TUESDAY June 5, On the Brink of History: Pomilia Looks Back on His Eventful Years as Executive Director DUE MAR 26 AMOUNT $278.

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1 BILL DATE DUE MAR 26 PAY & MORE Paying In-Person? Have Agent Scan AMOUNT $ DAILY NEWS TUESDAY June 5, 2018 On the Brink of History: Pomilia Looks Back on His Eventful Years as Executive Director Industry changes, social upheavals helped shape the IASA under his guidance When Joe Pomilia stepped into the role of executive director at IASA in November 2000, it s no exaggeration to say that both the man and the organization were standing on the brink of history. Over the next 17 years, the IASA would live through unprecedented upheavals Joe Pomilia insurance industry contractions, the dawn of the digital age, the Great Recession, and a life-altering terrorist event that shaped the world we live in today. Through it all, Pomilia helped transform the 90-year-old association to keep it relevant, all while remaining true to its mission of facilitating the exchange of educational information, best practices and innovative ideas among insurance related professionals. History in the making At the dawn of the 21st century, IASA was still operated with a small board of directors and a modest support staff of five; there had never been executive staff leadership. Realizing that insurance was becoming more complex, the organization sought someone with industry experience who could take an active, day-to-day leadership role as executive director the first position of its kind for IASA. Pomilia s background especially his stint as industry advocate at the National Assn. of Independent Insurers (now Property Casualty Insurance Assn. of America) made him well suited for the role, which he assumed in November In those flush years at the turn of the 21st century, insurance trade associations could easily attract hundreds, Put Your Payment Options In Their Pocket! even thousands, of attendees to their annual conferences at big convention venues, where carriers and vendors were eager to spend time and money to show off their wares. There was little reason to think things would ever change. Incoming IASA Executive Director Rod Travers knows only too well that today s insurance industry faces plenty of formidable challenges from move P Consumer Insurance Co. Mike Smith ACCOUNT LAST Oct 8, 2018 But then came Sept. 11, 2001, when the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center sent out ripples that affected the insurance industry and, in turn, the nonprofit associations Pomilia, continued on page 10 E Building on a Strong Foundation: Rod Travers Looks Forward to Executive Director Role Expanding offerings, strategic alliances, increasing diversity among his goals Tap below Consumer Insurance Co. Updated 3 minutes ago Done Pay My Bill sorting through a glut of new tech tools, to the looming need to Rod Travers Travers, continued on page 9 E Automatic Updates Ask us how we can send instant mobile alerts and add your policyholders payment/account options to the e-wallet that is already on their smartphones. Remove Pass Pay My Bill View My Statement View My State ClearwaterPayments.com Visit us at IASA booth #601 Access My Account Paying in Pers

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3 IASA SHOW DAILY TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018 K PAGE Business Show on Track for Blockbuster Attendance Nearly 200 vendors and new tech offerings designed to entice With almost 200 widely diverse exhibitors, a virtual component, the new InsurTech Pavilion and Tech Tank, and the always popular Vendor Connect tours, IASA s 2018 business show is on track to attract a record number of attendees this year. We have a great floor show format, and there are a lot of addons this year that will keep people interested, says Miguel Edwards, VP, Business Show. One of the biggest draws is expected to be the brand-new InsurTech Pavilion, which will be housed in a separate section of the exhibit hall. We re really excited about the Pavilion, which will give visitors the opportunity to learn about some cutting-edge new insurtech offerings, Edwards says. This year s business show features a diverse mix of exhibitors, with many traditional players and core systems, as well as many international businesses seeking access to the U.S. insurance market a trend that s been building over the past several years, Edwards notes. The diverse blend of vendors provides attendees with a healthy representation of the types of products and services available to them. In spite of heavy industry consolidation over the past two years which translates to fewer exhibitors overall the IASA business show gives no indication of slowing down this year or in the future, Edwards says. In fact, exhibitor consolidation actually provides attendees with a more focused browsing experience, especially because they can choose to hone in on a specific service area through the Vendor Connect tours. Taking in the business show experience is much more than checking out one 20 by 20 booth, he says. To accommodate more visitors and prevent competition from sessions, keynotes and