National Vice President Candidates
Stacy Koron
Click here for a message from Stacy
Like many people in the insurance industry, Stacy Koron fell into a career in insurance compliance completely by accident. She started out in a temporary position doing insurance policy drafting and filing while looking for her “real job” in the legal field, and ended up loving it. After more than 20 years working as an insurance compliance field as a consultant and, more recently, as Associate General Counsel and Head of Compliance for an insurtech, Stacy still can say she loves this work. Stacy has helped dozens of companies develop life and health insurance products, specializing in innovative designs. A true insurance nerd, Stacy reads new legislation for fun, loves to find solutions to complicated regulatory questions, and is happy to have friends in the industry who share her passion for all things regulatory. Stacy is a member of the state bar in Kansas and Missouri, in addition to being a long-time member of AICP, where she’s been active on various committees and was conference chair for the 2018 AICP Annual Conference in Nashville (just don’t blame her for the lack of eggs at breakfast).
What skills do you bring to the office? What qualifications make you a viable candidate for the office?
I have over 20 years of compliance experience, both as a consultant (and AICP sponsor) and now with a carrier. I love mentoring new compliance professionals.
What would be your goals for office if you are elected?
Ensure that AICP is relevant to insurance compliance professionals broadly – all levels of responsibility, various types of entities, etc. The industry is changing and I want to be sure AICP is changing with it (and maybe staying a couple of steps ahead).
If elected, how would you use your office to work with others in the AICP to pursue the AICP’s current goals and objectives, to meet member needs, and to enhance the AICP’s value in our insurance compliance community?
I’d continue to expand on AICP’s goals of inclusion – making content available to members in a variety of formats, ensuring there is relevant content for all levels of experience, and finding new ways for all members to grow their network and learn from their peers.
Where would you like to see the AICP in the future and what would you do to move the AICP toward the vision?
I’d love to see AICP grow grow and modernize. We can do this with members who work for entities such as my employer (which is not an insurer, but is an insurtech company acting as an agency and TPA). I would also like to see us foster the next generation of compliance professionals, something we’ve put a lot of effort into over the past couple of years. One additional thing we might do is implement a mentoring program, where experienced professionals can work with newer professionals. Ideally both can learn from each other.
Additional Comments
I went to my first AICP annual meeting in 2002, and the sense of community I felt there was impressive. I now have a strong network of friends in the industry and in state DOIs I can reach out to when I have questions. We also have a lot of fun, forming lasting friendships that extend beyond work.
Scott Whitaker
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Scott Whitaker is the Director of Product Design with Perr&Knight. In this position, he is responsible for management of the Product Design practice area. Scott oversees the services provided by the Property & Casualty and Accident & Health product design teams including product development, policy form content reviews, compliance reviews, competitor form comparisons and regulatory compliance research. He also leads the work associated with the compliance and operational assessment / training (“COAT”) services.
Scott joined Perr&Knight in 2020 bringing more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. Just prior to joining Perr&Knight, he was the Regulatory Compliance Manager and Assistant Secretary at EMC Insurance Companies. Before EMC, Scott spent 20 plus years at Nationwide Insurance in Claims and Compliance. He also worked at Marsh/Mercer as an Operations Manager for Life and Health Employee Benefits.
Scott’s expertise and professionalism is evidenced by his past positions on the Association of Insurance Compliance Professionals (“AICP”) Board of Directors. He is a frequently requested speaker at AICP annual conferences and E-Days. He also serves a Director on the Insurance Regulatory Examiners Society (“IRES”) Foundation’s Board. Scott holds his Market Conduct Management (“MCM”) designation and attended Wright State University where he studied Business Administration.
What skills do you bring to the office? What qualifications make you a viable candidate for the office?
