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?"