This session will provide an overall economic outlook of the property/casualty insurance industry. This session will include a high-level look at industry trends and disrupters. The always-popular Robert Hartwig, Ph.D., will provide important insights that will help you manage your company’s risk.

Robert Hartwig, Ph.D.

Director, Center for Risk & Uncertainty Management
University of South Carolina

Stop the highly reactionary behavior that has become the norm. CTC Productivity’s exclusive email-, task-, and time-management presentation will provide the tools needed to take control of your inbox, eliminate unnecessary interruptions, and stay focused on your top priorities. Attendees can expect to learn best practices to share with others and to leave with a list of action items. They’ll also learn how to leverage your phone for effective email and task management.

Jan Lehman

CEO
CTC Productivity

As insurance professionals, we take great pride in how well we communicate. We work hard to write concisely and accurately and to speak with authority and passion. Yet, most of us rarely put that kind of focus on the most important aspect of communicating: listening. This session will discuss why most of us aren’t very effective listeners, examine the barriers that prevent effective listening, and consider tips to become better listeners.

John Hoffmann

Director of Communication Strategy
Exeter Finance

The role of a leader has greatly evolved the past few years. In addition to being responsible for an organization’s financial performance, those at the helm must continually innovate, thrive during uncertainty, champion inclusivity, and inspire and engage a diverse workforce. Soft and interpersonal skills are more important than ever as leaders must balance shifting employee expectations with evolving business needs. As many of today’s leaders near retirement, organizations are preparing to pass the baton to the next generation of leadership. This session will explore how to prepare and empower young talent, grow necessary skills among current high performers, and build leaders who are equipped to take on tomorrow’s challenges.

Brett Carter

Managing Director
The Jacobson Group

Many companies have adopted some variation of a Work From Home program. This type of work environment presents new challenges around coaching a workforce that you rarely see or may have never met. This course explores some of the techniques that help address this disconnect.

Jim Robert

Owner
Best Foot 4Ward

Join this session to learn what a growth mindset is and how shifting to a growth mindset can make you a more effective leader.

Laura Pascoe

Claims Manager
Acuity, A Mutual Insurance Company

Angie Prinsen

Claims Manager
Acuity, A Mutual Insurance Company

When we’re stressed or tired, our brains avoid tasks that take extra effort. Our brains conserve energy by gravitating toward familiar ideas and routines rather than considering other options. So how do we do hard things when our brains want to default to what feels normal? This session will provide science-based tips for interrupting patterns that may be hindering you from achieving your potential.

Bruce DeJong

Director, Learning & Development
Mutual of Enumclaw Insurance Company

Using critical-thinking skills is an important part of being a manager. This session will help attendees sharpen those skills. It will discuss opposite blindness – mistakenly thinking two things are opposite when they are not; avoiding the pitfalls of poor decision-making; and understanding the reasons for poor or mediocre workplace performance. Relating customer process improvement to fundamental job-handling guidelines and removing barriers to exceptional job performance will also be covered.

Carl Van, ITP

President & CEO
International Insurance Institute, Inc.

During this session, attendees will learn how to find the right people given the job duties, how to rule out mediocre performers, and how to develop pre-screening questions to provide to human resources. The speaker will outline the types of people who make the best claims professionals, talk about how to maximize the effectiveness of recruitment efforts, and discuss ways to catch dishonesty during the interview process.

Carl Van, ITP

President & CEO
International Insurance Institute, Inc.

Every office wants to achieve unity and teamwork. Yet, debates, differences of opinions, and communication breakdowns can create tension that negatively impacts cohesiveness and productivity. Leaders who address conflict and overcome these challenges create a place where people thrive and produce. This session will help leaders understand the types of conflict that exist on teams and how to address and manage conflict while helping a team excel.

Tonya DeVane

Director of Customer Success
The Omnia Group, Inc.

The world is changing. We all need to maintain – or regain – productivity despite ever-shifting requirements and circumstances. Jan Lehman of CTC Productivity will explore proven and emerging best practices in maintaining personal and team productivity in changing work environments. Strategies to streamline communication and collaboration across the organization will also be included in the discussion.

Jan Lehman

CEO
CTC Productivity

The terms “leader” and “manager” are often used interchangeably, though perhaps they shouldn’t be. While both are important to keep a company moving forward, a manager is generally more task-based while a leader is often visionary. So, can a manager also be a leader? Should one person perform both roles? What is best for the company? How do you leverage both to improve all aspects of your business? These are important questions we will cover in this session.

Keather Snyder

Chief Revenue Officer
The Omnia Group, Inc.