Podcasts about Westfield Insurance

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews RIMS 2026 Rising Risk Professional, Tyler Vaughan. Tyler explains the pizza-and-bonus-points incentive that got him to attend the risk management and insurance informational session in college, which launched his risk management career. Tyler shares what it was like beginning in the industry as COVID was shutting down offices. He encourages students not to seek a remote position, but a hybrid or office position, at least for the first couple of years of their careers, to grow knowledge and build a network. Tyler shares his feelings about winning the RIMS 2026 Rising Risk Professional Award and his hopes for the future of the risk industry. Listen for insight on building a risk management career, mentoring, and networking.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:14] Public registration is open for RISKWORLD 2026, which will be held from May 3rd through 6th in Philadelphia. Visit RIMS.org/RISKWORLD to register. [:27] About this episode of RIMScast. Our guest today is the RIMS 2026 Rising Risk Professional, Tyler Vaughan. I'm looking forward to discussing with him about how he is setting a high bar for the next generation of risk professionals. But first… [:58] RIMS Virtual Workshops. The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep Course will be on May 13th and 14th. The popular CBCP and RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Bootcamp will be held from May 18th through the 21st. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Course will be held on June 9th and 10th. [1:18] Links to registration are in this episode's notes. [1:21] Webinars. On May 14th, Origami Risk will return with a new session, "Future-Proofing Your Risk Program: Keeping Pace with Scale, Complexity, and Visibility." [1:32] On May 28th, Zurich returns with "From Underwriting To Risk Management: What To Expect From The Growing Demand For Data Center Construction." Register for webinars at RIMS.org/Webinars or through the links in this episode's show notes. [1:47] Folks, RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today! [2:05] This is a last call for registration for RISKWORLD 2026, from May 3rd through the 6th in Philadelphia! Our opening keynote is thought leader Adam Grant. Our closing keynote is NFL Hall-of-Famer and Emmy-award-winning broadcaster, Michael Strahan. [2:22] Visit RIMS.org/RISKWORLD to register. Connect, Cultivate, and Collaborate with 10,000 of your risk management peers. [2:32] RIMS has also released its RISKWORLD Playlist, available through Apple Music and Spotify. Whether you want to get in the zone before RISKWORLD or relive the energy after it, these official RISKWORLD Playlists are available to keep the energy going. [2:48] Links are in this episode's show notes. [2:52] On with the Show! Our guest today is the Global Risk Manager for Cook Group in Indiana. He is the RIMS Rising Risk Professional for 2026. We will be seeing him onstage receiving his award at RISKWORLD. It's Tyler Vaughan.  [3:11] Tyler has already made an impact on the risk profession and RIMS. We're going to learn about what it took to lead the Northeast Ohio Chapter to greatness, mentors who have lifted him, and how his RIMS participation has made him a more confident risk leader. Let's get to it! [3:31] Interview! 2026 RIMS Rising Risk Professional Tyler Vaughan, welcome to RIMScast! [3:48] Tyler says he appreciates being named the RIMS 2026 Rising Risk Professional. It's humbling and a bit surreal. [3:64] Tyer looks back to when he joined the industry in 2018 as an intern. He joined the Northeast Ohio RIMS Chapter. He didn't think risk management was a profession where you expect public recognition; most of it happens behind the scenes. [4:12] Tyler says in risk management, success often looks like nothing bad happened. Within different corporations, you're protecting against bad things happening. To have RIMS recognize Tyler as the RIMS 2026 Rising Risk Professional means a lot to him. He's very thankful for it. [4:37] Justin says there are several professions where the idea is that no news is good news. If you don't get any feedback, that means you're doing everything fine. Justin says an award like this, and all the RIMS awards, are nice and well-deserved. [5:19] Tyler tells how he became involved in risk management. He was studying corporate financial management at the University of Akron College of Business. The professor of a challenging course held an informational session on risk management and insurance. [5:58] Tyler wasn't interested until the professor announced pizza and bonus points. Tyler couldn't turn that down. The professor, Dr. Jill Bisco, comes from the industry. She had been on the carrier side for many years. She was one of Tyler's first mentors. He still talks to her. [6:17] At that informational session, Tyler learned of how much opportunity the risk management and insurance industry has. He signed up for more information that day. [6:26] Dr. Bisco talked about Gamma Iota Sigma, the collegiate actuarial science risk management business fraternity. Tyler signed up to be an officer. [6:39] Tyler went through the chartering ceremony the next semester, and then the University of Akron officially adopted a risk management insurance program, and Tyler was one of the first students to sign up for that path. [6:50] Pizza and bonus points are still relevant to college students. Tyler says, take advantage of those opportunities. You never know what might come from it. Tyler later organized sessions with food. He used Chick-fil-A when pizza didn't bring a good crowd. [7:24] The Risk Management and Insurance Program at the University of Akron had an event called Risky Business, where they brought in different industry professionals. [7:33] One of those industry professionals was Kristen Peed. Tyler was looking for an internship. Kristen was looking for her umbrella after the event, and Tyler took it to her and asked her name. Tyler says pizza, bonus points, and an umbrella got him where he is today. [8:08] Kristen had just come off the board of the Northeast Ohio Chapter. Justin says Kristen was on the RIMS board for years and is the RIMS Immediate Past President. [8:36] Kristen taught Tyler that risk management is about people. She balances technical expertise with emotional intelligence. Tyler learned from her that the best professionals are the ones who can translate complexity into clarity and build trust across the organization. [8:56] Tyler says, across the industry, it's all about relationships. Kristen taught him that early on. Kristen has had many interns, and they share a community, and she connects with each of them, so they have a network within a network. [9:13] Kristen taught Tyler that we're only as successful as those that we bring up in the industry