Nat Alliance NOW Risk & Insurance Podcast Series

Take charge of your professional future and earn the esteemed CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) Designation!
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Risk management veteran Lance Ewing CRM, ARM, ERMP reveals the keys to success, embracing change, and inspiring the next generation of industry professionals.​Emphasizing the importance of risk management in all industries and highlighting how being a risk management professional means being a leader, Lance inspires listeners to embrace the dynamic world of risk management with his passion for the industry.

Tune in to hear about his involvement with the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS), where he served as the National President from 2003 to 2004. RIMS helped him shape and lead the society, and travel internationally to promote risk management. He also discusses his participation in the Sports and Entertainment Risk Management Alliance and his efforts in preventing human trafficking.

Get inspired as Lance Ewing takes us on a journey of innovation, generosity, and tells us how we all can make a difference in the risk management and insurance industry.

Claire Richardson, CISR, Captive Consultant at Hylant Global Captive Solutions, and National Alliance Board Member, hosts our inaugural Difference Makers podcast episode! On this special episode, Claire is joined by Chief Marketing Officer, Mitch Dunford and Bob Rogers, CLU, ChFC, a fantastic teacher and mentor for the National Alliance.

Tune in as the trio looks back at previously featured Difference Makers to discover what makes them and future guests so unique.

• Claire Richardson- Captive Consultant at Hylant Global Captive Solutions
• Mitch Dunford- Chief Marketing Officer at The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research
• Bob Rogers- Life & Health Academic Director at The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research

• Adrian Jones is a Partner at HSCM Ventures, the venture capital investment arm of Hudson Structured Capital Management Ltd., an alternative asset manager in re/insurance and transport.  Before joining HSCM in 2021, he was Deputy CEO of P&C Partners at SCOR, the world’s fifth-largest reinsurer, where he set-up and led SCOR P&C Ventures.  From 2010 to 2016, he was head of strategy at RenaissanceRe, a Bermuda-based reinsurer.  He started his career in 2001 at Bain & Co.

Gain confidence and sell insurance successfully. Through both instructor-led and open-forum sessions in a safe, virtual environment, producers will learn new and relevant methods for building relationships with ideal clients, create accountability for progress toward their goals, and build a community of peers to support their growing insurance careers.

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• Meg McKeen, CIC- With over 20 years of insurance industry experience, Meg McKeen, CIC, founded Adjunct Advisors LLC in 2018 with the essential belief that we can do more for insurance professionals. Meg has extensive experience in underwriting, leadership, as an insurance agent, and is now an industry consultant. She has been involved in thousands of insurance negotiations and now holds space for insurance professionals as they grow their sales and leadership acumen through private coaching, consulting engagements, and the podcast she hosts: Bound & Determined℠.
• Scott Stricklin, CIC, CRM, CRIS- Scott Stricklin is a born and raised Mississippian, with the exception for a few years in Southern California and East Tennessee. A graduate of the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in 1988. A 30-year veteran of the insurance industry, he began his insurance carrier in 1990 as an Underwriter for Allstate – Spent 7 years there in Underwriting and Sales Management. Moved into the Commercial arena in 1997 with Liberty Mutual. Since then, he has worked with several agencies and National Brokers. Currently with Fisher Brown Bottrell Insurance, headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi.  With a presence in 5 states – MS, AL, TN, FL, and Houston, TX – His main focus as a Commercial Producer is working in the construction industry, with emphasis on Sub-contractors, such as Heating & Cooling, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Restoration. Another area of focus in the Healthcare area, specifically with Addiction Recovery and Substance Abuse facilities. He holds the CIC and CRM designation, as well as the CRIS (Construction Risk & Insurance Specialist) and is working toward his CPCU designation. He has one daughter, his “baby girl” who is 24 years (LOL).  Scott is an avid sports fan, he follows his alma mater, the Ole Miss Rebels, and is also a big New Orleans Saints fan. A lifelong lover of music, he also sings and plays guitar at several venues throughout the state.

Unlock your full potential and supercharge your professional growth with the CIC Designation Program.

• John R. Costello, CIC, CRIS: John Costello, CIC, CRIS, is vice president and construction practice member at USI Insurance Services in Rochester, New York. Costello was installed as Big “I” chairman in September 2022. Throughout his career, Costello has volunteered in a variety of professional and community service organizations. He is former chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, past president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Monroe County and was the 1995 Monroe County Insurance Professional of the Year. He formerly served on the board of directors of the Big “I” and chaired the Big “I” Finance Committee. He is active in the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors and the Insurance Risk Management Institute. He was elected to the Big “I” Executive Committee in 2016. Costello has nearly 40 years of experience in the insurance industry. After graduating from Villanova University with a degree in finance in 1976, he worked as an underwriter for General Accident Insurance before serving as president for Costello Agency Inc. for 12 years. In 1995, he became partner at Costello, Dreher, Kaiser Insurance Agency and joined First Niagara Risk Management in 2003 as vice president.  Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, Costello served at Key Insurance & Benefits, then USI Insurance Services, specializing in the construction, manufacturing and hospitality industries. In his local community, Costello was the chairman of the board of Bishop Kearney High School and is past vice chair and treasurer of OASIS Adaptive Sports, a charity supporting disabled veterans. He is a former board member and past president of hospice facility Sunset House, former president of Brook-Lea Country Club, and is the former director and a current member of the National Ski Patrol at Bristol Mountain. Costello also serves as secretary of the board at Oak Hill Country Club. He resides in Fairport, New York. Founded in 1896, the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing more than 25,000 agency locations united under the Trusted Choice brand. Trusted Choice independent agents offer consumers all types of insurance—property, casualty, life, health, employee benefit plans and retirement products—from a variety of insurance companies. 
• Gerald F. Hemphill, CIC, LUTCF: President of National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA National) An independent insurance agent in the metro-Richmond, Virginia area since 1993, Gerald F. Hemphill represents all lines of insurance, specializing in commercial and life insurance risks. He was an agent for a large domestic carrier for five years and has been principal of his own agency ever since.  In 1996, Gerald earned his LUTCF (Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow) designation, and in 2002, completed his CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) designation. He is a graduate of Campbell University and Fork Union Military Academy. In addition to his designations, he holds a property and casualty, life, health, and annuity license. Hemphill was President of the Professional Insurance Agents Association of Virginia/DC in 2010 and has served on the National Board of PIA since 2013. He was named the PIA of Virginia/DC Agent of the Year in 2012. Gerald and his wife have two daughters, Ashley and Taylor, and three grandchildren.

