What a conference in Nashville!

Writing this shortly after wrapping up CLM’s 10th annual conference in Nashville, it’s hard not to be overcome with pride at what we achieved together as an association. It was an inspiring three days of education, collaboration, and networking.

We started off on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry honoring Markel’s Lisa Unger as our claims professional of the year, Knight Insurance’s Caryn Siebert as our litigation professional of the year, and Carlock Copeland’s Angela Kopet as our outside counsel professional of the year. It’s a memory I’m sure they will remember as much as I will—there’s nothing like being on center stage, especially in a venue like that. 

Day two brought a thought-provoking panel discussion that kicked off a full day of 22 tracks filled with 90+ sessions and over 300 speakers. The panel, stocked full of industry claims executives, included this choice quote from Gallagher Bassett’s CEO Scott Hudson: “The single greatest potential for innovation going forward in our industry will be due to data science, especially for organizations like ours that are in the business of preventing and managing complex, high-value claims.” It was an insightful statement that sparked a lot of back and forth discussion, and I was particularly intrigued by the notion that data-driven automation of low dollar, high frequency claims could put loss professionals more squarely in the “concierge” seat. 

Perhaps more than anything, though, I was thrilled to finally unveil CLM’s Universal Claim Certification (UCC), a project I’ve been working on behind the scene for years. The UCC was developed using the most stringent states’ requirements and regulations, and someone who holds a UCC will be able to efficiently secure a license in any other state that accepts the UCC. In a big step toward nationwide implementation, the legislation was recently signed by Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant and will become law on July 1, 2017. The CLM and its board are currently working on similar legislation for Florida, Texas, Alabama, and Louisiana.

Thank you to the sponsors, CLM staff, and planning committee for making this such a memorable event. I can’t wait to do it all over again in Houston next year!