General Sessions — September 16, 2024

Welcome and Opening Remarks
8:00 – 8:20 a.m.
Rob Arena, Co-President, Global Atlantic Financial Group
Salene Hitchcock-Gear, President, Individual Life Insurance, Prudential

General Session 1
Navigate With Confidence: Significant Opportunities Ahead
8:20 – 8:50 a.m.
David Levenson, President and Chief Executive Officer, LIMRA and LOMA

General Session 2
Leading to Innovate With Purpose
8:50 – 9:55 a.m.
Carla Harris, Senior Client Advisor, Morgan Stanley
Adrian Griggs, Moderator, EVP & Chief Operating Officer, Pacific Life 

General Session 3
AI: How is it Powering the Future?
2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
Neil Thompson, Director of the FutureTech research project at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab and a Principal Investigator at MIT’s Initiative on the Digital Economy
Jeremiah “JJ” Jones, Director for the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC)
Derek Leben, President, Ethical Algorithms, Inc.; Associate Teaching Professor of Ethics at the Tepper School of Business
Margaret Meister, Moderator, President and Chief Executive Officer, Symetra

General Session 4
Embracing Change Without Changing Vision: Fireside chat and performance
3:45 – 4:50 p.m.
Ashley McBryde, Grammy Award Winner

General Sessions — September 17, 2024

Opening Remarks
8:00 – 8:10 a.m.
Sarah Mineau, Vice President, Life/Health & Investment Planning Services, State Farm
Bill White, Senior Vice President & General Manager Distribution and Service, USAA

General Session 5
Empowering with Purpose: State of the Association
8:10 – 8:30 a.m.
Gina Birchall, COO, LIMRA and LOMA

General Session 6
Hope Through History: Electon '24
8:30 – 9:35 a.m.
Jon Meacham, Presidential Historian, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author
Mike James, Moderator, Executive Vice President & Chief Sales Officer, NFP 

General Session 7
A Look Around the World with Trevor Noah
12:00 – 12:50  p.m.
Trevor Noah, Global Comedian, Writer, Producer, Political Commentator, Actor, and Television Host
Chris Blunt, Moderator, CEO , Fidelity & Guaranty Life

 

Life Breakout Sessions

6. Empowering Underserved Markets with Emerging Sales Talent

This opening session will explore what companies are doing to reach underserved markets and bring the next generation of insurance professionals forward to fuel our growth. It could be said that the two most critical imperatives in our industry are providing adequate life insurance coverage to underserved markets and recruiting top talent to serve them. Often, agents and advisors focus on the affluent, passing on those who need our help most. This, coupled with the impending retirement of many insurance professionals, creates a significant opportunity for the industry. The Life Insurance track at the Annual Conference will focus on trends, developments, and insights to drive the industry forward.

11. Driving Impact Through Digital Innovation: Perspectives and Practices

Digital tools and technology continue to create opportunities and be a force of change for the industry, yet notable transformation seems elusive. As the industry continues to evolve, proper change management helps increase buy-in from stakeholders and pushes industry innovation forward. During this session, attendees will hear perspectives from a carrier, implementation partner, and producer. They will provide real world insights and testimonials of how they achieved success by encouraging innovation, putting it into action, and managing change to drive true impact. They’ll also share views on the importance of planning, having clarity of goals and priorities, and the importance of adapting to a continuously evolving industry.  

19. AI Industry Insights:  Achieving Sustained Strategic Success

AI continues to dominate dialog and drive disruption from the boardroom to across the insurance value chain. Starting in January, the 70+ business and technology executives of the LIMRA and LOMA AI Industry Group have surfaced keen insights on the state of play of AI within our industry. Join this session for insights regarding how this group has developed tools and frameworks that all firms can benefit from and have accrued actionable steps that executives can take as they craft and execute business strategies that are enabled by AI.

Kelly Coomer, SVP and CIO, Sammons Financial
Kartik Sakthivel, Speaker/Moderator, VP and CIO, LIMRA and LOMA

Annuity Breakout Sessions

7. Annuity Sales Soar: Economic Factors and Projections

This opening session for the Annuity track of the Annual Conference will feature insights into how the industry has been fueled by rising interest rates contributing to record growth over the past two years. However, the industry remains in flux, grappling with challenges such as technological innovations, proposed regulations, managing capital requirements and economic headwinds. These uncertainties make it difficult to predict the industry’s future. Join this session featuring industry leaders as they share their outlook on the economy, key insights for managing risk and profitability, and discuss where the industry is headed next.

Bryan Hodgens, Moderator, Corporate Vice President, Head of Life, Annuity & Distribution Research, LIMRA and LOMA

14. Exploring Annuity Distribution Dynamics: The Independent Brokerage Perspective

The independent brokerage channel is known as a channel for life insurance distribution, but recently annuities have played a bigger role in their distribution model. With this channel ranking #2 in overall annuity sales, the consolidation of BGAs and IMOs has created larger distributors which may offer more support and services to independent agents for annuities.  Fixed Index Annuities are the primary product sold, but with the implications of the new fiduciary rule, evolution is upon the industry. Join this session to hear how insurance companies can partner with IMOs and what the future of annuity distribution may look like.  Hear from leaders of three of the leading IMOs for annuity sales as they share their distribution model processes and how annuity business is expected to grow in their channel. 

Brendan Connerton, Director of Annuity Sales, Crump Life Insurance
Michael Ebmeier, EVP Annuity Distribution, Simplicity Group
Bryan Hodgens, Moderator, Corporate Vice President, Head of Life, Annuity & Distribution Research, LIMRA and LOMA

21. On Your Marks: The Intensifying Retirement Income Race and The Uptick in In-Plan Annuities

Lifetime guaranteed income annuity products are making headlines with new entrants in the defined contribution space. These products are being packaged as collective investment trusts that fit in a defined contribution plan menu while others are a traditional mutual fund structure, with some being “in-plan” and others “out of plan.” Join this session to examine these trends, explore product designs, and discuss the plan sponsors’ view of these products. This will be of special interest to carriers already in the defined contribution space and others that are considering entering it. 

Workplace Benefits Breakout Sessions

8. At the Precipice of Possibilities: Innovating with Purpose

This opening session will explore how changing market dynamics, digitization, regulations, and demographics are driving the need and capabilities to innovate in the benefits market. Setting the stage for the Workplace Benefits track of the Annual Conference, this session will delve into the latest trends and developments through an in-depth discussion among industry leaders. We’ll examine how companies are viewing emerging trends, adapting to the dynamic landscape, and striving to deliver value to a changing workforce.

David Payne, Vice President, Employee Benefits, The Standard
Sean O'Donnell, SVP, Head of Membership, Workplace Benefits, and Applied Research Solutions

16. Reimagining Distribution Strategies for Success Today and Tomorrow

The world of work has completely transformed in recent years. Remote work, digital transformation, and changing benefit needs are each shaping a new era of challenges and opportunities, as distribution models that worked well in the past may no longer be sufficient to drive profitable growth or connect employers and their workers with the coverages they need. Gain valuable insights from LIMRA research and a panel of representatives from leading carriers, as they explore how workplace benefits distribution is evolving and share ways companies are reimagining their strategies to align with today’s marketplace.

23. Revolutionizing Workplace Dynamics Through AI

Discover how AI is reshaping modern workplace communication, collaboration, and productivity. This session will showcase cutting-edge technologies leveraging AI to streamline operations and amplify efficiency. Explore the seamless integration of AI and human capabilities in customer support, propelling businesses towards enhanced service delivery. Gain invaluable insights into crafting a forward-thinking AI strategy, essential for navigating the evolving landscape of 2025 and beyond.