Commissioners

1. Commissioners 2019

2. Insurance Commissioner (state executive office) The insurance commissioner is a state-level position in all 50 states. The duties of the position vary from state to state, but their general role is as a consumer protection advocate and insurance regulator. The position is elected in 11 states and appointed in 39.

4. http://www.ncsl.org/research/financial-services-and-commerce/insurance-state-regulators-selection-and-term-stat.aspxhttp://www.ncsl.org/research/financial-services-and-commerce/insurance-state-regulators-selection-and-term-stat.aspx

5. New Commissioners: Arizona: Arizona’s Keith Schraad appears to have received a full-blown appointment as Director of Insurance (he had been interim director).  Schraad has over 25 years of both private‐ and public‐sector experience in the areas of insurance, healthcare, technology and government. California: Commissioner Ricardo Lara won a close race against a well-funded former commissioner. Commissioner Lara has noted that his priority is “protecting consumers, patients, hard-working families, seniors, and the most vulnerable communities in [California].” Colorado: Michael Conway, who had been serving as Interim Commissioner, has been appointed Commissioner of Colorado. Conway has extensive regulator experience; he served as the Deputy Commissioner of Insurance for Consumer and Compliance Services prior to taking the Commissioner role. Georgia: Former Department Chief of Staff Jim Beck narrowly defeated insurance industry veteran Janice Laws. Beck has already prioritized fighting insurance fraud against seniors and bringing stability to auto insurance rates during his time as Commissioner. Kansas: State Senator Vicki Schmidt was elected Insurance Commissioner.  As a State Senator, Schmidt served as Chair of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee. With substantial experience as a pharmacist, coupled with her legislative leadership background, Commissioner-elect Schmidt will bring a unique perspective and expertise to the NAIC. Michigan: Anita Fox, a lawyer with over 30 years of experience, has been appointed Director of the Department of Insurance and Financial Services.  Minnesota: Governor Walz has nominated former state Senator Steve Kelley as Commissioner of the Department of Commerce. Kelley was most recently a Senior Fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. New York: Governor Andrew Cuomo has formally nominated Linda Lacewell to be the new Superintendent of the New York DFS. Lacewell, a former prosecutor, currently serves as Cuomo’s Chief of Staff and has been with his office in various capacities since 2007.  Oklahoma: Glen Mulready was elected as Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department.  Mulready has chaired Oklahoma’s House Insurance Committee and was active at the National Conference of Insurance Legislators. He also has industry experience as a producer, so he hits the ground running. Mulready has announced Tyler Laughlin, a senior staffer with former Commissioner Doak, as his Chief of Staff, helping to ensure continuity in the transition. Wisconsin: Mark Afable, an American Family executive, has been appointed Insurance Commissioner. Afable has voiced a desire to tackle the availability and affordability of health insurance once his term begins. In Connecticut and Illinois, commissioner seats remain open under new administrations as of mid-January.  The Nevada governor-elect’s transition has not made any announcements regarding future leadership of its department.

6. Last November’s election saw four newly elected insurance commissioners and 20 new governors (seven of which represent a shift from Republican to Democratic party affiliation). Meanwhile, influential insurance commissioners announced retirements as 2018 ended. Amid these high-profile changes, the insurance industry will be closely monitoring these new officials to determine how they may alter the direction of regulatory policy. While you were wrapping and wassailing over the holidays, several gubernatorial transitions identified and announced their picks for insurance commissioner, so the picture is starting to come into focus. Nevertheless, there are still a number of significant appointments to come, many of which require state legislative approvals. The below is not a comprehensive survey of commissioner appointments, but it does provide a round up of significant activity as the year begins. Some of the “Known Knowns” California for a blue state, Commissioner-elect Ricardo Lara won a close race against a well-funded former commissioner. Expectations are that the Golden State will continue to play an activist role in shaping regulatory policy. Commissioner-elect Lara has noted that his priority is “protecting consumers, patients, hard-working families, seniors, and the most vulnerable communities in [California].” Lara will be sworn in as the eighth elected Insurance Commissioner of California on January 7, 2019.

