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SPECIAL REPORT / ELITE WOMEN IN INSURANCE

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Insurance Business America showcases notable female leaders who are shattering molds, stereotypes and the industry’s longstanding glass ceiling

When Sharon Emek, President and CEO of Work At Home Vintage Employees (WAHVE), entered the world of insurance,

she was treated as an outsider – and quite often, she was one.

“When I started my insurance agency in the late 1980s, I would attend meetings and be asked if my boss sent me, if my father sent me, or if my husband sent me,” says Emek. “It didn’t occur to them that I was building and running my own insurance company.”

And while a Saint Joseph’s University study notes that still only six percent of top executive positions are held by female officials, progress has definitely been made.

Emek notes that although women may not repre-sent senior management just yet, they demonstrate remarkable talent and virtuosity in the fi eld.

“Women bring the ability to change the strategic thinking that impacts the industry,” she says. “We bring a prospective to propel the industry forward that nobody else has thought of in embracing the fu-ture.”

Thus, Insurance Business America celebrates the accomplishments of these 50 extraordinary women who are defying convention and paving the way for future female executives through their skills, exper-tise, and commitment to exemplary leadership.

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Rebecca LarsenVice-President of Underwriting, Occidental Fire & Casualty CoRebecca Larsen has been a success powerhouse since she started in the indus-try. With her roots as an underwriter at Northern Star General Agency, North-land Insurance, and Great West Casualty, Larsen has developed successful transportation insurance programs for Trans Guard, CNA and Occidental. More than 25 years of experience has fueled her problem-solving skills for her cus-tomers and company.

“At Occidental, she took over a trucking program that had been unprofi table for each of the last 20 years and made it profi table in 2013,” said Douglas Hathaway, Southeast Region VP at Great Lakes Gen-eral Agency. “Rebecca is an innovator and is interested in helping her customers develop.”

Gwen Taylor Corporate Services Manager, Ironshore Insurance CompanyWith more than 30 years of experience at her disposal, Gwen Taylor is a one-stop-shop in the insurance industry. Taylor’s knowledge and leadership skills have inspired those that work with her to achieve bigger and higher dreams.

Inga BealeCEO, Lloyd’s of LondonNamed the fi rst fe-male CEO in Lloyd’s of London’s 325-year history, Inga Beale will succeed Richard Ward, who steps down in July. Beale was most recently the CEO of Canopius Group, Ltd., and will start at Lloyd’s, the world’s oldest insur-ance market, in Janu-ary.

“This unique mar-ket has an extraordi-nary opportunity to increase its footprint and to cement its po-sition as the global hub for specialist in-surance and reinsur-ance,” says Beale. “I’m looking forward to working with the Lloyd’s team and the wider market to de-liver a strategy for profi table and sus-tainable growth.”

Gaby HernandezVice-President, SullivanCurtisMonroe Insurance ServicesDescribed by her coworkers as endowed with a “take charge” attitude, Gaby Hernandez has been in the industry for more than 20 years. She is a strong advocate for her clients and excels in the challenges the Affordable Care Act has thrown her at SullivanCurtisMonroe. Throughout the years, she has tak-en time out of her schedule to mentor other women in the industry.

Sharon EmekPresident and CEO, Work at Home Vintage Employees (WAHVE)Sharon Emek is an innovator in insurance. Founding WAHVE in 2010, Emek created a system that combines the old and the new. Through her company, seasoned insurance employees can use current remote technol-ogy to continue working while phasing into retirement—a process she calls “pretirement”. Emek simultaneously galvanized the Baby Boomer employee market while addressing the industry’s talent shortage.

“She has maximized the business opportunity created by a perfect storm—agencies need help, aging employees want greater work-life balance, and technology can unite the two,” said Amy Skidmore, senior consultant at Aaritrijk. “Sharon is energetic, engaged and has taken one of the industry’s most valuable resources—its experienced workforce—and extended its lifespan.”