Learn more about the Dynamics Producer Coaching course! 

• Meg McKeen, CIC: With over 20 years of insurance industry experience, Meg McKeen, CIC, founded Adjunct Advisors LLC in 2018 with the essential belief that we can do more for insurance professionals. Meg has extensive experience in underwriting, leadership, as an insurance agent, and is now an industry consultant. She has been involved in thousands of insurance negotiations and now holds space for insurance professionals as they grow their sales and leadership acumen through private coaching, consulting engagements, and the podcast she hosts: Bound & Determined℠.

Certified Insurance Counselors Program (CIC)

The 2023 CIC course schedule is now available! Be the first to register for this nationally recognized and highly respected insurance designation program.

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Certified Risk Manager Program Program (CRM)

Are you responsible for risk management at your organization? 

Browse the upcoming CRM courses. This program is great for accountants, attorneys, financial and insurance professionals, and specialists in loss control. 

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Certified Insurance Service Representative Program (CISR)

The practical CISR Program includes 9 courses focused on minimizing E&O claims and understanding and analyzing risks and exposures.  

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Certified Personal Risk Manager Program (CPRM)

Top agents, brokers, and insurance companies with high-net-worth clients recognize CPRM as the leading designation for professionals providing insurance and risk management services. Browse the 2023 course schedule. 

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Certified School Risk Manager Program (CSRM)

Do you work for an educational institution? Are you an agent who insures educational institutions? CSRM courses are designed to help you learn to identify risks and plan for tomorrow’s challenges! Register for a 2023 course today. 

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• Victoria Lane is Lloyd’s Archivist. She manages Lloyd’s Collection of around 10,000 objects and is working on research projects to understand the links of Lloyd’s market to the historic Transatlantic slave trade through the Collection:The transatlantic slave trade (lloyds.com). Prior to coming to Lloyd’s, she worked at Shakespeare’s Globe and ran a consultancy in art archives with Judy Vaknin, working with artists and cultural organizations on their heritage and memory. She has mainly worked in the arts sector including at Tate and the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds, is an oral history interviewer for the British Library’s National Life Story Collection and has co-edited the bookAll This Stuff: Archiving the Artist.
• Hank Watkins is regional director & president of the Americas region for Lloyd’s. With 62% of Lloyd’s global premium in 2021, the Americas is Lloyd’s largest market for insurance (E&S in the US) and reinsurance. In addition to market development, Lloyd’s colleagues in the Americas provide claims, regulatory, and media relations support to the syndicate writing business in the region. Over the past 40 years, Hank has held a range of underwriting, client management, and leadership positions in the United States and Europe at Chubb, Marsh, HRH, and Lloyd’s. Hank received his BA from the University of California, Berkeley, and has completed an executive leadership program at The Wharton School.  He’s a member of the Board of Overseers at the Hank Greenberg School of Risk Management at St. John’s University and is on the boards of BritishAmerican Business, the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (Chair, Board of Governors) and the Insurance Federation of New York.

Podcast Discussion Topics include:

• Shipping Containers and Chicken Legs
• Changing the lives of Insurance and Risk Management Students
• 100% job placement for all UHD graduates

Pricilla Oehlert, CIC, CRM, ARM

• Ms. Oehlert promotes the IRM program to insurance industry, community colleges, and other potential students at UHD. She helps IRM majors obtain internships and full-time jobs by networking with businesses and attending insurance industry events with them. Ms. Oehlert consults IRM Council members for advice and resources. She teaches three Certified Risk Manager courses in the IRM program's Risk Management Theory & Practice course. Ms. Oehlert got an Executive MBA from Arizona State University and a BA in Economics/Finance from South Carolina. She also holds CIC, CRM, and ARM certifications. Ms. Oehlert 35 years in risk management and insurance. Director of Risk, Safety, and Environmental at Rental Service Corporation, she obtained much of her experience. She also planned and developed online and classroom risk management curriculum, faculty, operations, and business development of the five courses that make up the globally renowned Certified Risk Management (CRM) and Certified School Risk Manager (CSRM) certificates.