Beyond the Challenge

In this episode, we are talking with Lindsay Hanson, Chief Marketing Officer from John Hancock, Alex Yang, Marketing Actuary from MunichRE, and Horacio Herrera-Fajer, Head of Life Insurance Partnerships at GRAIL. We will be discussing the Galleri blood test for cancer and how John Hancock and MunichRe are using this new technology to help their policyholders stay healthy by detecting cancer earlie...

We talked with Marc Glickman, CEO, and Founder at BuddyIns, about the trends, challenges, and opportunities he sees for the Long-Term Care Insurance industry and his new platform Benefit Buddy. Marc co-founded a community of LTC planning advocates called BuddyIns, an insurtech for the LTC industry, whose mission is to provide education and technology to agencies, agents, and advisors that can help...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge, we went back to some of our favorite interviews to see what some of our guests said when we asked them how they were finding their competitive advantage and staying relevant.   In this episode, you will hear from Nick Cecere, Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer at Thrivent, Jeremy Bill, Chief Insurance Officer at Bestow, Brad Mendenhall,...

We talked with Rick Hodgdon, President, and Head of Insurance at CL Life and Annuity about the trends, challenges, and opportunities he sees for the Insurance industry. Rick has extensive experience as a CEO leading multiple life and annuity insurance and reinsurance companies and is recognized as an industry leader in the US and international insurance markets. Since 1978, CL Life and Annuity Ins...

In this episode, we are talking with Jeremy Bill, Chief Insurance Officer at Bestow about the trends, challenges, and opportunities he sees for the Insurance industry. Bestow is one of the first all-digital insurance companies created to bring leading-edge life insurance technologies to make insurance accessible to more people. Jeremy is responsible for all aspects of Operations, Claims, Actuary a...

In this episode, we are talked with Nick Cecere, Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer at Thrivent about the trends, challenges, and opportunities he sees for the Retirement and Insurance industry.  Nick is responsible for all Thrivent’s financial advisors and the center of excellence that provides support to those advisors.

We have spent the last year talking to some of the most influential and forward-thinking leaders in the insurance marketplace.  Their perspectives have been very well received by our audience and we thought it was time to put together another panel of our favorite guests to see what they thought about retirement anxiety.   In this episode you will hear from Wayne Chopus, President and CEO of the I...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge we talked with Andy Bucklee, SVP, Head of Life Insurance and Executive Benefits Distribution at Lincoln Financial Group about how Lincoln is helping Americans understand the benefits of using life insurance as part of their retirement strategy. Andy is responsible for spearheading all aspects of strategy, partnership, client engagement and overall distributi...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge we talked with Steve Scanlon, Managing Director and Head of Individual Retirement at Equitable about how Equitable is helping Americans reduce their anxiety about retirement. Steve is responsible for the strategy of Equitable’s individual retirement business including distribution, product, in force portfolio, M&A, capital and strategic relationships.