Donna DecinaSVP of Underwriting OperationsDonna Decina uses her 20 years of industry experience to propel underwriting operations at Ironshore. She manages global Underwriting Operations with a focus on growth and spearheads the global policy administration system strategy. Her global team delivers consistent processes, metrics and quality. Deci-na also drives the Underwriting Transformation Program into effi cient workfl ow and roll-out.




Fanci WorthingtonPartner, Capital Financial Group/MassMutualFanci Worthington is an advocate for the insurance industry. In addi-tion to her supervisory role at Cap-ital Financial Group, Fanci main-tains a prosperous personal practice. She serves on boards for the National Association of Insur-ance and Financial Advisors, as well as for the Accounting and Fi-nancial Women’s Alliance. Pas-sionate about diversity and bring-ing the next generation to the financial industry, she leads in cre-ating opportunities for newer advi-sors and develops deliberate reso-lutions for tenured insurance representatives.

In addition to her career experi-ence, Fanci obtained the Certified Financial Planner and Accredited Investment Fiduciary designa-tions. She has been distinguished in insurance by qualifying for MassMutual Management Coun-cil, Sales Manager Summer and was named the 2011 Manager of the Year at Capital Financial Group.

Janet TrautweinCEO, National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU)Named as one of the 100 most powerful people in the insur-ance industry, Janet Trautwein is a vital component to the employee benefits in-dustry. As CEO, she currently manages and represents more than 100,000 em-ployee benefit profes-sionals. She frequent-ly testifies before Congress on health insurance markets and health plans of all sizes. Her govern-mental relationships were cultivated when she served as head of NAHU’s government affairs department, where she is consid-ered an expert in the field. In 2004, Traut-wein received the Harold R. Gordon Memorial Award, which is considered to be the most pres-tigious award in health insurance.

Doreen SpadorciaVice Chairman, The Travelers Companies, Inc. With 28 years of experience, Doreen Spadorcia oversees one of the largest property/casualty insurers in the country. From her start at Travelers 20 years ago, Spadorcia has tackled industry challenges and operated for the betterment of the company. She began her Travelers career as an attorney in the Claims Department, but rose to Bond Claim Operation Manager and General Counsel for Bonds within eight years. In few-er than 10 years she rose to assume the role of Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Personal Insurance and Bond & Financial Products.

Martha Rochester-GantAgency Owner, Insurance Agent and Broker, Cascade Insurance ProsMartha Rochester-Gant formed Cascade Insurance Pros for one main reason: to help others. Her passion for successful industry women and the best health benefit solutions has inspired her every day of her 10 years of industry involvement. Her staff sees her dedication to helping them succeed while developing honest, knowledge-driven solutions for clients.



Coryn F. ThalmannCEO, Jimcor Agency, Inc.As the CEO of Jimcor Agency, Inc., Coryn F. Thalmann is responsible for more than 150 employees at seven branches – yet she still finds time to be deeply involved in the industry. Thalmann serves as a director of the Derek Hughes NAPSLO Educational Foundation and vice-president of the AAMGA’s operations committee. She’s also served on AAMGA’s marketing and membership committees and is a former director and vice-president of AAMGA’s Under Forty Organization.

Jessica KramerCustomer Service Representative Manager, The Insurance Shop, LLCIn just seven years of industry involve-ment, Jessica Kramer has overcome chal-lenges only the most seasoned insurance professionals could tackle. In 2010, she created and launched The Insurance Shop’s Customer Service Representative De-partment from scratch. Her system, unlike any other agency system, has created an eight per-cent increase in poli-cy renewals and a 10 percent jump in total book retention.

“Jessica has also taken on the respon-sibility as the HR Manager in our office and has been able ef-ficiently running the CSR Department while handling the additional HR work-load,” said Tim Davis, Sales Manager at The Insurance Shop. “To put it simply, our agency would be no-where near its cur-rent level of sutccess without Jessica.”

