Educational Conference in California to Address ‘State of the Industry’

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What the final two years of California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones will entail is among the topics to be discussed during a conference in Southern California in March.

The WIAA Education and Research Foundation will present a conference titled “Challenges, Opportunities and Transformational Leadership” for insurance professionals on March 23 at the Marriott Irvine in Irvine.

Senior executives from the California Department of Insurance will talk about Jones’ last two years in office. Conference attendees will also hear from experts about changes affecting the insurance industry as well as how to take advantage of opportunities made available by those changes.

Speakers include:

Richard Kerr, founder and CEO of MarketScout, giving a big picture view of the insurance industry nationally and worldwide.
Bill Hartnett, president of Hartnett Advisors, will give a talk titled: “From the Flintstones to the Jetsons: Is Technology Making Insurance Obsolete.” His presentation will explore how rapid advances are combining to give consumers and businesses new options.
Michael Jans, with Agency Revolution, will discuss how many agents are still relying on “old school” ways to communicate with their customers and how insurance may be getting left behind by the fast-changing consumer.
James Keating, chairman and CEO of The Keating Group, will discuss how the various trends with technology and other disrupters will require new approaches to management.
George Mueller, deputy commissioner of the enforcement branch of the California Department of Insurance, and Beth Ossino, claims manager of Golden Bear Insurance Co., will talk about the current enforcement program for the CDI.
Joel Laucher, a CDI chief deputy of will discuss the major issues facing the CDI and present the main agenda for the remaining two years of Jones’ tenure.
John Finston, CDI’s general counsel, will cover significant actions by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and other national and international actions that will impact legislative and regulatory agendas in California and the West.