7. Georgia Former Commissioner Hudgens’ Chief of Staff Jim Beck narrowly defeated insurance industry veteran Janice Laws. Beck has already prioritized fighting insurance fraud against seniors and bringing stability to auto insurance rates during his time as Commissioner. He will be sworn in on January 14. Kansas State Senator Vicki Schmidt gets sworn in as Insurance Commissioner on January 14. A pharmacist by training, her campaign focused on health care issues. As a State Senator, she served as Chair of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee. With substantial experience as a pharmacist, coupled with her legislative leadership background, Commissioner-elect Schmidt will bring a unique perspective and expertise to the NAIC. Oklahoma Newly elected Commissioner Glen Mulready will be sworn in January 14. Mulready has chaired Oklahoma’s House Insurance Committee and was active at the National Conference of Insurance Legislators. He also has industry experience as a producer, so he hits the ground running. Mulready has already announced Tyler Laughlin, a senior staffer with former Commissioner Doak, as his Chief of Staff, helping to ensure continuity in the transition. Tennessee Governor-elect Bill Lee put speculation to rest by re-appointing influential and respected Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. Commissioner transitions are creating several leadership openings in the NAIC committee structure. Expectations are that Commissioner McPeak will be asked to serve in a significant national policymaking role in 2019.

8. Appointed Awaiting Confirmation Colorado Michael Conway had been serving as Interim Commissioner of the Division of Insurance. Conway had previously served as the deputy commissioner of insurance and as an assistant attorney general in the office’s insurance unit. Democrat Governor-elect Jared Polis, to be sworn in January 8, announced his full-blown appointment of Conway to the position, which requires confirmation from the Democratic-majority state Senate. Michigan Apparently, Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer not only wants to “fix the damn roads,” but also fill the darn cabinet. She was sworn in January 1 with a number of significant appointments in place, including her Director of the Department of Insurance and Financial Services, Anita Fox. Fox has over 30 years of experience in the legal field — managing complex litigation in federal and state courts. Stakeholders should be on the lookout for some hypotheticals; Fox has also taught Insurance Law at Michigan State University College of Law. Fox does need confirmation from a Republican-controlled Senate. Wisconsin Governor-elect Tony Evers will be sworn in on January 7 and has already announced Mark Afable as appointed Insurance Commissioner, replacing Ted Nickel. Afable has been with American Family Insurance since 1994, most recently serving as the Chief Legal Officer. He has voiced desire to tackle the availability and affordability of health insurance once his term begins. Afable’s position is subject to approval by the state’s Republican-controlled Senate. Note that legislative battles between the Governor-elect and legislature started even before inauguration.

9. Anticipated Announcements Connecticut Democrat Ned Lamont won the race for Governor and will be sworn in on January 9, 2019. Paul Lombardo is currently Acting Commissioner since Katie Wade stepped down in December. The next appointee will require confirmation from the Democratic- controlled state senate. Illinois Governor-elect JB Pritzker takes office January 14. His predecessor’s Director of Insurance, Jennifer Hammer, resigned in December, leaving her chief of staff serving as Acting Director. Pritzker’s appointee will face Senate confirmation, but from a supermajority of his own Democratic party. Nevada Nevada operates under a unique process, whereby the Insurance Commissioner is appointed by the Director of the Department of Business and Industry, who is appointed by the Governor. Governor-elect Steve Sisolak will be sworn in on January 7 and is still gradually announcing his appointments. This is the first time Nevada has seen a Democratic Governor in decades.