Joni WaldychPresident/Owner, Innovative Benefit SolutionsJoni Waldych is an expert in the health-care industry. Her 25-plus years of experi-ence and unrelenting dedication to re-searching healthcare changes has helped her agency attain its 98.9 percent reten-tion rate. Even as president of Innova-tive Benefit Solu-tions, she takes the time to help each of her clients succeed.

Waldych is also ac-tive in her communi-ty. She currently serves as a Board Member for the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Com-merce and was previ-ously the Health Care Task Force Chair for the Salisbury Area Chamber of Com-merce.

Sarah WashburnPresident, Wilson Washburn & Foster InsuranceSince joining Wilson Washburn & Foster Insurance, Sarah Washburn has built a reputation of trustworthiness. After graduating college, Washburn came to the family company ready to work and help its client-base grow. Her coworkers know her as someone who produces loyal clients and mentors those around her. Two years ago, she was promoted to become President of the company, where she proceeded to mentor three new producers, two customer service representatives and an operations manager. Washburn is also enjoying new family life, having had her first child within the time of being named President.

Susan Denise BrignacChief of Staff, Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI)Described by her coworkers as having a leader-ship style “few can replicate”, Susan Denise Brignac’s breadth of knowledge and customer service qualities leads her team to success. When she accepted the Chief of Staff position in 2008, Brignac came equipped with a desire for uncom-promising service. However, her leadership has exemplified more than that.

In 2011, the LDI experienced tragedy when two colleagues were killed during a fraud investi-gation. Brignac gracefully guided her team through the aftermath of grief and created an un-derstanding environment.

Her expertise in the industry is recognized by her staff and those they regulate. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners select-ed Brignac for specialized training at Lloyd’s of London in 2009, after different organizations brought up her name to the association. Her staff emulates her values of objectivity, honesty and empathy.


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Sarah KellyPresident, Nickerson Insurance Agency“Sarah Kelly was instrumental in helping to establish a mock insurance agency class in the local high school in the late 1970s,” says Pam Absher of Frye Claims Consultation and Administration. “I attended this class for two years, and during one of the summers I worked part time for the agency. After high school I began working in the claims department at Allstate Insurance, advancing to the position of unit claim manager. Years later when I became involved in the National Association of Insurance Women, I found that Sarah is a founding member of the local association. When she realized I had worked for her years earlier, she willingly helped me progress in the organiza-tion. I ultimately advanced to the position of president. Sarah is the epitome of a strong and caring woman. She mentors other women, which is rare to fi nd. She loves life and is a joy to be around. The industry needs more women like Sarah Kelly.”

Darlene McGeheeProducer, Iroquois InsuranceWith more than a decade of experience, Darlene McGehee is one of the power-houses of the Illinois insurance industry, serving as Education Chair on the board of the Illinois branch of the Independent In-surance Agents and Brokers of America.

“Leadership isn’t about giving out or-ders—it’s about pav-ing a way and taking a younger generation under their wing,” says colleague Tess Fleming. “Darlene has done just that with me, and I am forever grateful.”

Betty SalterOwner, Salter Insurance AgencyWhen Betty Salter opened Salter Insurance Agency in 1985, she’d already set still-unbroken records at Farm Bureau. After opening her own company, Salter quickly became one of her community’s most respected business owners.

“She is one of the hardest working women and most respected women in our town. Despite the battles of working with a handicapped son and going through breast cancer herself, she has always been able to manage her time and business despite the obstacles put before her,” says Salter Insurance em-ployee April Smith. “Betty is devoted to her employees and provides them with the knowledge and tools needed to help each employee succeed.”

Angelyn Treutel-ZeringuePresident, SouthGroup Insurance Services – Gulf CoastA 17-year industry veteran, Angelyn Treutel-Zeringue has been recognized as one of the top 50 businesswomen in Mississippi and one of the top insurance professionals un-der 40. The chair of the Southern Agents Conference Technology Committee, Treutel-Zeringue is also a sought-after public speaker on technology, insurance and business issues. Active in her local church, Treutel-Ze-

ringue also works tirelessly for the local chamber of commerce, the Ameri-can Heart Association, United Way and other charities.