other events, the business show planning committee was careful to offer more dedicated floor show hours, Edwards says, so attendees can walk the floor without worrying about what they re missing in the sessions. To ensure that attendees don t miss a beat, IASA will once again be providing access to the Virtual Business Show (VBS) to companies that are active with IASA in the live environment. It s an extension designed as an enhancement to the live conference, Edwards says. And if all that s not enough to pull in attendees, the exhibit hall will once again be hosting a floor show game with scratch-off tickets and prizes encouraging visitors to visit as many booths as possible. There will also be a social media contest, in which participants can tweet, post, or snap their way to winning one of three Apple HomePods. To participate, follow Twitter or Instagram accounts, post a tweet or a photo using the #IASA2018 hashtag, like the IASA Facebook Page, and respond to one of the #IASA2018 Conference Question of the Day posts during the conference. K Highlights for the Conference Tuesday, June 5 7:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Registration Open Ryman Hall C 7:30 A.M. 8:00 A.M. Breakfast Service Delta A Breakfast Service concludes when IASA Business Session begins 8:00 A.M. - 9:30 A.M. General Session and Keynote Address: Bear Grylls Delta A 9:30 A.M. 1:00 P.M. Exhibit Hall Open Ryman Hall C InsurTech Pavilion Lunch with Exhibitors 12:00pm 1:00pm HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY IASA s Tech Tank is today 3:45pm in the Delta B Visit IASA s InsurTech Pavilion! Play IASA Power Up in the Business Show Over $12,000 in prizes to be won but you have to play to win! GET SOCIAL! Tweet, Post and Like using #IASA2018 You might even win an Apple HomePod 10:00 A.M. 3:15 P.M. Chief Financial and Chief Information Roundtable/Technology Officer Roundtable Governor s Ballroom Area 9:45 A.M. 10:45 A.M. Technical Sessions Delta, Bayou and Canal 11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. Technical Sessions Delta, Bayou and Canal 1:15 P.M. 2:15 P.M. Technical Sessions Delta, Bayou and Canal 2:30 P.M. - 3:30 P.M. Technical Sessions Delta, Bayou and Canal 3:45 P.M. - 5:15 P.M. Technical Sessions Delta, Bayou and Canal 3:45 P.M. - 5:15 P.M. IASA Tech Tank Delta B 7:00 P.M. EVENING IASA Networking Event Featuring Joe Nichols PUBLISHER Jim Daggett jim@itapro.org ART DIRECTOR Jason Williams No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the Insurance Technology Association and IASA.

4 PAGE 4 K TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018 IASA SHOW DAILY Cybersecurity and IoT Front and Center at CITO Roundtable Keynote Bryce Austin to tackle IoT impact on insurance Chief Information/Technology Officers attending this year s IASA conference will once again have the opportunity to hear from the experts and network with their peers at the Chief Information/Technology Officer Roundtable on Tuesday. As with the other three Executive Roundtables, a unique aspect to this year s event is the addition of the Conversations of Four networking format, which will provide attendees with the opportunity for in-depth discussion on a variety of topics related to their discipline. The Roundtables are an opportunity both for networking and to hear from experts and ask questions, says Claire Burke, CITO Roundtable Director. There s always a wealth of knowledge at your disposal that provides a lot of value. This year s CITO Roundtable kicks off with the Conversation of Four discussion, which will be held in conjunction with the CFO Roundtable attendees. The Chief Information/ Technology Roundtable includes three 20-minute conversations of four, with discussion categories suggested by attendees and industry executives. Topics could include insurtech, cyber security, digital transformation, and managing risk in the organization, to name a few. Next up will be a panel discussion on Successful IT Transformation Prompts Organizational Change. While transformation initiatives look different within every insurance company, there are typical ingredients of success, from key partners and new technologies to internal power users, change management, and process re-engineering. Still, the path taken to a full-on, IT infrastructure overhaul is fraught with challenges. During this session, attendees will hear insurer insights and lessons learned from specific examples of dissecting and reassembling processes, systems and workflows in a way that ensures preparedness for the future. Speakers are Missy Gaul, IT Manager, Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, and Charlie Hanna, Director Domestic Insurance Solutions Group, Hyland Software. Keynote speaker will be cyber security expert and best-selling author Bryce Austin on Cybersecurity: The Unintended Consequences of the Internet of Things. With more than 10 years as a CIO and CISO, Bryce advises the boards of companies in a diverse array of industries. He was the CIO and CISO of Wells Fargo Business Payroll Services and a Senior Group Manager at Target, where in 2013 and 2014 he experienced first-hand what happens during a cybersecurity crisis. His best-selling book is Secure Enough? 