We have spent the last year talking to some of the most influential and forward-thinking leaders in the insurance marketplace. In this panel episode, you will hear from Wayne Chopus, President and CEO of the Insured Retirement Institute, Rob Arena, Co-President and Head of Individual Markets at Global Atlantic, Brian Lauber, SVP Disability Income at Ash Brokerage, and Brad Mendenhall, President, I...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge we talked with Brad Mendenhall, President, Insurance Solutions at Concourse Financial Group. Brad has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, specifically in the areas of sales, operations, and sales leadership. Concourse offers an innovative approach to holistic insurance and financial planning support for growth-oriented financial p...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge we are talked with Brian Lauber, Senior Vice President Disability Income at Ash Brokerage about the trends, challenges, and opportunities he sees for the Disability and Insurance industry. Brian works with field distribution to increase awareness about vitally important income protection for individuals, business owners and their employees. Ash Brokerage giv...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge we are talked with Wayne Chopus, President and CEO of the Insured Retirement Institute about the trends, challenges, and opportunities he sees for the Retirement and Insurance industry. The IRI is the leading trade association for the insured retirement industry. The association champions retirement security for all through leadership in advocacy, awareness,...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge, we talked with Rob Arena, Co-President, and Head of Individual Markets at Global Atlantic about how Global Atlantic is staying relevant and what they are doing different from other carriers to stay ahead. Global Atlantic Financial Group is a leader is the U.S. life insurance and annuity industry serving the needs of individuals and institutions. Rob also ov...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge, we talked with Amy Friedrich, President, US Insurance Solutions at Principal Financial Group about the trends, challenges, and opportunities she sees for small businesses. In her work at Principal, Amy talks with small business owners and their employees about ways to mitigate increased stress brought on by the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and associated...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge, we talked with Brandon Carter, President at USAA Life about the trends, challenges, and opportunities he sees for USAA and the insurance marketplace. Brandon is leading the strategy to digitally transform their health, life and retirement companies and is focused on preserving USAA’s legendary service and commitment to its 13 million members while enhancing...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge, we went back to past interviews to compare and discuss what some of our most influential guest said when we asked them what they thought about Google and Amazon entering the insurance marketplace and how it will affect the industry. In this episode, you will hear from Chris Blunt, President, and CEO at F&G Annuities and Life, Mike DeKoning, SVP Insuranc...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge, we talked with George Nichols, President, and CEO, of The American College of Financial Services, about the trends, challenges, and opportunities he sees for the Insurance industry. George Nichols III currently serves as the 10th President and CEO in the storied history of The American College of Financial Services. A life of private sector experience...

In this episode of Beyond the Challenge, we talked with Chris Blunt, President, and CEO, at F&G Annuities and Life, about the trends, challenges, and opportunities he sees for the Insurance industry. Chris Blunt joined F&G in 2019 after 33 years in a variety of insurance, investment management and wealth management roles. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Blackstone In...

In Beyond the Challenge episode 29, we went back to past interviews to compare and discuss what some of our most influential guests said when we asked them “What is your opinion about the future of insurance regulations and compliance?” In this episode you will hear from David Levenson, President, and CEO for LIMRA and LL Global, Rino D’Onofrio, President and CEO RBC Life Company, Jon Stenberg, EV...

In Beyond the Challenge episode 28, we talked with Norm Trainor, President and CEO, The Covenant Group, about the trends, challenges, and opportunities he sees for the Insurance industry. Norm has coached more than 35,000 advisors and agents and has worked with 23 or the top 30 insurance companies in north America. This gives him a unique perspective that we are looking forward to hearing.

In Beyond the Challenge episode 27, we went back to past episodes and discuss what some of our most influential and forward-thinking guests had to say when asked, “What do you see as the future of distribution for the life insurance industry.” In this episode you will hear from Nick Lane, President of Equitable. Richard DeSousa, SVP, Strategic Partnerships at SCOR. Bruce Parker, President, Global...

On the latest episode of our podcast, “A perspective from the CEO of LIMRA,” we interviewed David Levenson, President and CEO for LIMRA and LL Global. David is responsible for leading one of the world’s largest associations of life insurance and financial services companies across 71 countries. Prior to joining LL Global, Levenson was a principal at Edward Jones and served on its management commit...

Kevin and Sandy Dougherty go back to past episodes and discuss what some of their most influential and forward-thinking guests had to say when asked, “What insurance carriers needed to do to embrace innovation and transformation to improve performance and drive long-term growth?” In this episode you will hear from Rino D’Onofrio, President and CEO RBC Life. Nick Lane, President of Equitable. Bruce...

Kevin and Sandy Dougherty talk with Dr. Jim Wallace, President, AmeriPlus Select Services and Senior Researcher at Harvard University about how the healthcare industry is embracing innovation to stay relevant. Jim is an experienced chief executive with a history of success in many highly regulated industries. Jim specializes in strategy, finance, team building, and start-ups, from proof of concept...