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...
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Ethical Decision-Making Throughout the Claims Lifecycle with Lori Hurkin
IN-the-Know
Lori Hurkin is the Director of Casualty Claims at Nationwide Insurance. Lori has over 31 years of experience and has worked for State Farm and Nationwide. Lori spent six years honing her leadership skills and facilitating effective communication within teams as a development trainer. She has 24 years of experience in auto claims and has navigated every stage of the claim life cycle in multiple leadership roles. Lori achieved her CPCU certification in 2003 and has remained involved with the Iowa chapter and the Ethics Committee at the national level. Lori holds several prestigious designations,...
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Understanding Ceded Risk and Reinsurance with Ryan White
IN-the-Know
Ryan White serves as Assistant Vice President and Director of Ceded Reinsurance at UFG Insurance. He has held the roles of associate, commercial, and senior underwriter, underwriting supervisor, and the first underwriting manager of UFG Online. In 2021 he was named Assistant Vice President and recently transitioned into the newly created role of Director of Ceded Reinsurance. White holds extensive reinsurance experience, a BBA in Finance, and an MBA from the University of Iowa. He also holds the CPCU, ARe, AU-M, AU, and Associate in General Insurance (AINS) professional designations. He has...
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Product Strategy in the Ever-Changing Insurance Environment with Marisol Schulte
IN-the-Know
Marisol Schulte, CPCU, AIC, is a Senior Consultant of Personal Lines Strategic Planning and Insurance at TransUnion. Marisol supports in developing and executing TransUnion’s product strategy for the personal lines property and casualty markets. She has over 18 years of property and casualty insurance experience, beginning in claims, with additional positions in R&D and Product Management for State Farm, CSAA, and Farmers. Schulte attained her CPCU in 2017 and graduated cum laude from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in...
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Making Industry Risks into Opportunities with Dale Porfilio
IN-the-Know
In2Leadership keynote speaker Dale Porfilio, FCAS, MAAA, is the Chief Insurance Officer for the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) and President of the Insurance Research Council (IRC). In these roles, he leads the research and education activities of both organizations, working closely with Triple-I and IRC subject-matter experts to develop data-driven industry insights and analyses. Dale previously worked at Genworth Financial, Kemper, and Allstate for a total of 29 years. Dale is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS) and Member of the American Academy of Actuaries...
info_outlineRajesh Narayan is a seasoned insurance industry leader with experience in driving technology innovation, operations transformation, and business agility. In his early industry roles at Majesco, IDP, and ValueMomentum he has architected and deployed core insurance systems across on-premises, cloud, and SaaS environments. In the last decade, he has taken on global roles at Genpact (AVP, Underwriting Transformation), RMS (Sr. Director, Analytical Services), and Gartner (Senior Director Analyst). In these roles, he has led teams in underwriting transformation, digital-first operational transitions, and new product and distribution strategies and authored research on climate risk, IoT, and emerging technologies in P&C insurance. To help other career seekers in insurance follow a path of continuous education that leads to career building, Rajesh wrote Unlocking Insurance Careers. Today on In The Know, Chris Hampshire and Rajesh consider his career in the insurance industry, his experience with international programs, why he authored a book, and his role at the intersection of technology and insurance.
Key Takeaways
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Rajesh’s journey into insurance began with a curiosity about technology.
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A desire to help people develop their careers led to Rajesh’s first book.
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Key features that drew Rajesh into the risk management and insurance sector.
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The rapidly evolving role of technology in the insurance space.
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The globalization of insurance and technology from the viewpoint of a native Indian.
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The CPCU provides opportunities to continue education and stay relevant.
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Rajesh shares his motivation to write a book.
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The potential impact of GenAI on the insurance industry in coming years.
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Unique offerings for anyone who is considering joining the insurance industry.
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Possible five-year changes to the future of the industry.
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Rajesh shares advice for his early-career self.
Quotes
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“All of this was shaped by my early quality experiences with the CPCU.”
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“This is a thrilling time to be in the execution space where the inflection point of technology is making insurance so much more democratized.”
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“It’s not just the skills or knowledge, it’s also the aptitude and the network that you build that defines how far you take your career.”
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“I just wish I knew about the CPCU Society earlier in my career.”