20 Questions on Cybersecurity for Business Owners and Executives. Austin will discuss how the insurance industry is being affected by the Internet of Things (IoT). From garage doors to thermostats to coffee makers to baby video monitors to security systems, we are more connected than ever. This raises important questions on reliability, security, hacking vectors, and how to benefit from connected devices while managing the risks. In this interactive session, Austin will explore these topics and provide real world takeaways for insurance technology leaders. The Roundtable will wrap up with a panel discussion on The C-Level Evolution: Driving Business Strategy Through Innovation and Change. During this session there will be an engaging panel discussion on how digital transformation, new technologies, and increased needs for C-level engagement have forced CIOs and CTOs to evolve and how their roles are changing. They are now multifaceted strategic leaders finding their place in an evolving enterprise. Moderated by Miguel Edwards, CIO, Kemper Life and Health, the panel includes Doug McClure, Director, Information Services, Shelter Insurance, Robert Olson, Chief Information Officer, AON, and Doug Underwood, Chief Operating Officer of G. R. Klinefelter Underwriters, Inc. and Windsor Mount Joy Mutual Insurance Company. They will discuss how insurers are formalizing their strategic planning processes, using greenfield initiatives to forgo new working relationships and synergies across the organization, and establishing greater transparency and accountability. With an impressive lineup of speakers, relevant and timely topics, and a dedicated forum for networking, this year s Chief Information/ Technology Officer Roundtable will provide attendees with a valuable experience and insights they can take back to their organization. K Popular Tech Tank Event Renewed for Second Season Shark Tank show format pits IASA sharks against GIA tech startups Based on the popular Shark Tank TV show format, IASA s Tech Tank, which debuted at last year s conference, is back, bigger and better! Sponsored by Amazon Web Services, the IASA Tech Tank is a fast-paced session featuring IASA sharks and insurtech startups battling it out for validation and bragging rights. Tech Tank panelists and IASA conference audience members will hear pitches and ask tough questions, and then vote with mock dollars for the leading insurtech solution. Each audience member has $1 million in virtual dollars to invest and if you like what you hear, you can even invest for real. Tech Tank is a collaboration of IASA and Des Moines-based Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA), which was launched four years ago by seven Iowa insurance company investors. The idea for the Tech Tank concept was developed last year by Scott McEntee, GIA board member and vice president of membership for IASA, and outgoing IASA Director Joe Pomilia. The idea is to connect early-stage companies, with ideas that need Tech Tank, continued on page 10 E

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6 PAGE 6 K TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018 IASA SHOW DAILY New Virtual Conference Lets Members Experience the Conference Via Computer Even the Business Show 12 technical sessions, keynotes, and more will be available on IASA website Q: When is a conference not a conference? A: When you don t have to attend in person! This year for the first time, IASA members don t have to be onsite to experience the 2018 in-person Annual Conference and Business Show they can catch it online from their computer or mobile device! A specially selected group of 12 technical sessions across IASA s technology, finance, and professional development tracks, the keynote address of Shawn Achor, and the popular and fun Tech Tank session are being recorded and will be available for viewing at the IASA website later this month. Members can even visit the Virtual Business Show to gather information and materials in exhibitors virtual booths or by participating in one of more than 30 virtual tours by category. With the topic of insurtech dominating the conversation at practically every insurance event, it only makes sense that IASA would adopt a new high-tech approach to its educational offerings, especially since expanding the organization s e-learning offerings has been a priority for the past several years, says outgoing director Joe Pomilia. In the past year we had more than 2,700 people join one of our webinars, he says. Part of our e-learning strategy has been to create a virtual footprint of our annual conference so members who couldn t attend in person could take advantage of the outstanding education content and business show experience. The scheduled release date is June 20 for viewing on the IASA website. Access to the 2018 Virtual Conference will be free to those people that attended the conference in person. For all other individuals it will cost $120 to members and $150 to nonmembers. K Cybersecurity, Financial Transformation Drive the Conversation at CFO Roundtable Financial transformation, market watch also on the agenda Cybersecurity