as well. It's full-circle for Tyler, now being seven years out of college, and giving back to whom he gives now. Any time someone reaches out to Kristen, Kristen loops Tyler in. They talk weekly. [9:44] Throughout the steps Tyler has taken in his career, Kristen has been there. It means something to find that mentor with whom you really connect, whether it be through RIMS Mentor Match or local university mentors. [9:59] You may go through some that aren't an exact fit, and that's OK. Mentorship can't be forced. Look for that person that you want to learn from, build from, and find success from. [10:25] Tyler says he is far more comfortable in public speaking now because of his experiences with Kristen and his experiences in risk management than when he joined the profession. Tyler avoided taking a public speaking class that was offered in high school. He was not extroverted. [10:56] Tyler was somewhat shy going into college. In going to the risk management and insurance pizza and bonus points session, he was nervous to meet people. But it was the push to get out of his comfort zone. [11:14] Dr. Jill Bisco, Kristen Peed, and other mentors taught Tyler that pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone is where you grow as a professional and personally. Tyler has made not only industry connections but also some of his best friends by putting himself out there. [11:38] Public speaking still makes Tyler a little nervous. He says it's cool to look back and see how much he has grown as a professional by putting himself out there. [12:24] Tyler went to the University of Akron and then started on the carrier/underwriting side as an underwriter. He went through a graduate development program at Westfield Insurance, close to home. [12:43] Tyler learned small business underwriting at Westfield and moved to Zurich for middle market underwriting. From there, a mentor of his from Akron University, Kirk Gross of Safelite, came to Tyler with an entry-level opportunity as a Business Continuity Analyst. [13:14] From there, Tyler has grown to where he is today. After Safelite, Tyler was with Avery Dennison as an Insurance Risk Analyst. Now he is with Cook Group, which owns Cook Medical, in Indianapolis. [13:31] Tyler's focus has been depth and versatility. He wants to continue to strengthen his technical foundation. He's gaining exposure across many areas, being a risk manager at a large company in the medical space. [13:47] This exposure includes operational risk, governance, and resilience. It's about emerging risks and how much they've changed recently. In the long term, Tyler hopes to play a role in shaping how organizations integrate risk into strategic-level decision-making. [14:02] Tyler would love to lead a team, continue to mentor the younger professionals, and continue doing what he can for the profession, whether it's leadership or workforce development, and change what the future of this industry looks like. [14:23] Tyler has been sitting on the RIMS Rising Risk Professional Advisory Group for five years. He notes that it has changed a lot. It's an ever-evolving landscape that Tyler wants to contribute to, long-term. [14:43] Tyler says risk management and insurance has been a conservative-minded industry. He would like to see it having an inclusive mindset, moving forward, working in different types of teams, and taking on different types of risks. [14:55] Tyler says risk management is not just buying insurance, it's protecting against the unknown geopolitical environment, the macroeconomic environment, and cyber. When Tyler joined this industry seven years ago, it was totally different. It takes a proactive mindset. [16:22] A Quick Break! The 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held from July 28th through August 1st at the lovely Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. A link to the event is in this episode's show notes. [15:45] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, in Chicago. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information. [15:59] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. Registration is open, and you can also submit a session. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information. [16:16] Save the dates October 18th through the 21st. That is when the 50th Annual RIMS Canada Conference will be held in Quebec City. Booth sales are already open. The call for educational session proposals is open through May 8th. Early-bird registration will open in June. [16:35] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni. [16:51] Let's Return to Our Interview with RIMS 2026 Rising Risk Professional Tyler Vaughan! [17:21] Tyler mentions some unknowns regarding the Middle East: supply chain risk, physical personnel risk, and cyber. Cyber was a new risk when Tyler joined the industry.  [17:41] Tyler did a course in college on the TJ Maxx data breach of the late 2000s. He thought that every company is protected against this now; we aren't going to see a data breach again. Everyone can see that's not the case. The unknowns of cyber keep Tyler interested. [18:40] Unknowns can slow things down. Geopolitical conflict potentially affects every business unit within the corporation: HR, Marketing, the supply chain, and procurement. For your company's success, you protect against disruption with insurance and strategic conversations. [19:24] Tyler entered the risk profession just as COVID was hitting. He says he joined Westfield and had training in a classroom before getting a desk. Then they were told that they were going to work from home for a couple of weeks. He never went back to the office at Westfield. [20:43] Tyler says working from home took self-motivation. In the first couple of months. Tyler didn't have the collaboration of meeting with underwriters, management, and leadership at the company that he needed to learn the profession. [21:16] Thinking back to his college time, Tyler says that for students, it must have been very different to excel in a remote environment. [21:56] Students often ask Tyler if he knows of any fully remote opportunities. Tyler was fully remote at Safelite. He needed personal interactions. He suggests a hybrid approach. In the early stages of a career, for learning, be in the office for a couple of years before going fully remote. [23:27] A hybrid approach is Tyler's favorite. Be strategic about the times when everyone is in the office versus remote. That's how Tyler looks at the future environment. [23:57] Another Quick Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's Risk Manager on Campus application period is now open, and it will close on June 30th. Grant awardees, colleges, and universities are typically notified in September. [24:23] The Course Development Grant application deadline for Interval Number 2 will be on June 15th, 2026. Award notifications