Gillian McCarronVice-president, Lakeside Insurance Center, LLCGillian McCarron will be the fi rst fe-male president of the Professional Inde-pendent Insurance Agents of Colorado in more than a decade. She also serves on the University of Colora-do Business School’s risk and insurance management pro-gram advisory board. She’s been an advo-cate for the industry in Washington and has developed work-ing relationships with most of Colora-do’s congressional delegation.

Jennifer TaylorEVP and branch director, Senn Dunn InsuranceJennifer Taylor started in the insurance business in a time when it was defi nitely a “man’s world” – but she was determined to change that. Beginning her career at the age of 18 in customer service, Taylor rose through the ranks from account rep to mar-keting rep to account executive. Finally, she be-came one of 22 owners of the largest independent-ly-owned agency in North Carolina.

“Her positive spirit and light-hearted personality keep her grounded when things get tough,” says Senn Dunn colleague Michele Taylor. “She is an inspiration to all, proving that anything is possible when you believe in your-self and your abilities and dare to dream that you can make a difference.”




Laura StallerAccount executive, UnumLaura Staller joined Unum right out of the University of Miami in 2009. The first female rep hired at Unum’s Tampa office in several years, Staller quickly gained the respect and admiration of more senior reps. Bringing a creative streak and a unique viewpoint to her work, Staller consistently delivers – which convinces even more senior professionals to abandon outdated industry practices.

“We expect much out of Laura as she continues growing in her career,” says Unum Florida sales manager Matt Krug. “Though our industry currently struggles to attract young talent, Laura is a prime example of how luck and aptitude can in-tersect to create a prime opportunity for someone in her demographic.”

Jan NoffsingerVP of health insurance operations, LifeStore InsuranceAn insurance professional since 1983, Jan Noffsing-er began her career with Liberty Mutual. After moving to Orlando in 1995, Noffsinger worked with several independent agencies before founding her own agency, Parkway Custom Insurance Associ-ates, in 2006. In 2012, Noffsinger sold Parkway to LifeStore and came on board to help the company prepare for PPACA and open enrollment in Octo-

ber of 2013.Noffsinger has earned the National Association of Health Underwriters

Golden Eagle Award for top sales five years running, and this year earned the Soaring Eagle Award.

Leslie BerglandPrincipal, Trade Acceptance Group, Ltd.An industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience, Leslie Bergland is the co-founder and principal of Trade Acceptance Group, a boutique firm specializing in trade finance and trade credit insurance. Bergland draws on her vast experience in international banking and trade finance to structure the best solutions for her clients, U.S.-based enterprises and financial institutions doing business on a global scale.

Irene BlumbergSVP, Head of Private Bank Insurance & Offshore Investment Linked Solutions, HSBCA veteran of the industry, Irene Blumberg is dedi-cated to client service and delivering sustainable results. That enthusiasm spills over to Blumberg’s team; their dedication to their clients has resulted in a more than 95 percent retention rate.

“As a colleague and client I am repeatedly left in awe of her passion and pride for her work - traits that are recognized by colleagues, clients, carrier partners, and senior lead-ership at the firm,” says fellow HSBC exec Robert Rotondi.

Debra C. NewmanPresident and founder, Newman Long Term CareOf Debra Newman’s 30 years in the insurance in-dustry, 24 have been dedicated solely to long-term care planning. Beginning with only herself and one employee, Newman has built Newman Long Term Care into one of the nation’s top LT-CI-only companies.

A nationally recognized expert, Newman’s perspective has been sought by publications like USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and Money Magazine. She’s also a sought-after speaker, ap-pearing at more than 20 state NAIFA conferenc-es and speaking to industry and consumer groups and government panels in more than 40 states.

