2018 ICMIF Americas Annual Conference

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	Betina Del Valle Azugna Sustainability Manager Grupo Sancor Seguros (Argentina) Betina del Valle Azugna holds a degree in Marketing from the University of Business and Social Sciences (UCES) and an MBA in Business Administration from the University of Belgrano. Since 1999, she has been working with the Sancor Seguros Group and since the end of 2005 she coordinates the organization’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) process, currently serving as CSR Manager for companies in Argentina and Latin America. With diplomas in CSR from various universities in Argentina and Spain, she teaches CSR in the Diploma in Associative Studies at the University of Rosario. She is also a member of the ICMIF Intelligence Committee.

	Carlos Boelsterli CEO MiCRO (USA) Carlos was appointed CEO of MiCRO (Microinsurance Catastrophe Risk Organisation) on September 1, 2014 after a 20 year career across various functions throughout Swiss Re. He was most recently the Head of Swiss Re’s office in Miami, which he opened for the company in 2011. His first job as a professional was working for the Latin American Department of Swiss Re in Zurich. After two years he moved to Colombia as Office Head of Swiss Re’s operation in Bogota. After five years in that role, he returned to Zurich to assume commercial responsibility for the South American region. In 2000 Carlos returned to Colombia to expand operations of that office to the Andean Region. In 2003, Carlos moved to Mexico City, where he became General Director of Swiss Re’s biggest local operation in Latin America. He then moved to Armonk, New York to assume as Head Account Management for Latin America before starting the company’s office in Miami. Carlos is a Swiss – Colombian citizen, who grew up in Bogota, where attended German school and then moved to Switzerland to study at the University of Bern, graduating in 1989 as an Economist and Business Administrator. He speaks fluent English, Spanish and German.

	Liliana Cardozo de Cano General Manager Aseguradora Tajy (Paraguay) Liliana Cardozo de Cano graduated with a degree in Accounting Sciences, Faculty of Economics, Administration and Accounting, at the National University of Asunción. She has over 20 years’ experience in the insurance industry and has achieved a solid background in general and life insurance, having receiving several trainings in administrative, accounting and technical insurance issues. She began her work in insurance in 1997, the year in which the Aseguradora Tajy was formed, thus becoming the first official of the company as Assistant to the Board and Accounting and Administrative Assistant. She later became Head Accountant, then the Administrative Manager and finally General Manager in 2007. She has participated in national and international seminars and conferences on topics related to Managerial Leadership, Insurance and Reinsurance, Money Laundering Prevention, ISO Standards, Risk Retention Regime, Cooperative Banking and Insurance, Internal Quality Auditor, Financial Indicators, General Aspects of Reinsurance, Human Factors in Business, Marketing for Insurance Companies, and Role of People in Business Success, among others.

	Fernando Casanova Aizpún Senior Economist Swiss Re (USA) Fernando Casanova Aizpún is a senior economist at Swiss Re in New York, covering the economies and insurance markets of Latin America and the Caribbean. Now in his fifth year, he has collaborated annually on the sigma series publications of the Swiss Re Institute. He has written studies on issues related to the damage protection gap, pension systems and agricultural insurance in the Latin American region. He is currently working on a study stipulated to be published in January 2019, on the economic slowdown in emerging markets and analysing whether it is a cyclical or structural state. Prior to Swiss Re, he worked for four years as an economist in the monetary programming and economic research department of the central bank of the Dominican Republic. He divided his time between the divisions of Economic Analysis and Macroeconomic Models, writing articles for the central bank's institutional scientific journal and collaborating with economic forecasts. Fernando studied Economics in the United States, earning his bachelor's degree from Ithaca College and his master's degree from Fordham University, both in New York State.

