Speakers - 2012 ACORD LOMA Insurance Systems Forum

Keynote Speaker  Speakers


Vivek Kundra

Keynote Speaker: Vivek Kundra

Vivek Kundra, the first Chief Information Officer of the United States, will be the keynote speaker at the 2012 ACORD LOMA Insurance Systems Forum. Kundra will open the conference and describe how the Best Defense is a Good Offense in Overcoming Technology Challenges.

"Kundra's visionary thinking makes him an ideal speaker for the Insurance Systems Forum. In difficult economic times, business and technology are working hard to balance cost containment with innovation. His experience will be inspirational for attendees who are facing the same obstacles he did," said Beth Grossman, Chief Learning Officer, ACORD.

As leaders face these challenges, many are left wondering how they can build a foundation for an extremely agile business that enables innovation, growth, and collaboration. In his keynote, Kundra will share with the audience how leaders and organizations must adapt to transformation in a change-averse environment, embrace action-oriented methodologies, and make tough decisions to succeed in today's marketplace.

Among the topics Kundra takes on will be: Balancing innovation and cost leadership—how do you measure project performance and allocate IT investments accordingly?; How countries can architect a better future through building blocks of innovative technologies; Replacing subjective judgments about projects with objective, data-driven analytics; How to evaluate IT projects for rescoping and cancelation; The increasing importance of cybersecurity in protecting our nation's critical infrastructure; and How technology companies can disrupt the public sector market.

"The ability for business and technology to work together and solve problems is crucial today. As the first CIO of the United States, Kundra has faced such challenges and worked to bring about change. These experiences can help ACORD LOMA attendees achieve results within their own organizations," added Jeff Hasty, Senior Vice President, LOMA.

Among Kundra's many honors, he was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader for his professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world. He was named Chief of the Year in 2009 by Information Week for driving unprecedented change in federal IT and is currently working with Harvard University, conducting research at both the Berkman Center for Internet & Society and the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.
 

General Session Speakers

Ian Ayres

Ian Ayres

Ian Ayres is a lawyer and economist, as well as the William K. Townsend Professor at Yale Law School, the Anne Urowsky Professorial Fellow in Law, and a Professor at Yale's School of Management.

He is a columnist for Forbes magazine, writes for the New York Times Freakonomics blog, and has been a commentator on public radio’s “Marketplace.” His research has been featured on Primetime Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, and in Time and Vogue magazines.

Ayres has published 11 books (including the New York Times bestseller Super Crunchers) and over 100 articles on a wide range of topics. His latest book is Carrots and Sticks: Unlock the Power of Incentives to Get Things Done. In 2010, he also published Lifecycle Investing (with Barry Nalebuff). He is a co-founder of stickK.com, a web site that helps you stick to your goals.


Pat Williams

Pat Williams

Pat Williams is the senior vice president of the NBA’s Orlando Magic. As one of America’s top motivational, inspirational, and humorous speakers, he has addressed thousands of executives in organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies and national associations to universities and nonprofits.

Pat is also the author of over 65 books, his most recent title being Coach Wooden: The 7 Principles that Shaped His Life and Will Change Yours.

Pat has been an integral part of NBA history, including bringing the NBA to Orlando. Nineteen of his former players have become NBA head coaches, nine have become college head coaches while seven have become assistant NBA coaches.

Pat and his wife, Ruth, are the parents of 19 children, including 14 adopted from four nations, ranging in age from 25 to 38. For one year, 16 of his children were all teenagers at the same time.