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The premier virtual conference for independent agencies looking to advance their knowledge of using available cutting edge tools and best practices to meet their clients where they are at today, tomorrow, and beyond. Register today!
New conference environment! Exciting speaker line-up! Connect with other independent agents. And...it's free!
Andy Rice, is the co-founder behind Monarch Insurance Group, a leading name in the insurance industry. With a wealth of experience gained during his tenure at Allstate, Andy recognized the need for a more customer-centric approach to insurance. In 2017, he took a bold step and co-founded Monarch Insurance Group, driven by his passion to revolutionize the insurance landscape.
Angelo Aldi: A Visionary Leader in the Insurance Industry
Angelo Aldi is a distinguished figure in the insurance world, boasting an impressive three-decade career that commenced when he embarked on this journey at the age of seventeen. His unwavering commitment, strategic insight, and relentless pursuit of excellence have placed him to the forefront of the industry. Angelo's passion for elevating client experiences, harnessing the power of technology, and fostering a service-oriented culture has left an indelible mark on his career.
Professional Achievements: Throughout his career, Angelo Aldi has been the driving force behind the expansion of multiple retail agencies along the East Coast. His innate ability to spot opportunities for growth and his dedication to realizing their full potential have set him apart as an industry leader.
In a groundbreaking move, Angelo co-founded Agency Administrators over a decade ago, setting a new standard for customer care in the insurance sector. Under his guidance, Agency Administrators has blossomed into a customer-centric powerhouse, dedicated to providing top-tier service to clients of independent agencies. The organization brings a comprehensive and managed operating model to the table, allowing independent agencies to concentrate on boosting their firms' growth and profitability, or simply relish quality time with loved ones, unburdened by the stresses of day-to-day operations.
Current Roles: Angelo Aldi presently holds esteemed positions at several prominent insurance entities, including:
Philosophy and Values: Angelo Aldi's career is a testament to his unwavering commitment to three core principles:
In a world where the insurance industry is constantly evolving, Angelo Aldi's remarkable journey serves as an inspiring example of visionary leadership, dedication to clients, and the transformative potential of innovation. His legacy is one of excellence, and his impact on the industry is felt far and wide, making him a true luminary in the field of insurance.
As a People Strategy Consultant, Heather Moreau (S style with Accuracy as an additional priority) utilizes her background in creating trainings, organizational development, and strategic HR to help businesses thrive. Heather holds a SHRM-CP certification, has over 10 years of HR experience, and is working toward a master’s degree in the Human Dimensions of Organizations at the University of Texas in Austin. Heather’s mission is to help businesses thrive by helping people thrive. She has over eight years of strategic HR management experience implementing organizational goals by elevating employee engagement and utilizing her collaborative leadership style. Her strengths include analyzing information to create logical, people-oriented solutions, resolving conflict through her innate ability to find common ground and create a path forward, implementing strategies for more effective leadership, and influencing a positive work culture. Uniquely, Heather also has over 20 years of legal experience, where she worked in environments committed to finding and positioning facts to help people resolve disputes. Her time was divided between understanding business perspectives as a defense paralegal and advocating for individuals as plaintiffs’ paralegal. Her assistance with setting strategy led to the resolution of hundreds of cases at or before mediation. Heather believes in continuous education and holds HR, paralegal, and claims adjusting certifications. She is a certified facilitator for Everything DiSC®. Outside of work, you will likely find Heather going for a long run. It’s when she does her best personal strategic planning and when she’s the most likely to invent an idea for her next travel adventure.
Jason leads Agency Revolution, which provides a suite of digital marketing solutions and a proactive service team that help agencies sell and retain clients.
Prior to Agency Revolution, Jason spent more than a decade connecting agencies, carriers, and technologies through his consulting firm Agency Insurtech, the agency technology directory InsurancePlayground.com, and as co-founder of Smart Harbor, which built digital marketing tools for agencies before being acquired by a private equity-backed insurtech. A recipient of the Smart 50 Award for Innovation, Impact and Sustainability, Jason has conducted speaking engagements and workshops for InsureTech Connect, Nationwide, State Auto, Keystone, Pinnacol Assurance, BroadStreet Partners, Agency Nation Elevate, the Big I, and the Ohio Insurance Association. He is also published in Insurance Journal, Property Casualty 360, IA Magazine, Rough Notes, Insurance Thought Leadership, The Meeting Magazines, Carrier Management, and Insurance Business America and featured on the Insurance Closing the Gap, Agency Nation Radio, and Insurance Marketing Brain Dump podcasts.