	Jorge Castaño Gutiérrez Superintendent Financial Superintendence of Colombia A Lawyer with a degree from the Externado University of Colombia with specialization in Financial and Securities Law from the same university and a European Master’s degree in Economic Development from the Charles III University of Madrid. Since June 2016, he has been the President of the Guarantee Fund for Financial Institutions (FOGAFIN). During his earlier tenure at Financial Superintendence of Colombia (Superfinanciera, SFC) from 2005 to 2016, he was the Financial Superintendent and Director of Research and Development and a Delegate for Intermediaries of Securities and Other Agents, among others. He coordinated the Superfinanciera’s Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP), which resulted in positioning the entity as one of the superintendencies with best international standards of regulation and supervision in banking, insurance and securities (Basel, IOSCO, IAIS). He also led various technical working groups within the Superfinanciera that worked closely with international institutions, including the IMF, Association of Banking Supervisors of the Americas (ASBA), Financial Stability Board (FSB) and Council of Securities Regulators of the Americas (COSRA). He also has an important career as an undergraduate and postgraduate professor at the Faculties of Law and Finance of the Externado University of Colombia and the Pontifical Xavierian University.

	Georgina Díaz Sánchez Chair, ICMIF/Americas and General Manager Sociedad de Seguros de Vida del Magisterio Nacional (Costa Rica) Georgina Díaz Sánchez graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the University of Costa Rica. She is a Certified Public Accountant and worked for over 12 years as Audit Manager at Deloitte & Touche. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the insurance industry, starting as an assistant in the audit department of Sociedad de Seguros de Vida del Magisterio Nacional (SSVMN). She then held the position of Lead Auditor for 4 years, and since 2001, she has served as General Manager, the highest position in the company. Georgina Díaz is a member of the Board of Directors of ICMIF/Americas, and has held the position of Chair since August 2015; the Latin American Reinsurance Group (LARG); Seguros del Magisterio S.A; and the Corporación de SERVICIOS Múltiples del Magisterio Nacional (the National Union of Teachers). In her spare time, Georgina volunteers for non-governmental organizations that help elderly people with disabilities and nature conservation projects.

	Joe Dietrich President and CEO Trillium Mutual (Canada) Following his graduation from Centralia College of Agricultural Technology (ABM 1979), Joe worked for a Canadian chartered bank for three years. In 1982, Formosa Mutual Insurance Company recruited him to join the company and the mutual insurance industry, as an underwriter. His passion for the agricultural industry allowed him to contribute to the company’s success in agri-insurance. He was appointed CEO of Formosa Mutual in 1996. He became the inaugural President and CEO of Trillium Mutual Insurance Company following the amalgamation of Elma Mutual and Formosa Mutual Insurance Companies in 2004. He earned his Chartered Insurance Professional designation with the Insurance Institute of Canada in 1987. Joe has served on a number of industry committees and boards. He is a past Chair of the Canadian Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (CAMIC); a past Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Fire Mutuals’ Guarantee Fund (FMGF); and a past member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC). He is a past instructor for the Insurance Institute of Canada and has always been a strong advocate for mutual insurance. Joe is also active in the community having served on a number of volunteer Boards and is a past Chair of The Mildmay-Carrick Minor Hockey Association; The Formosa District Lion’s Club; and The Alzheimer’s Society of Grey-Bruce. Joe earned the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors through the Rotman School of Management in 2017.

	Tom Ewart Senior Manager, Sustainability The Co-operators (Canada) Tom Ewart is Senior Manager of Sustainability at The Co-operators Group. He and his team help the organization realize its vision of being a 'catalyst for a sustainable society.' Prior to joining The Co-operators, Tom was the founding Managing Director of the Network for Business Sustainability (NBS.net) -- a not-for-profit organization that bridges research and practice. He has taught courses in Western University's Masters of Environment and Sustainability program, and in the University of Waterloo's Centre for Environment and Business. Tom graduated from Western University as a gold medalist in the Engineering Faculty and as an Ivey Scholar from the Ivey Business School. In 2015, he was recognized as an Emerging Leader by Canada’s Clean50.

	Karen Flamand National Claims Director - Property The Co-operators (Canada) When Karen Flamand was a young girl, her Dad was asked to start a Credit Union in Vegreville, the small Canadian town where she grew up. Like many cooperative movements, he started the Credit Union in their home, having conversations with clients and members of the community at their kitchen table. Karen began her insurance career in 1992 with State Farm Mutual Insurance, then ING Insurance, and in 2003, she joined The Co-operators Group in Calgary, Canada. Over the years, she’s had the opportunity to see first hand what natural disasters do to families, communities and companies, including the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, the 2011 Slave Lake Wildfire and the 2016 Fort McMurray Wildfire, to name only a few. It was after joining The Co-operators that she really understood the values her Dad strived to teach: concern for the community, live to serve, people before profits. Every day The Co-operator’s claims teams make a difference in people’s lives and in communities. Karen and Walter, her husband of 21 years, have come to the conclusion that her forever work home is at The Co-operators.

