, sat down with John Swigart of Pie Insurance and Jayant Lakshmikanthan of Clara Analytics to discuss their respective business models and their plans for the future. Pie Insurance is a small-business focused full-stack Managing General Agent (MGA) that has used digital advances to streamline the quote-bind process in an effort to confront the issues small businesses typically have in securing coverage. Clara Analytics also operates in the Workers’ Compensation space and uses AI and machine learning to attack inefficiencies and reduce operational claims costs for commercial Workers’ Compensation.
Keith VanderZanden of Advanced Professionals Insurance and Benefits Solutions sits down with The Council’s Katie Oberkircher to talk AHPs.
Interview with Mike Cormier, head of Sales and Business Development at Risk Match by A Council Platform
Andrew Robinson, co-CEO of Groundspeed Analytics, sat down with The Council’s Rob Boyce to examine what inspired Groundspeed Analytics. Through leveraging AI and machine learning, Groundspeed can turn unstructured data into structured data, allowing brokers to better understand their own book of business and offer clients tangible insights into their policies.
Indio provides a white label, open API platform to agents and brokers that seeks to streamline the application process by, for example, piping data across multiple policy applications so a client needs only to answer a question once.
The Council’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Resources & Initiatives, Cheryl Matochik, interviews Nick Shalek of Ribbit Capital. This podcast offers a unique view of insurtech investment through the fintech venture capital firm lens with a message brokers: get out in the action and engage; just monitoring won’t give you what you will need.
In this podcast, The Council’s Director of Market Intelligence & Insights Rob Boyce hosts Coalition’s CEO Josh Motta to discuss Coalition’s mission to solve cyber risk by drawing on the wealth of available data to provide cyber coverage to SMBs. Structured as a MGA, Coalition sells its product through brokers and offers free cyber risk management technologies and services. “There is more data available now than in all of human history,” Motta said. “Let’s take advantage of it.”
The Council’s Content Specialist, Market Intelligence & Insights, Katie Oberkircher, interviews Scott Sinder, partner at Steptoe & Johnson and chief legal officer for The Council, as he breaks down the new Association Health Plan (AHP) regulation and cites key items for brokers to understand.
The Council's Rob Boyce is interviewing a series of attendees at the 2018 InsureTech Connect Conference. Up first is Bold Penguin.
Sandy Laycox, editor in chief of Leader’s Edge magazine, and Rick Pullen, the publication’s founding editor, talk about what goes into publishing an award-winning magazine, following the six 2017 Association Media & Publishing EXCEL awards that Leader’s Edge recently received.
Updates and Insights from The Council’s government affairs team on technical implementation details for the tax bill, why ACA repeal is fading while Single Payer discussion increases, the possibility of an NFIP lapse, a roundup of recent primary elections and more.
Cyber regulation is under way in the U.S., and data protection is about to be implemented in the EU. Kevin Kalinich, global practice leader for cyber/network risk at Aon, discusses the financial impact of cyber events, the possibility of insuring against GDPR penalties, and why compliance with GDPR is ultimately beneficial.
Updates and insight on reauthorization efforts around the National Flood Insurance Program, data breach notification requirements, GDPR, the state of play for healthcare, DC politics and the midterms ahead. We’ve got it all covered.
The Council had the opportunity to sit down with Jonathan Pope, CEO of Corax, a cyber-risk analytics platform and broker tool for cyber insurance distribution. JP addresses some of struggles that brokers and carriers face when selling and pricing cyber coverage, the lack historical data in the cyber industry, and what needs to happen for the cyber insurance market to mature.
In the commercial auto industry, premiums are rising and so is claims severity. What’s driving these trends (no pun intended)? We sat down with Scott Fouts, vice president of the South Region for Hub International’s Risk Services division, to discuss the hardening market, the effects of new technologies in commercial auto, and what Hub is doing to recognize Distracted Driving Month in April.
The omnibus spending bill will impact the National Flood Insurance Program, the tax reform bill offers a lot of murkiness, and there’s a big push coming from the left on Single Payer. Could a big blue wave be coming this fall?
Joel Wood, Joel Kopperud and Blaire Bartlett of The Council’s government affairs team, break it all down from their perch in DC.
