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Life Division

Our Impact,  Together

The IICF Life Division is our newest division, focusing exclusively on the insurance industry's life and wealth management segment as we broaden our reach in serving communities and neighbors in need.

As the philanthropic foundation of the insurance industry for nearly thirty years, IICF has contributed $45 million in community grants along with 320,000 volunteer hours by more than 110,000 industry professionals. Since 2020, IICF has helped to deliver more than 2.6 million meals to vulnerable children.

IICF expresses its uniqueness by involving nearly 700 individual board members representing approximately 360 insurance companies and supporting hundreds of nonprofit and charitable organizations across the US and UK. Through the IICF Life Division, we further unite the collective strength of the global insurance industry in providing grants, volunteer service and leadership to help communities and enrich lives, together.

IICF is proud to recognize our earliest IICF Founding Board Members:


Founding Life Division companies will enjoy exclusive advantages and help lead the establishment of grant focus areas and other important benefits.

We encourage you to explore our website and visit the Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, Western and UK Division pages to learn about the creative and impactful ways the insurance industry is giving back to communities, individuals and families through IICF.

Click here to view the many international initiatives currently underway at IICF. IICF Life Division board members are eligible to participate in each of these programs.

Follow us on LinkedIn Instagram Twitter to see how IICF is making a difference in our communities!

Nonprofits we support

A Precious Child

Broomfield
,
CO
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Alpha Project

San Diego
,
CA
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County

Santa Ana
,
CA
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Child Abuse Prevention Council of Contra Costa County

Concord
,
CA
Visit Website

Children's Bureau

Los Angeles
,
CA
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Clothes to Kids Denver

Denver
,
CO
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Covenant House of California

Los Angeles
,
CA
Visit Website

DAWN - Domestic Abuse Women's Network

Kent
,
WA
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Fresh Start Women's Foundation

Phoenix
,
AZ
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Friends of the Children, San Francisco Bay Area

San Francisco
,
CA
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Girls Inc.

Santa Ana
,
CA
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Golden Heart Ranch

Agoura Hills
,
CA
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Heart of Los Angeles

Los Angeles
,
CA
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Higher Ground Youth and Family Services

Anaheim
,
CA
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Hinds Hospice

Fresno
,
CA
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Horizon Awards Gala

Los Angeles
,
CA
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Human Options, Inc.

Irvine
,
CA
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Interfaith Shelter Network of San Diego

San Diego
,
CA
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Jumpstart - Northern CA

San Francisco
,
California
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Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc

Los Angeles
,
CA
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Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower

Castro Valley
,
CA
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Koreatown Youth Community Center

Los Angeles
,
CA
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Legacy Ladies, Inc.

Calabasas
,
CA
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Make-A-Wish

Phoenix
,
AZ
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Make-A-Wish Greater LA

Los Angeles
,
CA
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Mar Vista Family Center

Culver City
,
CA
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MaxLove Project

Orange
,
CA
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Million Dollar Teacher Project

Phoenix
,
AZ
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Olive Crest

Santa Ana
,
CA
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One Voice

Santa Monica
,
CA
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Outdoors for All

Seattle
,
WA
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Para Los Ninos

Los Angeles
,
CA
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Playworks Education Energized

Phoenix
,
AZ
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Project Angel Heart

Denver
,
CO
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Project Hope Alliance

Costa Mesa
,
CA
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Project Lemonade Inc.

Portland
,
OR
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Raphael House of San Francisco

San Francisco
,
CA
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Reading Partners of Colorado

Denver
,
CO
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SMART

San Francisco
,
CA
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STAND! For Families Free of Violence

Concord
,
CA
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Safe and Sound

,
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San Diego Youth Services

San Diego
,
CA
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Solid Rock

Phoenix
,
AZ
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Summer Search

Tukwila
,
WA
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The Beat Within a Program of Intersection for the Arts

San Francisco
,
CA
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The Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges: Office Professional Training Program

El Cajon
,
CA
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The Giving Spirit

Los Angeles
,
CA
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Thriving Families

Denver
,
CO
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Transitional Living Communities

Phoenix
,
AZ
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United Through Reading

San Diego
,
CA
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Warren Village

Denver
,
CO
Visit Website

Zion Institute

Phoenix
,
AZ
Visit Website
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Grant Guidelines

Learn more about the IICF grant guidelines
View Guidelines

About

Making a Local Impact

IICF helps communities and enriches lives by combining the collective strengths of the industry to provide grants, volunteer service, and leadership. IICF reinvests funds and resources back into local communities across the west for maximum community impact.

