SPECIAL REPORT
HOT 100 2019 LUKE BRONIN Mayor CITY OF HARTFORD
KARIN VENEGAS KEVIN MAHER
Executive vice president HIGGINBOTHAM
Senior underwriter CANOPIUS US INSURANCE
With more than a decade of underwriting experience, Kevin Maher is committed to bringing an innovative and creative approach to the insurance industry to help meet the needs of emerging markets. As a senior underwriter at Canopius, Maher oversees a commercial portfolio of catastrophe-exposed property and specialty program business. Maher began his insurance career as a commercial underwriter for a mid-sized regional carrier, focusing on small and middle-market accounts. He then moved on to roles with large national carriers before joining Canopius in early 2014.
Karin Venegas began her career in property & casualty insurance in 2013 as a commercial insurance producer at Higginbotham. After just one year of production, Venegas was named the top producer for revenue growth percentage in 2014 out of approximately 200 producers in the firm. Now one of the youngest executive vice presidents at Higginbotham, Venegas continues to rapidly grow the book of business for property & casualty insurance, looking after clients in a variety of sectors, including real estate, oil & gas, healthcare and nonprofits. Venegas enjoys mentoring new producers in the firm and helps out with the Higg U new producer training program.
As mayor of Hartford, Connecticut, Luke Bronin has been in the midst of a significant transition following the state insurance department’s approval of the CVS-Aetna merger. In addition to lowering costs and expanding affordable healthcare options, the deal is expected to keep Aetna anchored in Hartford for at least 10 years, making Connecticut the company’s primary regulator. In addition, CVS has made staffing-level and civic commitments, along with a promised contribution to the city of Hartford. After taking office in 2016, Bronin and his team worked to position the city as a hub for innovation in insurance, advanced manufacturing and medicine. Bronin played a key role in the launch of Hartford’s InsurTech Accelerator with Startup Bootcamp. Prior to his government roles, Bronin worked as chief of staff to the president of property & casualty operations at The Hartford Financial Services Group.
STEVEN MNUCHIN Secretary
G. GREG GUNN Managing partner GUNN-MOWERY
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www.ibamag.com
Greg Gunn co-leads Gunn-Mowery, a 65-employee firm that was established in 1985 and has been recognized as one of IIABA’s Best Practices Agencies for nine consecutive years. Gunn specializes in construction, engineering and higher education risks, as well as innovative risk financing solutions such as self-funding and the use of captives. He has been named Central Pennsylvania Insurance Person of the Year and Executive of the Year by the Central Penn Business Journal. Presently, Gunn is part of the executive committee of Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce. He also serves as the Pennsylvania representative for IIABA and formerly chaired the Independent Agents & Brokers Association of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware.
US DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Steve Mnuchin was sworn in as Treasury secretary in early 2017, tasked with managing the executive branch agency and serving as chair of the Financial Stability Oversight Council [FSOC]. Recently, the FSOC removed insurance giant Prudential’s financial-crisis-era label as a systemically important financial institution, easing its regulatory costs. Mnuchin’s Treasury Department has also presented findings and estimates to support the expansion of health reimbursement arrangements [HRAs] in order to provide small businesses with additional healthcare financing options for employees.