NFI: 15th Annual Insurance Summit Speakers

NFI 15AIPPS header

Common Goals & Divided Government: Insurance Public Policy After the Midterms
Wednesday, March 6, 2019 | 7:30am – 3:00pm
Ronald Reagan Building, Rotunda Room, Washington, DC

Look for us on social media #IPPSummit

Jeff Beck - Selective Insurance
Charles M. Chamness - NAMIC
Wayne Chopus - Insured Retirement Institute
Eric A. Cioppa - NAIC
Michael F. Consedine - NAIC
Deborah J. Curtis - Indiana State University
Paige Freeman - Munich Re
Peter G. Gallanis - NOLHGA
Jigar Gandhi - Faegre Baker Daniels
Christopher Graman - Indiana State University
Julie Herwig - New York Life
John Huff - ABIR
Pat Hughes - Faegre Baker Daniels
Timothy Jones - Transamerica
Ann Kappler - Prudential
Brady R. Kelley - WSIA

Scott Kosnoff - Faegre Baker Daniels
Deirdre Manna - Zurich North America
Luke Messer - Faegre Baker Daniels
Susan K. Neely - ACLI
Dean Pappas - Nationwide
David A. Sampson - APCI
Eugene Scalia - Gibson Dunn
Roger Schmelzer - NCIGF
Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL)
Steven E. Seitz - FIO
Brien N. Smith - Indiana State University
Thomas R. Sullivan - Federal Reserve System
Stephen C. Taylor - DC Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking
Alison Watson - Faegre Baker Daniels
Thomas E. Workman - FSOC

 

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL)

House Ways and Means Committee

Brad SchneiderBrad Schneider represents Illinois’s 10th District in the United States House of Representatives, where he is serving his third term. He is a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

As a member of Congress, Brad is focused on building a thriving economy that works for all of us, and ensuring every child has the opportunity for a quality education and a rising standard of living.  He knows that our communities are stronger when small businesses invest and grow, our environment is healthy, and people are working together for a better future. 

Brad is committed to tackling the challenges we face as a nation, including protecting Medicare and Social Security, improving rather than repealing the Affordable Care Act, and passing sensible gun safety legislation. 

Prior to being elected to Congress, Brad spent more than 20 years in business and management consulting, helping large and family-owned businesses alike address the challenges of today’s economy and plan for the future.  His professional experience has allowed him to see first-hand the challenges small businesses face when trying to hire new workers and grow their company, as well as the effect thriving small businesses can have on a community’s overall economy.

At home, Brad has deep ties to the community, including service with organizations such as the Jewish United Fund, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Waukegan Public Library Foundation, B.E.S.T., the Coalition to Reduce Recidivism, and the Civic Leadership Foundation.

Brad earned a BS in industrial engineering and his MBA from Northwestern University.

Brad and his wife, Julie, have been residents of Deerfield for more than 25 years, where they created a home, built their careers, and, most importantly, raised two sons, Adam and Daniel.

One of Brad’s favorite pastimes was coaching his sons’ baseball and soccer teams for over 12 years. He now enjoys exploring the bike trails throughout the district.

Jeff Beck

Senior Vice President, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Selective Insurance

Jeff BeckMr. Beck joined Selective in 2007 as Vice President, Government Affairs. Prior to Selective, he was the head of State Government Relations for Aetna. Mr. Beck earned his B.S. in Criminal Justice from Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA. He is chairman of the Insurance Council of New Jersey, board member of the Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania and chairman of the Government Affairs Subcommittee of the Property Casualty Insurance Association of America.

 

 

Charles M. Chamness

President & CEO, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies

Chuck ChamnessCharles (Chuck) M. Chamness serves as president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, a property/casualty insurance trade association with 1,400 member companies. NAMIC members represent nearly 40 percent of the total property/casualty insurance market, serve more than 170 million policyholders, and write $225 billion in annual premiums.

Since being named CEO in 2003, Chamness has helped position NAMIC as the largest U.S. property/casualty insurance trade association focusing on leadership in advocacy, public policy, public affairs, and member services.

During the past decade, NAMIC has experienced strong growth in membership, with 200 new member companies joining the association; 80 percent growth in revenue; and a member retention rate exceeding 99 percent. In this same period, NAMIC PAC has increased five-fold to exceed $1.1 million this congressional election cycle, making it America’s largest insurance company trade association PAC.

Chamness has testified before U.S. House and Senate committees on topics ranging from the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on insurance; the U.S.-EU covered agreement; and the industry’s response to Hurricane Katrina. Prior to joining NAMIC, he worked 10 years in Washington, D.C., serving in the first Bush administration as deputy assistant secretary for public affairs under HUD Secretary Jack Kemp as well as a press secretary on Capitol Hill and in other public- and private-sector positions.

Chamness currently serves as board chairman of NAMICO, a $55 million asset professional liability insurance company owned by the association and its members. In 2016, he concluded his three-year term as board chairman of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, an organization that funds more pediatric cancer research grants than any other organization except the U.S. government. During his term, the organization raised more than $100 million. Chamness has also served as a board member of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety since 2004 and is a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Association Committee of 100 and the Indiana University Foundation Board of Associates.

NAMIC has been named a “Best Place to Work” in the midsized-company category by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce each time it has entered, most recently placing second.

Chamness holds a B.A. from Indiana University, Bloomington. He and his wife Briget have four children.