will be sent out in late July. [24:38] General Grant applications will open on May 1st, 2026, and the application deadline is July 30th. Internship Grant applications open on August 15th and close on October 15th. [24:50] Links to each of these grants are in this episode's show notes. Visit SpencerEd.org for more information. [24:58] Let's Conclude Our Interview with RIMS 2026 Rising Risk Professional Tyler Vaughan! [25:15] Tyler says he's excited to receive his award, but there's a lot of pressure to be on stage in front of the global risk community at RISKWORLD. What if he tripped? He was emailing Joshua Salter of RIMS. Joshua assured him they would walk him through it, don't even think about it. [25:35] Tyler says it's so cool to have that network behind him and the support he has had through his career thus far. He thinks receiving that award will be very full-circle. He can't wait to see future professionals win the award. He recalls his friend Megan Smalter winning it last year. [26:08] Tyler says it's different seeing your friends succeed. You find real value in that. He hopes his friends who attend RISKWORLD will apply next year. [27:26] Tyler says in-office exposure is important for preserving the risk knowledge from some of the seasoned professionals, so their techniques and wisdom are not lost when they retire. Take advantage of one-on-ones with other experienced professionals besides your direct leader. [27:46] Learn through documentation, informal mentoring, and collaborative problem-solving. Individuals who have been there longer than you are there to help you learn. They want to see you succeed. [27:58] Tyler suggests being proactive about how you reach out to individuals and to keep this knowledge in notes. Tyler started writing on a notepad. Now he uses a shared drive. If you move to a new opportunity, transfer your notes from your work computer to the people you leave. [28:37] Be strategic and meet as many professionals as you can. Introduce yourself. Tyler recently told students at a Spencer event to have their elevator speech ready. Know whom you want to talk to and take advantage of that. [29:08] Tyler is a judge on the Spencer Risk Challenge. There are very talented students coming from around the world to present. It's very interesting to hear the different ways they think about the case study. Tyler loves engaging with the students. [29:39] Tyler says that last year's team from South Africa came to support the South African team in the Top Eight this year. It's awesome that RIMS partners with Spencer on the Challenge. [30:07] Justin notes that Megan Miller of Spencer Educational Foundation has been on RIMScast speaking of the Spencer events lined up for RISKWORLD. [30:43] Tyler says to young risk professionals, don't be discouraged if you don't have it all figured out at first, whether it's the job or your path in the industry. There's no one correct way to go about this industry on the carrier side, risk management, or broker side. [31:08] It's what you make it. The opportunities are here, so you do not have to settle. If you're not in the right fit, you can explore your opportunities. If you need more knowledge, don't be afraid to ask questions. It means something to know that you're utilizing your resources to learn. [31:45] Invest in relationships. Your network is your net worth. It takes time and effort to build your brand and who knows you. Tyler says it's worth it in the long run, and you make some of your best friends. [32:19] Justin reminds us that Michael Strahan is the closing keynote at RISKWORLD. Tyler hopes to meet him backstage. Adam Grant is the opening keynote. Lots of other highly-regarded people will also present at RISKWORLD. [33:08] Tyler says the opening session is always a grand time where you will see everyone who will be attending. [33:15] Recently, Tyler worked with the Rising Risk Professional Advisory Group to create the Rising Risk Professional/Student Track. That will be uploaded to the RISKWORLD site and app. The group was strategic about the best sessions to suggest to students. Tyler will attend. [33:59] Tyler says the Student Networking Luncheon has grown since he attended as a student. That is an event for all the students to attend. Probably upwards of 120 people will attend. [34:22] It's a roundtable session where industry professionals will move from table to table to tell you their story in this industry and answer questions. If you're not able to attend some of the other sessions on the student track, attend this luncheon. [34:42] Justin says we've got links to that with the information in this episode's show notes. [34:55] Tyler, thank you so much for joining us! It's obviously a well-deserved award for you this year. I look forward to meeting you in person, in Philadelphia, and seeing you continue to do great things for the risk community! [35:14] Special thanks again to RIMS 2026 Rising Risk Professional Award Winner Tyler Vaughan for joining us here on RIMScast. We will eventually update this episode's show notes with a link to the Awards Edition of RIMS Risk Management Magazine. [35:31] Be sure to tune in next week, when we are joined by the RIMS 2026 Risk Manager of the Year. I don't know if I'm allowed to say who it is yet, but if you know, then you know. Subscribe to RIMScast through your favorite podcasting app so you don't miss one single episode! [35:52] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [36:21] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [36:38] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [36:56] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [37:13] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [37:26] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [37:39] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support!   Links: RISKWORLD 2026 Registration — Open for exhibitors, members, and non-members! LAST CALL! RIMS on YouTube! Spencer Educational Foundation — Scholarships and Grants | Open Calls and Timelines. RIMS-CRO Certificate Program In Advanced Enterprise Risk Management | July‒Sept. 2026 Cohort | Led by James Lam 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference | July 28‒Aug. 1 | Register Now ChicagoLand Risk Forum | Sept. 24, 2026 RIMS Western Regional Conference — Oct. 4‒7, 2026 | Seattle, WA | Register Today and Submit an Educational Session! RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | www.rimscanadaconference.ca | Submit Your Session by May 8! RIMS Risk Management Magazine | Contribute RIMS Now RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) | Insights Video Series Featuring Joe Milan! The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RIMS-CRMP Stories RIMScast Canada — Episodes Now Live RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy Northeast Ohio RIMS Chapter (NEO RIMS) RISKWORLD Playlists:

