Episodes

  • Personal Lines with Joseph Schauer
    Dec 29 2025

    Joseph Schauer, President and CEO of Schauer Group, joins our personal lines podcast to share the 106-year history of his family's firm and discuss what gives him his competitive edge in business. He also touches upon how his hometown of Canton, Ohio, was vital to shaping his life.

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    15 mins
  • What’s Now, What’s New, What’s Next in Tech
    Dec 22 2025

    Having previously served as chief futurist at Deloitte, global innovation director at Accenture, a venture capital co-founder, and an inventor, Mike Bechtel has more than 25 years of experience with technology and innovation.

    Starting with the basic tools developed by ancient ancestors, Mike explains how to view today’s advanced technology with the right perspective. Data centers, AI, and quantum computing are all on the agenda.

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    32 mins
  • Politics and Risk with Rep. Linda Sánchez
    Dec 19 2025

    In this episode of The Politics & Risk Podcast, Democratic Rep. Linda Sánchez of California’s 38th Congressional District discusses the impacts of the upcoming expiration of Affordable Care Act enhanced premium subsidies and issues of affordability in America, and offers her thoughts on President Donald Trump's leadership.

    Council Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Joel Kopperud and Vice President of Government and Political Affairs Blaire Bartlett also join for a conversation on what to expect from Washington in 2026.

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    27 mins
  • The Liability Last Call
    Dec 15 2025

    Bars and other alcohol-serving establishments have been rocked by high premium increases and liabilities, which have resulted in business closures and job losses across America.

    In this podcast, Leader’s Edge writer Russ Banham takes us on a journey through his reporting and shows how a hard market for a specific type of coverage can easily disrupt a centuries-old U.S. industry.

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    21 mins
  • Undertaking Integration
    Dec 10 2025

    Trucordia’s COO Michael Moran open up about the process of integrating acquired companies.

    Being a substantial brokerage acquirer in recent years, Trucordia is undergoing the multi-pronged process of integrating those acquired companies into one.

    From the tech stack to the branding to the culture, integration is a complicated process. This conversation gets under the hood of that work.

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    18 mins
  • Claims Change, Empathy Remains
    Dec 3 2025

    During the 2025 Insurance Leadership Forum, Paul Kottler, president of U.S. Loss Adjusting for Crawford, discusses how claims adjusting has changed in recent years given the changing weather environment, and whether policyholder needs have changed as well. He also explains how advanced technology is being used in claims handling and what success looks like in this environment.

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    12 mins
  • Building Intentional Relationships
    Nov 24 2025

    In this episode of the Leader's Edge podcast, recorded live at The Council’s 2025 Insurance Leadership Forum, Dan Fortin, president of specialty insurance at QBE North America, dives into the intricacies of relationships in the specialty business.

    He describes how key relationships early in his underwriting career helped him to grow and understand the industry in new ways. He also discusses the challenges of building post-pandemic relationships, the importance of the broker-carrier relationship, and the importance of relationships in the complex specialty business.

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    13 mins
  • Elections and Broker Expansions in Europe
    Nov 17 2025

    At last month’s Insurance Leadership Forum, Leader’s Edge podcast host Zach Ewell sat down with Jochen Körner, CEO of Ecclesia Group, and Warren Downey, Group Chief Executive Officer of Specialist Risk Group, for a candid and wide-ranging conversation.

    The two leaders unpack how a major deal between their firms came together, offer sharp insights on the surge of brokers entering the continental European market, and reflect on how recent elections are reshaping their strategic priorities.

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    20 mins