See a just few ways the IICF Western Division has supported our community this year!
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$479,000+

Grants Awarded
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58

Nonprofits  Supported
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1,892

Volunteer Hours Served
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558,145+

Meals Facilitated

The Board

Meet the Board

Terrance Thompson
Creative Director
Company

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The Board

Meet the Board

Terrance Thompson
Creative Director
Company

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The Board

Meet the Board

Terrance Thompson
Creative Director
Company

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The Board

Meet the Board

Terrance Thompson
Creative Director
Company

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The Board

Meet the Board

Terrance Thompson
Creative Director
Company

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The Board

Meet the Board

Terrance Thompson
Creative Director
Company

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The Board

Meet the Board

Terrance Thompson
Creative Director
Company

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The Board

Meet the Board

Terrance Thompson
Creative Director
Company

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The Board

Meet the Board

Terrance Thompson
Creative Director
Company

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The Board

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Chair
Nancy Thomas
Executive Vice President
Hub

The Board

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Chair
Shadia Ahmad
Vice President
USI

The Board

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Chair
Evan Aldrich
Office President/ Regional Director
CRC Group

The Board

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Chair
Andrew Silva
Management Liability Group
Woodruff Sawyer

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Travis Bethune
Vice President, Customer & Broker Engagement
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance

Travis leads customer and broker engagement efforts for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance in their western U.S. region. Based in San Francisco, he joined BHSI in early 2015 following marketing, underwriting, and claims leadership roles at Chubb, Travelers and Allianz. Travis is an active and long-time supporter of the IICF. He is also an active member of the National African American Insurance Association. Travis believes in the importance of mentorship and diversity, equity and inclusion imperatives and maintains productive mentoring relationships with multiple industry professionals. He and his family also volunteer and support various other charities including Junior Achievement of Northern California, Friends of the Children, At the Cross-Roads, and the Alameda County Food Bank. Travis is an alumnus of St. Lawrence University, majored in economics, and minored in African Studies (including study abroad in Kenya and Tanzania). He and his wife love to attend their son's weekend soccer games, play golf with family, friends and colleagues, ski, and travel internationally. In his spare time, Travis also enjoys deejaying, gardening and smoking barbeque.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Kaci Burger
Senior Treaty Underwriter, Senior Vice President
Swiss Re

Kaci joined Swiss Re in April 2003 on the Property Treaty Reinsurance broker team handling US Large, Regional and Global clients. Current client responsibilities include underwriting and client management for the large US client segment as well as quasi-public private governmental entities, such as the NFIP and various State residualentities.

Prior to 2003, Kaci worked at Hanover Re, underwriting crop business, including MPCI and crop hail insurance.

Kaci graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire with a double major in Accounting and Finance. Kaci passed the CPA exam in 1998.

Kaci currently resides in Westlake Village,California. During her time off, she enjoys traveling, scuba diving and downhill skiing.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Bobby Carroll

Bobby is head of the Primary Special Risk Unit within Crum & Forster’s Surplus &Specialty Lines Division. He has been with Crum & Forster since 2020 based in Los Angeles. Prior to joining Crum & Forster he worked at Gen Re as a Casualty Facultative Underwriter in the Western Region focusing primarily on carriers in the Surplus Lines space. As much as he loves his job, Bobby works hard to strike a healthy work/life balance and can be found on the weekends rock climbing, skiing, or surfing around Southern California.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Nathan Carter
Managing Director-Southwest Region
AIG

Nathan runs the AIG Southwest Region as the Managing Director and is responsible for the oversight of the distribution strategy, production and overall leadership of the Southwest Region. Prior to joining the organization, Nathan held many leadership roles in including underwriting, wholesale brokers, personal lines product management and various distribution roles. Just prior to joining AIG, he was a Marketing Manager for the Pacific South in Los Angeles for Chubb Insurance. Nathan earned his Bachelors Degree in Sociology and his Masters in Public Administration from California State University at Northridge.

The Board

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Chair
Craig Cendak
Regional Middle Market Executive, West & Northeast
Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty

The Board

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Chair
Jennifer Chargualaf
AVP, Customer Service
Zenith Insurance Company

With over thirty years of experience in the California Workers’ Compensation marketplace, Jennifer has been active in claims, underwriting, marketing, and training. During most of her career, she has worked for Zenith Insurance Company in the San Diego office in a variety of leadership positions. Since 2008, Jennifer’s primary focus has been business development and she is currently working as the AVP of Marketing. Jennifer received her undergraduate degree in Business Management from UOP, has her Associates in Risk Management, holds a Workers’ Compensation Claims Associate and Professional designation as well as a Self-Insured Claims certificate. Community involvement includes fund raising for a variety of charitable organizations through the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Blake Chauvin
Senior Vice President, Senior Customer Manager
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions

Mr. Chauvin, in his 35 years of insurance experience, has held senior customer relationship and brokerage production roles with a focus on both global Fortune 500 clients and highly technical structured finance arrangements.   His industry expertise lies principally in Technology, Energy, Hospitality, and Private Equity.