In this special episode, Jen McIver and Diana Flanders take you behind the scenes of ELM Amplify 2025, which took place in Orlando in November 2025.Through rapid-fire, podcast-style conversations recorded on-site, Jen captures candid perspectives from legal ops managers, litigation leaders, and technology specialists representing Citizens Bank, Popular Bank, Westfield Insurance, Santander, Marsh McLennan, M&T Bank, and Organon. Together, they explore why fostering connection and candid knowledge-sharing is essential for driving innovation and shaping the future of legal operations.

In this podcast episode, Paul Vincent of Randstad Enterprise gives a sneak peek into his upcoming session for the GES Spring 2025 Summit. He describes how he, along with his fellow panelists, Brian Roche and Zach Engels of Westfield Insurance and Sydney Loomans of CME Group will discuss the evolving landscape of procurement. This upcoming session titled 'The Generation Procurement Game: from Clerk to Confidante,' will explore the historical and current trends in procurement strategies. Paul shares insights on how procurement has shifted from a focus on cost to value, the importance of influence in leadership, and the pressing challenges faced by procurement leaders today, including the impact of AI and the need for proactive engagement. Register today for the GES Spring Summit and join us for this engaging session on April 3rd at the Omni Nashville Hotel!

Today we are joined by Tonya Suber, Learning and Development Senior Manager at Westfield Insurance. With over 20 years of experience as a seasoned talent and learning development leader, Tonya has consistently demonstrated a commitment to driving organizational growth through the strategic implementation of learning and development initiatives. Her passion for fostering a culture of learning, coupled with my leadership acumen, positions her well to make a significant impact on any organization's talent development ecosystem. Tonya is a Learning and Development Senior Manager at Westfield Insurance where she develops strategy and leads enterprise learning and development. She also partners with key leaders to ensure strategic linkage between business needs and talent solutions and serves as key decision-maker for organizational learning needs related to Leadership Development, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (D&I), professional skills and compliance programs. In this episode, Tonya shares her journey and insights into creating impactful learning experiences, coaching leaders, and aligning development initiatives with business goals. We discuss Westfield's commitment to talent investment, their strategies for maintaining a strong leadership pipeline, and the expanding global footprint in insurance. Tonya also highlights the importance of adaptive learning strategies, partnerships with platforms like LinkedIn Learning and the Institute for Management Studies, and the challenges posed by rapid technological advancements. Lastly, we explore innovative approaches to leadership development, emphasizing a customer-focused mindset and continuous improvement in learning initiatives. - Website and live online programs: http://ims-online.com Blog: https://blog.ims-online.com/ Podcast: https://ims-online.com/podcasts/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesagood/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/charlesgood99 Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (00:42) Tanya's Background and Experience (01:52) Excitement About Leadership & Development at Westfield (02:50) Strategies for Leadership Development (04:07) Westfield's Learning Culture (05:06) Exciting Learning Initiatives (06:23) Future Challenges in Leadership Development (09:58) IMS Partnership and Impact (11:42) Conclusion

  From the Westfield Insurance Studio Theater in Cleveland, OH with host Richard Sher Stereo Left: Carolyn Faye Fox, Arnie Reisman, Paula Lyons Stereo Right: Tony Kahn, Francine Achbar, Fletcher "Flash" Wiley Music: The Roots of American Music Quintet   Rounds Played: Round 1: Ohio IQ Round 2: Bluff (lentiginous) Round 3: "Spell" Bound Round 4: Bluff (deipnosophist) Spotlight Round: Review, Judicially Round 5: Musical Adjacencies  

Live from the America's Claims Executive Leadership Forum & Expo, host Patti Harman is joined by Jodie Hopkins of Westfield Insurance.  Hopkins discusses lessons learned from managing remote teams through the pandemic and why hybrid teams are here to stay.

In this special episode, we're joined by Tom Daniels of Bowling Green State University and Lori Gabel, Talent Leader at Westfield Insurance in Westfield Center, OH.  We talk about Lori's path to HR, why she decided to pursue the Executive Master of Organization Development at BGSU and how it's helped her in her career.  Tom shares more information about BGSU graduate programs and Lori survives the Question Connection! Lori's recommendation: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyrone-m-fripp-scp-1ab102/ (Tyrone Fripp) How to reach Lori: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorigabel/ How to reach Tom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomrdaniels/ https://twitter.com/tomrdaniels419 This episode is sponsored by the Bowling Green State University Graduate Programs in Organization Development and Change.  Learn more at bgsu.edu/mod. Join us on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month at 7 PM ET for the #HRSocialHour chat on Twitter!  Be sure to check out our storefront (all profits go to charity): https://www.teepublic.com/user/hrsocialhour    

Today, on Procurement Rising, part of the Ardent Partners Podcast Network, we interview Brian Roche, the Chief Procurement Officer at Westfield Insurance. Brian is a leading CPO and has a great and long track record in the financial services industry. 

Steven Aday v. Westfield Insurance Co

In the eighth episode of the Sharing Knowledge Series, our host and chief lending officer, Kevin Vonderau, is joined by Eric Kempthorn, president at Kempthorn Motors, and Steve Butler, Westfield Insurance, personal lines product management & underwriting practices leader. Together, they explore the future of the automotive and insurance industries and the financial partnership that makes both possible.We want to hear your feedback. Take our survey at westfield-bank.com/sks.Have questions? Email westfield-bank@westfield-bank.com.

In the eighth episode of the Sharing Knowledge Series, our host and chief lending officer, Kevin Vonderau, is joined by Eric Kempthorn, president at Kempthorn Motors, and Steve Butler, Westfield Insurance, personal lines product management & underwriting practices leader. Together, they explore the future of the automotive and insurance industries and the financial partnership that makes both possible.We want to hear your feedback. Take our survey at westfield-bank.com/sks.Have questions? Email westfield-bank@westfield-bank.com.For legal information and resources, visit westfield-bank.com/sharing-knowledge/disclaimer.

In the eighth episode of the Sharing Knowledge Series, our host and chief lending officer, Kevin Vonderau, is joined by Eric Kempthorn, president at Kempthorn Motors, and Steve Butler, Westfield Insurance, personal lines product management & underwriting practices leader. Together, they explore the future of the automotive and insurance industries and the financial partnership that makes both possible. We want to hear your feedback. Take our survey at westfield-bank.com/sks. Have questions? Email westfield-bank@westfield-bank.com. For legal information and resources, visit westfield-bank.com/sharing-knowledge/disclaimer.