is an essential concern for the C-suite at virtually every organization, and CFOs are no exception. With the increase in high-profile security breaches in recent years, board members have become much more aware of cybersecurity risks and interested in the security strategies and protocols within the companies they serve. In fact, it s vitally important for them to know about the magnitude of risk, response plans, where company data is stored, and who makes decisions if there is a breach. This year s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Roundtable features a two-person panel, Lessons from the Trenches: What Boards and Management Need to Know About Cybersecurity that will tackle the tough cybersecurity issues that CFOs need to know about. Our hope is that with the combination of Conversations of Four and the keynote and panelist format, participants will find it more conducive than ever to audience participation, says Tim Wiebe, who chairs the committee that oversees the CFO Roundtable. The more they participate, the more valuable it becomes. Wiebe, who is VP/CFO at Preferred Employers Insurance Co., is especially excited about the new Conversations of Four format, which he believes will generate even more candid conversation among attendees. The goal of the Roundtables has always been to promote networking -- and what better way than to sit at a table for 10 to 15 minutes with your peers? he says. It s a nice icebreaker that encourages real networking. The full-day CFO Roundtable session will launch with three 20-minute Conversations of Four, followed by the panel, Lessons from the Trenches: What Boards and Management Need to Know About Cybersecurity. The panel will focus on questions and concerns from a board perspective, managing communication with the audit committee and the board as a whole to provide relevant information for their governance responsibilities and the integration of cybersecurity risks as part of a company s enterprise risk management (ERM) framework. Panelists are Philip Sherrill, CPA, CIA, CHIE Vice-President of Internal Control and Reporting and Chief Audit Executive, Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield (ABCBS); Devin Shirley, CISSP, GISP Chief Information Security Officer, Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield (ABCBS); moderator is Shawn Grotte, CPA Partner, BKD LLP. The panel will be followed by a roundtable discussion on Financial Transformation: Case Studies on Achieving Optimization. CFOs will provide short case studies on their own process of achieving financial optimization and tackle topics such as turning your cost center into a revenue driver with the ability to scale quickly, rethinking traditional organizational charts and workflows, and adopting new digital tools and systems. Attendees will learn more about key considerations, best practices, and processes from CFOs who have experienced digital transformations in their own organizations and what lessons and takeaways can be gleaned from these experiences. Moderator is Scott Roza, President of Worldwide Field Operations, Clearwater Analytics. Panelists include Jac Amerell, VP & Enterprise Controller, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Daniel Connell, CFO & Vice President, Pekin Insurance Company; Ryan Hanson, Financial Accounting Manager, MGIC Investment Corp.; and Curt Caldwell, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Strategies and Management, Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company. Finally, the session will wrap up with Market Watch: What s on the Horizon, a macro view of reinsurance, capital markets, captives, and basics. This session explores three trending topics in the industry and provides information to make better informed business decisions. Topics will include the convergence of traditional reinsurance and capital markets; the basics on captives; and the macro effect on the reinsurance market in the wake of the 2017 market, which saw a $100 billion loss. Moderator is Kristine Westall, Chief Operating Officer, BMS Re US, and speakers are Stephen Korducki, President, BMS Re US, and Julie Serakos, EVP Cat Analytics BMS Re US. The CFO Roundtable is sponsored by a partnership between IASA and BKD, BMS, Clearwater, and Johnson Lambert LLP. K

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8 PAGE 8 K TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018 IASA SHOW DAILY WEDNESDAY SESSION PREVIEW IT Town Hall: Perennial Favorite Gets a High-Tech Update for 2018 Microsoft sponsorship and social media engagement will drive the conversation The IT Town Hall has been a perennial IASA conference attendee favorite the topics and the moderated panel format of the 90-minute event are a sure-fire recipe for fast-moving, freewheeling discussion, strong opinions, and active participation. But this year s session, sponsored by Microsoft and powered by social media, is getting a high-tech reboot, which planners predict will result in even more audience-generated topics and participation. It s an event that s meant to be free and open, says Doug Ramsey, VP of education programming for the annual conference, and former