Wayne Chopus

President & CEO, Insured Retirement Institute

Wayne ChopusChopus recently took the position of President and CEO of Insured Retirement Institute (IRI). Chopus has been a registered broker since 1995. He passed his latest exam, the new Securities Industry Essentials (SEI) Exam, as recently as Oct. 1

Before the IRI, Chopus  was Senior Vice President, Strategic Relationship Management, Individual Solutions Group at Prudential Financial. He is an experienced retirement income expert with nearly 25 years of industry experience starting at the Hartford Financial Securities Group. He has worked at Prudential since 2011.

Eric A. Cioppa

Superintendent, Maine Bureau of Insurance & President, National Association of Insurance Commissioners

Eric CioppaEric A. Cioppa is Superintendent of the Maine Bureau of Insurance, one of five agencies within the state’s Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. He joined the Bureau in 1988 as a Statistician then served as Supervisor of the Workers’ Compensation Section prior to becoming Deputy Superintendent in 1998. He was unanimously confirmed as Superintendent in September 2011 and in January 2017 he was reconfirmed to serve another five-year term.

Eric is currently President of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), having previously served as Vice President in 2017 and Secretary in 2016.

In September 2018, Eric was appointed by his peers at the NAIC to serve a two-year term as the state insurance commissioner representative on the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC).

He is also Vice Chair of the NAIC’s Executive, Government Relations, and State Government Liaison committees, and is a member of the Maine State Employee Health Commission.

Eric holds a B.A. from Potsdam State University and an M.B.A. from Clarkson University.

Michael F. Consedine

CEO, National Association of Insurance Commissioners

Michael F. Consedine

Michael F. Consedine serves as the NAIC's Chief Executive Officer.  As CEO, he principally focuses on strategic planning, policy development and implementation in the areas of state, federal and international affairs and relations. He advocates for NAIC members and represents their interests before federal and international policymakers, state government associations, and consumer and industry groups. Mr. Consedine is also responsible for management of the NAIC’s Executive Office and staff.

Before joining the NAIC in January 2017, Mr. Consedine served as the Global Head of Government and Policy Affairs at Aegon, one of the world's largest financial services companies with operations in 20 countries serving more than 30 million customers. At Aegon he led government relations in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Concurrently, Mr. Consedine was Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, and Executive Director of Government Affairs of Aegon’s U.S. subsidiary, Transamerica. In this role, he oversaw all aspects of the company's state and federal government relations activities.

Mr. Consedine has spent his entire career in the insurance industry as an attorney, regulator, and executive. Most notably, he served as the Insurance Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 2011 to 2015. While Commissioner, he was elected by his peers to serve as an officer of the NAIC as Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President and President-Elect. He served on a number of NAIC committees focused on both international and domestic matters, including as Chair of the International Insurance Relations (G) Committee, the Reinsurance (E) Task Force and the Health Care Reform Alternatives Working Group. In November 2011, the U.S. Treasury Department named him as one of the first members of the Federal Advisory Committee on Insurance, which advises the Federal Insurance Office on domestic and international policy. Mr. Consedine was also the NAIC's representative to the EU–U.S. Insurance Dialogue Steering Committee and was active in the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), where he served on their Executive Committee.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Consedine was a Partner at Saul Ewing LLP and was Vice-Chair of its Insurance Practice Group.

Deborah J. Curtis

President, Indiana State University

Deborah CurtisDeborah J. Curtis began her tenure as the twelfth president of Indiana State University on January 3, 2018. She came to Indiana State from the University of Central Missouri where she served as provost and chief learning officer since 2012.

In that role, her responsibilities included overseeing all academic programs and support services, including the university’s four academic colleges, the library and extended studies, as well as enrollment management, information technology and student affairs.

Prior to becoming provost at Central Missouri, Curtis served as dean of the College of Education at Illinois State University from 2006 to 2012, interim dean from 2005 to 2006 and as director of the Cecilia J. Lauby Teacher Education Center and Clinical Experiences and Certification Processes from 2001 to 2005. She served on the faculty of Illinois State for 26 years, advancing to the rank of full professor. Earlier in her career, she taught music in K-12 schools in Illinois and Indiana.

Curtis received her Ph.D. from Indiana State University in curriculum and instruction and also holds a master’s degree in music education from the University of Illinois and a bachelor’s degree in music education from MacMurray College.

Curtis and her husband, Lynn, are the parents of five children and nine grandchildren. Lynn worked in public education for more than 40 years as a teacher, coach, athletic director, principal and school district superintendent.

Paige Freeman

Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Munich Re

Paige FreemanPaige currently serves as the Chief Legal Officer for Munich American Reassurance Company and is a member of the executive leadership team. In addition to providing legal advice and managing outside legal counsel, she is responsible for government affairs on both the state and federal levels and the purchase and maintenance of the company’s insurance programs. Paige is also responsible for the Claims and Treaty departments.

 

 

Peter G. Gallanis

President, National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations

Peter Gallanis

Peter G. Gallanis became President of the National Organization of Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Associations (NOLHGA) in April 1999. NOLHGA was formed in 1983 to coordinate the activities of its 51 member state guaranty associations and their member companies (comprising the entire U.S. life and health insurance industry) in connection with insolvencies of multi-state life and health insurers. Mr. Gallanis is generally responsible for all the financial, legal, strategic, educational, communications, and administrative services that NOLHGA provides to its membership.  

Before joining NOLHGA in 1999, Mr. Gallanis was the Special Deputy Insurance Receiver for the State of Illinois, where he managed the administration of approximately 80 insolvent domestic insurers of all types. Prior to that, Mr. Gallanis was a partner in a large law firm in Chicago, where he was in private practice from 1978 through 1991. 