Let’s demystify Surety. Kathryn Truman, Commercial Surety Leader at Westfield Insurance, is this week’s Closing the Gap Guest. Join us as we give the 101 on commercial and contract surety, why surety is profitable for you and develops long lasting customer relationships for your agency. Surety helps you sell yourself as a full service agency. Want to learn more? Reach out to Kathryn through LinkedIn or at commercialsurety@westfieldgrp.com, 1-877-233-9836. We welcome your review of Closing the Gap on Apple Podcasts. Learn more about Westfield's independent agency partners.

This week we're excited to welcome two very special guests, Chris Cline and Craig Welsh of Westfield Insurance! Chris and Craig are experts on all things distribution, and they have a rule for us all to follow: the big 3 + 1. But what is the big 3+1? One answer is 4, but Chris and Craig are talking about these four steps:PerpetuationDigital & MarketingData & Analytics+Diversity & InclusionGrab your notebook and take some notes - this episode is full of important information. 

The hot topics of the day, Another Covidiot, A "reply all" revenge story, A story to put you in a good mood , AJ Petitti with gardening tips, Westfield Insurance takes on Chip in Morning Show Feud.

What makes people want to listen to an insurance podcast? What are the "Big Three (plus 1)" things that successful agencies focus on? These are just a few of the things we learn when we talk with Chris Cline, National Agency Distribution Leader (and national cycling champ!) of Westfield Insurance.

What makes people want to listen to an insurance podcast? What are the "Big Three (plus 1)" things that successful agencies focus on? These are just a few of the things we learn when we talk with Chris Cline, National Agency Distribution Leader (and national cycling champ!) of Westfield Insurance.

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society. Today’s podcast was produced and recorded live on-site at the RIMS ERM Conference 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana! This episode will be featuring some of the great guests that stopped by to chat with Justin!   Joining Justin first in the episode is Julie Pemberton, RIMS-CRMP, and Director of Risk Audit and Compliance for the Columbus Regional Airport Authority. She is also an ex officio of RIMS, having served as the RIMS President in 2016. At the RIMS ERM Conference 2019, Julie led a session called, “Building an Inclusive Culture.” Together, Julie and Justin further the dialogue by discussing actions you can take in your own organization to foster a culture that is oriented towards building opportunities that leverage employee, client, and partner talent. Next, Justin speaks with Jon Walkup, a Senior Risk Analyst at Westfield Insurance. Jon is incredibly passionate about ERM and has been becoming an increasingly more visible member of RIMS. Justin picks his brain to hear what he had been taking away from the conference! And lastly, Justin speaks about Bill Lyons, the Vice President and Sr. Director of Risk, Safety, and Environment Compliance at Recology Inc. Bill stopped by RIMScast’s recording booth just after accepting the ERM Award of Distinction on behalf of the Recology team! The waste management company was honored for its outstanding integration of ERM with governance and strategy to achieve sustainable, long-term value across the organization.   Tune in and don’t miss this special episode!   Key Takeaways: [:14] About today’s episode! [:28] Justin reminds listeners about some upcoming RIMS events! [:49] About today’s first guest, Julie Pemberton! [1:23] Justin welcomes Julie to the podcast. [1:40] Having spoken about the topic of diversity at the conference, what does Julie think are some of the upside risks of diversity vendor hires? [2:49] How do you quantify the sorts of benefits you get from diversity vendor hires? [3:20] Is it an easier sell if you use numbers to back the benefits you get from diversity vendor hires? [4:34] Julie speaks about the Columbus Regional Airport Authority’s five-year strategy and business plan. [5:45] Julie gives her outlook on the current generation of young professionals and what she thinks they need to do to succeed in the risk management industry. [8:30] About Justin’s next guest, Jon Walkup! [8:52] As a big fan of ERM, Jon speaks about his position in the industry and how he uses ERM. [9:24] Does Jon feel that the conference is addressing what’s happening now in the field of emerging risk? [10:00] Does Jon find that information sharing is something that happens a lot at RIMS conferences? [10:38] Jon describes the ERM framework that they have at Westfield Insurance. [12:14] Does Jon get tidbits of information as well as inspiration when he attends the ERM Conference and then later apply it to his own framework? [13:17] Are there currently any big emerging risks that have Jon up at night? [14:11] About today’s final guest, Bill Lyons! [14:44] Justin welcomes Bill to the podcast and congratulates him and Recology for winning the ERM Award of Distinction. [14:53] What does it feel like to win the ERM Award of Distinction? And what does this win mean to the Recology team? [15:14] When did Recology institute their ERM program? [16:07] Why does Bill believe that the ERM program continues to be so effective? [17:02] How did Bill get certain employees on board? [18:00] Approximately how many employees do they have? How big is the program? [18:18] Bill describes the lifecycle of their ERM program, where they are in it now, and how might it evolve and improve towards the end of the cycle. [19:44] Bill gives some additional thanks for accepting the award on Recology’s behalf. [20:13] Is an award like the ERM Award of Distinction a way to demonstrate the value of their work in the industry? [20:54] Justin gives thanks to the guests who appeared in today’s episode and highlights some links to check out in the show notes!   Mentioned in this Episode:RIMS RiskTech Forum 2019 (Dec. 9th in New York City) — Save 10% by entering the code LISTENER2019 at checkout! RIMS 2020 (May 2nd–6th in Denver, CO) — Booth space is now available! Upcoming RIMS Events RM Magazine Risk Management Monitor RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RIMS Membership — Discover why 10,000 of your peers from more than 60 countries are a part of the RIMS community! RIMS ERM Conference 2019 RIMS members can access ERM Conference materials and presentation at the ERM Conference Attendee Service Center RIMS Risk Management Talent 2025 Report ERM Q&A Interviews (Check back in December for a full interview with Recology’s Bill Lyons!) RIMS Press Release: “Recology wins RIMS 2019 Global Enterprise Risk Management Award of Distinction”Recology   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org and listen on iTunes. Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook and Twitter, and join the RIMS Group on LinkedIn.   Follow up with Our Guests: Julie Pemberton’s RIMS Profile Jon Walkup’s LinkedIn Bill Lyons’ LinkedIn

In this episode, Bradley and Scott sit down with Chris Cline from Westfield Insurance and the Closing The Gap podcast. The guys discuss the ever-changing landscape of the insurance industry and how Westfield is trying to do things differently from a carrier level.  //////////   Get Scott & Bradleys Spittin' Gold - 7 Things Your Agency Must Do in 2019   The Insurance Guys The Insurance Guys Podcast is made and dedicated to agents by agents. Please subscribe, review and rate our show on iTunes, SoundCloud, IheartRadio App, & Youtube.