Technology Education Director. We ll have top-of-mind questions that tie in to the tech topic, such as emerging technology, cyber security, customer experience, and traditional policies, administrative, billing and processing. Beyond that, it s up to the participants what we discuss. While conference attendees have always steered the conversation with their questions and input, this year they ll be empowered to engage the panel earlier than ever, using social media and the hashtags #IASA2018 #ITTownHall. This means whether you re traveling to Nashville, visiting an exhibitor at the business show, attending the IASA Tech Tank, or networking with colleagues, you can post your topics for discussion at the IT Town Hall. Compared to previous years, we ve purposely scheduled the IT Town Hall as the last session of the tech track, so anyone can come to share their thoughts and ask questions about anything we haven t covered, Ramsey says. It s a good bookend to the tech education series. As part of the leadership team that helps put together the programs, Ramsey oversees more than 80 education sessions for the conference. He notes that the IT Town Hall is one of the largest offerings on the tech track of education. The event s sponsorship by Microsoft brings a new perspective to the vendors and carriers attending the Town Hall, Ramsey says. Although planners take care to balance representation between carriers, analysts, and vendors, the insurtech theme that s permeating the conference this year is expected to carry through to the Town Hall content, especially since there will be insurtech representatives on the panel a first for us, Ramsey adds. Much of the event s popularity is due to the fact that people who attend are not shy about asking questions, Ramsey notes. With typical attendance ranging between 75 and 100, there is little doubt that the resulting conversation will be robust and engaging. The IT Town Hall takes place Wednesday, June 6 at 9:45 a.m. in Bayou E. K HERE S THE LINEUP FOR THIS YEAR S IT TOWN HALL: Moderator: Jonathan Silverman, Director, Insurance Industry Solutions, Worldwide Financial Services, Microsoft Jonathan Silverman has more than 25 years experience in the financial services industry with a strong background in insurance, ERP, data strategy, solution selling and strategic consulting. Prior to Microsoft, he serviced the financial services industry with roles in sales, management and consulting with Cap Gemini, Ernst and Young, and Wipro as well as a few financial services-based start-ups. In his current role, Jonathan works closely with risk solution providers to establish a public cloud strategy related to improving the overall risk management process, meeting regulatory requirements, and helping customers improve efficiencies by demonstrating the value of having unlimited compute capacity for running risk models using cloud services. He also works closely with customers to evaluate and enhance data strategies and solutions using machine learning and predictive analytics to enhance the risk solutions. Panelists: Abel Travis, Head of Innovation, AF Group Abel Travis is an expert in designing innovative insurance products to enable usability, revenue streams, and improve the user experience for customers. He also built and sold an insurance-related startup earlier this decade. Abel has a deep affinity for insurance innovation and seeing the proliferation of innovative change in this Industry. In his Insurance Innovators Unscripted podcast, he discusses industry transformation with insurance thought leaders, innovators, and executives. Abel serves as an advisor to regional technology startups, provides consultation for private equity firms investing in the insurance sector, and mentors future industry leaders. Eric Weisburg, VP of Research and Consulting, Novarica Eric Weisburg has more than 20 years of insurance experience in industry, consulting, and software. For the past several years he has been helping clients understand and implement cognitive, analytics and information solutions. His experience spans most lines, channels and horizontal functions. He has held roles as Managing Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Tower Group Companies and Vice President at AIG, where he led the global internal consulting function reporting to the enterprise CFO and supporting the C-Suite in the areas of sales, underwriting, claims, profitability and change management across all lines of business in areas ranging from predictive analytics and technology adoption to distribution and finance. He also created the insurance strategy practice for Navigant Consulting, and led digital solutions and big data and analytics engagements for IBM. Eric holds an MBA in Finance from New York University and a BA from Binghamton University. Fazi Zand, Senior VP of Products, EIS Group, Inc. Fazi Zand is Senior Vice President of Product Management, Customercore and Commercial Lines at EIS Group, Inc., formerly Exigen Insurance Solutions Inc. Fazi is one of the early formulators of Exigen s insurance solutions and now directs EIS marketing initiatives. With more than 20 years in IT management, strategy, architecture, project