Removing Friction for Growth in Wholesale Specialty with Leah Ohodnicki
IN-the-Know
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....
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Flipping the Script on Host Chris Hampshire
IN-the-Know
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...
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Building a Culture of Innovation with Rob Galbraith
IN-the-Know
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...
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Unpacking 200 Years of Insurance History with Marc Adee
IN-the-Know
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...
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Redefine What's Impossible with The Iron Cowboy, James Lawrence
IN-the-Know
, better known as The Iron Cowboy, is a world-renowned keynote speaker, bestselling author, and endurance athlete who redefined human potential by completing 50 Ironmans in 50 days across all 50 states — and then doing the unthinkable — 100 full-distance triathlons in 100 consecutive days. Before becoming the greatest endurance athlete in history, James was a successful entrepreneur, running a thriving mortgage company and helping hundreds of clients build wealth through homeownership and strategic refinancing. That same relentless mindset that powered him through thousands of miles now...
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The Data Revolution in Modern Claims Management with Heather Wilson
IN-the-Know
, Chief Executive Officer of , has more than a decade of executive experience in data, analytics, and artificial intelligence, including Global Head of Innovation and Advanced Technology at Kaiser Permanente and Chief Data Officer of AIG. While at AIG, she was named Insurance Woman of the Year by the Insurance Technology Association for her data innovation work. Wilson has been a steady supporter of diversity. She launched the Kaiser Permanente Women in Technology group, focused on mentorship and retention for women in math, technology, and science. At AIG, she launched Global Women in...
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InsurTech Ecosystem and the Future of Innovation with Delli Bhaskar Jagadeesan
IN-the-Know
Bhaskar serves as a Principal Technology Evangelist on Guidewire’s Global Technology Alliances and Marketplace team. In his role, he works with solution, technology, and systems integration partners to develop technical integration strategies and promote Guidewire’s cloud platform. He’s also a passionate supporter of the Guidewire Insurtech Vanguard program, which helps insurers discover innovative InsurTechs. Bhaskar brings a unique blend of P&C insurance domain expertise, technical background, and deep knowledge of the Guidewire ecosystem. His experience spans enterprise software...
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Caribbean Insurance Insights with Ranesha Dean
IN-the-Know
Ranesha Dean is a branch manager for Caribbean Alliance Insurance Company, a regional general insurance company in the Eastern Caribbean, and is responsible for the Bahamas operations. Her career in the general insurance industry began in 2009, and she has worked in various roles over the years, including sales, underwriting, claims, and compliance. She holds a BA in economics and finance from The University of The Bahamas (formerly College of The Bahamas) and several designations with The Institutes, including the CPCU designation (2022). Ranesha is an avid insurance learner eager to dive...
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Composing the Next Insurance Generation with Jim Jones
IN-the-Know
Jim Jones is the co-creator of the new In The Know podcast music and has been the Executive Director of the Katie School of Insurance & Financial Services at Illinois State University since 2001. The Katie School supports over 500 students majoring in Risk Management and Insurance (RMI), actuarial science, and other majors, who are interested in careers in insurance. Jones works with ISU faculty, staff, administration, and industry executives in helping to develop talent for industry and educate students at the velocity of change. He holds an MBA in International Business from Saint Louis...
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Identifying Emerging Issues and Exposures in the Insurance Industry with Tim Fletcher
IN-the-Know
Tim Fletcher is Gen Re’s VP, Senior Emerging Issues Specialist, and an avid contributor to Gen Re’s blog, and he edits the UM/UIM Liability Laws Survey. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota (Bachelor of Arts, Journalism) and the Michell-Hamline School of Law (Juris Doctor), and currently serves on CPCU’s Reinsurance, Excess & Surplus Lines Interest Group and as chapter governor for the Upper South Region. He is a founding member of the Atlanta Insurance Coalition for Change and a guest lecturer on Risk Management and Insurance at Georgia State University and many industry...
info_outlineConnor Thomson is a second-year law student at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. After graduating summa cum laude with University Honors from Saint Joseph’s University’s Maguire Academy of Insurance and Risk Management in 2022, he matriculated to Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. In March 2023, at the age of twenty-three, Connor earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation and began his tenure at Stickley Law, LLC, a boutique insurance defense firm that specializes in fighting fraud. In this episode of the In The Know podcast, Chris Hampshire and Connor consider what Gen-Z is looking for in the insurance industry, what compelled Connor to earn his CPCU designation at such a young age, and what the future of the insurance industry could look like.
Key Takeaways
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Connor is a law student and one of the youngest CPCU designations ever.
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Claims is the aspect of insurance that most appeals to Connor.
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The value of earning a CPCU designation at an early age.
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The impact of internships on a successful start to the insurance industry.
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Volunteer work during law school has helped Connor identify his future.
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Connor’s experience on the stage at In2Risk.
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Ocular disability has impacted, but not limited, Connor’s determination to succeed.
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Writing and researching are key elements of Connor’s continued education.
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Connor’s message to Gen Z about a future in the insurance industry.
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A five-year look at the future of the insurance industry.
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Connor’s advice to his early career self.
Quotes
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“I didn’t know much about insurance at the time, but I did a lot of research and learned that insurance is about more than selling policies.”
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“Claims is the perfect intersection of the law meets business.”
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“To me, it was an easy choice to pursue the CPCU designation at a very young age.”
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“There is clearly a dire need for young talent in the insurance industry.”
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“I think the one strategic business unit that is not getting that much attention is claims.”
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“The insurance industry has done a great job of investing in the next generation of insurance talent.”
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“When we get back together in five years, I don’t think we’ll be discussing this talent shortage anymore.”
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“There are more people today than ever before making a conscious decision to study risk management and insurance in college.”