He has developed bespoke insurance programs for renewable energy clients,as well as rent-a-captive arrangements for Workers Compensation and General Liability coverages.

Mr. Chauvin and a handful of colleagues helped to build the initial Global Relationship team for Zurich Insurance Company in the United States.   There, he had responsibility for initial startup of the West Coast Global Relationship Management program.   In that role, he and his underwriting teams were successful in adding over $125 million in new profitable written premium over a 10-year period.   The team retained over 92% of the premium on a YoY basis.

In his role at Zurich, he partnered with the Alternative Risk / Corporate Solutions teams to provide various non-traditional programs to his global customers.

As a specialty broker, Mr. Chauvin developed unique hedge products for Renewable Energy clients and contractors that allow a project sponsor or contractor to reduce the variability of plant revenue and battery performance.  

In 2021, he joined Swiss Re to manage a portfolio of global technology and energy customers.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University, a Masters in Finance from California State University, and an Associate Risk Management (ARM) designation.

Mr. Chauvin is married and has three children:  Austin- 27; Nicole – 24 and Michelle 21.   He enjoys golf, boating, and the outdoors in his spare time.  

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Debbi Forde
Senior Vice President, Account Executive
WTW

Debbi has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, both in brokerage and client service. She manages the day-to-day relationship including project management and coordination of Willis Towers Watson services and resources to our clients. She ensures the team delivers prompt responses to ad-hoc questions, as well as adheres to timelines and goals of the client service plan. Debbi is responsible for driving efficiency and best practices to deliver superb client service. Prior to joining the Willis Towers Watson organization, Debbi worked for a major brokerage firm as a Senior Account Executive, Manager in the Middle Market space (2009-2018), and as a Senior Casualty Advisor in Global Risk Management (1996-2009). In these roles, she was responsible for coordinating the delivery of resources to her clients, supervising the client teams, developing and implementing client service plan, keeping abreast of current market conditions and ensuring clients were informed of developments affecting their insurance program and/or their industry, as well as managing and developing junior staff members. A majority of Debbi’s career was spent in the healthcare sector working on complex hospital systems, community hospitals, outpatient facilities and behavioral health facilities. In addition Debbi has had experience in managing, designing and placing programs for Fortune 1,000 companies’ clients across multiple

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Dennis Fox
Principal, SVP, Broker
Brown & Riding

Dennis Fox is a Principal and Broker at Brown & Riding, he specialties in tough-to-place medical professional liability business, including senior care facilities, allied health, and social service organizations.  Dennis holds designations as a Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU), a Management Liability Insurance Specialist (MLIS), and a Cyber Professional Liability Practitioner (CPLP). Dennis is a graduate of Arizona State University, holding a degree in Business and Communication.  Dennis currently resides on the west side of Los Angeles with his wife and daughter, and in his spare time enjoys playing ice hockey and golf.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Stuart Ganis
Executive Vice President, Partner Growth and Strategy
The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, Inc.

Stuart Ganis started his insurancecareer in 1989, becoming Producer in 1991. In 2000, Stuart co-founded an independent agency specializing in personal and commercial Lines.

During the sale of hisagency, Ganis recognized smaller agencies lacked access to industry resources which larger firms have leveraged and benefited for decades. Ganis launched aconsulting firm serving local insurance agents in the areas of sales,marketing, operations, and M&A advisory services emphasizing seller representation. Stuart has since consulted over 500 independent agencies,dozens of insurance technology platforms and coached 1,000’s of CEO’s, Producers,and other leaders in the industry.

Ganis has been recognized for his service and support of independent agents and brokers, receiving the Outstanding Partner award from the American Agents Alliance in 2011 and the Legend Award from Brokers Insurance Group in 2012.

Ganis currently serves asthe Executive Vice President, Growth and Strategy for The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, serving partners in all areas of their business. Originallyfrom Yonkers, NY, Stuart has lived in Redondo Beach, CA for 25 years.