11. The 2019 NAIC committee leadership assignments are as follows: • Life Insurance and Annuities (A) Committee • Chair: Doug Ommen, Commissioner, Iowa Insurance Division • Vice Chair: Stephen C. Taylor, Commissioner, District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking • Health Insurance and Managed Care (B) Committee • Chair: Jessica Altman, Commissioner, Pennsylvania Insurance Department • Vice Chair: Lori K. Wing-Heier, Director, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, Division of Insurance • Property and Casualty Insurance (C) Committee • Chair: Elizabeth Kelleher Dwyer, Superintendent, State of Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Division of Insurance • Vice Chair: Scott A. White, Commissioner, Virginia State Corporation Commission Bureau of Insurance • Market Regulation and Consumer Affairs (D) Committee • Chair: Chlora Lindley-Myers, Director, Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration (DIFP) • Vice Chair: Allen W. Kerr, Commissioner, Arkansas Insurance Department • Financial Condition (E) Committee • Chair: David Altmaier, Commissioner, Florida Office of Insurance Regulation • Vice Chair: Tom Glause, Commissioner, Wyoming Insurance Department • Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation (F) Committee • Chair: Todd E. Kiser, Commissioner, Utah Insurance Department • Vice Chair: Jillian Froment, Director, Ohio Department of Insurance • International Insurance Relations (G) Committee • Chair: Julie Mix McPeak, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance • Vice Chair: Gary Anderson, Commissioner, Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation Division of Insurance

12. Illinois Karin Tilly Zosel was named Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI) by Governor Bruce Rauner on December 13, 2018.Since 2017, Zosel was serving as DOI’s Chief Operating Officer overseeing all Department operations, including Human Resources, Procurement, Fiscal and Tax Administration, IT, and Financial Corporate Regulatory divisions. Zosel also created and oversaw DOI’s Division of Innovation and Market Analysis. Additionally, she managed the media relations and federal grants teams.Among her accomplishments at the DOI, Zosel led the effort to revise the EHB-benchmark plan, making Illinois the first and only state in the nation to receive Federal CMS approval on a revised EHB-benchmark plan this year. The revised EHB-benchmark plan enhanced the benefits available to address the opioid crisis and improve access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment.Zoselbegan working with DOI in March 2015 when she was Executive Director of Get Covered Illinois (GCI), the consumer assistance program for the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). After restructuring GCI by merging functions with DOI, Zosel took a new position in August 2015 as Vice President at MacMurray college in Jacksonville, Illinois, responsible for alumni engagement, fundraising, and strategic planning. Zosel had worked there previously as Director of Annual Giving.Before moving to Illinois, Zosel served as an Intelligence officer for nearly ten years with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Washington D.C.Zoselholds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Yale University and a Master of Arts in International Policy Studies and Certificate in Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. She earned her Juris Doctor from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.This spring, she earned a Master of Laws in Taxation from the Charles Widger School of Law at Villanova University.Zoselis the mother to three children and currently resides in Sherman, Illinois with her family.

13. Wisconsin Mark Afable has worked for American Family Insurance in Madison since 1994 and currently serves as its chief legal officer. He will replace current Commissioner of Insurance Ted Nickel, who has served as the state’s top insurance regulator since 2011.

14. Indiana Former Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels announced the appointment of Stephen W. Robertson as Insurance Commissioner on October 13, 2010. He was reappointed January 4, 2013, by Indiana former Governor Mike Pence. Robertson joined the Indiana Department of Insurance (DOI) in 2008, first as director of the Title Insurance Division and then as deputy commissioner of the Title and Bail Bond Division. He ensured the legal compliance of 41 insurance companies and 800 insurance agencies, as well as regulatory oversight of 375 bail bond and recovery agents. Robertson is actively involved with the NAIC, having served on the Executive (EX) Committee, as vice chair of the Midwest Zone and as chair of the Market Regulation and Consumer Affairs (D) Committee. He has a long career of public and private service, including nearly a decade with Conseco Insurance Group, where he was a senior vice president. Robertson also has served as general counsel of the Nebraska DOI and was a sergeant in the military police. Robertson earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Nebraska. He is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association and Nebraska State Bar Association.

