Tanner Hackett is the CEO of Counterpart, a management and professional liability insurance company. As a relatively new insurance nerd, Tanner is fascinated by this industry despite only being in this space for about three years. Through his work in Southeast Asia, Tanner is bringing some of the concepts he’s learned overseas and applying them back on U.S. soil. Find out more about Tanner and the work he’s doing in Insurtech in this week’s episode.   Key Takeaways: A little bit about Tanner and his company, Counterpart. As a serial entrepreneur, this is the most interesting company Tanner has started. There is so much to learn about insurance and it affects all aspects of our lives. Nobody really wants to talk about the vital importance of insurance. If you ever go into bankruptcy, insurance can help protect your personal assets. What is social inflation vs. legal system abuse? When it comes to liability claims, where is the money really going? It's going to the lawyers, not the people. What are Tanner’s thoughts on pursuing a higher level of education? Business owners are often thinking in quarters, not two to three years out from now. This makes it difficult sometimes to justify the ROI on HR software. Nine out of 10 insurers are looking at how they can buy risk mitigation services on top of their insurance. Insurers have the ability to offer preventive measures to their clients and lessen the risk burden of their clients. How did Tanner go from New York to living in Malaysia to start a company? Insurance is really hard to do and build. There are so many institutions to consider, but the work Tanner did in Asia was eye-opening. Insurance is so nuanced and specific that it is critical to have a robust software program that can handle the subtle differences that insurance has to offer. People want more options, they want things faster, and they want things cheaper. This philosophy is only going to grow in intensity over the next coming years. Can we all just get rid of certificates of insurance already?   Mentioned in This Episode: Yourcounterpart.com Tanner on LinkedIn    

Jason Disborough is the Chief Commercial Officer for Enterprise & CEO — Multinational Clients at Aon. Jason shares what interested him in pursuing a degree in math and why he picked the insurance industry. In this episode, you’ll learn how he was able to sell his consulting business to Aon over 20 years ago and still continue to work for the company. He also shares some key learnings he’s had throughout his time at Aon and his 30-plus years of experience in insurance.   Key Takeaways: A little bit about Jason and the work he currently does for Aon. How did Jason get his mathematics degree? Why didn’t Jason take the Actuary route? Jason started his own consulting company, which was later acquired by Aon; how did that journey start? When Jason started working at Aon again, he felt right at home. What did Jason learn about working with a larger corporation? Business development gives you a big skills boost because you’re working with so many different teams. Jason spent four years in London working in a global role; what were some of the things he learned while there? It was a dream come true for Jason to spend so much time with the Manchester United soccer team. Fun fact: Jason is not a good golfer. Jason is a marathon runner and shares some proud highlights he’s experienced. Why does Jason start his morning with a meditation practice? The winning process starts many, many years before the actual “goal.” You can do the impossible and achieve something that no one else could just by consistent action. How do you learn from your mistakes? Don’t get furious, get curious. Jason believes in relationship equity. It comes down to being a good mentor and having the goodwill to help others. Insurance talks to all industries so that they can help solve problems in all these industries. You become a much more interesting person because of this deep and vast understanding. What does Jason wish he’d learned sooner in his career?   Mentioned in This Episode: Aon.com/home Jason on LinkedIn  

Tabitha Richardson is the National Learning & Development Manager for Business Insurance at Marsh McLennan Agency. Tabitha shares her experience as an insurance professional and her deep involvement in diversity. She talks about the talent gap, what the new generation currently is looking for in the workforce, and so much more. Find out more about the exciting new developments happening in insurance in this week’s episode!   Key Takeaways: A little bit about Tabitha and her work as a Learning and Development Manager. Tabitha majored in psychology; how has that helped her throughout her career? In having a conversation with a car salesman, he said insurance people were worse than people in his industry! There’s a huge negative perception of insurance. The insurance industry has a huge talent gap and people are retiring out. The new generation’s needs are much more different than the baby boomer generation. The new generation knows they’ve got options and aren’t afraid to use them. Why does the state of Florida have the most litigation claims? Our younger generation is very connected to their community and they want to do good for their people. Tabitha talks about the allyship that she’s part of at MMA. Unfortunately, some people just don’t fully understand the benefits of D&I. There are gaps in black and brown senior leadership. What are some of Tabitha’s roles and responsibilities? When you chase approval, you chase perfectionism.   Mentioned in This Episode: Marshmma.com/us Tabitha on LinkedIn The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brené Brown  