The Board

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Chair
Margaret Hartmann
Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer
Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies

Margaret Hartmann is Senior Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer for Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies- Workers Compensation Division. In this role, Margaret is responsible for National Marketing as well as Client Services and CA Loss Control. She began her career in Claims and joined BHHC 25 years ago as the Northern California Claims Manager. In her tenure at BHHC she has worked in many capacities: Claims, Client Services, Marketing, Underwriting, even a short stint leading Human Resources. She has enjoyed being a part of the company’s growth and expansion into a leading national provider of workers compensation.Margaret graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Liberal Studies. She and her husband live in the Bay Area and have two daughters that are both in the insurance industry.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Marc Hickman
Market Leader / Executive Vice President
Aon Risk Insurance Services West, Inc.

Marc Hickman is the Market Leader for Aon’s Pacific Southwest offices. He oversees all aspects of financial management, personnel management and client relationships for the Pacific Southwest operations.  His major functions in this capacity include best practices development, strategic risk management planning, sorting through challenging insurer discussions and management of the Pacific Southwest’s financial performance across all of Aon’s solution lines.

In additional to Marc’s management responsibilities, he also serves as an Executive Client Contact for several Pacific Southwest accounts.  His core function in this role includes understanding and interpreting client needs, coordinating the delivery of appropriate Aon resources, and ensuring the appropriate delivery of all of Aon’s services.

Marc joined Aon in July of 2007 and has worked in Business Development, the Account Executive Practice and led Aon Southern California Account Executive Practice until 2017. Prior to joining Aon, Marc worked at Marsh & McLennan where he was a member of their Business Development Practice.

Marc’s background centers around large complex accounts providing solutions and solving problems for unique risk exposures.  His account experience represents a broad range of industries and exposures including several Fortune 100 and Fortune 1,000 clients.

He is involved in the community and sits on several boards including the United Way of Greater Los Angeles and Chapman University Alumni Board of Directors.

The Board

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Chair
Linde Hotchkiss
EVP, Regional Managing Director
Newfront

As Executive Vice President and Regional Managing Director,Southwest for Newfront, Linde is responsible for expanding the firm’s reach across Southern California and throughout the entire Southwest.

Before joining Newfront, Linde held various leadership roles at Willis Towers Watson, including her most recent position as Western RegionLeader for Large Accounts and Global Client Advocacy.

Linde also spent over 20 years as both a finance and operations executive for Marsh. Her expertise and experience spans Property& Casualty and Employee Benefits, and she is highly skilled at working with clients ranging in size from middle-market to sophisticated large group and large risk.

Ms. Hotchkiss serves the community on several boards including Junior Achievement, Safe Haven Children’s Medical Outreach, and transcenDANCE Youth Arts Project.  She is a frequent presenter on Inclusion and Diversity and was recognized by the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation as one of two North American Inclusion Champions for 2019.

The Board

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Chair
Katie Keenan
Specialty Underwriting Officer
The Hartford

The Board

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Chair
Paul Keltner
Regional Vice President Middle Markets Commercial
Zurich North America

Paul Keltner leads Zurich’s West Middle Markets Underwriting Team. In this role, he is responsible for managing P&C Underwriting and P&L for the West Region Middle Markets including local offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix, and Seattle.  

Paul joined Zurich in 2008 from AIG, where he was Regional Underwriting Manager, Excess Casualty. Previously he spent 11 years with GE Insurance / Employers Reinsurance, a division of General Electric, in a variety of roles including Media Liability Underwriting;Management for Architects & Engineers and Accountants Professional Liability Underwriting; and Six Sigma Quality Improvement Leadership.  

Keltner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree from Claremont McKenna College, and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Southern California.  Paul is Six-Sigma Quality Blackbelt Certified.

The Board

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Chair
Jennifer Knox
Southern California Corporate Risk & Broking Leader
WTW

Jennifer Knox is Corporate Risk & Broking Leader for WTW in Southern California. Having been in this marketplace for over 15 years, Jennifer is responsible for leading the delivery of exceptional client and colleague experiences at WTW and accelerating its growth and impact. Jennifer brings with her nearly 30 years of Commercial P&C experience spanning multiple geographies, disciplines and responsibilities. Most recently Jennifer launched the West Coast expansion of PMA, an Old Republic Insurance Company, as the Vice President and West Regional Officer. Prior to PMA, she was a Senior Vice President at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions leading their West Region growth and operations. Jennifer enjoys a marriage of 28 years and is the mother of two teenaged daughters. She is an active volunteer in the Catholic Church and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, in addition to being a member of the Executive Committee of the IICF Western Division Board of Directors. Her hobbies include watching her daughters play sports and traveling with her family, in addition to exploring new epicurean adventures, hiking and reading.