JD Powers is the CEO of 3 companies:
POWERS Insurance & Risk Management, one of the largest family owned and operated independent insurance agencies in the Midwest. The agency provides personal and business insurance, surety bonds, risk management and employee benefits in all 50 States.
Sister company Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA), a cohesive family of more than 160 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois. VIAA generates more than $600 million annual premium and is the regional founding member for the Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance (SIAA), a more than $12.5 billion national alliance.
Leif Assurance, a national insurance agency that focuses on traditional risk management in conjunction with telematics and data-driven pricing models to build the most accurate risk profiles. Leif provides the most cost-effective and comprehensive proprietary insurance solutions for workers compensation, general liability, builders’ risk, inland marine, and commercial auto so contractors are rewarded for safe jobsites. Leif also has an accomplished bonding department with in-house underwriting.
JD was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated from Regis University in Denver, Colorado with a finance degree. His first job after graduation was as a door-to-door telecommunications sales representative in the San Francisco Bay area. He entered the insurance and risk management industries in 2008. His earned designations include:
• Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designation.
• Professional Work Comp Advisor (PWCA) designation.
• Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist (CLCS) designation.
Awards and achievements include:
• Recognized by Insurance Business America as “Top Producers Across the Country” in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
• Recognized by Insurance Business America as one of 54 “Young Guns Across the Country” in 2017.
JD is very involved in supporting philanthropic initiatives and community connections including serving on several boards over the years. He was most honored to have served on the Board of Churchill Center & School, a national leader in teaching children with learning disabilities. Outside of work, he loves spending most of his time with his 7-year-old daughter, Selah, 4-year-old son, Levi, 2-year-old daughter, Eden, and his amazing bride of 11 years, Johanna. As a family, their focus is to stretch themselves, embrace differences, help move the community forward as a united front, and spark greatness in themselves and others.
I came to HawkSoft on 2/20/20 after almost 40 years in the insurance industry in many different capacities, including running an agency for more 26 years. I have known Paul Hawkins for over 15 years and was impressed with his company’s culture, values, and family-focused orientation. It has been a perfect fit for me since joining. I appreciate that the leadership team has an unrelenting focus on delivering an amazing experience to our two stakeholders — employees and agency partners. We deliver an amazing customer experience and seek to raise the tide for all boats instead of thinking short-term to benefit only ourselves.
I handle Carrier Relations for HawkSoft. This includes connectivity to and from the carriers, as well as encouraging download and dealing with all kinds of questions. I also work with carriers to implement HawkSoft solutions like HawkLink and Book Roll.
Before joining HawkSoft I led the implementation, planning, and education for the Agency & Broker Operations Division at CoreLogic Insurance and Spatial Solutions that aligned CoreLogic’s technologies with the needs of the agent and broker community in the US and Canada. I was a principal at an agency in Minnesota for 26 years, where I had oversight over the organization’s entire technology platform and directed the implementation of all information technology systems. I served on the Board of Directors for NetVU from 1998-2007 and was Chairperson 2005-2006.
During the 17 years I worked in an insurance agency, I learned the importance of having a strong team. Now, as a regional territory manager for HawkSoft, having a strong team is more crucial than ever. My office is 2400 miles away from the HawkSoft home office, yet I feel completely supported and involved. I am on the front line, serving as liaison between clients and HawkSoft. I see firsthand how clients use our software, what they like, and what they want improved. I nurture relationships and pass information along to the home office. I love reporting back to clients that their suggestions have been incorporated into the software and showing them the new features they dreamed up. It’s thrilling for them to know they are heard.
My favorite thing about HawkSoft is the support my clients and I get in the field. The whole culture of HawkSoft is positive and encouraging. Clients love that HawkSoft inspires them to implement solutions that will help them be more efficient and successful in their businesses. I see this every time I perform a demo for a prospective client. I never tire of hearing, “You can really do that? That’s so quick and easy! That will really help our agency.” I value the relationships I have with HawkSoft clients and love attending user group meetings and visiting agents in their offices.