and product management, he draws experience on all aspects of the information technology value chain. Fazi joined Exigen Group in 2000 from Creditland, a financial services internet marketplace and B2B portal, where he was Vice President of Technology. Prior to Creditland, he was an IT executive with CSAA, the largest AAA membership club, and $2 billion property and casualty insurance company. He has an MS in Technology Management from Pepperdine University. Andy Yohn, Co-Founder, VP, Product, Duck Creek Technology Andy Yohn is a co-founder of Duck Creek Technologies and is involved in the design and development of the solution offerings of the company. He brings a solid mix of technical and business skills through his more than 30 years working in the insurance automation industry. Andy served as founding Chief Architect of the Duck Creek platform and currently is involved with product management and research and development projects. Prior to Duck Creek, he had a 13-year tenure with AMS Rating Services. Andy holds a bachelor s degree in computer science with minors in mathematics and music. Tom West, Strategic Relationships Manager, MakuSafe Corp. Tom West is an experienced cross-functional business leader, consultant, and college instructor, with a successful track record of entrepreneurship, B2B marketing and selling, and establishing global distribution channels. As a HRCI Senior Professional of Human Resources and SHRM-Senior Certified Professional, his background in EHS, risk mitigation, and human capital is an asset. Tom is a training industry veteran and over the years has held leadership roles with many companies developing learning and development tools and technology, as well founding Agility Learning Group to deliver consulting and training services. He s also been an adjunct professor at Des Moines Area Community College, teaching management and marketing for more than 26 years. John Pettit, Head of NA P&C, S/W Sapiens John Pettit is the head of Sapiens North America P&C Insurance Software. He has more than three decades of industry experience. Before joining Sapiens he served as CEO of Adaptik, A P&C insurance software company he cofounded in He has served as VP for the Insurance Software Products Division of MTW Corporation, as a consultant with Coopers and Lybrand s Financial Services Practice, and as an underwriting officer at the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. He holds a master s degree in business administration from Fordham University and a bachelor s degree in economics from Hobart College.

9 IASA SHOW DAILY TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018 K PAGE 9 E Travers, continued from page 1 replace a generation of knowledgeable employees who are retiring at a steady clip. But Travers is confident he can build on the rock-solid foundation built by retiring executive director Joe Pomilia and lead IASA into the future by embracing change. Although IASA has a strong foundation, like all associations, things change, he says. Joe built the infrastructure that enabled the organization to grow, so I can turn my attention to making changes that will drive the organization forward such as enhancements to our finance and tech programs and content, which we will continue to evolve. Travers blueprint for the future IASA includes not only building on IASA s core competency of education, but on expanding operations-focused content, enhancing its commitment to young professionals, pursuing new strategic alliances, and seeking more diversity within the executive ranks. A diverse viewpoint Travers brings a unique perspective to the role of executive director. He is only the second person to assume the title. Having served as COO of The Nolan Company, an industry consulting firm, he has more than 30 years experience from across the industry and brings a fresh objectivity to the position. My external perspective has helped me in my volunteer roles with IASA, Travers says. I question the status quo and like to try different things. Travers attended his first IASA conference 23 years ago in New Orleans and liked what he saw. The association drew me in, he says. I was impressed with the high quality of people who were willing to share, and the relationships forged there. He became a volunteer in 2000 and since then has served on the tech committee, as vice president of executive education, vice president of the marketing committee, on the board, and as president. Years of experience have taught Travers that insurance can be slow to embrace change, due to strict regulation and the genetically risk-averse nature of the business. However, in recent years, it s an industry that s been forced to change to remain competitive. Tech and innovation are driving big changes and increasing the pace of change, he says. And the industry has many strengths, too for example, in customer service, risk management and the availability of data. Our industry has so much data that integrating it for practical purposes can take us beyond traditional insurance, he says. It s another way to get creative, reduce risk, and improve value for policyholders. Another industry trend that s