The Board

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Chair
Michelle Lonaker
Foundation & Philanthropy Director
Heffernan

I have been with Heffernan Insurance Brokers since 2001. In my current role of Philanthropy Director of Heffernan Insurance Brokers and the Executive Director of Heffernan Foundation, I am responsible for all facets of Social Responsibility within our company (Volunteer Events, Grants, Scholarships, Dollars-for-Doers, Employee Matching, etc.) I also run our Wellness Division and Corporate Events at Heffernan Insurance Brokers. I feel lucky I get to do what I love for a company I feel honored to work for.

The Board

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Chair
Adam McDonough
Executive Vice President
Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC

Adam McDonough has worked in the insurance industry for over 30 years, representing clients in a broad array of industries, including financial services, high technology, real estate, retail, and manufacturing. He specializes in Directors & Officers Liability, Errors & Omissions, Fidelity/Crime and Cyber Liability insurance.At Lockton, Adam is responsible for solving complex risk and insurance problems for large clients with specialized needs, as well as leading the day-to-day service and business development teams.Lockton is the largest private, independent insurance brokerage and risk management consultant in the world, with 7,500 associates serving over 52,000 clients globally.Education: BS, Fordham University, New York, NY (1988)MBA, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley (1995)Affiliations: Board Member, Leadership San Francisco Board Member, Insurance Industry Charitable FoundationLicenses: Fire & Casualty (All 50 States) Life & Health (All 50 States)

The Board

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Chair
Trevor McIntosh
Vice President, Branch Manager Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego
CNA

Trevor McIntosh is the Vice President and Branch Manager for CNA with oversight of the Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego offices.  As a  Southern California native, Trevor started his career in the insurance industry specializing in California Workers Compensation.  Having held roles in both underwriting and leadership, he expanded his knowledge and footprint with multiline coverage with CNA.  Eventually moving in to the regional executive role, Trevor has helped growth a profitable book of business for CNA and continue to propel the company brand.  As a father of 3 he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and loves music.

The Board

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Chair
Ben McKay
Executive Director
Surplus Line Association of CA

Ben McKay is the CEO & Executive Director of the Surplus Line Association of California (SLA), the largest association of its type in the country. Prior to leading the SLA, Ben spent eight years with the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) as its Senior Vice President for Federal Government Relations. In that role, Ben was named one of Washington D.C.’s Best in the Business for Business five times by The Hill, one of the city’s leading political newspapers. Before his time at PCI, Ben served as Chief of Staff to a member of United States Congress in Washington, D.C. where he worked on financial services and international relations issues. While in Washington, Ben also taught a class to MBA candidates entitled Business and Government. Ben is a coauthor of the book Annotations to Surplus Lines Statutes.

Prior to his work in Washington, D.C., he served a tour as a regulator at the Florida Department of State, where he served as Deputy Secretary for International and Legislative Affairs and later as the youngest Chief of Staff in the history of the 750-employee department.

Additionally, he serves as the Chairman Emeritus for First Capital Finance, the nation’s largest certified development company. He serves as a member of the board of the California State, Fullerton, School of Risk Management and Insurance, and the Advisory Council of the University of Colorado School of Risk Management. Also, Ben is a member of the Western Division Board of Directors for the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation.

Ben received his Bachelor of Science from Florida State University, his Master in Public Administration from Harvard University, and his Juris Doctor from Catholic University. He is a Lifetime member of the FSU Alumni Association and member of their national board of directors.

The Board

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Chair
Amy Neuman
Operations Manager Property & Casualty
USI

Amy has over 25 years of experience in the property& casualty insurance industry. She has a demonstrated history of fierce client advocacy while maintaining longstanding carrier and business relationships.

Amy began her journey at USI in 2002 as a Senior Account Manager that involved analyzing risks and recommending and constructing insurance programs for a variety of clients. Amy is now the USI P&C Operations Manager at for the Bay Area,responsible for maintaining corporate metrics, best practices, client retention, and creating a culture where people feel they belong.

Amy worked at a local insurance agency while she finished her education at Sonoma State University. Her intent was to become an ESL teacher but realized her passion for insurance and serving others. After graduation, she continued her path in insurance and expanded her value by obtaining her Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation.  Amy’s first job was firefighting for Cal Fire which taught her hard work and determination. Insurance has taught her strategic thinking and creative solutions to complex problems.

During her free time, Amy serves her local Rotary Club in various positions, including past president and volunteers in community service projects.  She is an avid supporter of dog rescues,including fostering (and failing). She loves spending time with her husband and four dogs and cherishes the time when she can be with her grandkids, camping or traveling.

