MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
“Collaboration breeds relationships and those relationships are ultimately built on trust and loyalty. The SLA has created that with the CDI and its members.”
Janet Beaver
Board Chair, SLA
The Touchstone of a
Relationship Business
For the past two years, it has been my privilege to serve as the chair of the SLA Board of Directors. In the fast-changing surplus lines world, collaboration is more important than ever to foster a healthy, fair and competitive insurance marketplace, and that is why I have made collaboration the touchstone of my tenure.
In 2023, the SLA’s collaborative ventures further positioned this association as a modern, credible leader in our industry. In April, our board and SLA leadership team traveled to London to meet with the leading players in the industry. It was an important step to build or rebuild relationships that had been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is fine to talk by telephone or hold Zoom meetings, but when collaboration and cooperation are vital, especially in a relationship-based business, nothing can replace face-to-face meetings as the foundation of those relationships.
In June, we took part in the first-ever National Excess and Surplus Summit in New York. After many months of working together to conceive the idea, we joined the Excess Line Association of New York (ELANY) and representatives of other surplus line associations from all over the country to share ideas, best practices, and market intelligence. I’m proud to have helped create this annual conference, which the California SLA will host in 2024.
The SLA did not just collaborate with companies or other SLAs in 2023, but also worked with members to find ways to make their lives easier. One of the most important SLA accomplishments of the year was reforming the Diligent Search Report (SL-2 form), which it did with the input of a committee of individuals responsible for their companies’ filings.
The SLA also continued to reach out to members at trade shows and industry events to learn what is important to the people who are on our sector’s front lines. I cannot say enough about the knowledgeable, motivated and highly collaborative SLA staff that is leading the charge. Under the leadership of its talented CEO, Ben McKay, the SLA has grown and evolved into an industry leader in its own right.
These last two years as chair of the SLA board have been an honor and a pleasure, and it has been my privilege to serve. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Janet Beaver
Chair, SLA Board of Directors, 2022-23
THE TOUCHSTONE OF A RELATIONSHIP BUSINESS
For the past two years, it has been my privilege to serve as the chair of the SLA Board of Directors. In the fast-changing surplus lines world, collaboration is more important than ever to foster a healthy, fair and competitive insurance marketplace, and that is why I have made collaboration the touchstone of my tenure.
In 2023, the SLA’s collaborative ventures further positioned this association as a modern, credible leader in our industry. In April, our board and SLA leadership team traveled to London to meet with the leading players in the industry. It was an important step to build or rebuild relationships that had been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is fine to talk by telephone or hold Zoom meetings, but when collaboration and cooperation are vital, especially in a relationship-based business, nothing can replace face-to-face meetings as the foundation of those relationships.
In June, we took part in the first-ever National Excess and Surplus Summit in New York. After many months of working together to conceive the idea, we joined the Excess Line Association of New York (ELANY) and representatives of other surplus line associations from all over the country to share ideas, best practices, and market intelligence. I’m proud to have helped create this annual conference, which the California SLA will host in 2024.
The SLA did not just collaborate with companies or other SLAs in 2023, but also worked with members to find ways to make their lives easier. One of the most important SLA accomplishments of the year was reforming the Diligent Search Report (SL-2 form), which it did with the input of a committee of individuals responsible for their companies’ filings.
The SLA also continued to reach out to members at trade shows and industry events to learn what is important to the people who are on our sector’s front lines. I cannot say enough about the knowledgeable, motivated and highly collaborative SLA staff that is leading the charge. Under the leadership of its talented CEO, Ben McKay, the SLA has grown and evolved into an industry leader in its own right.
These last two years as chair of the SLA board have been an honor and a pleasure, and it has been my privilege to serve. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Janet Beaver
Chair, SLA Board of Directors, 2022-23