affecting IASA members is the gradual elimination of functional silos within the insurance carrier world which represents both a challenge and an opportunity for increased collaboration. Responding to this trend, this year s conference will feature Executive Roundtables with crossover sessions in the operations and tech disciplines, with topics driven by attendees. For insurers, it s a cultural change and a management issue, Travers says. If you don t adapt, you can t move at the pace that others can. His vision of the future In his new role, Travers intends to continue IASA s focus on finance and technology, while evolving and expanding its content offerings. Insurtech has proven to be an area of intense interest and opportunity for our constituents, and is featured prominently at this years conference, Travers says. In the years ahead, other such developments will emerge, and IASA will be there to help our members understand the implications and opportunities. Other elements will come into play, too from workplace trends to operations-focused content as logical areas to grow our program content, Travers says. We are building programs to help our members embrace change, he says. For example, one of our keynote speakers at this year s conference, Shawn Achor, will discuss how to foster happiness in the workplace. We all know a great culture is a competitive advantage for attracting and retaining talent. And we have to make sure we re actually evolving our workplace culture accordingly, Travers says. That s just one example. Our volunteer committees help us spot trends, and we reflect those trends in our programs. Our goal is to make our offerings practical, relevant, and something our members can actually use to improve their business. Based on this year s incursion into virtual events, Travers plans to continue these offerings in the future. Although we firmly believe nothing replaces in-person events, not everyone can attend our conference or attend every session. So, we re making some sessions and some elements of our exhibit hall available online this year, Travers notes. We already have a longstanding webinar program, so this is an expansion of our current offerings. Another priority is to recognize and involve young insurance professionals. Travers points out IASA s 30 Under 30 recognition program and its strong insurance scholarship initiative, as key ways IASA can help its members meet this challenge. IASA is tapping into the expertise of its members and volunteers and what their organizations are doing to encourage diversity in their own workplaces. For example, Fred Colon, chief diversity officer at Travelers, will be speaking at this year s conference about the business benefits of diversity in attracting and retaining superstars and creating a better workplace. Travers future plans also include building on IASA s successful strategic alliance with the Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA), a mentor-driven business accelerator designed to support startups targeting the insurance industry. The GIA s 2018 cohort will pitch its solutions in this year s Tech Tank, and the GIA helped IASA round out the participants in the new Insurtech Pavilion. All of these improvements would not be possible without IASA s strong foundation especially its people, Travers says. A big part of that strength lies in IASA s 24 nationwide chapters, which give the organization a powerful regional presence that puts it in direct contact with members at the local level. I feel very lucky and privileged to be in this role, Travers says. We have a strong following and lots of opportunity to grow, expand, and diversify. K

10 PAGE 10 K TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018 IASA SHOW DAILY E Pomilia, continued from page 1 serving that industry. You saw a big, immediate change in just the activity level of people going to conferences, Pomilia recalls. There was a paradigm shift in the industry for a while, and I m not even sure we ever got back to that pre-9/11 level. There was more turmoil to come: the tech bubble and subprime mortgage meltdowns, followed by the Great Recession, insurance industry consolidation that left fewer insurers and tech companies on the field, and a tech revolution that s still playing out today. All these things compounded over the years to make association success very tough and make change mandatory, Pomilia says. Changes ahead There would be plenty of changes. IASA completely revamped its governance process switching to a board structure focused on strategic decisions, a separate management team to oversee tactical operations, and a more diverse volunteer committee structure that oversees the growth of the projects and initiatives currently in play. Another change involved expanding IASA s educational offerings. When Pomilia first came on board, IASA s primary initiatives were publishing insurance textbooks and hosting the annual conference. Although these are still important today, IASA s offerings have since expanded to include a robust online learning segment, an executive education program, in-house exhibit sales and management, and more. After the organization began