Nathan Logan is the Risk Management Expertise Specialist at Amerisure Insurance. In his extensive career, Nathan has worked up the ranks in risk and insurance and shares some of his thoughts and processes around his work and the industry. Nathan believes that starting with a relationship-first approach in this career is one of the best ways not only to build trust but also to get the job done in an effective way. Find out more about Nathan and his love for his work in this week’s episode!   Key Takeaways: A little bit about Nathan and his role at Amerisure. Are there any benefits to doing the underwriting process virtually vs. in person? What are some of the difficulties of doing a claim virtually? A big piece of what Nathan does is building relationships and building trust with his providers. What does Amerisure do? In a role like Nathan’s, how transferable are his skill sets to other positions? Nathan talks about the Myers-Briggs profiles. Nathan shares what the transition has been like, moving from South Caroline to Indiana. Nathan received his Master’s in Risk and Insurance. What was that experience like? What have been some of Nathan’s strategies to further his knowledge and career? What advice would Nathan give his younger self? What is Nathan currently reading?   Mentioned in This Episode: Amerisure.com Leading Without Authority: How the New Power of Co-Elevation Can Break Down Silos, Transform Teams, and Reinvent Collaboration, by Keith Ferrazzi    

Jen Blair is the Global Risk and Insurance Manager at Bose. Jen started her career as a Financial Analyst and did not expect to be thrown into the world of insurance. However, seven years later and she’s still fascinated by what the field can offer. Every day there’s something new and in this week’s episode, Jen talks about how she thinks about risk in the electronic space, what happens when they’re knockoff products, and her experience getting her Master’s degree in Risk and Insurance.   Key Takeaways: A little bit about Jen and her role at Bose. When Bose was going through a reorg, Jen originally was not interested in the position. Jen doesn’t have any insurance employees but has credit risk employees. How is her department structured? When Jen took on risk management, what surprised her most about the insurance industry? A good risk manager really has to be connected to every aspect of the business. How has Jen’s role evolved over the years? How does Jen think about risk when it comes to electronic product dupes or knockoffs? Jen explains how she navigates losses in the company. What was Jen’s experience getting a Master’s degree in Risk and Insurance? What advice does Jen have for a young risk manager? How can you stand out as a broker or a consultant? What piece of advice would Jen give her younger self?   Mentioned in This Episode: Bose.com Jen on LinkedIn

Michal Gnatek is the Department Head of the Enterprise Risk Management program at The MITRE Corporation, a not-for-profit organization that operates multiple Federally Funded Research & Development Centers. In this episode, Michal talks about the dynamic group of people he gets to work with across a wide variety of sectors, why this field is such a fascinating space to be in, and the power of networking in this industry.   Key Takeaways: A little bit about Michal and his work at MITRE. Because a lot of the work MITRE does is for the federal government, traditional risk models don’t necessarily apply at Michal’s company. MITRE manages risks in some big sectors like cybersecurity, aviation, data integrity, and healthcare security. Is it a challenge to talk to different industrial sectors about risk? Michal sometimes has to ask his industry expert to dumb it down so that he can figure out the true risk. How did Michal get his start in insurance? Insurance is never really going to go away. However, the past two years really have shown that risk management is part of our daily lives. Michal took a big risk in his career by switching to a startup. What was that transition like? How does a non-compete work when you’re switching to a new insurance broker? Michal is grateful for the past opportunities he’s had because they’ve prepared him to be a better risk manager than ever before. If you really want to excel in your career, get good at networking and connecting people to other people. Is Michal ever tempted to go back to the broker side? When you connect the dots through people, really unique opportunities begin to show. Risk management is a far more interesting industry than people give us credit for. Michal loves staying active and has a passion for biking to keep himself healthy.   Mentioned in This Episode: Mitre.org Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear  

Emily Bloedel is Manager, Contracts and Legal Affairs lawyer at Merrick & Company. Emily has been with her firm for seven years and has learned a thing or two about risk management during that time. There are so many exciting opportunities out there for young professionals and Emily shares a bit of her experience as a lawyer in the space. It can take time to really understand the vast opportunities available to you, but this rapidly growing industry has a lot to offer.   Key Takeaways: A little bit about Emily and the work that she’s doing with Merrick & Company How did Emily learn Japanese? Emily was in her early 20s and was faced with a career and educational pivot. What was Emily’s first experience at law school like? Is there a difference in personality types between a litigator and a risk manager? Emily loves that there is a risk management podcast out that she can showcase to new risk management professionals and students! Emily shares some learnings and mistakes she had made in her career. It’s important to remember mistakes happen. Just own up to it! What advice would Emily give to her younger self? Emily wished she was more herself and less “stiff” as a professional. It can be really intimidating to be in a room with a lot of smart and senior people. Emily discusses what it’s like being in a male-dominated field. Insurance is a people industry and everyone in her field has made an effort to get to know her.   Mentioned in This Episode: Merrick.com Emily on LinkedIn    

