NAIC Elects 2015 Officers

Washington, DC (WorkersCompensation.com) - Members of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) today elected its 2015 officers:

President: Montana State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance Monica J. Lindeen

President-Elect: Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael F. Consedine

Vice President: Kentucky Insurance Commissioner Sharon P. Clark

Secretary-Treasurer: Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Ted Nickel

The newly elected officers will assume their duties on Jan. 1, 2015.

Monica J. Lindeen was elected Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, Montana State Auditor in 2008 and re-elected to a second term in November 2012. Monica makes it her mission to protect Montana's securities and insurance consumers through education, fairness, and transparency. During Monica's tenure, her office has returned more than $374 million to investors and insurance consumers and fielded tens of thousands of phone calls from Montanans struggling with their insurance companies. Monica is also a member of and active in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The NAIC is the association made up of the chief insurance regulators from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories. She was elected to leadership and is serving as NAIC President in 2014. As NAIC President, Monica chairs the NAIC Executive Committee, Government Relations Leadership Council, NAIC/State Government Liaison Committee, International Insurance Relations Leadership Group. Monica's role at the NAIC has ensured Montana has a strong voice on insurance issues at both the national and international level. Monica also received the Excellence in Consumer Advocacy Award, presented by the NAIC's Consumer Representatives, in 2013. She received the honor in recognition for her work as a strong voice for consumer protection and her dedication in maintaining states' rights in insurance regulation. Monica began her career in public service representing a rural district in the Montana House of Representatives. Due to her hard work in the legislature, she earned a reputation as a common-sense moderate who could get things done. She quickly became a leader in the House and served four terms (1999-2006). Prior to public service, Monica formed a highly successful Internet business—Montana Communications Network (MCN), one of the first Montana-based, local Internet Service Providers (ISPs). 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 earned a bachelor's degree in education, specializing in English and history. She completed graduate coursework in educational foundations at MSU-Billings. She and her husband David have a daughter, two sons, and seven grandchildren.

Michael F. Consedine was appointed Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner in January 2011. From 1995-1999, he served as department counsel for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, where he represented the department in litigation proceedings and on transactional filings. From 1999 through January of 2011, Consedine practiced with the law firm of Saul Ewing LLP where he was a Partner and Vice-Chair of the firm's Insurance Practice Group. While in private practice Consedine counseled insurance companies, reinsurers, producers, and commercial policyholders in a wide-array of complex insurance regulatory and corporate matters, including landmark demutualizations, mergers and acquisitions, insurance company liquidations and international transactions. Consedine is Chair of the International Insurance Relations Committee, NAIC/Industry Liaison Committee and Vice Chair of the Health Care Reform Regulatory Alternatives Working Group. He serves on the Federal Advisory Committee on Insurance which advises the Federal Insurance Office on national and international insurance matters. A graduate of James Madison University, Consedine earned his bachelor's degree in political science and journalism, and is an honors graduate of Widener University School of Law.

Sharon P. Clark, a veteran of Kentucky state government, was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Insurance (DOI) in July 2008 and was reappointed to the post in July 2012. Commissioner Clark was the first director of the DOI's Consumer Protection and Education Division, a position she held for five years. Under her leadership, the Department hired its first ombudsman, added consumer education and outreach functions, and strengthened enforcement efforts by expanding the number of consumer complaint investigators. Commissioner Clark serves as the chair of the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange Advisory Board and is a member of the Kentucky Group Health Insurance Board. She serves as Secretary-Treasurer of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and a member of its Executive Committee. She is also a member of the NAIC's Internal Administration (EX1) Subcommittee. Clark is past chair of the NAIC's Market Regulation and Consumer Affairs (D) Committee and was an officer for the NAIC's Southeastern Zone. She is also past Secretary-Treasurer of the National Insurance Producer Registry board and is interim chair of the Surplus Lines Multistate Compliance Compact. Prior to being appointed Insurance Commissioner, Clark worked at the Finance and Administration Cabinet. She also held positions for the Kentucky House of Representatives, the Public Service Commission, and the former Workforce Development Cabinet. She earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Kentucky. Clark and her husband have two daughters and two grandchildren.

Ted Nickel was appointed Insurance Commissioner for Wisconsin in January 2011. Prior to his appointment, Nickel worked nearly 18 years with Church Mutual Insurance Company as Director of Governmental and Regulatory Affairs. His broad background in insurance includes serving on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Insurance Security Fund. He was also a member of the Oklahoma Property Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association and a long-time member of the Legal and Government Affairs Committee of the Property Casualty Insurance Association of America. He is the 2014 chair of the Midwest Zone, a member of the Executive Committee and the Governance Review Task Force, vice chair of the Health Insurance and Managed Care Committee, chair of the Contingent Deferred Annuities Working Group, chair of the Health Care Reform Regulatory Alternatives Working Group, and chair of the Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Working Group. In addition, he is a member of the Life Insurance and Annuities Committee, the Audit Committee, the Consumer Participation Board of Trustees, and the NAIC American Indian and Alaska Native Liaison Committee.

2015 ZONE OFFICERS ELECTED

NAIC members also elected 2015 zone officers during the Fall National Meeting. The newly elected zone officers will assume their duties following the completion of the national meeting.

Northeastern Zone

• Kenneth E. Kobylowski — Chair, New Jersey
• Benjamin M. Lawsky —Vice Chair, New York
• Susan L. Donegan — Secretary, Vermont

Southeastern Zone

• Jim L. Ridling — Chair, Alabama
• Wayne Goodwin —Vice Chair, North Carolina
• Julie Mix McPeak — Secretary, Tennessee

Midwestern Zone

• Mike Rothman — Chair, Minnesota
• Bruce R. Ramge — Vice Chair, Nebraska
• Nick Gerhart — Secretary, Iowa

Western Zone

• Gordon I. Ito — Chair, Hawaii
• Germaine L. Marks — Vice Chair, Arizona
• Dave Jones — Secretary, California

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