Brian Schmidt is a senior insurance executive with more than two decades of experience across primary insurance, reinsurance, data and analytics, and consulting. At Xceedance, Brian leads the Strategic Accounts division as Senior Vice President and Business Leader, overseeing global teams that deliver operational excellence across the insurance policy lifecycle. Brian holds several industry designations, including CPCU, CIC, and ASLI, and earned both his BBA in Marketing and MBA from the University of Cincinnati's Lindner College of Business. Brian has served as Chair of the Underwriting Interest Group for The Institutes CPCU Society and as University Liaison for the Cincinnati CPCU Society Chapter. In this episode of In the Know, Chris Hampshire and Brian explore the offerings of a strategic operations support firm, the effective use of data analytics in day-to-day operations, and the value of a CPCU designation in his career.

Key Takeaways

• Brian's professional journey from restaurants to insurance.

• Xceedance offerings as a strategic operations support firm.

• The benefits of transitioning into a partnership with Xceedance.

• The Pros and cons of operations support partnership.

• The state of AI advancements in today's insurance industry.

• Effective use of data analytics in day-to-day operations.

• Brian's decision to pursue additional training and certifications.

• Tools in Brian's toolbox that have added to his success.

• A five-year look at the future of the insurance industry.

• Brian's message to early-career professionals.

In the Know podcast theme music written and performed by James Jones, CPCU, and Kole Shuda of the band If-Then.

To learn more about the CPCU Society, its membership, and educational offerings, tools, and programs, please visit CPCUSociety.org.

Follow the CPCU Society on social media:

X (Twitter): @CPCUSociety

Facebook: @CPCUSociety

LinkedIn: @The Institutes CPCU Society

Instagram: @the_cpcu_society

Quotes

• "Understanding why you're bringing in the support can help guide the decision."

• "Regardless of where AI progresses to, we're still going to need the art of underwriters well into the future."

• "Earning my CPCU designation has been pivotal in my insurance career."

• "No matter what skill set you have, there is a place for you in the insurance industry."

Janice Romero is Home Office Manager at ICW Group Insurance Companies and the CPCU Society's inaugural Go-Getter of the Year Award winner. This new award recognizes a CPCU Society member whose professional growth and active engagement best exemplify the spirit of the organization. With over three decades in workers' compensation underwriting, Janice has witnessed the insurance industry's transformation from a traditionally male-dominated field to today's more inclusive and diverse landscape. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation and encouraging young people to consider insurance careers. Janice believes that insurance, at its core, is about helping people. She recently published her first book, Happily Ever Afterlife. In this episode of In the Know, Chris Hampshire and Janice discuss her insurance career, the importance of networking, what it takes to write a book, and how to be a successful go-getter.

Key Takeaways

• Janice's successful career began with college internships and mentorship.

• The insurance industry is unique and set apart.

• Positive changes in the insurance industry.

• Janice's encouraging experience as a female leader.

• The importance of networking in a successful career.

• Happily Ever Afterlife — Janice's experience with loss, growth, and writing a book.

• Lessons this go-getter learned from a recent accident.

• The impact of the CPCU designation on Janice's career.

• Janice's advice to her early career self.

In the Know podcast theme music written and performed by James Jones, CPCU, and Kole Shuda of the band If-Then.

To learn more about the CPCU Society, its membership, and educational offerings, tools, and programs, please visit CPCUSociety.org.

Follow the CPCU Society on social media:

X (Twitter): @CPCUSociety

Facebook: @CPCUSociety

LinkedIn: @The Institutes CPCU Society

Instagram: @the_cpcu_society

Amy Waninger is the Founder & CEO of Lead at Any Level, where she helps organizations transform their STEM professionals from reclusive nerds into inclusive leaders. Amy offers assessments, advisory services, and training on essential skills for inclusive leaders. She is the author of eight books, including Network Beyond Bias: Making Diversity a Competitive Advantage for Your Career. Amy spent twelve years working in the insurance industry, where she achieved the CPCU designation in 2016 and the Certified Insurance Data Manager (CIDM) designation in 2018. She also holds associate designations in Management, Claims, Insurance Data Analytics, Information Technology, and General Insurance. On this episode of In The Know, Chris Hampshire and Amy discuss building a business, learning how to sell yourself, and strategies that can help anyone overcome external and internal barriers.

Key Takeaways

• Amy's journey from small-town Indiana to CEO.

• Getting to the jumping point and then making the jump.

• Amy's decision to leave her job and build a business.

• Learning how to sell yourself is a continual process.

• How to get started on the process of writing a book.

• Panic can be reframed as fuel.

• Strategies for facing internal and external barriers.

• Amy's far-reaching advice to her early career self.

In the Know podcast theme music written and performed by James Jones, CPCU, and Kole Shuda of the band If-Then.