The marijuana industry is quickly growing. As more states legalize, more businesses need insurance. But the industry is plagued by conflicting federal and state law. Scott Sinder, The Council’s chief legal officer and partner at Steptoe & Johnson, breaks it all down and shares his thoughts on what the DOJ’s latest moves mean. Read more: http://leadersedgemagazine.com/articles/2017/11/its-high-time-we-deal-with-pot/
Done right, social selling can open up a world of possibility. But if your producers aren’t engaged, they may be missing the boat. Our conversation with Steven Handmaker, CMO of Assurance Agency, uncovers the good, the bad and the opportunity of social selling.
Understanding data to improve the client experience, a spotlight on Insurtech and opportunities within the insurance value chain. Our conversation with Martha Notaras, Partner, XL Innovate.
The recent rise in extreme weather events puts a spotlight on catastrophic trends, the uninsured rate, economic effects and the NFIP. How can the insurance industry help address these issues? Tune into our conversation with Sean Kevelighan, President & CEO, Insurance Information Institute.
Focusing on both defense and offense when it comes to cyber exposure. Our conversation with Arvind Parthasarathi, CEO, Cyence.
What does a new leader need to know to help shape the future of their firm? Our conversation with Dr. Steven Stowell, Founder & President, Center for Management & Organization Effectiveness.
We want people to shop around for their healthcare, but we don’t necessarily arm them with all the tools to do so. Kim Buckey, vice president of client services at DirectPath, helps Fortune 1000 employers engage their staff in healthcare decisions. She’ll discuss where we are in terms of improving healthcare consumerism and where we still need to go.
InsurTech’s role in transforming the management of health benefits—from emerging technologies around accessing care and care delivery to predictive analytics and improving employee engagement. Our conversation with Derek Newell, President of Castlight Health.
What is the Leadership Challenge and its impact in the workplace? Our conversation with Roxanne Kaufman Elliot, President, ProLaureate.
The most pressing issues in cybersecurity and what role insurance brokers play. A discussion with Tom Kellerman, CEO, Strategic Cyber Ventures.
The Council's Joel Kopperud featured on The David Bach Show talking Colorado Amendment 69
Amendment 69, also known as “ColoradoCare,” is a ballot initiative in the State of Colorado which would completely dissolve employer-provided health benefits and the workers’ compensation insurance market in Colorado. The legislation aims to create a state-operated single-payer health regime and would be devastating to consumer choice, while almost doubling the current state budget. Educating individuals and businesses on what Amendment 69 could mean for cost, quality and access to healthcare was the main point of this podcast with Rob Cohen, chairman and chief executive officer of The IMA Financial Group Inc., in Denver, Colo. Listen to Cohen's conversation with The Council's Joel Kopperud.
Health Advocate is a leading U.S. health and patient advocacy and assistance company that helps more than 40 million employers and consumers navigate the health care system. Listen in to Begley’s conversation with The Council’s Cheryl Matochik.
MSH is one of the largest and most comprehensive suppliers of expatriate insurance services in the world with more than 330,000 insured participants covered worldwide from four regional head offices in Calgary, Paris, Dubai and Shanghai. Listen in to de Dreuzy’s conversation with The Council’s Chief Legal Officer, Scott Sinder.
COUNCILcast Episode 2 – Jon Picoult, Founder & Principal, Watermark Consulting
What is customer experience and why does it matter? Jon Picoult, founder and principal of Watermark Consulting, explains the importance of customer experience in business terms: 1. People will pay more for a positive customer experience; 2. A great customer experience increases revenue and reduces (or at least controls) operating expenses; 3. Happy, loyal clients complain less. COUNCILcast is a podcast series brought to you by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
COUNCILcast Episode 1 – Natalie Holder
How do subtle biases interfere with engaging employees and innovating in the workplace? How do micro-inequities inadvertently erode the confidence of rising leaders? Is your company at risk? Natalie Holder, an employment lawyer and author of “Exclusion: Strategies for Increasing Diversity in Recruitment, Retention and Promotion” explains the difference between diversity and inclusion and how a company’s ability to recruit top talent increases dramatically when it improves its inclusive workplace culture. COUNCILcast is a podcast series brought to you by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.