FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT
DEIRDRE K. MANNA Vice president of political engagement and regulatory affairs PROPERTY CASUALTY INSURERS OF AMERICA
During her tenure as insurance commissioner at the Illinois Department of Insurance, Deirdre Manna led large investigations into broker conduct, managed a major insurer’s runoff, and led the department’s involvement in workers’ compensation and medical malpractice. A noted regulatory and legislative strategist, Manna started the Property Casualty Insurers’ political engagement division, bringing together state and federal political engagement initiatives and grassroots functions. Manna has led PCI’s successful advocacy on key issues, including global regulatory convergence, market conduct, cybersecurity and privacy. Over the course of her career, she has developed a deserved reputation amongst industry and other stakeholders for both rigor and fairness. Manna is also the only female on the board of The Insurance Regulator Educational Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to furthering the education and development of insurance regulators through the Katie School of Insurance at Illinois State University.
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NICHOLE BARNES MARSHALL
SCOTT R. KONRAD
Global head of diversity & inclusion
Senior vice president
AON
HUB INTERNATIONAL
The tide is turning on diversity in insurance, and as global head of D&I for one of the most renowned risk services brands in the world, Nichole Barnes Marshall is one of the key players fostering that norm. Marshall is responsible for Aon’s D&I strategies for its tens of thousands of employees across 120 countries. She joined the company in 2013 to help advance its ‘Unmatched Talent’ agenda throughout its global network. “The work that I’m doing, it’s not just at Aon,” she says. “I know my counterparts and direct peers in brokerages, as well as all of our carriers … are making commitments to how they want to move the industry forward. [But] it’s going to take some time to change.” Marshall has participated in many conferences and roundtables that are helping to drive diversity by highlighting employment best practices. “As a woman and person of color, that makes me feel good, knowing that there are opportunities for me and for my children – and for other women – to now consider insurance as a viable career and industry,” she says.
TAMARA A. KNIGHT Executive agent ESSER HAYES INSURANCE GROUP
A Certified Insurance Counselor, Tamara Knight relies on both her deep insurance knowledge and teaching experience to help clients make informed choices about their insurance purchases. Knight focuses on four key areas of business: construction contract compliance for risk mitigation, medical facilities, nonprofits and complex insurance accounts. She also speaks at various industry events and is involved with the US Minority Contractors Association as a member insurance advisor.
Scott Konrad has devoted half of his 40-year insurance career to advocating for major global, national and regional nonprofit organizations, ranging from iconic cultural institutions to global NGOs. He joined HUB International in 2013 to fortify its presence in the nonprofit sector, and today he leads the specialty practice that helps charitable organizations surmount their most pressing risk management, insurance and human capital challenges. Konrad is a nationally recognized speaker and author on nonprofit risk management themes and brings an insider’s perspective through his service in a variety of elected leadership roles with professional, civic and religious nonprofit organizations.
ROBERT AROWOOD Principal/president APPALACHIAN UNDERWRITERS
For more than 20 years, Robert Arowood has served as president of Appalachian Underwriters [AUI]; along with his brother, Bill Arowood, he is also a principal of the company, which has more than 400 employees across the country. As an active leader in all areas of AUI, Arowood has been able to create opportunities for growth with diversity in the marketplace. Thanks to additional carriers on its Xpress Contractors platform, service expansion to AUI’s agency portal, the addition of a high-net-worth division and an agency white-label program, AUI has become one of the nation’s leaders in wholesale insurance. Recently, AUI was named a Five-Star MGA for the second consecutive year by IBA, and its high-net-worth division, Reliance Risk Solutions, earned the Cornerstone Elite Agency Designation from Chubb for the second year in a row.
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