“Deb’s passion had helped take long-term care planning from the fringes of financial planning to the mainstream,” says colleague Craig Roers. “From educating thousands of advisors and plan-ners, to working with consumers, to advocating for the industry on a national level, she has dedi-cated over two decades to helping families plan for their future long-term care needs.”


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Michelle MarquezVP of sales, PCG Agencies, Inc.When Michelle Marquez took the reins as vice-president of sales for PCG Agen-cies, Inc., only 40 per-cent of the production force was making its annual goal. Under Marquez’s leadership, that number has spiked to 90 percent. In addition to pushing her team to excel, Marquez consistently hits her own annual sales goal.

“Michelle is also an outstanding trainer and mentor to all sales people in the organi-zation,” says CEO Bruce Humphrey. “Michelle’s fi rm belief is that leaders must have credibility. If she is not selling, she has little credibility with her sales team.”

Laurie A. BranchPresident, the Iroquois GroupAfter graduating from Dartmouth and working a stint at Proctor and Gamble, Laurie A. Branch joined her father’s company. Soon she was given the reins to the business, and she quickly whipped it to a gallop. Under Branch’s guid-ance, the Iroquois Group has grown from a small cluster of agencies to one of the largest networks in the country, boasting more than 2,250 member agencies in 39 states.

Branch also has a passion for education. She teaches fi nance at St. Bonaventure University, where she also serves on the board of trustees. She’s served as the president of her local board of education and is currently pursuing a PhD.

Tam DuongAssistant Vice-President of Commercial Lines, Networked Insurance AgentsTam Duong’s collaborative goals have set the bar for the insurance industry. Her attainable initia-tives and constant team-building allows Duong’s team to excel in gaining skills and increasing pro-ductivity.

“She has motivated individuals to challenge themselves and to discover skills they didn’t know they had, like cross-selling or data analy-sis,” said Natalie Flightner, Corporate Marketing Director at Networked Insurance Agents, “while taking overall customer service to a whole new level.”

Per Duong’s recommendation, the Small Busi-ness Unit (SBU) was created to offer targeted marketing for small BOP and workers’ comp ac-counts. Duong’s research into staffi ng, opera-tional needs and service benefi ts shaped the im-plementation of the entire unit. The online submission tool allows an average of a three-hour turnaround for quotes for complete applications. Launched in February of this year, the program has increased the company’s quote ratio by 25 percent.

Charlotte MoscardelliDirector of marketing and communications, IronshoreWhen Charlotte Moscardelli began her career at Ironshore in 2005, the company was still consid-ered a startup and had virtually no marketing ap-paratus in place. Moscardelli soon built a robust brand for the company, spearheading a market-ing initiative that helped to create a global brand for the company.

Moscardelli is also committed to women’s leadership and advancement in the workplace, attending several conferences for women in busi-ness each year and personally providing guid-ance to women in the Ironshore family as they advance in their careers.

“With Charlotte’s industry experience, com-mitment to women’s leadership and ability to in-spire, she embodies a true female leader in the marketplace,” says Ironshore COO Joe Boren.




Debra MooreOwner agent, Moore Insurance Advisors (branch of The Woodlands Financial Group)Debra Moore has a passion for the life insurance industry, making sure all her clients not only understand their op-tions, but have every question answered to their satisfac-tion. She’s also passionate about the future, taking time to mentor and train the next generation of insurance agents.

“What sets Debi apart from other agents is her confi-dence and knowledge of the products she offers,” says Donald Moore. “She continually stays updated on not only insurance products, but also the changes and needs of her clients’ lives.“

Lara MoweryManaging director, head of global property specialty, Guy CarpenterAs the head of Guy Car-penter’s global proper-ty specialty practice, Lara Mowery specializ-es in finding solutions for the most difficult risk scenarios. She’s created several best practice tools and contract clauses, and played a key role in the development of i-aXs, Guy Carpenter’s award-winning data management platform, and ROLePlay, its global catastrophe transaction and analysis platform.