The Board

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Chair
Carol Newman
EVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Confie

Carol R. Newman has served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Confie since April 2016. Ms. Newman is an action-oriented leader with deep experience in the private and public sectors and all facets of the property and casualty insurance business. For over thirty years, Ms. Newman has served as Chief Legal Officer for major property and casualty companies. During Ms. Newman’s twelve-year tenure at Chicago Insurance Company/Interstate Indemnity Company, she provided legal advice on reinsurance, carrier, MGA, and agent/broker business in the area of underwriting, claims, sales and operations.There she was instrumental in implementing risk purchasing group business and working with the industry and regulators in establishing the laws and regulations associated with this business. She was also SVP of Human Resources while at Chicago/Interstate.

The Board

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Chair
Martin Ogden
Vice President, West Business Development Manager
Intact Insurance Solutions

The Board

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Chair
Lindsey Rey
Regional Vice President
The Hartford

Lindsey Rey has been with Hartford for 11 years, after 4 years in marketing for the media industry. Lindsey’s Hartford career has been in middle market P&C, originating as an underwriter in San Francisco, relocating to Seattle with Hartford as an underwriting manager in 2015, and most recently returning to the Bay Area as a Managing Director for the Hartford Northern California Regional Office General Industries team, based out of Hartford’s Walnut Creek office. Lindsey is most passionate about mentoring and establishing strong, lasting partnerships with business partners. Throughout her career, she has been committed to networking and being an advocate for involvement in professional organizations. Lindsey has enjoyed being part of IICF in both San Francisco and Seattle, and was fortunate to be part of the founding IICF Western Division Associate Board as well as the founding IICF WA Chapter. Outside of work, Lindsey is an avid USC football fan, and lives in Walnut Creek with her husband, Nick, daughter, Taylor, and son, Jackson.

The Board

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Chair
Cory Rider
Vice President, San Francisco Branch Manager
CNA Insurance

The Board

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Chair
Bill Ross
Chief Executive Officer
Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, Inc.

In September 2004, Bill joined the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation as Chief Executive Officer and is responsible for the overall operation and strategic direction of the foundation Bill comes to the Foundation after a 31 year career with the Walt Disney Company having worked in the Parks and Resorts division with assignments in Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Resort in Paris and was a member of the executive team that managed the $2 billion dollar expansion of the Disneyland Resort in Southern California. Bill has a broad background in marketing, communications, planning and development and external relations. He is a chairman emeritus of the Orange County Business Council. He served on numerous non profit boards throughout California such as the CaliforniaGolden State Museum, Children’s Hospital Orange County and Cypress College Foundation. He is a strong advocate of education and completed his undergraduate and graduate degree at California State University Fullerton. In 1989 he was recognized as a distinguished alumnus. Prior to his business career he lectured at California State University, Fullerton for five years.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Charlie Rosson
Executive Vice President, Greater San Francisco Bay Area Leader, Property & Casualty
USI Insurance Services

Charlie Rosson is executive vice president and Greater Bay Area Property & Casualty Practice Leader at USI insurance Services. He has over 24 years of experience in the insurance industry, holding numerous leadership positions. Charlie has served on the Board of the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers (CIAB), and was the chairman of the CIAB’s Council of Employee Benefits Executives. Charlie currently serves on the Board of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation—Western Division (IICF) and the Surplus Lines Association of California Stamping Committee.Prior to joining USI, Charlie was Executive Vice President of RT Specialty from 2017 to 2021. He was the CEO of Woodruff-Sawyer & Co, one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the US, from 2008 to 2016. He was also named as Chairman of Assurex Global, the world’s largest privately held commercial insurance, risk management, and employee benefits brokerage group. Before his time with Woodruff-Sawyer, Charlie served as a benefits practice leader for Marsh. He began his insurance career as a benefits consultant for Sedgwick.Charlie received his Bachelor of Arts in history from University of California, Los Angeles.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Dean Schmieder
Senior Business Manager
UnitedHealthcare

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Keith Schuler
President/CEO
InterWest

Keith Schuler entered the insurance industry as an Underwriter with Chubb Insurance prior to joining InterWest’s predecessor organization, Lindo Hanna & Abbott, in 1987 where he became a partner in 1991. He developed an expertise in self-insurance and risk transfer programs for medium to large businesses and focused his sales strategy around providing risk management and claims mitigation solutions. In 1992, Lindo Hanna & Abbott merged with 2 other large successful brokerage firms to form InterWest and in 1995, Keith accepted the role of Northern Division President. Having demonstrated strong management & leadership skills, he was asked by the InterWest Board of Directors to accept the position of President/Chief Executive Officer in 2008.Keith is an officer on the Board of Directors of the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers based in Washington DC. He also served on the National Advisory Board of the PGA Tour (1995-1999) and as a board member for De La Salle High School in Concord, CA. Keith is known for his dedication to Philanthropy and Community Support and willingly severed on a number of nonprofit boards. He is currently a Board Member for the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Western Division and was instrumental in creating the Annual InterWest Gives Back Champaign.Keith is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management/Finance and a minor in Biology. He played intercollegiate football at the University of California, Davis, as well as California State University, Sacramento. He is a native of Walnut Creek and resides in Lake Tahoe and Chico with his wife Chelle. Outdoor enthusiast’s Keith and Chelle spend the majority of their time in mountains skiing, backpacking and enjoying water sports, and spending as much time as they can with their three children.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Rekha Skantharaja
President & CEO
Tangram Insurance Services