Successful boards have diverse/inclusive board members with a proven track record of essential competencies and real-life experience. This success during my 30-year career in the insurance industry is visible through the following:
Group skills – can be summed up by team-oriented individuals who solve problems and strategize as a group. This competency allows boards to be more adaptable, creative and productive. Further, these individuals prioritize the best interests of the board over individual priorities or personal advancement. One of many examples where I executed this competency was building out the regulatory compliance program at EMC. Processes and procedures needed to be put in place and documented for existing and new responsibilities. I used two approaches; provided a starting point for team members to build on and challenged team members by creating items from scratch. We would meet on a regular basis where I clearly communicated the strategy, listened to my team members understanding and ideas, and provided feedback to keep the work in line with the agreed upon strategy. An example associated with AICP, is through my chairing of the membership committee. During committee meetings, I express the strategy of AICP and the initiatives assigned to the committee. I then empower the chairs of each sub-committee to ‘go forth and conquer’. I ask that they update me with any questions, offer assistance if needed and require that they provide an update at each monthly or bi-monthly committee meeting to all committee members.
Interpersonal skills – are essential through leading by relationship building and influence. Board members with influence are comfortable challenging the decisions and performance of the organization when there is a need to change the status quo. Relationship building contributes to board cohesion and effectiveness. While on the AICP National board as Secretary, I lead by influence and challenged decisions and suggested candid conversations. An example in my day-to-day responsibilities is when I was at Nationwide, I would manage up and ask tough questions and ask for clarification from my leader and other executives. In both examples, the questions and discussions were initiated with the best interest of the organization at hand.
Technical skills – are important to make informed decisions. These skills can involve knowledge, experience, and awareness. It is extremely important for individuals who will be leading an organization, especially the size of AICP to have leadership experience. This experience allows them to ‘lead’ the board and AICP organization. Effective leaders should be comfortable with individuals which are put in positions of ownership and responsibilities (e.g., regional director, committee chairs, chapter leadership). This is especially true with board leadership where the board must provide oversight but not be directly involved in the day to day operations of the organization. My leadership experience over the past 22 years positions me to be a solid leader of the AICP organization. Over those 22 years, I learned how to become a more effective leader and let those assigned to tasks execute the tasks but still be held accountable.
Personal attributes – can be identified through commitment, integrity and dedication. These skills are self-explanatory, but from my view are summarized by an individual who never has their integrity questioned and puts full effort into the task, with no self-gain desired. Over my 30 years in the industry I have never completed a task for self-gain and my integrity has never been questioned. My promotions and advancements have been awarded based on my work completed, my experience and my knowledge.
In summary, I support individuals being awarded and voted into positions based on these competencies versus who they know or who they may be friends with. If individuals are uncomfortable with being challenged, having difficult conversations or won’t allow elected/appointed positions to complete their responsibilities without micro-management, they should not be in a leadership/board position.
What would be your goals for office if you are elected?
My goals if elected as the Vice President/President/Past President (3-year term) will be the goals of the full board of directors. Some items that I will ask for input on include (in no specific order):
- Listen to the membership on their ideas and concerns.
- Initiate focused discussions on how to best transition the AICP Board from an operational board to an oversight board and communicate the final position to the AICP membership.
- Initiate focused discussions on the AICP bylaws to identify if they currently meet the needs of AICP and are being properly adhered to or if adjustments are necessary.
- Initiate a focused discussion with the board on the need of an RFP for the AICP management company, that was postponed in the past due to the pandemic.
- Initiate focused discussion with the AICP board and committee chairs/co-chairs regarding areas of the industry that will gain benefit from AICP.
- Initiate discussion with the AICP board to identify organizations that serve the insurance industry. If the board agrees, these discussions will lead to having discussions with other organization board(s) to see how the industry can be best served, maximizing the value of each organization.
- Initiate discussion with the AICP board around board members being chairs/co chairs of committees. This will be with the intent to invite others to be leaders in the organization and help invest in AICP’s growth. This will include evaluation of how the chairs/co-chairs are appointed.
- Initiate discussion to make sure the management company operates according to best practices of management companies that assist with the day to day operations of organizations.