Tracey AllenDirector of internship development, Northwestern MutualAs director of internship development for Northwestern Mutual, Tracey Allen has introduced more than 4,000 stu-dents to possible careers in financial services, and has per-sonally recruited more than 175 students to the firm. Under Allen’s leadership, Northwestern Mutual’s Indiana office has developed the No. 1 internship program in the company.

“She has an optimistic approach to life that is immediately contagious to everyone she mentors and develops,” says Northwestern’s Justin Ruetz.

Linda ReedPresident, AUI, Inc.A 30-year industry veteran, Lin-da Reed has owned and operated AUI, Inc. since 1985. Despite the CSR turnover issues seen throughout the industry, AUI’s Austin, Texas office is on track to have a banner year, projecting a total of $12 million in written premiums – all with just nine employees.

Lindsey WatersPresident, First National Brokerage CompanyLindsey Waters came up through the ranks the old-fash-ioned way, starting at First National Brokerage Company when she was just 17-years-old. Now a veteran insurance pro, Waters has worked her way up to become FNBC president.

“I have watched her grow from a kid into one of the go-to people in Virginia when you have a question about health insurance or the Affordable Care Act,” says col-league Allan Jones. “[She’s a] class act on all levels.”

Dorothy TaylorCEO, World Wide Specialty ProgramsAs CEO of a company that focuses exclusively on the staffing industry, Dorothy Taylor’s No. 1 pri-ority is innovative insurance solutions for staff-ing. An insurance veteran of 30-plus years, Taylor has witnessed firsthand the changes the industry has faced – and as CEO of World Wide, she’s spearheaded the development of the staffing in-dustry’s most comprehensive insurance pro-gram, a banner taken up from World Wide found-er Eileen Lesberg.

“I can remember Eileen telling 25 years ago, ‘You wait and see. The staffing industry is going to be one of the top employers in the country.’ And she was right,” Taylor says. “It’s a true Amer-ican success story.”


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Christie BelueAgent, Acceptance Auto InsuranceWith just four years in the industry, Christie Belue is still a relative newcom-er to the insurance game – but she’s already made her mark. Starting as a CSR, Belue was quickly promoted to agent. In less than a year, she had in-creased her book of business by 35 percent. Belue was also placed in charge of training many of the service reps, managers and agents in her region. Be-lue received Acceptance’s JumpinOut Award from the company’s senior vice-president of agency operations and has been nominated for the Nation-al Leadership Conference and the President’s Council.

“I have worked with Christie for a little over a year and a half now,” says colleague Christy Cornelius. “She is by far one of the most dedicated agents

I have ever seen. She goes above and beyond in every aspect. Christie doesn’t just do her job – she takes care of her customers and her business.”

Erin CalveyEVP of small and medium enterprises, IronshoreThirteen-year industry veteran Erin Calvey began her career at Iron-shore as the head of global broker relations. She singlehandedly started the company’s Strategic Broker Relations Group and oversaw the hiring and training of a team that provides strategic and analytic support to Ironshore’s top executives. She’s also launched and managed a compa-ny-wide sales training program.

In her new role as executive vice-president of small and medium en-terprises, Calvey is spearheading the drive to develop a technology-driv-en platform and expanding Ironshore’s footprint in the small and medi-um enterprise space.

Calvey also mentors many Ironshore employees, along with members of the NY RIMS Young Risk Professional Mentoring Program. She’s also a leading voice for women’s issues in the company, successfully proposing the creation of a company budget for women’s executive initiatives. So far this year, the initiative has sent more than 80 women from Ironshore across the coun-try to attend conferences, leadership programs and networking events.