As President & CEO of Tangram Insurance Services, Rekha has the privilege of building an independently owned,privately held company on her terms. Tangram architects and distributes specialty insurance programs in niche industries across the U.S.  

 

Her mission is to help people see the opportunities available in this industry and empower them to create their own successful career path.  Rekha believes this is particularly important for women and minorities, since diversity in the industry will ultimately benefit the whole.

 

Under Rekha’s leadership, Tangram has experienced accelerated financial growth and cultural transformation over the last13 years.  With a majority female executive team and staff that includes veterans and minorities, she is proud to be scaling a company that is challenging the status quo of the insurance industry.  Completing the team’s first strategic acquisition last year and expanding several core programs, she is piloting an audacious climb to hit the one billion dollar mark in 10 years.

 

Rekha is a first generation American and graduate of Boston University.  She is a mother, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization, a founder of her Company’s Women of Influence, a member of the Insurance Supper Club and a Board Director for a prominent Bay Area nonprofit. Rekha has been the recipient of numerous awards including IBA’s Elite Women, the Hot 100 for 3 years running and the prestigious Business Insurance 2018 Women to Watch. Rekha is engaged in the diversity and inclusion dialogue, focused on making real changes in our industry. She participates on multiple D&I committees, speaks about the urgent need for action, and continues to drive diversity for women and people of color in her own Company. 

 

Rekha is passionate about speaking to people about her story.  She hopes it inspires conscious leadership, substantive conversations to spark progress, and a roadmap on how to gain ground in this industry for those looking to make an impact.  In other pursuits, she enjoys traveling to far off places and getting lost in a great book with a giant glass of wine in hand.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Kurt Stemmler
Senior Vice President & San Francisco Branch Manager
Chubb

Kurt Stemmler is Senior Vice President and Branch Manager of Chubb’s San Francisco, CA office – a position he has held since 2016. In this role, Kurt is responsible for driving growth and profit by working closely with Chubb’s agent and broker partners to deliver tailored product and service solutions to meet the insurance needs of clients throughout the region. Kurt joined Chubb in 1987 as an underwriting trainee in the Boiler & Machinery department in Newport Beach, CA. Over the next 13 years, he held underwriting and leadership positions at branch, zone and home office levels in the Property, Machinery & Marine department. Kurt was named Marketing Manager of Chubb’s Newport Beach and San Diego offices in 2000, and became the San Diego Branch Manager in 2002. In 2005, Kurt became the branch manager for the Chubb office in Pleasanton, with responsibilities for northern California, with the exception of San Francisco.Kurt is a graduate of San Diego State University with a B.S. in Business Administration, and earned his MBA from Chapman University in Orange, CA. He is the Vice Chairperson of the Nevada Insurance Guaranty Association, having served on the board for more than 12 years. Recently, Kurt became a Vice Chairperson on the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, Western Region. Kurt also sits on the Advisory Board of a San Francisco-based nonprofit serving youth within the juvenile justice system, The Beat Within.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Vandana Sule
Principal & Insurance Technology Consulting Leader
EY

Vandana Sule is a Principal in Ernst& Young’s Consulting Services practice and leads the Insurance sector growth strategy in west region. She is primarily focused on the property & casualty Insurance sector leading large transformation programs and serving as trusted advisors to C-level executives of large tier Insurance Clients. Vandana has more than 22 years of experience in business transformation, operational efficiencies, technology enablement and delivery management primarily in insurance and finance services. Areas of expertise include business & IT transformation specializing in financial services, revenue and resource forecasting, contract negotiations & vendor management and client relations development & management.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Pilar Summerville
Executive Vice President
RT Specialty

Pilar Summerville is Executive Vice President in RT Specialty’s Burbank, CA office, leading a diverse RT ProExec team dedicated to delivering creative solutions and exceptional service to clients. Pilar has been with RT Specialty since the company began in 2010 and has experience in all lines of professional and management liability, focusing on complex risks including financial institutions, healthcare services and cyber liability. Pilar has been a wholesale professional and executive liability broker since 2003. Previously, she was a broker with CRC Insurance Services, playing an integral role in leading the largest professional / management liability production team in the CRC Chicago office. Pilar began her insurance career as an actuarial analyst, where she gained experience in actuarial modeling and commercial lines rating. A graduate of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Pilar earned a degree in actuarial science with a concentration in finance.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Edith Tsui
Sr. Director of Distribution Management North America – West Region
Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty

