Straight Laced

Linda Lacewell has been nominated Superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services. She would succeed Maria Vullo in the role. Ms. Lacewell most recently served as Chief of Staff and Counselor to the Governor. In that role, she oversaw Executive Chamber operations, as well as ethics and law enforcement matters. Ms. Lacewell previously served as executive director of a cancer foundation initiative in Culver City, California. Prior to that, Ms. Lacewell served as Chief Risk Officer and Counselor to Governor Cuomo where she built and implemented the first statewide system for ethics, risk and compliance in agencies and authorities. Ms. Lacewell was formerly special counsel to the Governor, as well as the architect of OpenNY, a state-of-the-art open data initiative. She also served as special counsel to Attorney General Cuomo, where she oversaw the public pension fund pay-to-play investigation and the out-of-network health insurance investigation, both of which led to nationwide systemic reform. Prior to that, Ms. Lacewell spent nine years as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, including two years on the Enron Task Force, and received the Henry L. Stimson Medal and the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service. Ms. Lacewell earned her B.A. from New College of the University of South Florida and her J.D. with honors from the University of Miami School of Law. She clerked for a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida. She serves as an adjunct professor at New York University School of Law, teaching ethics in government, and previously served as an adjunct professor of law at Fordham University School of Law, teaching international criminal law.… Amazing Pamela Newman (pictured above) just received the Woman of Inspiration Award from Business Insurance. Pamela was our inspiring Insurance Person of the Year in 2016 and continues to lead the field of accomplished women across the country.… The Hill, a leading political newspaper, has named Bob Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO (pictured right), and Charles Symington, Big “I” senior vice president of external, industry, and government affairs (pictured left), among the top trade association lobbyists in Washington, D.C. The Hill piece noted that “when the stakes are at their highest, these are the players at the top of their game, known for their ability to successfully navigate the byzantine and competitive world of federal policymaking.” The Big “I” had notable legislative wins in the past year, including favorable treatment for C Corporations and pass-through entities in the new tax law, multiple extensions of the National Flood Insurance Program, and protection of the Federal Crop Insurance Program as part of Congressional action on the Farm Bill.  “Recognition from a leading publication on Capitol Hill points to the strength of our association in the government affairs arena,” says Joe Leahy, Big “I” chairman and president of Leahy & Brown Insurance + Realty, Inc. in Springfield, Massachusetts. “Thanks to the hard work of president & CEO Bob Rusbuldt, Charles Symington and the entire government affairs staff, the Big ‘I’ is consistently named one of the most influential associations in the country.” Congressional leaders regularly tap the Big “I” federal government affairs team for its policy and political acumen including advising on insurance, financial services and economic issues, along with sitting on congressional steering committees, hosting political events, and strategizing to help members of Congress better serve their constituents and advance top issues. A vital component of the association advocacy efforts is InsurPac, the Big “I” political action committee.  “The Big ‘I’ stood out as the only group listed that represents insurance agents and brokers,” says Angela Ripley, Big “I” government affairs committee chairman and president of VW Brown Insurance Service in Columbia, Maryland. “We know the interests of independent insurance agents and brokers are well represented on Capitol Hill with the Big “I” leading the charge. Looks like it.