Tuesday, October 4
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

The global financial crisis has spawned separate efforts by the state, federal, and international regulatory communities to demonstrate they can supervise financial companies in a manner that will avoid the 'next' crisis or at least mitigate its effects. While those efforts are not formally coordinated, increasingly important linkages among the endeavors are driving the development of regulatory standards. 

Commissioner Roger Sevigny, Ethan Sonnichsen, and Stephen Zielezienski will discuss these regulatory dynamics, including potential changes to the insurance regulatory framework at home and abroad, implications of the 'systemic risk' debate, the role of regulators, and the public policy considerations that could drive outcomes — good and bad — in the United States.

Panelists:

Roger A. Sevigny
Insurance Commissioner
State of New Hampshire

Ethan A. Sonnichsen
Director, Government Relations
National Association of Insurance Commissioners

J. Stephen Zielezienski
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
American Insurance Association

Carole J. Banfield
Carole J. Banfield is an executive vice president of ISO. Under her direction, ISO supplies actuarial information, actuarial and data management consulting services, and cutting-edge research on various issues in property/casualty insurance. Also under her direction, ISO collects and compiles data from insurers and acts as statistical agent for all U.S. insurance regulators. In addition, she leads ISO's Government Relations Department.

Ms. Banfield has more than 40 years of experience in the property/casualty insurance industry. She has been closely involved with the development and implementation of many of ISO's important insurance programs. She is well known throughout the industry for her involvement with state and federal governments and national regulatory organizations, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

Ms. Banfield is a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA) and an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society (ACAS). She is a graduate of Fordham University with a bachelor of science degree in mathematics.

Roger A. Sevigny
Roger A. Sevigny is the insurance commissioner for the state of New Hampshire. Mr. Sevigny is an NAIC past president and a very active member of NAIC committees and task forces. He is chair of the Life Insurance Interstate Compact and the Producer Licensing Task Force. Mr. Sevigny is also vice chair of the Antifraud Task Force and a member of the SERFF Board of Directors, the Health Insurance and Managed Care (B) Committee, and the NAIC/State Government Liaison Committee. He serves as a member of the International Insurance Relations Leadership Group, the Professional Health Insurance Advisors (EX) Task Force, the Accounting Practices and Procedures (E) Task Force, the Examination Oversight (E) Task Force, the Reinsurance (E) Task Force, and the Valuation of Securities (E) Task Force.

Commissioner Sevigny earned his bachelor of arts degree in biology from St. Anselm College. He is also a commissioned officer in the United States Army, retiring at the rank of colonel.

Ethan A. Sonnichsen
Ethan A. Sonnichsen is the government relations director for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). In that position, Mr. Sonnichsen oversees the activities of the NAIC's Washington office and works with state insurance regulators to develop policy and advocacy strategies on state, federal, and international issues affecting insurance. He also coordinates the Washington office's outreach to Congress, federal and international financial regulators, and state governors, legislators, and officials. Mr. Sonnichsen has also served the NAIC as its government relations policy and legislation manager and as a policy and legislation analyst on property/casualty and financial regulation issues.

Mr. Sonnichsen earned his bachelor of science degree in management and information systems from the University of Maryland University College.

J. Stephen Zielezienski
J. Stephen Zielezienski is senior vice president and general counsel for the American Insurance Association. In that role, he directs a staff of attorneys who navigate public policy, legislative, regulatory, and litigation issues affecting the property/casualty industry at both the state and federal levels. Mr. Zielezienski has lead responsibility for regulatory modernization issues at AIA and speaks frequently on insurance regulation in the wake of the global financial crisis. He joined AIA in June 1997, and was elected to his current position effective December 2005.

Mr. Zielezienski is a 1986 summa cum laude graduate of Columbia College in New York City, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Questions?
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