Westfield Insurance, is a multi-line provider of business property and liability insurance, personal lines insurance including auto, homeowner's and specialty, agribusiness insurance, and surety bonds.

TIPS FOR THE NEW PRODUCER WITH KOURTNEY MORTIMER Episode 27 - What’s it like to be fresh out of college and selling insurance? Our guest today talks about some of the challenges and opportunities she’s having. Kourtney Mortimer was a marketing major in college and after one summer internship, she knew a desk job wasn’t in her future. After 3 interviews she was hired as a producer with a wonderful agency. They’ve provided her with a lot of opportunities, from sales training to networking. Her energy is contagious and we should all be so lucky to have a Kourtney in our office! TOPICS WE DISCUSS Being young and selling insurance Best practices for insurance agency marketing Selling your niche or selling the business that comes to you OTHER EPISODES FROM IA&B FUTURES CONFERENCE Marketing Magic with Sydney Roe of Agency Nation episode 15 Closing The Gap with Chris Cline of Westfield Insurance episode 16 The One Thing with Steve Harvill Episode 18 Attitude with Sam Glen episode 20 Listening with Sandra Biagini of Progressive Insurance episode 25 INFORMATION ON THE NEXT IA&B CONFERENCE This is another episode in our IA&B Futures Conference series. If you missed this conference in 2018, I would encourage you to put it on your must attend list in 2019. The date has been set for October 8th and 9th 2019. If you go to the IA&B website you can get the details.  ABOUT OUR GUEST – KOURTNEY MORTIMER Kourtney is an account manager with Reed, Wertz, & Roadman. She‘s a arising star with a passion for golf. Connect with her:   Website LinkedIn Twitter ABOUT THE HOST This episode of the Business of Insurance is produced and hosted by Debbie DeChambeau, CIC, AAI, CPIA. Debbie is an insurance agent with an extensive business and marketing background. Her focus is helping insurance professionals be more successful. She is the co-author of Renewable Referrals and hosts two other podcasts Business In Real Life and Divorce Exposed. Connect with Debbie on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.  Coming soon. Single and Over Sixty and Seniors We Love Check out or page on Facebook, The Business of Insurance

What’s Trending—The Hot topics of the day Make Us Feel Good-A positive story to put you in a good mood. Matt Granite—Majic Ways To Save features a parking assistance gadget Westfield Insurance is this week’s contender on Morning Show Feud.