Mr. Gallanis also served as Adjunct Professor of Insurance Law at the DePaul University College of Law in Chicago from 1992 until he joined NOLHGA in 1999. He received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago in 1975 and a law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1978. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the State of Illinois. 

Mr. Gallanis has frequently participated in trial and appellate court receivership proceedings, both on behalf of parties and as amicus curiae. He has lectured and published often on insurance topics in the United States and abroad. In addition, he has testified on insurance matters before a number of courts, state legislatures, the Congress, the NAIC, and the IAIS and FSB. 

Any comments by Mr. Gallanis during this program are made solely for the purpose of facilitating open and wide-ranging debate on a variety of topics. His comments do not represent the views or positions of his current or former employers, or any past, present, or future clients, and such comments may not reflect the personal views or positions of Mr. Gallanis on any particular issue. 

Jigar Gandhi

Associate, Faegre Baker Daniels

Jigar GandhiJigar Gandhi uses his trade association and regulatory background to guide his clients through a variety of insurance matters.

Before joining Faegre Baker Daniels, Jigar served as counsel at the American Council of Life Insurers. Jigar was ACLI’s subject matter authority on privacy, cybersecurity, insuretech, ORSA, FINRA and state securities issues. Jigar worked with ACLI’s member companies and drafted comment letters to individual state insurance regulators, the NAIC, and various federal regulators to provide the life insurance industry’s crucial perspective on pending legislation and regulation. Jigar also represented the life insurance industry on various NAIC workstreams and advocated their interests during the promulgation or adoption of model laws by the NAIC and state insurance regulators.

 Prior to ACLI, Jigar was the regulatory affairs counsel for the Financial Services Institute (FSI). There, he guided FSI’s state regulatory outreach with individual state securities regulators and the North American Securities Administrators Association. He also served as the primary contact for state securities regulators on issues ranging from prevention of elder abuse to investment adviser registration.

Before launching his legal career, Jigar was a regulatory analyst at FINRA’s Office of Fraud Detection and Market Intelligence. There he conducted investigations on violations of federal securities laws and FINRA’s rules that were reported to FINRA’s Office of the Whistleblower. He also drafted regulatory referrals to FINRA’s Department of Enforcement and the SEC on potential illicit conduct by registered representatives. He also conducted legal research and prepared documents related to FINRA rules violations.

Jigar enjoys running (albeit slowly), Indian bhangra dancing, and is an avid and suffering fan of his New York Jets, Knicks and Rangers.

Christopher Graman

Gongaware and NFI Scholar, Scott College of Business, Indiana State University

Chris Graman

Christopher Graman is a senior Gongaware and Networks scholar from Bruceville, IN.  Chris is majoring in insurance and risk management, financial services, and minoring in sales and negotiations.  After graduation, he will be joining, Arlington/Roe, & Co. in the Indianapolis office.  While at Indiana State, Christopher has completed internships with German American Insurance in Jasper, IN, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance in Indianapolis, IN, and Arlington/Roe, & Co. in Indianapolis, IN.  Christopher has been involved in several business organizations, including Gamma Iota Sigma, Beta Gamma Sigma and Pi Kappa Alpha.  In addition, he received the WSIA Education Foundation scholarship, the Spencer Educational Foundation scholarship, The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers scholarship, and the Anita Benedetti Student Involvement Program scholarship to attend the annual RIMS Conference in Boston, MA in April 2019.  Christopher has served as the student representative on the Indiana State University Insurance Advisory Council and served as the golf outing coordinator for the annual Insurance and Risk Management Golf Outing.

Julie Herwig

Senior Vice President, Head of Government Affairs, New York Life

Julie HerwigJulie Herwig, senior vice president and head of federal governmental affairs at New York Life, is responsible for developing and executing positions and strategies regarding public policy issues and communicating with policymakers and regulators at the federal and international levels. Besides managing a team of government affairs representatives in Washington, DC, she represents New York Life and its business before Congress, the administration and other rule-making bodies. Colleagues call her a strategic thinker who quickly grasps and anticipates emerging issues facing the industries in which New York Life operates.

Ms. Herwig joined New York Life in 2006 as assistant vice president, legislative affairs, in the company’s Washington, D.C. office. Prior to joining New York Life, she worked as trade counsel for the Ways and Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, advising Members of Congress on international trade negotiations and other legislative and regulatory trade issues. Ms. Herwig also previously worked for a member of the Ways and Means Committee, a member of the U.S. Senate and as an attorney at Hogan & Hartson LLP (now Hogan Lovells LLP).

Ms. Herwig earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia, her MPA from Princeton University, and her JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. Ms. Herwig and her husband live in Potomac, Maryland, with their two children.

John Huff

President & CEO, Association of Bermuda Insurers & Reinsurers

John HuffJohn Huff was appointed President and CEO of ABIR effective January 1, 2018. In this role Huff directs ABIR’s worldwide public policy initiatives. Huff has more than 25 years of experience in the Insurance sector, most recently as the 2016 president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the US standard-setting and regulatory support organization created and governed by the nation’s chief insurance regulators, and as director of the Missouri Department of Insurance, a position he held for eight years.

 Prior to entering public service, John spent more than a decade in executive positions with leading global insurers and reinsurers.

 A former practicing attorney, John’s knowledge of the insurance industry is global in scope, spanning the United States, Bermuda, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe and Asia markets.  John brings to the table a keen understanding of the regulatory, legal, financial and operational challenges that insurance and reinsurance companies face.

