Listen in as Darren interviews two trailblazing women in the insurance industry. Rosemarie Marshall and Tanja Maffei Chan explain their respective paths to the insurance industry while giving advice to the next generation entering the workforce. Our workforce should be as diverse as the demographics of the businesses and individuals that we represent. As the testimonies of our guests explain, we have made progress in training women for leadership positions and there is still room for...

In the aftermath of COVID, companies have been faced with many hard questions on how they will respond. Listen in as Darren asks Andrew Rosenberg about what he and his team at Mercer have been helping their clients with. We cover flexible work plans, changes to geographic requirements on the workforce, and digital health solutions. Companies have to attract new talent while retaining existing employees. People are a company's most valuable asset and employee benefit strategies are a great way...

Join us to learn more about the workflow of an underwriter and how they manage expectations with their brokers. Host Darren Bloomfield interviews Stefan Mathijssen of Munich Re America about how he was able to transfer his past skill set of being an engineer while crossing over to the insurance industry. There is value in understanding the underlying business while underwriting an insured. The insurance industry is actively seeking out individuals who have the technical expertise necessary...

Tune in as Pat Eckler describes his path to law school and the broad foundation of business understanding he received. We cover the possibilities of becoming a litigator in the courtroom or a transactional lawyer. Insurance policies are based on contacts which determine which risks are to be covered. Pat says, “Insurance is the oil that makes things work”. If you are interested in how lawyers play a role in the insurance industry, this is for you!

The world we live in today revolves around sales and service. Patrick Gallagher Jr. describes service as fulfilling the promises made during the sale. The insurance industry offers the opportunity to choose the product line that you sell. Customers need to purchase this product at the same time each year which makes this industry unique compared to others. Listen in to learn from Darren and Patrick about the hidden gems of the industry and the career opportunities available.

Tune in and learn from Tim Fletcher, Emerging Issues Leader for Gen Re.  Darren asks about nuclear verdicts, why the general public is disconnected from the impacts they have, and career opportunities for the next generation.  We cover when a carrier should settle or when it should take a case to trial. Tort reforms, industry-specific problems, and litigious societies are discussed. Tim talks about his day-to-day and how he keeps up with emerging trends in the industry. 

Wholesale intermediaries, this is for you! With the tools from Dark Matter InsurTech, you don’t have to change the way you work to become quicker and more efficient. Are you getting tired of keeping track of all your carrier portals and the data entry that comes along with them? As Mike Roy says, “Our solution is made up of multiple components that allow an actual data interaction between the agency management system and those disparate sources.” These interactions are truly digital, being...

The insurance industry allows the flexibility to bounce around and find new challenges. You can truly chart your own course, whether you want a traditional or non-traditional career journey. There are so many opportunities and there is plenty of room for you to grow. Rob talks about his transition to the bigger picture management role at USAA and how he found where he belonged. We talked about the importance of focusing on your client and knowing how the insured operates. Designing your...

Ryan Hanley shares tips, tricks, and tools for explaining coverage to an insured. We cover the importance of educating the insured on what they are paying for and the benefits of higher limits. Ryan explains how insurance agents are perceived, representing both cost and bad events that may occur. Our industry is underappreciated but that does not make us any less important. We dive into what it truly means to take care of the insured's best interest even though they may see you as a...

Staying in your comfort zone is easy. Only when we push our boundaries and what we are comfortable with, do we achieve amazing results. Join our guests as we cover the struggles and the challenges we cross on the path to making our dreams a reality. Sometimes we have to cross the bridge of chaos to get to become our true selves and leave our legacy behind. We have to fit in and stand out. We have to be ourselves and help others do the same. We have to be leaders and know when to follow. We...

As our guest, Richard L. McCathron says: “When you are in the insurance industry, you generally surround yourself with people that are somewhat risk-averse. There are people in the industry who do want to modernize, who do want to change, ones that get really excited about what's going on with AI and machine learning. Ones that truly want to shift the way things have been done and those types of folks look for opportunities to do that”. This is the story of what can happen when those...

Do you find yourself playing small and not putting your hand up? We cover tools to counter imposter syndrome and those negative thoughts. Are you questioning your own boundaries, personally and professionally? Sometimes we have to give part of ourselves to invite others in and build the relationships we want. The language we use to convey the work that we do is more powerful than you might think. Meg McKeen is a true entrepreneur in the insurance industry. Tune in to learn about the...