To learn more about the CPCU Society, its membership, and educational offerings, tools, and programs, please visit CPCUSociety.org.

Follow the CPCU Society on social media:

X (Twitter): @CPCUSociety

Facebook: @CPCUSociety

LinkedIn: @The Institutes CPCU Society

Instagram: @the_cpcu_society

Quotes

• "We spend a lot of time in the industry talking about barriers to inclusion. What if we spend some time talking about solutions?"

• "Enjoying the process, in addition to the results, is key."

• "If you want to do something so badly that you are willing to be bad at it, and get better, then you know you're doing the right thing."

• "I am still surprised by the depth and breadth of the impact that I've had. I had no idea global impact was even possible."

Rose Hall is a visionary innovation strategist and risk management expert with 25 years of experience. She leverages innovation to solve complex business problems and create unique growth opportunities at the intersection of technology and risk. Her unique expertise spans the insurance, construction, and technology industries, and was cultivated in senior leader roles at global organizations such as AXA XL and Turner Construction. As CEO of RH Business Ventures, she advises the insurance, technology, and construction industries, focusing on transforming risk management through innovation and technology. On this episode of In The Know, Chris Hampshire and Rose discuss her career, her objective of connecting common problems with the right solutions, and the danger of treating innovation like an optional luxury in the insurance space.

Key Takeaways

• Rose's journey as a risk management thought leader.

• Insurance ecosystems pair problems with their solutions.

• Great innovations belong with great companies.

• Rose's strategy for analyzing a career change.

• Transitioning into entrepreneurship and consulting.

• Advice from a female leader in the insurance industry.

• The state of innovation in today's industry.

• Possibilities with parametric insurance.

• Rose's human-focused advice to her early career self.

In the Know podcast theme music written and performed by James Jones, CPCU, and Kole Shuda of the band If-Then.

To learn more about the CPCU Society, its membership, and educational offerings, tools, and programs, please visit CPCUSociety.org.

Follow the CPCU Society on social media:

X (Twitter): @CPCUSociety

Facebook: @CPCUSociety

LinkedIn: @The Institutes CPCU Society

Instagram: @the_cpcu_society

Mark Walls is the Chief Marketing Officer at Safety National, a multi-line specialty insurance and reinsurance carrier and member of the Tokio Marine Group. With over 30 years of workers' compensation and risk management experience, Mark's career spans claims management, client engagement, strategic analysis, and market research. He previously served as VP Client Engagement at Safety National and as Senior VP at Marsh's Workers' Compensation Center of Excellence. Mark is the founder of the Work Comp Analysis Group on LinkedIn, the largest online discussion group dedicated exclusively to workers' compensation issues. On this episode of In The Know, Chris Hampshire and Mark explore the changing landscape of the workers' comp landscape, hot topics in today's workers' comp space, and the game changer that is (or could be) AI.

Key Takeaways

• Mark's journey toward prominence in the workers' comp space.

• Workers' comp is an industry that fundamentally helps people.

• The current state of workers' comp line of coverage.

• Mark's inspiration behind the LinkedIn Work Comp Analysis Group.

• Lessons learned from Mark's career.

• The challenging impact of AI on workers' comp.

• GLP-1 drugs, marijuana, and other hot topics in the workers' comp space.

• Making the career move from claims to marketing and public speaking.

• Addressing the industry talent shortage.

• Mark's five-year look at the future of the industry.

• "The outcome makes the journey worth it all."

In the Know podcast theme music written and performed by James Jones, CPCU, and Kole Shuda of the band If-Then.

To learn more about the CPCU Society, its membership, and educational offerings, tools, and programs, please visit CPCUSociety.org.

Follow the CPCU Society on social media:

X (Twitter): @CPCUSociety

Facebook: @CPCUSociety

LinkedIn: @The Institutes CPCU Society

Instagram: @the_cpcu_society

Quotes

• "Workers' comp is an industry that is fundamentally there to help people."

• "Risk managers like comp right now because it's predictable."

• "There's not a week that goes by that you don't learn something in this industry."

• "At its core, we are an industry that's there to help people."

• "The insurance industry is the financial backstop of the entire economy."

Katie Reynolds is the Executive Director of AIRROC, the Association of Insurance and Reinsurance Run-Off Companies, the only U.S. nonprofit dedicated to promoting the interests of the legacy insurance and reinsurance community. She brings nearly a decade of experience in the legacy sector from claims leadership roles at RiverStone and The Hartford. An active AIRROC member since 2020, Katie has served on committees, the NextGen Council, and the Board of Directors. She holds a B.A. from the University of Rochester and a J.D. from the University of New Hampshire School of Law. On this episode of In The Know, Chris Hampshire and Katie discuss her transition from the carrier side to her current work as an executive director focused on the legacy sector.

Key Takeaways

● Katie's unintentional career journey toward her current position.