Huff earned his JD from Washington University School of Law and holds a MBA from St. Louis University and a BSBA from Southeast Missouri State University.

Pat Hughes

Partner, Faegre Baker Daniels

Pat HughesPat Hughes is a strategic advisor, public policy advocate and regulatory attorney for insurance industry clients across all product lines and services. Clients turn to Pat when important regulatory, legislative and policy matters in various arenas — state and federal agencies, the NAIC, legislatures and international regulatory bodies — create challenges or opportunities for their businesses. He leverages a dynamic, multi-jurisdictional FaegreBD team that is able to deploy proactive national and local regulatory and public policy strategies where clients’ needs are most complex and significant.

Pat served 10 years as a senior regulator and attorney with the State of Illinois. His experience includes: General Counsel to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which then included the Division of Insurance; Chief Legal Counsel to the Office of the Governor, where he oversaw regulatory affairs and directed legal representation for 45 executive branch agencies and several hundred attorneys and outside counsel; Special Deputy Receiver and CEO with the Office of the Special Deputy, administering the receiverships of 47 companies in liquidation, rehabilitation and conservation; and NAIC leader, chairing NAIC working groups on critical issues, including Dodd-Frank implementation and complex receivership oversight.

Before joining Faegre Baker Daniels, Pat led the U.S. insurance regulatory practice and co-led the international insurance regulatory services team for a global consulting firm. He has also practiced litigation and commercial transactions, starting his career in commercial litigation at Kirkland & Ellis.

Timothy Jones

Director of Innovation, Transamerica

Timothy JonesTimothy Jones serves as the Head of Innovation for Transamerica. His experience spans multiple business and technology areas, with a focus on creating innovation, transforming infrastructure, and leading growth. He also served as a Presidential Innovation Fellow for The White House and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Mr. Jones holds a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in management science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree in computer information systems from Georgia State University

Ann Kappler

Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel & Head of External Affairs, Prudential

Ann Kappler

Ann Kappler is Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Head of External Affairs at Prudential Financial.  Ms. Kappler oversees several legal functions including Litigation, Regulatory Law, Employment and ERISA, Financial Management and M&A.  She also oversees the company’s investigative function and the department’s operations function, and manages the company’s federal, state and international government affairs activities.  Ms. Kappler is the Executive Sponsor of the department’s Pro Bono and Volunteerism Initiatives.

Prior to joining Prudential, Ms. Kappler was a partner in the Financial Institutions, Litigation, and Public Policies and Strategies practice groups at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr in Washington, D.C.   Her practice focused on representing and advising financial institution clients regarding issues at the intersection of regulation, legislation and litigation.  Prior to returning to private practice in 2006, Ms. Kappler served as General Counsel at Fannie Mae.  Previously, Ms. Kappler was a litigation partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Jenner & Block, where her practice focused on appellate litigation and long-term representation of a coalition of insurance agent and broker trade associations on insurance and banking issues. 

Ms. Kappler serves on the Boards of Directors of several non-profit organizations, including the Pro Bono Partnership and the National Health Law Program, and has served on the Boards of the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, Appleseed Foundation and Global Rights.  She was a long time member of the Board of Trustees of the Lowell School in Washington, DC, where she served as Chair.

Ms. Kappler graduated from Dartmouth College, magna cum laude, received her law degree from New York University School of Law, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review and was a member of the Order of the Coif, and was a law clerk to Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Judge Abner Mikva and U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Harry Blackmun.

Brady R. Kelley

Executive Director, Wholesale and Specialty Insurance Association

Brady KelleyBrady R. Kelley has served as Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association’s (WSIA) Executive Director since August 2017 and was previously NAPSLO's Executive Director since September 2011. As Executive Director, Brady is responsible for the overall management of the Association’s staff activities, services to members and business operations.

Prior to joining WSIA Brady was the Chief Financial and Business Strategy Officer for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) with oversight of the NAIC Finance Division, Products and Services Division, Technical Services Division and the NAIC Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation Program. In this role, Brady was responsible for all financial management and reporting, business strategy, risk management and compliance activities. During his 13 years with the NAIC, Brady also served as the Director of Financial Services. His previous positions include Senior Vice President of Finance for the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and Senior Accountant in the Kansas City office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. 

A graduate of the University of Missouri–Columbia, Brady received a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the College of Business and Public Administration. He also completed the Mini-MBA Program from Kansas University and Wichita State University. Brady received the designation of Certified Public Accountant in November 1995 and has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants. Brady is a member of the American Society of Association Executives. 

Brady’s volunteer activities include serving as a member of the Audit and Finance Committee appointed by the Liberty Public Schools Board of Education since 2008, serving as the Committee’s Chairman in 2008, and as a business consultant for Junior Achievement of Middle America. Brady and his wife, Haylee, live in Kansas City, Missouri, with their two daughters, Riley and Colby.

Scott Kosnoff

Partner, Faegre Baker Daniels

Scott Kosnoff

Scott Kosnoff loves his job. He’s a top-notch regulatory, transactional and public policy lawyer who has been making the world a safer place for the insurance industry for more than 25 years.