Establishing credibility when entering a new job is difficult. This is especially true for insurance producers. It is hard to walk into an insured office and tell them to trust you without having a proven track record. Our guests from Gregory & Appel Insurance, Brad Dumbauld, Tyson Vaughn, and Reid Putnam share some advice on how to ease this challenge. They cover the importance of having a set of stories, the power of using “we”, and how to be of service. The role of an insurance agent...

Taking risks in your career can be difficult. Do you need some advice? Darren interviews Wayne A. Bates and learns more about his leap across the pond. Wayne started his career in London and is now the President of Atain Insurance Companies, an insurance carrier. The roles in between helped him gain exposure to different sides of the industry and crafted him into the leader he is today. Wayne shares his story while explaining the importance of developing your career and building...

Listen in as host Darren Bloomfield has a conversation with an industry veteran. Paul G. Smith takes a trip down memory lane as we cover a broad range of topics ranging from advancements in technology to the countless opportunities our industry has to offer. After his 30+ years at Aon & Willis, Paul talks about his transition to a privately held company. As Carrier Relations representative for the H.W. Kaufman Group, Paul has a unique perspective on how carriers expand or retract...

Insurance does not sell itself but, are there opportunities in the industry besides working in insurance? Yes, “All the things that normal businesses have, we have too”. Our guests, Tricia Hudspeth & Kristen Gibson dive into the many projects they have completed in the Market Department at Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance and how they have been able to utilize their artistic abilities. This episode also marks the passing of the microphone as Darren Bloomfield becomes the next host of Risk...

Listen in as Claire talks with Tim Kenesey, the CEO of MedPro Group, a company that has been in action since 1899. As a subsidiary of Bershire Hathaway, MedPro Group emphasizes growth, innovation, and the continued investment into its employees and clients. As medicine and its infrastructure changed over time, MedPro Group evolved its offerings to best suit their customers across the country, illustrating the company’s “commitment to meeting their changing needs”. In this episode, Tim...

Tune in as Claire Richardson interviews Brad Robinson, MBA, CPCU; the Associate Director of Insurance & Financial Risk Management at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Brad has been in the industry since he graduated from Ball State University and later joined the NCAA in 2016 where he is currently tasked with management of the NCAA’s various insurance programs including but not limited to; student-athlete insurance programs, managing the NCAA’s intricate insurance...

Join Claire as she interviews current Chief executive officer of Hylant, Mike Hylant & Toledo office President, Andrew Bubba Berenzweig. Mike has over 30 years in the insurance industry & served as the President of the Cleveland office from its inception in 1989 until he was appointed to his current position as Chief Executive Officer in 2008. Bubba retired from his professional hockey career in 2004 and joined the Hylant team & in 2014 he stepped into his current position as...

On this episode, Claire interviews Elizabeth Bailey, the Vice President of Workers’ Compensation & Safety at Waffle House. Elizabeth oversees the workers’ compensation programs for 1,700 Waffle House restaurants in 24 states. Her knowledge of safety, loss control, claims, and state-specific workers’ compensation laws are utilized daily. Elizabeth serves on multiple boards & professional associations for workers’ compensation & also stayed involved in her sorority, Kappa Kappa...

During this episode, Claire Richardson talks with Michael Costello, the Co-Founder & Principal of Evolve MGA, one of the most cutting-edge cyber insurance companies to grace the insurance market. Evolve values hard work, innovation, and culture. These values are showcased through the company’s commitment not only to its employees, but also its clients. Evolve’s devotion to company culture and an empowering atmosphere stem from the values of the Costello brothers (and Evolve’s Caveman...

In the first episode of 2021, Claire Richardson is joined by U.S. Chief Operating Officer of Lockton Companies, Said Taiym. Said’s passion shows through his 20 years of experience working in Risk Management, Information Technology, & Insurance. During this episode, Said explains how Lockton is innovating its sales approach by engaging new technology like robots and AI, to allow its employees to better serve clients. Said’s outlook on the current shift to a “new better” is only enhanced by...

In the last Risk & Reward episode of 2020, Claire Richardson moderates a panel of three business leaders discussing the importance of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion efforts in the insurance industry and beyond.

Join us as Claire interviews Chad Trainor, Senior Vice President and Director of Operations, and Mark Maucere, Office President of CRC Insurance Services, Inc.’s new Indianapolis office. CRC Group is a Wholesale and Specialty Insurance Brokerage headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama with offices in 30 states. CRC Group encompasses 16 different brands which specialize in numerous solution practices and industries. Mark & Chad describe CRC Group’s position in the industry, broad market...