Linda Anderson joined the HawkSoft Sales Team in 2007 after working for 17 years in an insurance agency in Ohio that used HawkSoft’s Client Management System. She has worked as an insurance customer service rep, as a producer, and as an agency manager. She also worked for 14 years as Vice President of Commercial Acquisitions and Leasing for Spector Development Corporation in Scottsdale, Arizona. She graduated from the American Institute of Business. Linda’s office is in Springfield, Ohio.
Lucas Hendricks is the founder and CEO of Lift Local. He has over 10 years of digital marketing experience, 7 of which years have been spent marketing for insurance agencies. He's been a guest speaker and presenter for brands such as Trusted Choice and Progressive. Lucas has led Lift Local in supporting over 2,000 insurance agencies in their digital marketing efforts. When he's not helping agents get to the moon, he's spending time with his wife and 3 children. He also enjoys golfing, wake surfing and riding his Harley.
Mark Rodgers is an accomplished entrepreneur, founder, and president of Trailstone Insurance Group. He has a wealth of business ownership experience and entered the insurance industry in 2011, quickly earning a reputation for his client-centric approach and guiding philosophy to treat others as they would want to be treated. Mark’s honesty, integrity, and thoughtful leadership have earned him respect from colleagues and clients alike.
For Mark, his priorities in life are clear – he puts God, family, and work in that order. While he takes his work seriously, he also knows how to enjoy life to the fullest. An avid skier, Mark takes advantage of the beautiful Colorado climate for year-round outdoor activities.
Mark and his wife Beth aspire to undertake the Great Loop, a popular boating route that takes travelers on a 6,000-mile journey around the eastern United States.
Their two pups, Ellie and Remi, accompany them on their many adventures.
Mark grew up in California before moving to Colorado in 1991 to pursue his passion for skiing. He later lived in Maui where he worked as a scuba instructor, adding to his love for adventure and the outdoors.
Today, Mark continues to pursue his passions while building his business and serving his clients with the utmost care and dedication.
As CEO of SIAA, The Agent Alliance. Matt is responsible for the largest alliance of independent insurance agencies in the United States and its related companies across the country.
His more than 30 years of industry experience have instilled in him the knowledge, expertise, and skills to lead SIAA. Matt has responsibility for the alliance's overall success including providing strategic vision for its future and piloting the organization in the execution of that vision.
Matt has become a subject matter expert in the field of insurance distribution and agency development and is a frequent contributor to many industry publications, including Insurance Journal, Property Casualty 360, National Underwriter Magazine, PIA Magazine, Independent Agent and The Standard. He is a frequent presenter at a variety of insurance conventions, meetings and events.
In 2020, Matt authored and published Insurance Agency 4.0 #IA40, a guide to help agencies develop and implement their digital strategy. Learn more at www.mattmasiello.com/IA40.
Melanie Kolp currently serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Strategy, Data & Innovation at Nationwide. She brings more than 25 years of experience in the technology field as she oversees a team dedicated to supporting how the technology strategy enables Nationwide’s corporate strategy, data strategy and implementation, technology innovation and emerging technologies, partnership platforms and integration, and technology supporting the Pet business.
Prior to this role, Melanie served as Chief Technology Officer for Corporate Technology where she oversaw technology strategy and product delivery for the corporate areas of Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Investments, IT Development and Document Solutions. She also previously led the technology team enabling Nationwide’s Retirement Plans business with a focus on opening new channels of growth while transforming and enhancing capabilities across both public and private sector.
Melanie held several other leadership roles across Nationwide, including overseeing technology for Property and Casualty homeowners insurance and agency systems, serving as the business operations leader for the Property and Casualty Technology organization, contributing to application development as an executive in an Agile/Lean development environment, and serving as the technology leader for Nationwide’s finance department.
Prior to joining Nationwide in 2005, Melanie held technology positions at Ernst & Young LLP and American Electric Power.
Her passion is being a champion for the development and support of other women in technology. She is one of the founding members of the Women in IT organization at Nationwide, and is active in the local community as the founding president of Columbus Women in Tech. She served as a partner representative for the Anita Borg Foundation and is active with the international women’s organization WITI. In her personal time, she also volunteers with Prevent Blindness Ohio.