Scott advises insurance companies and regulators nationwide on: Mergers, acquisitions and multistate regulatory approvals (Form A filings, Form E filings, public hearings, the whole nine yards); Indemnity and assumption reinsurance transactions, the Covered Agreement and credit for reinsurance issues; Big Data, algorithms and what insurers who use them can do to stay out of hot water; International insurance regulation - including standard setting by the Financial Stability Board and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors - and what it means for U.S.-based companies; Federal legislative, regulatory and policy developments involving Congress, Treasury, the Federal Insurance Office, the FDIC and the Fed; State-based insurance regulation, including action at the NAIC; Holding company and corporate governance issues, including board duties and disclosure requirements; Risk transfer arrangements between health insurers/HMOs and providers/health care intermediaries; Troubled company and insolvency matters; Suitability, the best interest standard, sales practices and compliance assessments/gap analysis; and Market conduct and regulatory matters of all shapes and sizes.

Scott likes U2, Star Trek, and iced tea with extra lemon. Scott received a B.S. with highest distinction from Indiana University, Bloomington and J.D. magna cum laude from University of Michigan Law School.

Deirdre Manna

Senior Vice President, Head of Government & Industry Affairs, Zurich North America

Deirdre MannaDeirdre Manna is Senior Vice President and Head of Zurich North America Government & Industry Affairs. Deirdre has over 20 years of varied experience in developing and advancing state and federal public policy initiatives that impact the insurance industry.

Deirdre came to Zurich from the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), where she served as Political Engagement and Regulatory Affairs Vice President. There she led PCI’s political engagement division and managed regulatory and industry affairs throughout the country for the association, including managing professionals in Washington, D.C.

Deirdre is a former state insurance regulator, having served as acting Director of the Illinois Division of Insurance. She also served as Assistant Vice President of the American Insurance Association and as a government relations professional for a prominent national law firm.  Deirdre, who was named among the insurance industry’s Elite Women of 2017 by Insurance Business of America, earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Drake University.

The Honorable Luke Messer

Principal & Former Member of Congress - Faegre Baker Daniels Consulting

The Honorable Luke MesserFrom his prior service in Congress to his ongoing passion for coaching youth sports to his current career as a leading public policy advocate, Luke Messer lives by the simple principle: “Make a Difference!” Today, Luke advises companies and not-for-profit entities nationwide on federal policy and regulatory developments that impact their bottom line. In every engagement, Luke works to drive outcomes, not just go through the motions. Throughout his career, Luke has earned a reputation for creating bipartisan solutions and delivering results. Drawing from a three-term tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, including four years as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, Luke understands the competing interests that shape federal government policy - and works to ensure private sector leaders have a voice in the process. 

Luke advises on executive branch activity, including navigating interactions with agency leaders and regulators. He distills complicated federal government developments into prompt, precise messages that keep his clients ahead of the curve. Luke served as the U.S. Congressman for Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District from 2013 to 2019. During his tenure, he successfully authored and enacted legislation addressing banking, taxation, immigration, federal deregulation, foreign affairs and education issues. As chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, he led Committee hearings including Task Forces on: the Conservative Clean Energy Agenda, Women in the 21st Century Workforce, Law Enforcement, and the American Worker. Luke served on the House Committees on Financial Services; Education and the Workforce; Budget; and Foreign Affairs. He was founder and co-chair of the Congressional School Choice Caucus.

Luke served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2003 to 2006. His legislative successes included sponsoring a nationally recognized high school dropout reform bill that raised Indiana’s graduation rate from 72 percent to more than 90 percent. The bill was featured in Time magazine. Luke understands the challenges that private sector leaders face because he has lived those challenges. Prior to Congress, Luke served as the President and CEO of an education not-for-profit, where he helped usher in the largest state-based education reform movement in the country. In addition, Luke has owned his own small business and served as regulatory council for the crude oil pipeline division of a large oil company. As a leader in the U.S. Congress and the Indiana State House, Luke Messer earned a reputation for civility, reaching across the aisle and getting results. Through that experience, Luke knows how to build bipartisan coalitions and drive policy outcomes.

Luke enjoys spending time with his wife of 16 years, his three children and his three dogs. He teaches Sunday School and coaches youth sports — he was named McLean Youth Basketball 4th and 5th grade coach of the year. Luke is the author of Hoosier Heart, a children’s book about Indiana’s people, geography and culture. Luke received a B.A. in Speech, summa cum laude from Wabash College and J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School.

Susan K. Neely

President and CEO, American Council of Life Insurers

Susan NeelySusan K. Neely is the president and CEO of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), the nation's leading trade association dedicated to providing products and services that contribute to Americans' financial and retirement security. As president and CEO, Neely drives public policy and advocacy on behalf of ACLI's member companies that represent 95 percent of industry assets and serve 90 million families.

Neely has long been recognized as a leading voice in public policy and advocacy in Washington, D.C., with extensive experience in the executive and legislative branches, state government, political campaigns and the private sector. After the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Neely served as a special assistant to President George W. Bush and helped create the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and later became the first DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs.

Neely led the American Beverage Association (ABA) for 13 years as president and CEO.  Under her leadership, ABA instituted first-of-their-kind initiatives with President Clinton's Global Initiative and First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign. These partnerships decreased calories from beverages sold in schools by 90 percent, put transparent calorie labels on millions of beverage containers, and made progress to reduce sugar consumed from beverages in the American diet. 

Neely also was a senior executive at the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA), where she designed award-winning national advocacy programs and initiatives.  HIAA’s ground-breaking Harry & Louise campaign, challenging the 1994 Clinton Administration’s healthcare plan, was the first industry campaign to utilize paid media.