Edith Tsui was appointed by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) North America Distribution team as a Sr. Director to manage broker relationships in the West zone in April 2021. Prior to joining AGCS, Edith held progressively more responsible roles in the insurance business since 2001. She started her career as a Business Development Manager/Producer building the P&C and Life & Health portfolio for a Regional State Farm Insurance office. Edith joined Nationwide Insurance in 2006 and went on to spend almost 14 years there in various roles – First she spent 9 years in Commercial Middle Market Business Development Underwriting role, and then shifted to the Nationwide Sales team in 2014.  Most recently, since 2019 she was working at CHUBB as a Regional Agribusiness Sales leader. 

 

Edith brings vast experience working with various non-profit organizations. She served on the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Urban League from 2016 - 2019. She was a member of the Community Visibility and Outreach Committee for the American Red Cross Gold Country Region. She also represented Nationwide as a loaned Executive for United Way in 2007. 

 

Edith earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from California State University of Sacramento. She is licensed in Property & Casualty and Life & Health. Edith is also fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese. She currently resides in Sacramento and enjoys cooking, camping and puzzling in her free time.

 

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Terrence Villar
Executive Vice President
Amwins

Terrence Villar is a seasoned casualty broker with more than 30years of experience in the industry. He joined Amwins in 2008 and currently serves as an executive vice president, leader of the Brokerage division’s western region, and branch leader for the Amwins Brokerage offices in Los Angeles, CA and Scottsdale, AZ.

In addition to his leadership roles, Terrence is an active member of the California Surplus Lines Board. He also serves on the Amwins Brokerage Advisory Council and is a founding member of the Amwins Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. In 2020, Terrence was instrumental in establishing Amwins’ $100,000 annual donation to Tuskegee College, an HBCU inTuskegee, Alabama, that has helped establish a risk management department and will continue to support the department through 2030.

Prior to joining Amwins, Terrence spent eight years at Worldwide Facilities and eight years at Chubb, honing his skills and expertise in the field. He and his wife Dana are parents to two boys – Devin and Desmond.

The Board

Meet the Board

Chair
Adam Witten
SVP, Regional Executive – Western Region
Liberty Mutual

As Regional Executive, Adam is responsible for the direction, distribution, and performance of all commercial property, casualty, and specialty lines business in the West Region. Adam joined Liberty Mutual through the Ironshore Acquisition in 2017 where he held a similar role.Adam started his career at AIG in New York as a D&O underwriter and moved with AIG to Los Angeles in 2000. He later became a broker at Gallagher where he worked for several years prior to making the move to Ironshore in 2010.

Adam holds a Bachelors Degree in Finance from Lehigh University, and currently resides in Encino, CA. When not working, you will normally find him spending his free time with his wife and two small children, but on the off chance he is able to get away, there is a good chance you will find him golfing or quietly enjoying a Red Sox or Patriots game.

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Regional Engagement

The IICF Western Division includes additional opportunities to expand our philanthropic reach within our division through regional engagement throughout the west.

Featured Upcoming Events

Join IICF in helping communities and enriching lives. Connect with industry colleagues and support your community with an IICF event near you!

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April 10, 2024

IICF Horizon Gala

Los Angeles, CA
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April 18, 2024

CO Trivia Night 2024

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April 22, 2024

IICF Step Up Challenge

International
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May 2, 2024

IICF AZ All in Poker Tournament

Scottsdale, AZ
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May 14, 2024

IICF PNW Cornhole for a Cause

Seattle, WA
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May 6, 2024

Central Valley Golf Touranment

Fresno, CA
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August 6, 2024

Insuring the Children Golf Tournament

Irvine, CA
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September 10, 2024

Chip for Charity

Littleton, CO
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Event Galleries

Arizona Bowling Tournament 2023
November 2, 2023
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Casino Night 2023
October 19, 2023
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San Diego Bowling Tournament 2023
October 5, 2023
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Chip for Charity 2023
September 12, 2023
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ITC Golf Tournament 2023
August 1, 2023
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Learn how you can be a part of the IICF Life Division

Bill Ross

Chief Executive Officer,  IICF

bross@iicf.com | (714) 501-0066

Betsy Myatt

IICF VP & Chief Program Officer

emyatt@iicf.com | (917) 544-0895