Sharone MenzcelVP of special risk, IronshoreA tax lawyer by train-ing, Sharone Menzcel created and built out Ironshore’s mergers and acquisitions prac-tice. Joining the com-pany’s Special Risk Unit in 2013, Menzcel led the industry in cre-ating tax credit recap-ture insurance, a prod-uct that helps investors in low-income housing, commercial ventures and renewable energy projects protect the val-ue of their investments.

Menzcel also active-ly mentors junior wom-en at Ironshore, provid-ing career guidance and advice on main-taining a healthy work-life balance.

“Additionally, Shar-one joined several oth-er women at Ironshore in advocating for changes to Ironshore’s maternity and parental leave policies, which resulted in signifi cant improvements,” says Ironshore COO Joe Boren. “I highly recom-mend this accomplished woman.”

Susan PrestonOwner/president, Professional Program Insurance BrokerageSusan Preston is an innovator in crafting insurance programs for emerging indus-tries. She’s designed coverage programs for businesses as diverse as medispas, la-ser centers, tattoo shops and medical marijuana centers. Preston has also worked with government bodies to develop regulations for tattooing, body piercing, per-manent cosmetics and laser services, as well as co-founding the Society of Perma-nent Cosmetic Professionals, an organization that set international standards for the industry.

Preston’s knowledge of emerging industries has brought her company, Profes-sional Program Insurance Brokerage, to the forefront of niche market insurance. The agency experienced 50 percent premium growth last year, and is on track for another 30 percent in 2014. Her expertise has also made her a sought-after speak-

er, both at insurance events and in the industries PPIB insures. Preston has spoken at permanent make-up conferences, tattoo conventions and laser training programs, as well as appearing on panels at insur-ance industry events.




Rebecca GarciaVice-president, Professional Liability Insurance Services, Inc.; president, Innovative Claims Consultants, Inc.With a master’s de-gree in food science and safety from Michigan State Uni-versity College of Veterinary Medicine, Rebecca Garcia spe-cializes in policies dealing with food-borne illness. An in-dustry veteran of more than 20 years, Garcia is also an ex-pert in underwriting and claims opera-tions for policies dealing with EPLI, business interrup-tion, miscellaneous errors and omissions and product recall. The vice-president of Professional Liability Insurance Services and president of In-novative Claims Con-sultants, Garcia works closely with Certain Underwrit-ers at Lloyd’s of Lon-don and London In-surance Company Markets.

Lorraine SeibPresident of excess casualty, XL GroupWhen Lorraine Seib joined XL Group in 2011, she al-ready had a proven track record of producing growth and bringing multiple business units together as a cohe-sive team. She continued that practice as XL Group’s president of excess casualty, helping to establish a fresh strategic vision for the unit and initiating a dramatic ge-ographic shift which brought all of XL Group’s global excess casualty teams under her leadership.

Seib ramped up the group’s market-facing presence with strategic expan-sions into key U.S. cities. Her work helped the team develop a reputation in the marketplace as both a strong lead umbrella market and a strong excess player. Her efforts helped lead to triple-digit business growth.

Seib has also been named a managing director on XL Group’s Leadership Council. In that role, she is a key player in the implementation of business strategy.

Terri ChesterVP, commercial lines manager, Mountain Region, NFP Property & Casualty Services, Inc.Terri Chester started in the insurance in-dustry in 1985 as a re-ceptionist and policy typist. Today, she’s the vice-president and commercial line manager for NFP Property & Casualty’s Mountain Region. Never feeling her gender was a barrier to opportunities, Chester has learned in her nearly 30-year career to seize oppor-tunities as they arise. Overseeing 13 offices, Chester spearheads strategic planning, i m p l e m e n t a t i o n , leadership develop-ment and more.

Michele SansonePresident of North American property, XL GroupMichele Sansone was re-cently appointed president of XL Group’s North Amer-ican property group as well as XL GAPS, its loss preven-tion team. In that capacity, Sansone will lead XL’s property underwriting, risk engineering and broker re-lationship efforts across the country.

