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

"Texas Cold Snap May Spur Historic Number of Insurance Claims" "US Needs to Brace Itself For More Deadly Storms, Experts Say" "Debris Could Threaten Operations in Space - as Well as Earthbound Activities" "Researchers Testing If Wearable Wristwatch Can Detect COVID-19 Infection" "Bitcoin Tumbles After Musk Hints That Prices Are Excessive"

"Munich Re to no Longer Cover Events Canceled for Pandemics" "Researchers Say Machine Learning Boosts Defense Against Multi-Stage Cyber Attacks" "Banks See Rise in 'Smash-and-Grab' Thefts from Automated Teller Machines" "Biden Approves Disaster Declaration for Maryland Related to Tropical Storm" "Indiana Lawmakers Fast-Track COVID-19 Lawsuit Shield"

Committee Research

2020-2021 Committee Members

Jacqueline Aldesco, RSUI James Arnold, Markel Michael Bachman, CPCU, ARM, CPL, SCOR Reinsurance Company Kaileigh Bowe, WNC Insurance Services, Inc. Christopher Carlson, Aspen Insurance Ryan Degale, CRC Ken Distel, Atlantic Casualty Insurance Co. Matthew Dunn, JenCap Holdings, LLC Kortney Eidson, AmWINS Access Jessica Hahn, Risk Placement Services Eric Hall, The Rough Notes Company Melanie Herring, Nautilus Insurance Group Benjamin Hoover, ARM, ASLI, Brooks Insurance Group Barbara Ingraham, Verisk Insurance Solutions Anuj Jain, ReSource Pro Mitchell Jawitz, Anderson & Murison, Inc. Mike Jones, CRC Charles Josi, Venture Underwriters, Inc. Igor Jovic, Outsource Insurance Professionals, Inc. Joe Larson, CPCU, SCOR Reinsurance Company

Justin Lehtonen, Worldwide Facilities, LLC Michael Marks, Nationwide E&S/Specialty Matthew Meyer, Risk Placement Services Ryan Mullins, CRC Charles Norman, ReSource Pro Matija Obradovic, Outsource Insurance Professionals, Inc. Tom Parsons, WNC Insurance Services Marcy Pelecky, Nationwide Brokerage Solutions Mark Rector, Lloyd's David Ritzinger, Mutual Boiler Re Catherine Rudow, Nationwide E&S/Specialty Ravi Singhvi, WKFC Underwriting Managers Paul Smith, Burns & Wilcox Sam Stringer, All Risks, Ltd. Bernard Tobin, RYZE Claim Solutions, LLC Erich Vogelsang, Great American Insurance Group Matthew Weindel, MUSIC Ken Yu, Risk Placement Services Jill Zauner, Worldwide Facilities, LLC Chris Zoidis, CPCU, Burns & Wilcox, Ltd

Heat Map

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. 

Committee Staff Support

Julie Fritz
Lindsay Holland