● Defining legacy and run-off business.

● Desirable features of the legacy space.

● The current state of the legacy sector.

● Addressing technology challenges in the legacy sector.

● Key aspects to valuating deals.

● AI, claims, and other trends in the legacy space.

● All about the offerings at AIRROC.

● Katie's insights into her new position and all that it entails.

● Katie's next-generation pitch for the insurance talent shortage.

● A look at the five-year future of legacy.

● Katie's encouraging advice to her early career self.

In the Know podcast theme music written and performed by James Jones, CPCU, and Kole Shuda of the band If-Then.

To learn more about the CPCU Society, its membership, and educational offerings, tools, and programs, please visit CPCUSociety.org.

Follow the CPCU Society on social media:

X (Twitter): @CPCUSociety

Facebook: @CPCUSociety

LinkedIn: @The Institutes CPCU Society

Instagram: @the_cpcu_society

Quotes

● "In legacy, celebrate every time something actually works the way you want it to!"

● "There is tremendous opportunity in legacy."

● "Legacy holds a lot of interest and a steady amount of deals."

● "I never thought of myself as an insurance nerd, but now I'm literally planning parties to celebrate insurance."

This episode of In The Know features host Chris Hampshire and Leah Ohodnicki, Executive Vice President of Carrier Relations at RT Specialty. Leah leads strategic initiatives to strengthen trading partnerships and drive growth across the wholesale insurance landscape, and brings two decades of experience spanning retail brokerage, E&S carriers, MGUs, and program business. Leah began her career at Marsh in 2006, advancing through leadership roles in marketing and business development. In 2015, she joined Argo Group, where she led distribution for the group and later led Specialty Programs. Leah also served as the executive sponsor for Argo Group's Gender Equality employee resource group. In 2023, Leah joined Ethos Specialty, part of Ascot Group, where she led Strategic Partnerships and served as interim head of Casualty Programs. Leah co-chairs the community committee for RT Specialty's WOW! — Women Opportunity Winning! — and serves on the boards of the Pittsburgh CLO and the University of Pittsburgh's Frederick Honors College. Today, Leah and Chris discuss the wholesale specialty marketplace, the role of distribution, and other aspects of this industry segment, and Leah's experience as a female leader in the insurance industry.

Key Takeaways

• Leah's career journey from marketing to insurance.

• Roles and responsibilities of leading carrier relations.

• The current state of the wholesale specialty sector.

• Key differences between wholesale and primary markets.

• Leah's message to anyone considering a career in insurance.

• Leah's experience as a female leader in insurance.

• Technical capabilities and character considerations in the hiring process.

• The value of a CPCU designation in an insurance career.

• Questions Leah asked herself when considering career moves.

• Technology's impact on the wholesale sector.

• A five-year look at the future of the industry.

• Leah's advice to her college-aged self.

In the Know podcast theme music written and performed by James Jones, CPCU, and Kole Shuda of the band If-Then.

To learn more about the CPCU Society, its membership, and educational offerings, tools, and programs, please visit CPCUSociety.org.

Follow the CPCU Society on social media:

X (Twitter): @CPCUSociety

Facebook: @CPCUSociety

LinkedIn: @The Institutes CPCU Society

Instagram: @the_cpcu_society

Quotes

• "Carriers are all looking for ways to access brokers that they want to do business with."

• "The wholesale specialty sector is in a really healthy place right now."

• "Within insurance, you have the ability to be exposed to so much about what is going on in the world."

• "Insurance is at the heart of the economy."

• "If you have a seat at the table, you're there for a reason. Own it!"

• "What is the brand that you're building on your social media platform?"

In this special episode of In The Know, our podcast host Chris Hampshire takes on the role of guest when he is interviewed by Spenser Villwock, Executive Director of the CPCU Society and President of Associations at The Institutes. Chris works with leading P&C carriers and program administrators to design impactful claims management programs as a Vice President of Sales in Gallagher Bassett's Carrier Practice. He was elected as the Global CPCU Society President in 2022, served as the President-Elect in 2021, began a three-year term on the National CPCU Society's Leadership Council in 2018, and joined the Executive Committee in 2019 after serving as the Philadelphia CPCU Society Chapter's President in 2016 and 2017. He holds his CPCU, CIC, and ARM designations, completed his Bachelor's degree at the University of Pennsylvania, and earned his MBA through the Loyola University Maryland MBA Fellows program. Chris completed The Institutes' Executive Education program at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business in 2017. He also recently earned his Master's in Insurance Management degree at Columbia University. As the guest on this five-year podcast celebration episode, Chris highlights five years of takeaways from the In The Know podcast, shares his insights into the future of the insurance industry, and offers three points of career advice that have guided his success.

Key Takeaways

• Chris shares his insurance career and CPCU story.