A 25-year industry veter-an, Sansone has amassed unparalleled knowledge in the management of global property risk. Her passion for the industry has helped XL Group grow its Platinum book of business and extend its available capacity to $1 billion.

Karlene AntoineVice-president – property underwriter, Ironshore Insurance Ltd. (Bermuda)Karlene Antoine began her insurance career in London under the tutelage of prop-erty underwriting superstar Les Rock. In 2007, she followed Rock to Bermuda to join Ironshore Insurance Ltd., then a startup. Antoine started at Ironshore as the underwriting operations manager and continued to hone her skills until she be-came a property underwriter in her own right.

Responsible for Ironshore’s entire Caribbean book of property business as well as a large – and grow-ing – portfolio of U.S. business, Antoine is a force to be reckoned with in the Lloyd’s property insurance market, Bermuda and the U.S.


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Pamela RitzPresident, Specialty Risk Management, Inc.An expert in employment practices liability, food-borne illnesses, product recalls and more, Pamela Ritz is a powerhouse in the risk management world. She holds a master’s degree in food sci-ence and safety from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, the leading uni-versity for food science and food safety toxicolo-gy. A sought-after speaker, Ritz frequently teach-es and speaks at seminars for insurance professionals and private employers. She’s developed several management programs for controlling professional liability exposures, and has been recognized as one of the top 50 women in insurance worldwide.

Claudia MandatoExecutive vice-president, Lockton, Inc.A Lockton loyal since 1985, Claudia Mandato has over-sight over the company’s insurance and risk manage-ment areas, as well as the company itself. Mandato is also very involved with Lockton’s talent management efforts.

Mandato is an outspoken advocate of women in the insurance industry, frequently acknowledging both the “conscious and unconscious” gender bias in the indus-try. In fact, her convictions spurred her to co-found

Lockton’s Women In Leadership (WIL), an initiative aimed at fostering pro-fessional development and business networking for women.

Anne Melissa DowlingDeputy insurance commissioner, Connecticut Insurance DepartmentA former senior vice-president for Mass Mutual, Anne Melissa Dowling made “a seamless transition” from insur-ance industry execu-tive to industry regula-tor, according to Connecticut Insur-ance Department Communications Di-rector Donna Tom-melleo. Arriving at the agency just as the Af-fordable Care Act was broadening, Dowling was charged with overseeing the depart-ment’s health insur-ance initiatives. She also served as an advi-sor to Access Health CT, Connecticut’s highly successful, much-imitated health exchange. She’s also led efforts to improve access to mental health and substance abuse treatment in the state.

“The well-being of the policyholders was and remains her prior-ity as the ACA contin-ues to evolve,” Tom-melleo says. “She is a leader who meets every challenge with fairness and balance and puts the needs of the consumer fi rst.”

Claudia McClainAgency Principal, McClain Insurance Services As founder of McClain Insurance Services, Claudia McClain’s innovative and value-driven actions have propelled her to the front of the industry. Her insur-ance business model has captured the attention of in-dustry leaders, while her high standards for persona-ble customer service has grown her agency to service more than 3,000 client households in Washington, Or-egon and Utah. Her agency has been recognized with nine awards, including the Everett Chamber of Com-merce Small Business of the Year Award and Progres-sive Signature Agent Travelers Award of Excellence.

Along with her passion for the industry, McClain also believes in giving back. McClain dedicates her time to industry organizations like PEMCO Agents Council, Progressive National Agency Council and the Washington State Offi ce of the Insurance Commis-sioner Advisory Board.

Jean RamosVice-president, Continental Risk Insurance ServicesTwenty-year industry veteran Jean Ramos got her start in the in-surance business at the age of 18, fi ling papers and answer-ing phones. Quickly developing into an outstanding whole-sale broker, Ramos quickly began mov-ing up through the ranks. For the last nine years, she’s been the co-owner and vice-president of Continental Risk In-surance Services.


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