Melanie holds Bachelor of Business Administration degrees in Management Information Systems and Business Management from Ohio University.
Melanie and her husband, Bob, reside in Dublin, Ohio, with their three sons, Charlie, Ryan, and Brady.
The insurance business was not a career avenue I planned for. Soon after meeting my wife and getting married I soon realized that my evenings and nights working in restaurants had to end. I knew I liked helping people, liked conceptual sales, having normal hours, and liked the ability to have a flexible schedule. After an email blast to many types of financial industries I struck a job with State Farm at a local office in the upstate of SC.
My goal is to make sure that AIA is able to provide jobs to people who love our industry and have a passion to deliver exceptional client experiences. We aim to provide an employee culture that breeds positivity, passion, and enjoyment which will then in turn bleed into our client interactions.
Advisors Insurance Agency’s goal is to provide an exceptional client experience unlike any other. We want to get to know you and ask more questions than anyone else in town.
Nick is originally from St. Louis, MO and moved to Cincinnati to attend Xavier University. After graduating with a Finance degree, he purchased a home in the Rookwood area and has lived there ever since. He's now married with two little girls so you can find him at the local parks spending time with his family. When he's not with family you'll see him out at different sporting events such as Reds, XU basketball, and FC soccer games. Nick is an avid golfer and die-hard Kansas City Chiefs football fan as well. He has a true passion for the business and client's overall well-being.
Ray is the Head of Marketing at Canopy Connect. He has helped dozens of startups and growth companies over his 20-year career develop strategies and implement tactics that yield high impact results. Over the last two years, he's applied his growth marketing principles to insurance agencies to unlock remarkable growth for hundreds of insurance agencies.
Robin Eichert (Si style), founder of PeopleSense Consulting, combines 35+ years of business management experience with a passion for making people successful in the workplace. She has held senior management roles in publishing, education, high-tech, and manufacturing industries and understands the people issues that plague businesses. She holds a B.S. in Communications from Virginia Tech and a Masters of Organizational Management from University of Phoenix Online.
She and her team partner with organizational leaders, resulting in healthy interpersonal workplace relationships She has worked with the SIAA agencies for more than 20 years, offering consulting support and access to world-class assessments to simplify the complexity of management decisions. This is always done with a primary focus of recognizing and honoring each person’s unique work style, strengths, and contributions to the workplace. Well-versed in corporate and non-profit management trends, Robin has held leadership positions in many different industries and volunteer organizations, including the local humane society, past president of the Monadnock Rotary Club, as well as past Assistant District Governor for the Rotary District 7870. In addition, she has served on the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Assembly of Overseers, past Trustee of Monadnock Community Hospital in Peterborough, NH, and is a 2007 graduate of Leadership New Hampshire. She is also a member of New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility.
Robin holds certifications for the Wiley published programs, including PXT Select™, Everything DiSC® and Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™. The PeopleSense Team has earned Emerald award distinction from Wiley & Sons for achievement and commitment to optimizing organizational culture and teamwork. She and her husband, Pete, share their home with two dogs and two cats, all of whom enjoy spending as much time as possible outdoors in nature.
As VP of Architecture and IT Strategy, Sean is responsible for defining the Grange and Integrity Target State Enterprise Architecture and corresponding roadmaps, standards, patterns and disciplines for getting there. He is also responsible for leading both the Enterprise Integration (ESB) and Emerging Tech teams. Sean has more than 30 years of experience in Information Technology, with a career spanning the US Navy, Nationwide Financial, JPMorgan Chase and Huntington National Bank.
In her partnerships with clients, Sheryl (i Style) focuses on a key belief, that their people are their number one asset. The more knowledgeable an organization can be about its employees and how to help them succeed, the more successful and profitable that organization will be.
Sheryl’s experience spans multiple industries, including medical, dental, legal, banking, sales, and marketing. As a manger, she gathered knowledge and experience, and ultimately found her passion in the power of assessments.
In 2008, Sheryl joined Profiles International as VP of Strategic Business Partners, utilizing assessment tools to help clients make better, more profitable decisions. In this role, Sheryl fell in love with assessments and what the information they provide can do for businesses, employee engagement, and ultimately the bottom line.
