Emerging Issues & Innovation Committee

 
Wendy Houser
Chair

Committee Charter

The Emerging Issues & Innovation Committee serves the WSIA membership and wholesale insurance industry across all segments of the marketplace by collaboratively identifying, evaluating, discussing and providing useful knowledge that will enable the membership to better analyze, manage and underwrite emerging issues and trends.

In the News

 

Committee Research

  • The WSIA Heat Map is developed and published every two years by the committee. Members are surveyed to identify developing trends in the surplus lines industry and define their influence on business. The committee compiles the survey responses and from them develops the Heat Map, which identifies the predominant themes and is available to members. WSIA  incorporates the results into future planning for education program curriculum and topics, member webinars and research topics for RMI students. 
  • Emerging Issues & Innovation Trend Reports are developed on emerging issues impacting the industry and have been recently updated to include COVID-19-specific implications and infographic summaries. These reports are updated periodically to incorporate current research. 


2021-2022 Committee Members

James Arnold, Markel
Dawn Brost, Hiscox USA Manhattan
Joseph Buffo, RSUI
Christopher Carlson, Aspen Insurance
Ken Distel, Atlantic Casualty Insurance Co.
Matthew Dunn, Jencap Group LLC
Cara Gilligan, RSUI
Wes Henry, RT Specialty
Melanie Herring, Nautilus Insurance Group
Jeff Hoffman, Atlas General Insurance Services
Barbara Ingraham, Verisk Insurance Solutions
Anuj Jain, ReSource Pro
Mitchell Jawitz, Anderson & Murison, Inc.
Charles Josi, Venture Underwriters, Inc.
Ronald Keller, IFG Companies
Branden Laxner, AXIS Insurance
Justin Lehtonen, Worldwide Facilities, LLC
Christopher Leisz, Risk Placement Services
Toni Leone, Great American Insurance Group
Simon Lewis, Atrium Underwriters Limited
Camara Magaoay, Tokio Marine HCC

  

Michael Marks, Nationwide E&S/Specialty
Matthew Meyer, Risk Placement Services
Thomas Morelli, Everest Insurance
Randy Myers, Great American Risk Solutions
William Nichols, Amwins Brokerage
Lindsey Nieves, Munich Re
Charles Norman, ReSource Pro
Matija Obradovic, Outsource Insurance Professionals, Inc.
Graham Pierce, AXIS Insurance
Milos Rados, Outsource Insurance Professionals, Inc.
Mark Rector, Lloyd's
Brett Ross, Carr Allison
Jason Sawin, Risk Placement Services
Skyler Severns, Dark Matter InsurTech, LLC
Jenda Shin, RSUI
Paul Smith, Burns & Wilcox
Kathy Szur, Integrated Specialty Coverages
Ken Tolson, Crawford & Company
Patrick White, RSUI
Chris Zoidis, Burns & Wilcox

Committee Staff Support

Julie Fritz
Lindsay Holland