If elected, how would you use your office to work with others in the AICP to pursue the AICP’s current goals and objectives, to meet member needs, and to enhance the AICP’s value in our insurance compliance community?
If elected, I would use my 3-year term to actively listen to the full board, committee chairs/co-chairs, volunteers and membership, identifying where they believe this organization can be more effective and provide the best value possible to our intended audience. I would work to ensure that all voices are heard, tough discussions take place and the organization is allowed to operate based on the strategy and oversight provided by the Board.
Where would you like to see the AICP in the future and what would you do to move the AICP toward the vision?
As mentioned in some of the earlier questions/responses, my desire is to see AICP continue leveraging past successes and move the Board to be oversight versus operational. This will allow volunteers within committees and chapters to have the ability to make decisions without board presence at every meeting. Associated with this, the operational components of the organization (e.g., committees, chapters, management company) will be held accountable. Also as noted previously, I desire to see the organization partner with other organizations of similar nature to identify who can best address the needs of our members and industry. I believe it is better to be focused rather than trying to be ‘everything to all’.
Additional Comments
AICP is a great organization and a leader in compliance education and offerings. This organization is fortunate to have a membership that has a passion to volunteer in many ways. I hope you will agree that what I shared above positions me to be a successful and an empowering Vice President, President and Past President for the AICP organization. I appreciate the opportunity to have served in the many capacities with AICP to date and ask that you vote for me in a new role as the National Vice President.
National Treasurer Candidates
Brianne Dahl
Bri is a native Washingtonian with strong family roots in the region. She graduated from the same high school as her dad and grandpa. Her kids even go to the same schools now! Her insurance career began in 1999 with Mutual of Enumclaw. She spent 13 of her 21 years with the company in a compliance related role. Bri is currently part of the compliance team with the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC). Her involvement with AICP began in 2007. Bri has served the Northwest Chapter as secretary, vice president, president, past president and regional director. She has served the national organization in several committee roles and as a long serving member of the Board of Directors. Bri is also the President and Director of Rainier Volleyball Club, a non-profit youth sports program in her area. In her spare time, Bri enjoys travel with her family and friends, hiking and any extra time she can get with her kids.
What skills do you bring to the office? What qualifications make you a viable candidate for the office?
Leadership – I am a natural leader that can rally people behind a cause to get things done. Involvement – I don’t do anything halfway. If I am putting my name to it, it’s with everything I’ve got.
Enthusiasm – I bring an unmatched energy to everything I do. I hope to inspire a new energy in our leadership to help move our organization forward to exciting new places.
Empathy – I am perceptive of personal, social, environmental and business emotions. I strive to be conscientious of how the things that I, or an organization I’m involved with, say or do and be sensitive to the concerns of others.
Communication – I speak and write well. Effective communication is crucial to accomplishing anything. It is especially important to be able to communicate in different ways. Every person consume information differently. It is important to acknowledge this and endeavor to communicate our message not just so people hear it, but so they listen and understand it too.
Perspective – I think it is important that we look at and understand all sides of a situation in order to make the most informed decisions possible. I look at things from every angle possible and obtain input from those with more knowledge or experience than I might have.
Focus on Results – I like to take emotions into consideration with results being the ultimate goal. It is important to set goals and manage expectations as things change. I set concrete action plans and monitor progress throughout the entire process.
What would be your goals for office if you are elected?
Guided by my leadership, and following in the path of recent treasurer Jim Antush, the Board of Directors will continue to do the work needed to develop a clear strategy to move us positively into the future. With that as my foundation, my primary goal will be to identify areas of opportunity to solidify the association’s financial stability and success. With guidance from the Board, we will develop a plan that establishes AICP’s financial success far into the future.
If elected, how would you use your office to work with others in the AICP to pursue the AICP’s current goals and objectives, to meet member needs, and to enhance the AICP’s value in our insurance compliance community?