Sheryl went on to become a Certified Coach Practitioner, combining her extensive business experience and love for helping people with Profiles’ proven tools and assessments. Through her work, she connected with Robin Eichert and PeopleSense Consulting, where she has found a team of professionals dedicated to doing the best for their clients.
As part of that team, Sheryl partners with clients to provide practical solutions for their most challenging issues. In particular, she’s skilled at answering the most critical questions about effectively managing and engaging employees to reach organizational goals.
Sheryl bases her work in Waco, where she attended Baylor University and continues to serve on many boards, including the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Baylor Waco Foundation, Waco’s Cotton Palace Initiative, and many Waco Chamber Committees. She is an active sustainer in the Junior League of Waco and has been involved in various non-profit fundraising activities. When she’s not at work, her biggest loves are animals, music, sports, reading, and working in her yard.
In my role at Liberty Mutual Insurance and Safeco Insurance, I help independent insurance agencies prosper by teaching and delivering thought leadership on purposeful growth strategies.
My days are filled with keeping up on both digital and relationship marketing tactics that drive new business and increase retention, proven by independent insurance agencies. I strive to be champion of the IA channel and am passionate about helping agency partners differentiate themselves.
I am Google AdWords certified and have been helping SMBs with digital marketing strategies for 15 years.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with friends and my two boys, ages 22 and 18. I’m a dedicated baseball Mama and love sports! The gym is my second home. I’m a sun lover, thus I like to travel to warm places. Being active in my community is important to me.
Stephen is a 25-year insurance industry veteran with experience in personal, commercial, claims, and oil and gas insurance. For the last six years, Stephen has been part of Glenwood Insurance, initially working in commercial lines before transitioning into his current role as business development manager. He holds both the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter and Certified Risk Manager designations.
Steve Miller is the CEO and founder of Blue Sky Insurance Group, a prominent insurance brokerage firm based in Las Vegas, Nevada. With a strong background in Business Administration, and over 14 years of experience in insurance, Steve has built a successful career centered on providing top-tier insurance solutions and exceptional customer service. Steve Miller's dedication to excellence, combined with his passion for helping others, has solidified his reputation as a respected insurance expert and community leader in Las Vegas.
Thomas Mann is the Director of Customer Success at Aureus Analytics, a leading InsurTech company that provides AI and business intelligence solutions to the insurance industry. He has over 15 years of experience in the insurance industry, having worked as an agent, a manager, and a customer success leader. He is passionate about using technology to help insurance agencies improve their customer experience and profitability.
Torey co-founded ClientCircle with his brother, Carl Maerz. Throughout his career, Torey has spent 20+ years building software and leading technology teams in a variety of businesses across a range of industries—from education to asset management.
Vijay Rengarajan’s passion is delighting customers with intuitive products that drive efficiency and growth for agencies. He is an innovative strategist and effective product leader with over 16 years of experience in product management in the IT industry and Property and Casualty Insurance domain.
Vijay started his IT career working on the carrier side before shifting to focus on the Independent Agent channel. His commitment, attention to detail, and innate understanding of the insurance landscape propelled his journey through a series of key positions, culminating in his current role as Director of Product Management.
Over his career with EZLynx, Vijay utilized his robust understanding of complex market dynamics to develop, manage, and implement strategic product roadmaps. He has been instrumental in launching numerous innovative, customer-centric insurance products. Most recently, Vijay’s passion for increasing agency productivity led to the advancement of EZLynx Automation Center. This tool saves each agency, when used across the customer life cycle, an average of 530 hours (about 3 weeks) per month. His latest addition to the EZLynx Management System helps agencies focus on goal alignment to drive revenue growth. Vijay's unrelenting focus on customer needs was a primary factor in the EZLynx product suite being named one of 2022’s Best In Biz Most Innovative Product of the Year.
Vijay holds an MBA from Texas A&M International University, with a specialization in strategic management and proudly holds his Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. This rigorous qualification symbolizes his commitment to supporting the high standards and continued success of the insurance industry. Vijay's customer-centric approach to product focuses on understanding and solving customer problems in ways that benefit the agencies.
Zach Petersen is a digital marketing professional based in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is the Director of Client Success and Partnerships at Lift Local. He loves to help drive exceptional results for Lift Local's clients. He is known for his strong work ethic and collaborative spirit. When he is not at work, you can find him traveling with his wife, or frequently racing his bike.
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