Prior to association leadership, Neely was a senior adviser to two members of Congress as well as Gov. Terry Branstad of Iowa. She was one of the first women nationally to manage a statewide campaign, re-electing Branstad in the middle of the farm crisis when land values had dropped 63 percent. 

Neely has been named Trade Association CEO of the year by two different national organizations. She was awarded the "Global Citizen of the Year Award" from Seton Hall University's School of Diplomacy and International Relations.  She also has been honored as one of Washingtonian's "100 Most Powerful Women in Washington," and as the Washington Business Journal's "Women Who Mean Business."

Neely serves as vice chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, and as a director on the board of the Global Child Nutrition Foundation. She is a past chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Association Committee of 100 of the largest trade associations and the American Society of Association Executives. Neely also was elected as the first woman president of both the 105-year-old Washington Rotary Club and the 113-year-old University Club of Washington, D.C.  She is a member of the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., and a director of the American Council for Capital Formation.

A native of Iowa, Neely holds an undergraduate degree in journalism and French civilization from the University of Iowa and a master's degree in public administration from Drake University. She is the mother of two children, Eve and Ben.

Dean Pappas

Vice President, Federal Legislative & Regulatory Affairs, Nationwide

Dean Pappas

Dean Pappas leads Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company’s government relations efforts in Washington, DC, representing the insurer’s interests before the U.S. Congress, the Executive Branch and federal agencies, as well as within business, financial services and insurance trade organizations.  In addition to overseeing daily operations in DC, Mr. Pappas directs a team in Columbus, Ohio that focuses on Nationwide’s financial and corporate advocacy and public policy work. He also sits on the management team of Nationwide’s Chief Financial Officer.

Previously, Mr. Pappas led the federal legislative and regulatory practice group for the Allstate Insurance Company in Washington, DC.  Prior to his federal public policy work, Mr. Pappas led state legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts for the insurer in Pennsylvania and New England, and earlier was a trial lawyer and staff attorney leader for Allstate, also helping lead a national litigation management re-design effort for the company.  

In his role leading Nationwide’s federal legislative and regulatory affairs advocacy, he enjoys combining politics, policy and strategic thinking to help achieve the sound public policy objectives that are important to Nationwide, its members and its associates. He received a B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and a J.D. from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. He currently serves on the law school’s Board of Visitors Executive Committee.  He has been admitted to the courts of Maryland, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. 

David A. Sampson

President & CEO, American Property Casualty Insurance Association

David SampsonDavid A. Sampson is the president and CEO of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCI). He held the same title with the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) prior to its merger with the American Insurance Association (AIA) on January 1, 2019. 

Sampson first joined PCI in 2007 and established the organization as a recognized thought leader and highly respected advocacy voice for the property casualty industry. 

Sampson has led PCI and the industry through the most consequential insurance issues of the last decade, including, preserving state statutory accounting during once-in-a-generation tax reform, and ensuring that the Dodd-Frank Act recognized the strong consumer protections already provided by state insurance regulators and the guaranty fund system. Today, Sampson is leading efforts to prevent regulatory overreach at the state and federal levels that would negatively impact consumers and the marketplace. In addition, Sampson and PCI are working to educate policymakers and the public about the dramatic increases in auto crashes and what it means for the future of highway safety and consumer costs. As a respected industry voice and proponent of private markets, Sampson is a frequent keynote speaker at industry and business events. As a leading spokesperson for the property casualty industry, Sampson is a regular guest on Fox News and Fox Business Network and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Politico, The Hill, and the property casualty trade press. 

Sampson is also the president of the Independent Statistical Service, Inc. (ISS), a wholly owned subsidiary of APCI and one of the industry’s largest and most trusted statistical agents. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. He also is a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Committee of 100.” 

Before joining PCI, Sampson served in the George W. Bush Administration in two presidential-appointed and Senate-confirmed positions. From 2005 to 2007, he served as the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce. In this position, he was a member of President Bush’s Management Council. 

Previously, Sampson served in the Governor George W. Bush Administration as Chair of the Texas Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness and Vice Chair of the Texas Strategic Economic Development Planning Commission. He also led the Arlington, Texas Chamber of Commerce as the President and CEO. 

Sampson graduated from Lipscomb University, where he serves as a distinguished professor of public policy. He earned his doctorate at Abilene Christian University. He completed the Program for Senior Executives at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1999. He and his wife Karen have two grown sons.

Eugene Scalia

Partner, Gibson Dunn

Eugene ScaliaEugene Scalia is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is Co-Chair of the Firm’s Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Group and a member of its Labor and Employment Practice Group, which he co-chaired for twelve years. He is also a member of the Firm’s Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice Group and has served on its Executive Committee and its Partnership Evaluation Committee.

Mr. Scalia has a national practice handling a broad range of labor, employment, appellate, and regulatory matters. He previously served as Solicitor of the U.S. Department of Labor, the Department’s principal legal officer with responsibility for all Labor Department litigation and legal advice on rulemakings and administrative law. He also has served at the U.S. Department of Justice, as a Special Assistant to the Attorney General. His success bringing legal challenges to federal agency actions has been widely reported in the legal and popular press.