centrally processing registration for all chapter events (a process that was formerly handled by each chapter independently), staffers were added slowly and strategically to take on the initiative which serves nearly 4,000 individuals who attend these events annually. The number of things we re doing is more complex. We couldn t do it all if we hadn t changed the governance process to bring in more resources and add a few staff members, Pomilia says. Naturally, the association had to go through a period of adjustment. It took several years for the organization to work through how to empower and adapt to staff executive leadership, define their role in the organization, and adjust the role of president and other volunteer leadership, Pomilia says. We went through some structural changes before we really became efficient with a good segregation of responsibilities. In the long run, however, these enhancements have helped IASA remain relevant in a rapidly changing insurance environment, Pomilia believes and the proof is in the numbers. Over the last 12 months, we ve been able to deliver more than 8,000 educational experiences, whether it s to someone who has attended an online event, came to a chapter meeting, went to the annual conference, or a solution provider event. That s a historic high for the organization. Pushing against all of these cross-currents, we ve still been able to grow the reach of the association, and we re really proud of that. True to its roots Amid all the change, Pomilia made sure that IASA remained true to its roots of education and volunteerism. At the national and chapter level, the organization is still primarily driven by its more than 300 dedicated volunteers, who still dramatically outnumber IASA staff (today s full-timers are about 10). I would say it s a great marriage now of volunteer participation and staff support, volunteer leadership and staff leadership all of these components are holding together, he says. Looking back on his years of involvement with IASA, Pomilia is especially proud that the organization has not only remained true to its mission but has also enhanced its offerings to an expanding insurance world. A key for me is that IASA remains relevant, that we are a place that provides education and value and serves our constituency, he says. And just as change helped mold IASA into the organization it is today, a change in who assumes the role of executive director is good, too. The things that Rod (Travers) will face during his tenure are going to be different than the challenges I had in my almost 18 years, Pomilia says. He will have to employ other strategies and make decisions that are different as change occurs in our industry. But allowing organizations to turn a page in leadership is good. Associations bring together such a diverse constituency and stakeholders that it s good to have somebody come in with fresh ideas and new energy. As for himself, Pomilia has no specific plans on what life will look like after leaving his role at IASA the plan is not to have a plan, he quips. I just want to turn the page, take a deep breath, and see what presents itself. K E Tech Tank, continued from page 4 development, to insurance companies with revenue, that understand how insurance works, McEntee says. IASA s insurtech education strategy includes partnering with GIA to offer members direct insight into the insurtech community and first-hand exposure to a mentor-driven business accelerator. GIA s 100-day mentorship program, supported by carriers, gives insurtech startups guidance on strategy, concept and industry feasibility. Through this partnership, attendees of this year s IASA conference will also have an opportunity to experience the work of an insurtech accelerator in the popular Tech Tank session. This year s event will involve eight startups that have taken part in the GIA program, showcasing their technology to insurance companies. Each startup will have five to eight minutes to present their concept to the sharks and the audience. After each presentation, the panel of START YOUR ENGINES. HERE S THIS YEAR S LINEUP FOR THE TECH TANK: Panel of Sharks : Elizabeth Mercier, Vice President and Small Commercial CIO, The Hartford Darren Robbins, VP, Division CIO Agency Technology, Allstate Technology & Strategic Ventures Doug Ramsey, Vice President-Personal Insurance Platform Office, Travelers Beech Turner, Vice President-Finance, Assurant Insurtech startups from Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA) are: Byeo findbob InsuredMine Insurmi sharks has 10 minutes to ask questions, and participants get to vote with their virtual pocketbooks by using a special Tech Tank mobile app to indicate how much money they would invest in each company, McEntee says. And if a participant actually wants Jauntin LVLFI RiskPossible Smart Drivinc to invest real money in a startup, they can: McEntee points out that IASA is in market validation with two startups that gave presentations at last year s Tech Tank which are now exhibitors at the InsurTech Pavilion. The Tech Tank takes place Tuesday, June 5 at 3:45 in the Delta B Room. K

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