PODCASTING AS A SALES TOOL Episode 17 - Welcome to another episode of the business of insurance podcast. In the last episode, I was talking with Chris Cline of Westfield Insurance. He was a sponsor and an attendee of the IA&B futures conference and he is the podcast host for his insurance companies podcast called Closing The Gap. Half of the episode was talking about how agents can use podcasts and the other half was talking about how Westfield approaches its agents to provide added value that goes far beyond selling insurance. If you haven’t listened to that episode, I would encourage you to do so. Click here to listen to my conversation with Chris I’m trying something new with the IA&B series. I’m going to take a deep dive into one aspect of the conversation with the guests I interview. With Chris, I’m going to talk about podcasting. Not  about how to get started because you can learn more about that in a webinar I’m hosting in December which I’ll let you know more about at the end of this episode or you can check it out in the show notes at thebusinessofinsurance.com. REGISTER FOR A PODCAST WEBINAR If you want to learn more about how a podcast can open doors for you, join us for a free webinar. Click on the date to access the registration and webinar details. Friday December 7, 2018  12:00 EST Monday December 17, 2018 12:00 EST Friday January 4, 2019  12:00 EST Monday January 14, 2019  12:00 EST In this episode, I’m going to talk about using a podcast as a sales tool and I’m going to give you some specifics to think about. A podcast is like a sales tactic that you make an investment in. Like attending a trade show or advertising in a magazine. Except in this case, you are creating a podcast to get in front of prospects. In my opinion, aside from being a great sales tool, your marketing department can do so much with the content of a podcast that they will love you for coming up with this idea! I’m not going to dive into that part, but if you want to learn more about the concept, listen to my interview with Sydney Roe. In that conversation, we covered what you can do with a podcast fairly well. If you don’t have a marketing department, we should talk! If you are intrigued about starting a podcast as a sales took keep in mind that this shouldn’t be a advertisement about your agency. If you want to mention your agency as the sponsor, that would be a fantastic. But other than as a brief infomercial, your agency should not be the focus. If you are looking for an example of adding your agency as the sponsor, listen to the last episode where I am talking with Chris. In the middle of the conversation I talk about Constant Contact for 30 seconds. They were my sponsor and I gave them a plug. It was genuine and authentic, hopefully it didn’t come across as salesy! . You can create the sponsorship ad however you want and maybe I’ll cover that in another episode. If you create a show about you and your agency you are defeating the purpose if what I”m talking about here. The podcast that I’m talking about creating should be something that would be appealing to your niche. (you could make this general, but honestly, the niches are in the riches) You want to focus on the people that you want as your clients. Yes, there are people out there who talk about themselves all day long but that’s not what I’m referring to here and I don’t think that is the way you want to use the podcast as a sales tool. In my conversation with Chris at Westfield, he said they use the podcast to provide value to their agents. I think what they are doing is great, they are providing information. To me, that’s more of a marketing tool and I think Chris would agree. If they used it to interview agents that they wanted to represent them, then it would be more of a sales tool, in my opinion. Are you wondering how you can do this? I’m going to give you some examples for both personal lines agents and commercial lines agents. My intent is to inspire. There are so many possibilities. If you target your niche right, you can focus on high end prospects and really hit a home run. Think about this…..As a sales person, one of the biggest challenges is getting in front of prospects who don’t know you. Right. You call them, they don’t call you back. You email them and it’s crickets, you send them snail mail and you end up in the round filing bin! If you think about the concept, people need to know, like and trust you before they will do business with you. If you can’t get in front of them to talk to them, how can they get to know and like you? The trust part generally follows after that! One of the best ways to get people’s attention is to appeal to their ego. When you reach out to them and ask them to be a guest on your podcast, I guarantee you, that if you position your ask correctly, 80% or more people will say yes! Think about it...what’s your hit rate for cold calling? What about the advertising you do! How many dollars do you invest with the publication only to be recognized? So let’s start with commercial agents and I’m going to give you 3 examples in completely different industries. Let’s say you are selling to construction contractors. What if you created a show around company culture and how it impacts the organizations hiring, employee retention, safety programs, etc. You might talk to companies about how they find employees, what they are doing to attract them to work for them, or what does their safety program consist of. Imagine a contractor with a tight safety program and no losses. They are your ideal clients from an underwriting perspective! Another idea for contractors would be a show around finished projects or a project that has just begun. What their role in the project, what challenges did they face and what successes did they have. Feature them as the contractor on a project and then take pictures of their work to promote with the podcast. If you have a smartphone, this is easy! Let’s say you are selling to government contractors - specifically those in technology. Your podcast could be around getting government contracts and the ins and outs. Maybe it’s a panel type of show where you bring on a government contractor and a contracting officer to discuss the success each has working together. what challenges your host has in getting the contracts. What if your target market is accounting firms. Your podcast could be very similar to how this one started out (listen to episode 1 with our original plan and what you’ll see more of outside of the series) What does the accountant love about the industry and why do they think others would enjoy working as an accountant. Everyone has a story about how they got to where they are. If it is the prospect you want as a client, get the story recorded and promote the agency! Another idea for accountants that is similar to the panel idea for govcon is to bring a business owner and an accountant together, maybe it’s the businessowners accountant and talk about how they work together, what they love and what they wish would work a little better! Depending on your spin, you could make it a bit like a reality show. Most accountants are fairly conservative, so you’d have to be creative in finding the fun! You double your prospecting with both on the panel! Let’s say you are focusing on medical supplies. You could create a show around how the owner got started or you could create a show around marketing challenges of medical supply companies! big pharm. So many possibilities! What do you think? Are you inspired? Think about who you really want to be doing business with, who’s your niche? Golf courses, car dealerships, surgeons. The possibilities are endless! If you don’t have a niche, then we need to have another conversation but assuming you do, or you have an industry you want to target, that’s what you want to create your podcast around. It’s an incredible door opener. There are some people who are already producing shows in these niches so you might partner with them to do the interviews so that you can get in front of the prospect but run the show under someone else's brand! Now let’s talk about creating a podcast for those of you in personal lines. The first thing I would have you think about is, What is your passion or interest. Pets, sports, boating, hiking, golf, cars? Creating a podcast around something you love will make it more fun and keep you going. If you don’t have any hobbies or passions, then here’s a few ideas to get you thinking. What if you created a podcast about the non profits in your community? You could interview the volunteer coordinators, executive directors or CFO’s about different aspects of the non profit. Another idea around the non profits would be to interview the volunteers or donors. Why did they choose that non profit and what’s their passion. The non profit would love the extra attention that they’d potentially receive from your podcast and would most likely be eager to be interviewed. Now you are in front of them, building a relationship with them and when everything is over you can mention insurance. You could also do a podcast around the events in your area. From music festivals to car shows, running events to charity balls. All of these events will have people there. Interview them. Get their contact information and tell them you will follow up with them when the episode goes live so that they can hear themselves. With their contact information, you can now call them and talk to them about their insurance. So let's break down a couple of these examples so you can see the bigger potential.. Some running events have over 1,000 people. But even if they only had 100, that’s not a bad number. Obviously you can’t interview all of them, but imagine if you did a podcast on runners. They all have a story. I started running at 54 and I never had any desire to run. I was somewhat guilted into running, then I became hooked and I just ran my first (and only) marathon. I just ran the NYC marathon, which was really cool. I’ll put a picture of my medal on the business of insurance fb page if you are curious.. I can’t speak for all runners, but most of us have a story. Why do we get up at the crack of dawn or run in the freezing cold or the hot humid summer. What has running done for the runner and why do they keep going? From an insurance perspective, once you finish your interview you could ask about disability insurance. They get injured. Not all are out of work for months, but it’s an ice breaker to get the conversation started! You can design a short show or a long show but it will put you directly in front of your prospects. Every running race has at least 100 people and dozens of volunteers. Many cities have a race almost every weekend, providing you with an unlimited list of prospects! Something to think about. What if you did a podcast around charity events in your area. Interview the attendees. Why are people attending the event and what is their connection. Not all attendees will have a direct connection but usually people attend these events because someone or something in their life has been impacted by the organization and they are there to support it. If you play your cards right, you might even be able to get a press pass to the event! If you are looking for other ideas on what to create a podcast about that would put you in front of a lot of people, look at meetups in your area. Hopefully one of the activities will inspire you. The podcast you create is designed to put you in front of people who can potentially become your clients. Create a show about something they are interested in and they’ll talk forever. Now you know them and they know you. They will feel like you care about them and they’ll most likely let you have a conversation with them about insurance. Are you feeling inspired? Ready to go start a podcast? If you are spending hours dialing for dollars with no success, consider a podcast! My intent with this episode wasn’t to tell you how to create a podcast but to get you thinking about how you can use the podcast as a prospect/sales tool. Getting started with a podcast isn’t difficult nor is it expensive. Depending on your recording ability, there might be an expense (or your time) involved with post production, but it is minimal. If you want to learn more, check out my webinar that coming in December. It’s free, all you need to do is register. Go to the business of insurance and look for this episode for the registration link. If you are listening to this after December, check a few of the recent episodes and you’ll probably find  a link to another webinar. I plan to do at least one a month in 2019. PODCAST WEBINARS If you want to learn more about how a podcast can open doors for you, join us for a free webinar. Click on the date to access the registration and webinar details. Friday December 7, 2018  12:00 EST Monday December 17, 2018 12:00 EST Friday January 4, 2019  12:00 EST Monday January 14, 2019  12:00 EST   HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW If you have an iphone or an iTunes account, would you leave us a review?  It provides us the opportunity to get discovered by other agents. Log into your account, look for our podcast Business of Insurance then go to Ratings and Reviews and let us know what you think of the episode. Subscribe on iTunes, and leave us a rating or review   ABOUT THE HOST This episode of the Business of Insurance is produced and hosted by Debbie DeChambeau, CIC, AAI, CPIA. Debbie is an insurance agent with an extensive business and marketing background. Her focus is helping insurance professionals be more successful. She is the co-author of Renewable Referrals and hosts two other podcasts  Select Business Team and Divorce Exposed. Connect with Debbie on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.  