Courtney Davis Curtis is the Assistant Vice President of Risk Management and Resilience Planning at the University of Chicago. She was also named RIMS Risk Manager of the Year 2022, 2020 Business Insurance Women to Watch, 2017 Business Insurance Break Out, and received the 2015 Risk & Insurance Power Broker award. In this episode, Courtney shares her journey as an insurance professional, what a risk manager has to think about when there’s a university under their care, and her next steps as a seasoned insurance and risk professional.   Key Takeaways: A little bit about Courtney and her role at the University of Chicago. When COVID-19 first hit, what was Courtney’s approach to keeping her students safe? How did Courtney find herself in insurance? Higher education institutions can end up being the highest employer in a city. If you think about it, they’re like mini-cities in themselves. Protesting can be part of a university’s culture. How does a risk manager think about protests in terms of risks? When it comes to risk managers, the answer is often “no” when you want to do something new. However, it’s important to work with partners to get to a “yes.” Everything we do has an inherent risk to it. Why is Courtney so passionate about the insurance industry? Has Courtney ever thought about going back to being a broker? Courtney recommends really diving deep into a topic and getting your hands dirty so that you can shorten the gap and become an expert in that field quicker. How important are CPCU certifications and what has Courtney’s experience been like so far with it? Is the insurance industry still a male-dominated field? Mentorship and support are critical pieces of getting more diversity into the insurance space. What do younger generations need to be mindful of? Courtney won the risk manager of the year award. What was that like? What’s next for Courtney? What gets her the most excited?   Mentioned in This Episode: Urmia.org Courtney on LinkedIn White Tears/Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color, by Ruby Hamad  

Lorena Torres is the Director of Risk at Clearway Energy Group. She’s been a Risk Manager for the last seven years and has seen a lot of growth in the industry during this time. When Lorena first started her career, she had accidentally stumbled on it, and has found it exciting and engaging ever since. In this episode, Lorena talks about renewable energy, political science, and the very few Latinas in the industry.    Key Takeaways: A little bit about Lorena and how she found risk management.  What is ESG and why is this incentive so important for companies and people?  We need people to feel passionate and engaged when it comes to renewable energy.  What do people need to think about when it comes to solar and its risks?  There are smart partnerships happening with farm animals and solar panels. The batteries that store the extra solar energy are always a concern and a risk.  People are still trying to figure out the battery problem in solar.  How has diversity and inclusion changed over Lorena’s career?  Lorena is a Latina risk manager and shares her thoughts on how to attract more Latinas in the space. People of color internalize the requirements of a job description with a lot more gravity. They really want to make sure they fit the bill before applying.  Lorena founded an organization called Mujeres Ayudando La Raza and explains why this movement is important to her.    Mentioned in This Episode: Clearwayenergygroup.com Lorena on LinkedIn Mujeres1990.weebly.com/about.html   Tweetables:   “With the crisis in the Ukraine, energy, and our gas prices going up, I feel more and more passionate about how we need to find solutions sooner rather than later regarding renewable energy.”   “A small town had actually banned solar from the community being sold into homes because, they believed, solar was taking energy away from the sun.”   “The amount of sun that is generated is only so many in a day, so how do you capture that energy when it might be underutilized? You want to make sure you’re storing it [correctly].”

Lori is a Director and Global Head of Real Assets Insurance Risk Management for BlackRock, Inc. She has over 30 years of diversified experience in risk management and insurance. Lori won the Heart of RIMS Award earlier this year which recognizes the impactful volunteer work she had made at her New York chapter. In this episode, Lori catches up and shares some exciting things happening in the world of insurance!   Key Takeaways: Lori knows this is a relationship business and everybody has really missed each other since the pandemic! Lori is a recipient of the Heart of RIMS Award. What’s it like to be recognized in this way? Lori really didn’t expect to win the reward and it’s been such a huge honor to volunteer at RIMS and get the backing of her peers on this. For Lori, it’s been really motivating to see the influence and inspiration her career has sparked in others. Lori feels good going to bed at night. There’s a lot of bad publicity in the insurance industry. However, there are so many good people behind that bad publicity that work really, really hard. The next generation really needs more support. Lori explains why. Lori is so excited to mentor the newer generation and to see how enthusiastic they are for the future. Sometimes you just have to have the difficult conversation so that you can build mutual respect for one another. Lori shares a fangirl moment she had with the Steve Miller band. Lori is excited to have an in-person event happening at her chapter for the first time this year!   Mentioned in This Episode: Blackrock.com Lori on LinkedIn Rims.org/about-us/rims-2022-awards-winners