Discover some interesting, light-hearted information about your member colleagues.
Brian Hughes at AssuredPartners
Title
VP & Higher Education Practice Leader
Hometown
Currently Waukee, Iowa
Alma Mater:
Emporia State University
Degrees/Certifications
Certified Insurance Councilor (CIC), Certified School Risk Manager (CSRM), Cyber Professional Liability Practitioner (CPLP)
What was your first job?
Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream Shop. This was a small, local ice cream shop I rode my bike to at the age of 14.
How did you start your career in risk management?
I started (right out of college) at John Deere Insurance as an account executive working with John Deere dealerships on their insurance programs. After 12 years of working with dealership groups, I moved to Iowa and began working at LMC (prior to merging with AssuredPartners in 2020). At LMC, I started working with college/university clients and began my higher education journey. Now, I head up our Higher Education Practice for AP.
Years in Insurance
26 years (seems impossible!)
Years in Risk Management
26 years
Role(s) in URMIA
I’ve attended the last 10 annual conferences held (including one virtual). I’m a member of the Finance Committee and a conference attendee and session presenter for 2023.
What is the biggest change you have seen in the risk management and insurance industry since you have been in it?
The biggest change is the evolution of cyber security conversations and the IT requirements needed within higher education. It is amazing how quickly this topic has become a top concern of almost all institutions.
What emerging risks concern you the most?
While none are technically “emerging,” cyber and AI as well as property deductible requirements are certainly changing on a daily basis.
What’s the most interesting situation you’ve encountered in your job?
I have found helping small- to medium-sized college/university clients with their risk management needs brings about interesting situations daily. One of the most memorable was getting a call from a client while I was on vacation abroad that their campus had been hit by a large ransomware attack. They had NO access to anything (including the policy or phone numbers), but thankfully the vice president of finance had my cell number in his cell phone. We were able to get the breach coach on the line and the process started while I was standing just outside of the Pantheon in Rome.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
Helping clients better position themselves for risk management challenges and getting to make some great connections with great folks is the most rewarding. A couple of years ago, I was able to travel to the Seattle annual conference with a client/friend via train. Instead of flying from Portland to Seattle for the conference, we decided to take the train. It was a great experience and one that I would have never had without being involved in higher education!
What do you most appreciate about URMIA?
I am most appreciative of the opportunity to learn from so many other professionals within the higher ed space from around the country! Not just other institutions from around the country, but also other brokers (who would normally be competitors) provide an amazing amount of advice on different issues we see within higher education.
What is your favorite book, movie, and/or hobbies?
My favorite movie is Family Vacation (Wally World). As for a hobby - I do a TON of home improvement construction projects around the house….we are in constant renovation mode.
What is your favorite beverage and/or food?
Eggs Benedict is my favorite food and iced vanilla coffee is my favorite beverage.
What do your friends and family think you do?
My kids think I sit in the office and drink coffee…and occasionally talk about boring stuff on the phone. Then they think fly around and stay in nice hotels…😊
Kelly B. Trail at Allegiant Global Partners
Title
Director, Higher Education and Assistance
Hometown
Dayton, Ohio
Alma Mater
The College of Wooster, Antioch University, and The University of Southern Mississippi
Degrees/Certifications
BA in History and Education; MEd in Leadership; PhD in International Development
What was your first job?
Housekeeper at a Residence Inn was my first job as a teenager. My first job post-college was as a preschool teacher.
How did you start your career in risk management?
My first higher education job was in education abroad at Antioch University. As a small office, we wore many hats, so right from the start I was involved in risk management, marketing, recruitment, logistics, payment processing, and more! I’ll never forget the first day after I took on the assistant director role and had responsibility for health and safety. We got a call about a student who hadn’t shown up to the program. I was very suddenly thrust into the world of risk management and response. From there, I learned more and eventually became much less nervous every time the emergency phone rang!
Years in Insurance
Less than one year officially, but I had been responsible for our global travel insurance plan for several years in my previous position.
Years in Risk Management
15 years
Role(s) in URMIA
Affiliate Member, Conference Attendee
What is the biggest change you have seen in the risk management and insurance industry since you have been in it?
The biggest change I have seen is the increased involvement of the parents of undergraduate students, which has forced some shifts in risk management communications, among other things.
What emerging risks concern you the most?
Mental health care and access, particularly for student travelers, concerns me the most. Because the late teens/early twenties are when many mental health issues emerge, it can make it a challenging time for global travel. The continued development of proactive approaches and resources/training for response are going to be critical.
What is the most interesting situation you have encountered in your job?
It may be the elephant in the room, but it is hard not to pinpoint the COVID-19 pandemic on this one. At the time, I was responsible for leading the decision-making and response for our international travelers. Following a quickly evolving situation and making daily decisions that were often devastating to students (e.g., requiring them to abandon their semester abroad to come home) was exhausting.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
There are so many things, but one rewarding aspect has been my work with diversity, equity, and inclusion. At Allegiant, I have been able to start thinking about the intersection between risk management and DEI and ways that we can do better to equitably serve all of our clients and advocate for changes from various carriers.
What do you most appreciate about URMIA?
The opportunity to easily stay abreast of current issues impacting the risk management field and being able to connect with colleagues are the aspects I appreciate most.
What is your favorite book, movie, and/or hobbies?
To Kill a Mockingbird and Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry are favorite books from my childhood. Lately, though, I have been loving the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith.
What is your favorite beverage and/or food?
Homemade pasta fagioli (which we call pasta ”vazool” because that’s how my mom and aunts pronounced it when they were children and ate it every Friday) – made the traditional, vegetarian way is my favorite.
What do your friends and family think you do?
My 95-year-old grandma thinks I work for an airline (Allegiant)! My kids think I send emails and attend meetings all day (they aren’t wrong)!
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