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Jay Bradford
Commissioner
Arkansas Insurance Department
Jay Bradford was appointed Arkansas Insurance Commissioner on
January 15, 2009, by Governor Mike Beebe. Bradford brings to the
Department more than four decades of experience in the insurance
industry, including thirty years as founder, chairman, and former
shareholder of First Arkansas Insurance Group, a statewide network
of independent property and casualty agencies. Customer service
and consumer protection have been hallmarks of his career.
Prior to his appointment, Commissioner Bradford served for two years as the Director of
the Division of Behavioral Health Services within the Arkansas Department of Human Services.
Commissioner Bradford served in the Arkansas Legislature for twenty-four years where
he was chosen both Speaker Pro Tempore of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
He also served as Chair of the Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee in both bodies.
Some of the highlights of his service in the Arkansas Legislature include serving as chief
sponsor of the Tobacco Settlement Funding Bill, legislation which resulted in Arkansas being the
only state in the nation to mandate all the settlement monies be used for healthcare. He also
served as lead Senate sponsor of breast care legislation which resulted in millions of dollars being
made available for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.
He has achieved numerous honors and awards during his service to the citizens of
Arkansas, including the 2006 Arkansas Business Executive of the Year and the 2005 Libertarian
of the Year from the American Civil Liberties Union. He is active in various community and
political affairs.
A graduate of Subiaco Academy, Commissioner Bradford holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Economics and Psychology from Henderson State College and has also been
recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of that institution, now known as Henderson State
University. He is a Certified Insurance Counselor (C.I.C.) and holds an Honorary Doctor of
Science from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Karen Weldin Stewart
Commissioner
Delaware Department of Insurance
A native of Delaware, Karen Weldin Stewart’s roots in
the state trace back to the 1600s. She was elected to a
four-year term as Insurance Commissioner in 2008.
After a successful career as a retail executive and
entrepreneur, Commissioner Stewart first came to work
for the Insurance Department as a Deputy Receiver in
1989. As the Deputy Receiver, Karen was responsible for
20 insurance receiverships as well as project manager and consultant on three additional
receiverships. It is estimated that Karen saved the State of Delaware over 35 million
dollars due to successful asset recoveries and claim settlements. In addition, Karen was
responsible for the management of an estimated $7 billion in insurance company assets in
claims reserves and for the settlement of tens of thousands of claims. Following her
departure from the Insurance Department, Karen opened the Weldin Group, an insurance
and reinsurance consulting company.
In 1991, Commissioner Stewart co-founded International Association of Insurance
Receivers (IAIR) and was elected three times as its president. She received the distinction
of Certified Insurance Receiver – Multi Lines in 1995. Karen currently serves on IAIR’s
Board of Directors.
Formerly an Assistant to State Senator Harris B. McDowell, III, Karen was charged with
preparing, editing, and securing sponsors for a number of pieces of legislation including
the Single Payer Universal Health Care bill.
Karen has held numerous other leadership positions. She sits on the Widener University
advisory board. She previously served as President of the Claymont chapter of the
Business and Professional Women Association and was the Chief of Staff to the majority
whip of the Delaware State Senate.
Karen remains active in her local community by serving on a number of boards including
the board of the Peoples Settlement Association, which provides shelter, food, clothing,
and daycare to low-income families, and the board of the Addictions Coalition of
Delaware. She also serves on the Frank D. Vari Memorial and Scholarship fund and is a
member of the A. Phillip Randolph Institute.
July 2009
Carol Cutter
Commissioner
Indiana Department of Insurance
Carol has spent more than 30 years in the insurance
industry, with experience in both the Property/Casualty
and Life/Health segments. She began her insurance
career after attending Indiana University where she
majored in English and Journalism. In the early years
within the P&C segment, she worked for several
agencies including Ramey-Mannan (now Rollins
Burdick Hunter brokerage), the Daseke Agency, and the
Fisk Landers agency, now a part of Gregory & Appel.
Carol underwrote both personal and commercial lines of business and ultimately became
an outside producer for the Cardinal Insurance Agency in Southport.