Mr. Scalia is the author of more than twenty articles and papers on labor and employment law, constitutional law, and other subjects. He is listed in Who’s Who in America and is identified as a leading labor and employment lawyer in ChambersThe Legal 500, PLC’s Which Lawyer?, and other publications.  He has been named Washington, D.C. Litigation Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year by The Best Lawyers in America®, and an “Employment MVP” by Law360. He has also been named an “Appellate MVP” and “Securities MVP” by Law360, and recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” by Institutional Investor’s Compliance Reporter magazine, for his litigation involving the SEC. In addition, Washingtonian Magazine named Mr. Scalia as one of Washington’s “Top Lawyers” in Employment Defense. His success challenging federal regulations has been profiled in a Bloomberg Businessweek article titled “Suing the Government? Call Scalia,” and a Wall Street Journal article titled “Another Scalia Vexes Regulators.” The National Law Journal recognized Mr. Scalia as a “Visionary” for his litigation against financial regulatory agencies, and the Nation magazine has called him a “fearsome litigator.” He is a senior fellow of the Administrative Conference of the United States, a federal agency that makes recommendations to Congress and the Executive Branch on ways to improve the administrative process.

Mr. Scalia graduated cum laude from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Law Review.  From 1992-93 he served as Special Assistant to U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr, receiving the Department’s Edmund J. Randolph Award. He graduated With Distinction from the University of Virginia in 1985 and was a speechwriter for Education Secretary William J. Bennett before attending law school.  He has been a Lecturer in labor and employment law at the University of Chicago Law School.

Roger Schmelzer

President, National Conference of Insurance Guaranty Funds

Roger SchmelzerRoger Schmelzer has led NCIGF since 2006 As chief executive officer, he is responsible for the organization’s day-to-day operations, member services, and managing external relationships.  Roger also serves as the North American representative to the Management Team of the International Forum of Insurance Guarantee Schemes (IFIGS) and in 2019 will serve as its chairman.

Before joining NCIGF, Roger was Senior Vice President of State and Regulatory Affairs at the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC). He is a graduate of Indiana State University and the Indiana University School of Law, with an extensive background in Indiana politics, including service as Executive Assistant to former United States Senator Richard G. Lugar.

Steven E. Seitz

Director, Federal Insurance Office, U.S. Department of Treasury

Steven SeitzSteven E. Seitz is the Director for the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) in the U.S. Department of Treasury. FIO develops federal policy on prudential aspects of international insurance matters, including representing the United States at the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS). FIO is also a non-voting member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC). Additionally, FIO serves as the source of insurance expertise in the federal government and administers the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program. At the IAIS, Steven serves as a member of the Financial Stability and Technical Committee, the Vice Chair of the Systemic Risk Assessment Task Force, and the Chair of the Joint IAIS-Basel Committee Task Force on Systemically Important Banks and Insurers. Steven is also a member of the FSOC Deputies Committee. Prior to joining FIO, Steven worked in Treasury’s Office of the Assistant General Counsel (Banking and Finance). Previously, Steven served as Counsel in the Office of the General Counsel at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Steven holds a B.A. from Cornell University and a J.D. from The University of Chicago Law School.

Brien N. Smith

Dean, Scott College of Business, Indiana State University

Brien SmithBrien Smith is the dean for the Scott College of Business at Indiana State University. Smith attained his PhD in industrial/organizational psychology in 1989 from Auburn University. He has over 25 years of administrative experience in higher education and has actively participated in university governance.  Smith previously worked at Ball State University where he served a number of roles including associate dean, chair for the Department of Marketing and Management, and director of business graduate programs.

While at Indiana State, the college of business has experienced marked growth in undergraduate and graduate enrollments.  Dean Smith has secured nearly 10 million dollars in grant funding for new and existing programs in the college.  Under his direction the college developed the Student Managed Investment Consortium with over 30 university affiliates.  The college continues to be recognized as a thought leader in insurance and risk management, hosting the Insurance Public Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. each year.

Smith published numerous articles in refereed proceedings and journals, including many of the most highly acclaimed journals in his field: Journal of Applied PsychologyEuropean Journal of Operational ResearchJournal of Business and Psychology, and Journal of Applied Social Psychology. He has delivered presentations and speeches at national and international conferences. 

Dr. Smith has a strong interest in psychological applications to the workplace, and draws heavily from his organizational psychology background.  His 2004 article, “Transformational and Servant Leadership: Content and Contextual Comparisons” in the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies has been cited hundreds of times in journal articles, periodicals, and books.

Thomas R. Sullivan

Associate Director, Division of Supervision and Regulation, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System

TThomas R. Sullivanhomas R. Sullivan is an Associate Director with the Federal Reserve, Board of Governors. Mr. Sullivan, an insurance industry regulatory veteran, leads the Federal Reserve on supervisory and regulatory matters presented by insurance firms within the responsibility of the Fed. The Fed is the consolidated regulator for roughly one-third of the U.S. Insurance Industry; the world’s largest insurance market.

Among his core responsibilities, Mr. Sullivan leads the insurance policy development activities of the Fed. Mr. Sullivan also represents the Fed at the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) and manages the Federal Reserve’s participation in IAIS committees, working groups and projects. He is the Fed’s point of contact with senior officials from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), state insurance commissioners, the Federal Insurance Office, and foreign insurance supervisory authorities. Sullivan contributes to the Federal Reserve’s participation in the Financial Stability Board (FSB) when the FSB addresses issues related to insurance and briefs the Director, other Fed senior officers, and members of the Board, on matters of relevance in insurance regulation.

Mr. Sullivan was most recently a Partner in the financial services regulatory consulting practice at one of the world’s largest professional services firms.