15. Kentucky Nancy G. Atkins was appointed commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Insurance, effective May 1, 2017. Atkins is a 33-year veteran of the insurance industry, working as both a licensed agent and employee benefit manager. She previously served as the deputy commissioner for DOI, an appointment she held since February 2017. Prior to joining DOI, she served as the director of sales and marketing for Baptist Health Plan (formerly Bluegrass Family Health), where she managed a large team of agents and account representatives. She also worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kentucky and Advantage Care Inc., focusing largely on employee benefit plan management for small and large corporations throughout the state. She is a licensed nurse and former hospital administration professional. Atkins is a graduate of Indiana State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and marketing. She is a former member of the board of directors for both the Better Business Bureau of Louisville and Southern Indiana and the Central Kentucky Association of Health Underwriters, where she also is a past president.

16. Missouri Chlora Lindley-Myers was appointed director of the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration by Gov. Eric R. Greitens on March 6, 2017. She was confirmed by the Missouri Senate on April 13, 2017. She leads the department that protects consumers and ensures a strong and stable insurance market through the regulation of professionals and businesses that impact Missourians' lives daily.ChloraLindley-Myers has served in several senior positions in the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government. She has also been a leader in regulatory and insurance industries, as well as within the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). At the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Chlora oversaw the Insurance, Securities, Tennessee Law Enforcement Academy, TennCare Oversight divisions as well as the Human Resources and Legislative functions.She served, in Kansas City, as the Director of Consumer Protection and Anti-Fraud Division of the NAIC, and as Chief Compliance Officer of Examinations for the Kentucky Department of Insurance, where she was responsible for the administration and oversight of market conduct examinations.Chloraalso served as the Property and Casualty Section Chief for the Missouri Department of Insurance, where she was responsible for regulating all of the property and casualty insurance forms, rates, filings and policies issued in the state. She holds an undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and a law degree from the University of Connecticut. Chlora is licensed to practice law in various states, including Missouri. She has received national recognition for her work. As the Deputy Commissioner of Tennessee’s Department of Commerce and Insurance, she was awarded the Robert Dineen Award for Outstanding Service and Contribution to the State Regulation of Insurance.

17. Iowa Doug Ommen was appointed by Governor Terry Branstad as Insurance Commissioner in January 2017, after serving as Interim Commissioner since December 2016. Ommen has a strong and varied public service background. Ommen’s dedication and desire to serve the public began in seeking justice for victims of fraud in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, where as an assistant attorney general and then as chief counsel, he led the fight to protect consumers over the course of three decades. Ommen has served as Deputy Insurance Commissioner since joining the Iowa Insurance Division in August 2013. Ommen also served in the Missouri Department of Insurance (DOI) from 2005–2008, and as Missouri’s Insurance Director was instrumental for several key regulatory reforms. Ommen obtained his law degree in 1985 from the Saint Louis University School of Law, and is licensed to practice law in both Iowa and Missouri. Ommen and his wife, Sharon, have two married children and two grandchildren.

18. Minnesota Steve Kelley is the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Commerce. He was appointed by Governor Tim Walz in January 2019.Steve was most recently a Senior Fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. Before joining the Humphrey School in 2007, he served in the Minnesota Senate for 10 years and the Minnesota House of Representatives for 4 years. During his legislative service, Steve chaired the Senate Education Committee and served on committees dealing with energy and telecommunications regulation in both the House and the Senate. He was one of the Legislature's leading experts on telecommunications policy, including issues related to broadband service.Steve has taught courses in education law and policy, science, technology and environmental policy, and global venture design. He has worked on issues relating to energy and environmental policy, design thinking and innovation, STEM education and public engagement with science. One of his projects at the University of Minnesota was assisting with the bipartisan Renewable Energy Policy Exchange sponsored by the German federal government through which the University introduces Minnesota policymakers to Germany's energy policy and brings German experts to Minnesota to share policy ideas.Before his election to the Legislature, Steve was a member of the Board of Directors of Medica (formerly Physicians Health Plan) and a public member of the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.Before and during his legislative service, Steve practiced commercial litigation in Minneapolis. He represented both plaintiffs and defendants in complex cases involving securities fraud, accounting malpractice and other financial transactions.He is married to Sophie Bell Kelley. They have two married children and 4 grandchildren. Steve and Sophie live in Hopkins. Steve received a B.A in political science and political economy from Williams College and his law degree from Columbia University.