• The power of intentional transitions throughout your career.

• Supplementing a successful career with lifelong learning.

• Designations as a sign of credibility.

• Engagement with the CPCU Society from local to global levels.

• Recruiting top talent into the risk management industry.

• Five years of takeaways from the In The Know podcast.

• Insights into the future of the insurance industry.

• Chris shares three points of advice to his early career self.

In the Know podcast theme music written and performed by James Jones, CPCU, and Kole Shuda of the band If-Then.

To learn more about the CPCU Society, its membership, and educational offerings, tools, and programs, please visit CPCUSociety.org.

Follow the CPCU Society on social media:

X (Twitter): @CPCUSociety

Facebook: @CPCUSociety

LinkedIn: @The Institutes CPCU Society

Instagram: @the_cpcu_society

Quotes

• "You need to be your own career manager."

• "Do you have five years of experience, or one year of experience five times?"

• "Having designations shows a level of credibility."

• "Don't be afraid to ask questions. This is a big industry, and no one knows everything."

• "You should always be working toward the position you want, just know that it will probably be different by the time you get there."

• "You always have the choice to get in the arena or just sit on the sidelines. You will always learn more by jumping in."

In this 5th anniversary episode of In the Know, one of our earliest podcast guests returns to help us celebrate and to determine which of his 2020 predictions have come true. Rob Galbraith is the founder and CEO of Forestview Insights, an independent consulting, research, and training company focused on enabling organizations to create and build a lasting culture of innovation. Rob has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry in various leadership positions, and is the author of the international best-selling book The End Of Insurance As We Know It. He is a recognized thought leader in the insurance sector, a frequent media contributor, and a popular keynote speaker. Rob earned his CPCU designation in 2003 and has held a variety of volunteer leadership positions at the local and national levels for the CPCU Society. Together with Chris Hampshire, Rob offers insights into the intersection of insurance and technology and shares what it takes to build a culture of innovation in today's industry.

Key Takeaways

• Rob's 25-year journey in the financial services industry.

• Behind the scenes of The End of Insurance As We Know It.

• Insights into the intersection of insurance and technology.

• Rob's decision to pursue a second-act career.

• Building a culture of innovation in the insurance industry.

• Surprising developments in innovation.

• Four predictions that Rob made in 2020 — focused innovation efforts, going digital, employee engagement, and developing new industry products.

In the Know podcast theme music written and performed by James Jones, CPCU, and Kole Shuda of the band If-Then.

To learn more about the CPCU Society, its membership, and educational offerings, tools, and programs, please visit CPCUSociety.org.

Follow the CPCU Society on social media:

X (Twitter): @CPCUSociety

Facebook: @CPCUSociety

LinkedIn: @The Institutes CPCU Society

Instagram: @the_cpcu_society

Quotes

• "There is a misnomer that insurance is averse to technology. We've embraced technology."

• "Companies are much better at working with startups today than ever before."

• "Not all innovation is the same."

• "Top-down, offensive innovations are the ones that are going to ultimately separate you with a lasting, competitive advantage over time."

• "You can't wait for an unexpected event like the pandemic to happen to then start innovating."

Marc Adee is the CEO of Crum & Forster, a leading specialty insurance carrier founded in 1822 and headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey. Marc joined Fairfax in 2000 and holds a B.A. from Northwestern University and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. He is a fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He serves on the boards of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science, the Foundation for Morristown Medical Center, the Community Foundation of New Jersey, the Tri-County Scholarship Fund, and Fulcrum Digital. In this episode of In the Know, Chris Hampshire and Marc discuss his career path and work as an actuary, his book The Once and Future C & F, and his passion for getting the next generation fired up about being in insurance.

Key Takeaways

• Marc's career path and focus on preparing the next generation in the insurance industry.

• Marc recalls his decision to research and write The Once and Future C & F as a busy CEO.

• The history of Crum, a great company that lost its way and got another chance.

• Luck versus strategic decision-making in redefining a company.

• The impact of culture on driving desired results.

• Marc's advice for crafting the career path you envision.

• Characteristics of key leadership individuals.

• Attracting high-quality talent in today's economy.

• Marc's blissful advice to his early career self.

In the Know podcast theme music written and performed by James Jones, CPCU, and Kole Shuda of the band If-Then.

To learn more about the CPCU Society, its membership, and educational offerings, tools, and programs, please visit CPCUSociety.org.

Follow the CPCU Society on social media:

X (Twitter): @CPCUSociety

Facebook: @CPCUSociety

LinkedIn: @The Institutes CPCU Society

Instagram: @the_cpcu_society

Quotes

• "Crum is a great company that lost its way and got another chance."

• "Getting the right people in and getting them excited is a big part of a company's culture."

• "You can have a rich career develop in one place, but it may require you to raise your hand for some of the crummy jobs."