Her experience in the Life and Health segment began as the marketing director for an
MET product marketed in 10 states. Carol was then appointed as marketing director for
Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company (a UNUM company) to hire and train
agents, and to manage a sales office for worksite products. She successfully served in
this capacity for many years during which time her office received numerous awards on
both an individual and agency basis.
After leaving her manager position at Colonial, Carol began her own enrollment
company providing benefit enrollment services for agents and brokers in employer
groups for health, life, disability, and other supplemental plans. During that time she also
sold and serviced her own block of small group and individual health customers.
In 2005, following Governor Daniels’ appointment of Jim Atterholt as Commissioner of
the Indiana Department of Insurance, Carol was asked to serve as Deputy Commissioner
for Health Issues. In that role she oversaw the policy analysts that review and approve all
accident & health product rate and form filings, and eliminated an 18 month backlog that
existed when she accepted the position. In 2007, Commissioner Atterholt promoted
Carol to Chief Deputy Commissioner for Health and Legislative Affairs. Her duties in
this position include oversight of the policy analysts for all product lines including P&C,
responsibility for the Indiana Long Term Care Partnership Program, supervision of the
SHIP Director and that program that provides assistance to Medicare beneficiaries,
served as the IDOI representative for Governor Daniels’ HIP plan, and for several other
Committees where the Department has a seat. In addition, she represents the agency in all
legislative affairs with the Indiana General Assembly.
John M. Huff
Director
Missouri Department of Insurance
Mr. Huff has 16 years of leadership experience in the insurance
industry and in dispute resolution. For the past 10 years, he has
worked in positions of increasing responsibility with global
leaders in the insurance industry.
Mr. Huff, 48, joined Swiss Re, one of the world's leading reinsurance companies, as a
managing director and strategic claims officer in the United States in June 2006. In that
position, he managed some of most challenging matters within the company's strategic
and emerging claims portfolio. In July 2008, Mr. Huff was promoted to the position of
global head of key case management and moved to the Swiss Re's global headquarters in
Zurich, to oversee some of the company’s most complex issues in dispute.
Prior to joining Swiss Re, Mr. Huff was a global claims leader for GE Insurance
Solutions from 1998 to 2006. From 2002 to 2004, he led GE Frankona's property claims
teams throughout the European and Asian markets. Mr. Huff began his career as an
associate, and later as a partner, with Field, Gentry & Benjamin, P.C., an insurance
practice in Kansas City, Mo., from 1992 to 1998.
Mr. Huff earned his bachelor's in business administration at Southeast Missouri State
University. In May 1987, he earned an MBA at St. Louis University, and he graduated
from the Washington University School of Law with a juris doctorate in May 1990.
Monican Lindeen
Commissioner
Montana Department of Insurance
Monica Lindeen was elected Commissioner of Securities and
Insurance, Montana State Auditor in November 2008.
Whether it’s protecting consumers, advancing the Insure
Montana program to help small businesses, promoting
wellness and preventative health care, or harnessing
technology to improve health care, Monica is working hard
to make a difference in the lives of Montana families.
In 1999, Monica was elected to serve the people of Montana
in the State House of Representatives. Because of her hard work in the Montana
legislature, she quickly became a leader and has served four terms (1999-2006). She
developed a reputation as a common sense moderate who knows how to get things done
for Montana.
Monica is respected for her ability to put principles before politics and work together
with her colleagues on key economic development policies, such as a successful
workforce training program, an economic development trust fund, and other
advancements that help Montana working families and businesses.
Prior to public service, Monica helped build a highly successful internet business,
Montana Communications Network (MCN), one of the first Montana-based, local
internet providers in the high-tech industry. From 1994 to 1996, she was a part-time
faculty member in the MSU-Billings English Department and taught simultaneously as a
graduate assistant in the Department of Educational Foundations.
Monica received a BSED in English/History and completed graduate coursework in the
educational foundations field from MSU-Billings.