I will continue to monitor our financial health and work with the Board of Directors and management company to ensure records are kept, decisions are made, and our assets are appropriately managed in the best interest of AICP and it’s members.
Where would you like to see the AICP in the future and what would you do to move the AICP toward the vision?
I hope to see us explore where and how we can foster positive growth. Our industry, as well as others, is experiencing significant attrition. My enthusiasm for AICP, ability to think differently and see things from other’s perspectives will help us make the right decisions to grow into the future. We also need to transition more quickly with advancements in technology in order to effectively communicate with our current and future members.
Additional Comments
The only thing guaranteed in this world is change. It is constant, unpredictable, and sometimes uncomfortable.
As Treasurer, I hope to guide us in the changes we need to make in order to thrive in a continuously evolving industry with positive growth and innovative responses to our member’s needs.
Maryana Grodnova-Ware
Maryana Grodnova-Ware, Actuarial Assistant for the Nebraska Department of Insurance. She accepted her current position in April, 2016. She has been a Life and Health Analyst since January, 2009. She became a member of AICP in 2009 and at the same time joined the AICP Website and Education Committee. She served as the AICP Education Committee co-chair in 2011-2014 and Website Committee co-chair in 2015-2016. She was honored to receive AICP’s President Award in 2015 and Heartland Chapter President’s Award in 2017. Currently, she serves as the Heartland Chapter Treasurer. She presented at the AICP annual conferences as the regulator-speaker since 2012. Maryana graduated from Mykolaiv State Pedagogical University with the Bachelors of Science degree – major in Mathematics and Computer Science and a Master of Science degree in Mathematics. Attended the Faculty of Economics and Management at the South Academy of Ministry of Industrial Policy of Ukraine from 2002 to 2004 where she received a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. The above degrees have been evaluated and certified by Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. in the U.S. Maryana has 10 years’ experience in almost all aspects of banking by working as an economist at the Credit Bank of Ukraine from 1994 until she left to reside in the USA in November, 2004. From December, 2005 she worked for Perot Systems in the Administration department as a Quality Assurance Representative in Lincoln, Nebraska. January, 2009, she started working at the Nebraska Department of Insurance as a Life and Health Analyst. Maryana is originally from the Ukraine and made Lincoln her permanent residence in 2004. She applied for the green card and permanent resident status in January, 2005 and received it in December 2005. May, 2011 Maryana became a citizen of the USA. She speaks 3 languages, English, Russian and Ukrainian.
What skills do you bring to the office? What qualifications make you a viable candidate for the office?
• Extensive experience as the Heartland Chapter treasurer
• Active participant as a member of the AICP Financial committee
• Experience serving as the Chapter Regional Director in the AICP Board meetings
• Good working relationship with Virtual Management Company related to various subjects
• Firsthand knowledge of the AICP structure and understanding of all national committees’ activities and goals
• Professional integrity and experience as an insurance regulator with wide-ranging experience in finance and actuarial science
• Excellent communication skills, including written business communication skills
• Expertise with financial accounting and reporting principles
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple workloads, competing priorities and deadlines
What would be your goals for office if you are elected?
Maintain the current strong financial position of the AICP overall organization. Leverage the skill sets and expertise of my committee members to arrive at the best possible solutions during the entire fiscal year. Including, regularly reviewing the national budget with all members on the committee to ensure we stay on track with our goals. Review current applications, processes, and procedures to ensure the treasurer office is operating at maximum efficiency.
If elected, how would you use your office to work with others in the AICP to pursue the AICP’s current goals and objectives, to meet member needs, and to enhance the AICP’s value in our insurance compliance community?
As an insurance regulator I will continue to promote AICP’s values and benefits to my nationwide regulator network and insurance organizations throughout the country.
Where would you like to see the AICP in the future and what would you do to move the AICP toward the vision?
My vision is to see the AICP maintain and enhance it offerings in insurance compliance education. Additionally, to improve the networking opportunities by leveraging existing and future technologies available in the marketplace.