INSURANCE PODCAST WITH CHRIS CLINE OF WESTFIELD INSURANCE AT THE IA&B FUTURES CONFERENCE 2018 Episode 16 - If you are hearing this podcast for the first time, we are in the middle of a series that we’ve created around the IA&B Future’s Conference held in September of 2018. The first episode in this series was with Sydney Roe. It’s episode 15 and you can find it on your favorite podcast player, or on our website at the business of insurance.com. Our guest in this episode, is Chris Cline of Westfield Insurance. He was a sponsor and an attendee and we are discussing how podcasting is being leveraged in the insurance industry as well as the role insurance companies can play with agencies that shouldn’t go unnoticed. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN FROM LISTENING What is the impact of company culture? How insurance agents can leverage podcasting Why insurance agencies should partner with their insurance companies and look at the resources they provide, not just the policies they provide Who’s changing the game in conferences Investing in the next generation What most agencies want to learn more about PODCAST WEBINARS If you want to learn more about how a podcast can open doors for you, join us for a free webinar. Click on the date to access the registration and webinar details. Friday December 7, 2018  12:00 EST Monday December 17, 2018 12:00 EST Friday January 4, 2019  12:00 EST Monday January 14, 2019  12:00 EST ABOUT OUR GUEST – CHRIS CLINE Chris Cline is with Westfield Insurance and is the host of Closing The Gap podcast. Connect with him: LinkedIn, Westfield Website Follow Westfield on facebook.   Twitter Closing The Gap podcast HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW If you have an iphone or an iTunes account, would you leave us a review?  It provides us the opportunity to get discovered by other agents. Log into your account, look for our podcast Business of Insurance then go to Ratings and Reviews and let us know what you think of the episode. Subscribe on iTunes, and leave us a rating or review ABOUT THE HOST This episode of the Business of Insurance is produced and hosted by Debbie DeChambeau, CIC, AAI, CPIA. Debbie is an insurance agent with an extensive business and marketing background. Her focus is helping insurance professionals be more successful. She is the co-author of Renewable Referrals and hosts two other podcasts  Select Business Team and Divorce Exposed. Connect with Debbie on  LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

In this podcast, Kevin Baker of Westfield Insurance continues his conversation with Rob Nettgen and provides an overview of his ISS presentation entitled “The Data Tsunami and Innovation Risk”. Listen to Kevin describe the opportunity of the “Data Tsunami” for an organization while balancing the challenges of information security, compliance, and confidentiality. Join us at the ISS, Oct 22-26 to attend Kevin's presentation at the I-X Center in Cleveland by registering at https://www.informationse

In this Podcast, Kevin Baker of Westfield Insurance provides his perspective on the benefit of attending the Information Security Summit for both business and security professionals. Listen to Kevin explain why security is at the intersection of business and IT and how he and his team leverage the Information Security Summit for continuing knowledge across information security. Join us at the I-X Center in Cleveland by registering at informationsecuritysummit.org.

It's not easy and it'll probably involve someone doing something they're not ready for. That's always the trickiest part for any agency to pass the business on to the next generation. However, the faster both sides realize the reality of the situation, the better the chances get. Perpetuation plans need to be happening sooner with more intention and commitment behind them. That's what I talk with Chris Cline or Westfield Insurance, about the challenges they see agencies facing. P.S. There's plenty of perpetuations directions in here.

It's not easy and it'll probably involve someone doing something they're not ready for. That's always the trickiest part for any agency to pass the business on to the next generation. However, the faster both sides realize the reality of the situation, the better the chances get. Perpetuation plans need to be happening sooner with more intention and commitment behind them. That's what I talk with Chris Cline or Westfield Insurance, about the challenges they see agencies facing. P.S. There's plenty of perpetuations directions in here.

On today’s episode, we are discussing agritainment and agritourism insurance with Nate Nieschwitz from Westfield Insurance, one of the largest Farm and Ag insurance companies in the country. Nate is... The post Inside Insurance Podcast – Episode 3 – Insuring Agritainment Operations appeared first on Ruhl Insurance.