Scott J. Kipper
Commissioner
Nevada Department of Insurance
Nevada Department of Business & Industry Director Dianne
Cornwall announced the appointment of Scott J. Kipper as
the new Commissioner of the Division of Insurance on Dec.
29, 2008. He previously served as the Oregon Insurance
Administrator from Dec. 2007 until his appointment. Prior
to coming to Oregon, Kipper served as the deputy
commissioner in charge of the Office of Health Insurance
for the Louisiana Department of Insurance for over two
years, where he led the development and implementation of
emergency rules following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Kipper worked as the senior regional director for the Health Insurance Association of
America and America’s Health Insurance Plans from January 2001 through August 2005,
where he directed legislative and regulatory efforts in a number of states, including
Oregon, California, Texas and Colorado. He spent two years on the staff of the National
Association of Insurance Commissioners in Washington, D.C. as a health analyst,
working on senior health insurance issues.
Kipper began his regulatory career at the Wyoming Department of Insurance, serving
nearly five years as a life and health insurance standards consultant, including form filing
review, consumer liaison and legislative duties. He started his insurance career as an
independent life and health agent in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1985.
Kipper graduated from the University of Wyoming with a degree in business
administration.
.
Neil Jasey
Commissioner
New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance
Governor Jon Corzine named Neil Jasey Commissioner, New Jersey Department of
Banking and Insurance on July 17, 2009.
He was employed by Prudential Insurance Company of America for nearly 30 years,
beginning in 1975, including service as Vice President and General Counsel for
Prudential Property and Casualty Company from 1986 to 1990. He also served Prudential
as Vice President Enterprise Planning, running the strategic planning process and
conducting research for new business development. He completed his Prudential career
as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel. His many accomplishments include
leading the largest section of Prudential’s corporate law department with 280 employees
and a total budget of $68 million. He was the co-leader of the insurance negotiating team
on the Mutual Benefit Life workout.
Jasey serves his community as President of the Board of Trustees for Family
Connections, Inc., a mental health and social service organization that services low-
income families in Northern New Jersey. He is also the Chairman of the Board of
Trustees of the Cristo Rey Model high school in Newark which is supported by various
corporate sponsors, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Newark Archdiocese.
The school, which opened in August 2007, serves low income and minority youth.
His legal career began as an associate in private practice in New York. He was admitted
to the practice of law in 1974 in New York and New Jersey. He earned a J.D. at
Columbia University in 1973. Prior to that, he earned his A.B. in Political Science at
Princeton University in 1970 where he graduated magna cum laude.
Kermitt Brooks
Acting Superintendent
New York State Insurance Department
Kermitt J. Brooks became Acting Superintendent of the
New York State Insurance Department on July 4, 2009.
Previously he served as First Deputy Superintendent of the
Department. As First Deputy, Brooks was the second in
command of the Department, overseeing the functions
handled by the Deputy Superintendents of the Department
as well as the operations of the agency. In addition, he
directly supervised the Life Insurance Bureau.
Mr. Brooks served for almost eight years in the office of the New York State Attorney
General, joining as Chief of the Claims Bureau in 1999. From 2002 until January 2007,
Mr. Brooks served as Deputy Attorney General for Operations, with responsibility for the
day-to-day operations of the 2,000-employee agency, which has a $220 million budget
and 33 offices across the state. In addition to administering the Attorney General’s office,
Mr. Brooks led the investigation into employee benefit insurance, which resulted in
settlements with the nation’s largest group disability and insurance carriers and forced a
major group insurance broker to refund to clients undisclosed payment made to brokers.
Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Mr. Brooks served as Counsel in the law
department at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in 1998, and as an Associate in the
commercial litigation group at Nixon, Peabody LLP from 1989 to 1998. He earned a
Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in international relations from the James Madison
College at Michigan State University in 1986. He earned his law degree in 1989 from the
University of Michigan, School of Law, where he was a contributing editor to the
Michigan Law Review.
July 2009
Wayne Goodwin
Commissioner
North Carolina Department of Insurance
Wayne Goodwin was first elected as North Carolina’s
Insurance Commissioner in 2008. He previously served as the
Assistant Insurance Commissioner for four years.