Most notably, Mr. Sullivan served nearly four years as Connecticut’s 30th Insurance Commissioner beginning in 2007. As Commissioner, Sullivan, successfully guided his agency through the depths and challenges of the most recent financial crisis, a time of significant stress for some regulated financial institutions within his dominion. Commissioner Sullivan was also an active member of the NAIC, leading and serving on a number of committees including the Executive Committee, Government Relations Leadership Counsel, Life and Annuities Committee, Property Casualty Committees, and the Climate Change Task Force.

Mr. Sullivan has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. He began his career at The Hartford, advancing through various positions of responsibility in management, leadership, and finally as an executive in the firm.

Stephen C. Taylor

Commissioner, DC Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking

Stephen TaylorStephen C. Taylor is the fifth Commissioner of the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (Department). Mayor Muriel Bowser nominated Taylor as Acting Commissioner on June 19, 2015 and the Council of the District of Columbia unanimously confirmed the nomination on November 3, 2015.

In his role, Commissioner Taylor serves as the chief regulator of the District of Columbia’s financial-services industries, including insurance companies and their representatives; captive insurance companies; state-chartered banks; mortgage lenders and brokers and other non-depository financial institutions; and securities broker-dealers and investment advisors. The Commissioner also is responsible for managing BankonDC and financial education programs. The Commissioner also administers the District’s capital access programs pursuant to the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative, and the Crowdfunding program as part of the Department’s economic development responsibility.

Commissioner Taylor has over 15 years of experience in financial services regulation and finance and fiscal affairs. He served in various leadership roles including General Counsel and Acting Deputy Commissioner with the Department, and General Counsel with the former Department of Banking and Financial Institutions. In those roles, Commissioner Taylor directed the Department’s legislative and regulatory drafting programs, assisted in implementing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and revised the District’s Banking Code. Previously, he held positions in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer and the Council of the District of Columbia, where he worked on finance, economic development, tax, budget and land use issues. Before his appointment as Commissioner, Taylor served as Assistant Attorney General with the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General, where he provided legal counsel to the District Department of Health Care Finance. He also served as the chief procurement officer for the City of Alexandria, Virginia.

Commissioner Taylor serves as the Secretary of the Northeast Zone of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Also, he is a member of the NAIC’s Executive Committee, as well as the Life Insurance and Annuities and International Insurance Relations Committees. The Commissioner is Chair of the Consumer Liaison Committee and the Consumer Participation Board of Trustees, and serves as Vice Chair of the Receivership and Insolvency Task Force and the Risk Retention Group Task Force.

As part of his responsibilities, Commissioner Taylor is a Member of the Executive Board of District of Columbia Health Benefit Exchange, and a Member of the Board of Directors of the Washington DC Economic Partnership.

Commissioner Taylor holds a Juris Doctor and Master of Laws from Georgetown University Law Center, and a Bachelor of Arts from Fordham University.

Alison Watson

Partner, Faegre Baker Daniels

Alison WatsonAlison Watson represents financial services clients in federal relations, public policy and regulatory strategy from Washington, D.C. She knows the ins and outs of the nation’s Capital, having worked on Capitol Hill, for a trade association and corporate in-house since 1994 — first in banking and then, beginning in 2008, in the insurance and investment advisory industry. Alison helps lead the firm's federal insurance regulatory and public policy practice. Alison has built trust and relationships with members of Congress, as well as staff and key administration and regulatory officials. A thought leader in the Washington financial services public policy arena, Alison is a past Chancellor of the Exchequer Club of Washington, comprised of senior economic and financial policy professionals. She is also a past chair of the leading life insurance trade’s Federal Financial Services Legislative Group.

Before joining Faegre Baker Daniels, Alison was director of federal relations in Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company’s Washington, D.C. office. Alison was responsible for the company’s legislative and implementation strategy for the Dodd-Frank Act. She also focused on retirement security and federal tax issues and oversaw the company’s grassroots advocacy. Prior to her eight years at Northwestern Mutual, she managed the government and industry relations office in D.C. and served as legislative counsel for Washington Mutual Inc. Other experience includes serving as senior legislative counsel with the American Bankers Association, advocating on behalf of small, regional and large banks.

Alison worked on Capitol Hill for six years on the staff of the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services where she focused on comprehensive financial services modernization legislation. Her career began as a bank regulator for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Although not a gifted athlete herself, Alison is a passionate sports spectator. She loves fall Saturdays filled with college football and friends as well as cheering for her Washington football, hockey and baseball teams. Alison dedicates much of her time to serving her unhoused neighbors and working on affordable housing solutions. Alison gained her B.S. in Commerce and Business Administration from the University of Alabama and J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.

Thomas E. Workman

Independent Member, Financial Stability Oversight Council

Thomas WorkmanThomas E. Workman was appointed as the Independent Member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council for a term of six years on March 29, 2018 after nomination by President Trump and confirmation by the United States Senate.

Mr. Workman has more than four decades of experience within the insurance sector.

Mr. Workman served as President & CEO of the Life Insurance Council of New York, Inc. from 1999 to 2016, representing 73 life insurers and 22 law, actuarial, and accounting firms. From 1973 to 1999, Mr. Workman practiced law with Bricker & Eckler LLP in Columbus, Ohio. He chaired the Insurance Law Practice Group and was Legislative Counsel to the Association of Ohio Life Insurance Companies. Mr. Workman was awarded the Buist M. Anderson Award for Distinguished Service by the Association of Life Insurance Counsel. From 1970 to 1973, he served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps.  Mr. Workman received his B.S. and J.D. from The Ohio State University.  Mr. Workman is married, and has two adult children.

* This page has been edited as one of the participants asked for their name to be removed.

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