As Insurance Commissioner, Goodwin will focus on
consumer advocacy through fair rate making, injury
prevention efforts and close regulation of insurance company
solvency and industry practices.
Goodwin is the newest member to the Council of State, made up of the 10 statewide
elected officials. Goodwin also serves as the State Fire Marshal. He serves as the state
chair of the Safe Kids North Carolina, the Arson Awareness Council and is a member of
numerous commissions and boards.
Goodwin is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with honors in
Political Science. He went on to graduate from the UNC School of Law and practiced law
in Richmond County for 13 years.
He is a native of Hamlet, N.C., where his family was active in agriculture and banking.
July 2009
Teresa Miller
Administrator
Oregon Insurance Division
Teresa Miller, an attorney and former legislative director for
Oregon’s governor, became administrator of the Oregon
Insurance Division on July 1, 2009. Her background combines
consumer protection and legislative experience.
A graduate of Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Teresa spent the first
seven years of her career as a lobbyist for clients that included Portland General Electric.
She then worked two years as Governor Ted Kulongoski’s legislative director, playing a
key role in developing his legislative agenda and working with legislators and
stakeholders. In that role, she also became familiar with the Insurance Division and its
parent agency, the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services.
After handling consumer protection cases for the Oregon Department of Justice, Teresa
came to the Insurance Division as deputy administrator in July 2008 and was appointed
acting administrator November 1.
Her hobbies include running, hiking, bicycling, and she brings this energy to her job at
the Insurance Division.
Ramón Cruz-Colón, CPCU, ARe, AU
Commissioner
Puerto Rico Department of Insurance
Mr. Ramón Cruz-Colón, CPCU, ARe, AU, holds a
Bachelor’s Degree, in Education, with a major in
Mathematics and Physics from the University of
Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus, where he graduated
Magna Cum Laude.
During the years 1980 until 1984, Mr. Cruz-Colón
worked as Director of the Planning, Evaluation, and
Research Division of the Institute for the
Development of Personnel in the Public Sector, developing annual plans for employee
training, and evaluations to measure the effectiveness of the various training programs.
From 1984 to 1989, Mr. Cruz-Colón worked at the Office of the Commissioner of
Insurance, under the administration of Mr. Juan Antonio García, former Insurance
Commissioner, where he held many positions, beginning as an Actuary and shortly
becoming the Director of the Consumer Services Division, Aide to the Commissioner,
and Chief Deputy Commissioner.
During the years 1989 to 1996, he worked as Operations Manager, Human Resources
Manager and Allied Lines Department Manager at Federal Insurance Company.
Moreover, from 1997 to 2001, Mr. Cruz-Colón returned to the Office of the
Commissioner of Insurance of Puerto Rico, where he worked as Deputy Commissioner of
Insurance, substituting the Commissioner whenever he was out of the office in official
matters, analyzing new insurance legislation, and coordinating a series of internal
projects, including the office’s budget, claims management, internal and external
consultations, among other internal issues. In addition, in 1999, he participated at the
NAIC Advanced Commissioners Education Program.
In 2001, Mr. Cruz-Colón joined National Insurance Company as Senior Vicepresident of
Internal Operations. Shortly after, he became Corporate Secretary, Executive
Vicepresident, President, and CEO of said company, also working as President of
National Life. In 2008, he worked as president of Carlos M. Benítez, Inc., general agent.
Furthermore, Mr. Cruz-Colón possesses three insurance designations which are the
following: “Associate in Resinsurance” (ARe), “Chartered Property and Casualty
Underwriter” (CPCU), and “Associate in Underwriting” (AU). He has also served as a
coach for the courses of the American Institute for Property and Casualty Underwriters
and of the Insurance Institute of America, and as a lecturer and consultant for numerous
courses and conferences. He has also received several awards including Teacher of the
year in 1979 and Outstanding Employee of the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance,
in 1986.
In January of 2009, Mr. Cruz-Colón was appointed Commissioner of Insurance by
Governor Luis Fortuño.
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