	Fabio Leite Gastal Director of Strategy, Management & Innovation Seguros Unimed (Brazil) With more than 30 years’ of Technical and Scientific expertise, Fabio’s area of knowledge include: Public Health, Health Systems and Hospital Administration, Hospital and Health Services Accreditation Programs, Mental Health and Psychiatric Services Management. He has a strong experience in planning and management of health services and more recently in development and innovation processes. In his professional experience, he was CEO of ONA (Brazilian National Accreditation Organization) from 1999 to 2007; a Planning and Institutional Development Specialist and Member of the Board of Directors of UNIMED - Belo Horizonte from 2007 to 2011; and Medical and Assistance Director of Mae de Deus Hospital and Health System from 2011 to 2015. Currently, he is Head of Strategy, Management and Innovation at Seguros Unimed. Fabio graduated in Medicine at the Medicine School of the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPEL), Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (December, 1984), Doctoral Program Degree (Dr.Medicine) in the Medicine School of the Republic University of Uruguay (Montevideo, Uruguay, 1993) and Doctoral Program Degree in Psychiatry and Medical Psychology (PhD) at the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil (UNIFESP-1995).

	Rafael González Director of the Special Administrative Unit of Solidarity Organizations Government of Colombia Dr. Rafael Gonzalez is an entrepreneur with investments in the transport, communications and agricultural sectors. An Industrial Engineer, he specializes in Financial Management and has a specialization in Productivity and Quality Management from the Universidad Autónoma de Colombia. He has a Master's Degree in Occupational Risk Prevention, the Environment and Corporate Responsibility of Bureau Veritas, and studied the High Government Program of the University of the Andes. He currently conducts the Integral Course of National Defense at the Escuela Superior de Guerra (CIDENAL). He has been involved with the Special Administrative Unit of Solidarity Organizations since 2011 where he fell in love with this sector and currently serves as Director of the Special Administrative Unit of Solidarity Organizations. Since then, he has promoted bills for the benefit of the sector, including Law 1780 of 2016, which states that "the culture of solidarity and cooperation will be promoted in all educational cycles, and children's cooperatives will be promoted”. He led the National Plan for Solidarity Economy and rural cooperative PLANFES which is currently presented as a fulfilment of the commitment to the Havana Peace Accords, whose goal is to comply with the integral rural reform, promote the management of local purchasing programs and fair trade for the Solidarity organizations, among many alliances and agreements for the sector.

	Verónica González Duarte Responsible for Planning and Quality Management and Corporate Social Responsibility Sociedad de Seguros de Vida del Magisterio Nacional (Costa Rica) Verónica has a degree in Business Administration and has trained as an Internal Auditor in ISO 9001 and INTE G35, Corporate Social Responsibility and as a Project Management Technician. She has been working for Sociedad de Seguros de Vida del Magisterio Nacional (SSVMN) for 15 years, where she has held different positions and has extensive experience in the development, maintenance and improvement of Integrated Quality Management Systems and Corporate Social Responsibility. She is currently in charge of Planning and Quality Management and at the same time holds the position of head of Integrated Quality Management Systems and Social Responsibility of SSVMN.

	Paul Hanna Executive Vice President, Member Relations, Governance and Corporate Services The Co-operators (Canada) Paul Hanna was appointed Executive Vice-President, Member Relations, Governance and Corporate Services for The Co‑operators in March 2015. Paul works with our member organizations to build strong business and governance relationships. He is responsible for organizational governance with The Co‑operators Group Limited Board of Directors and its committees. He also provides leadership to other corporate functions including government relations, human resources, legal, and sustainability and citizenship. Prior to his current role, Paul spent many years as Vice-President of Strategic Planning with The Co‑operators. Paul has 25 years of co‑operative experience working in various operational and governance capacities. He currently sits on the boards of ICMIF/Americas, CMEC, and he serves on the University of Guelph’s Advisory Committee to the College of Business and Economics, as well as The Co‑operators Community Economic Development Committee. Paul holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Western Ontario, a Master’s in Adult Education from Central Michigan University and he is a Chartered Insurance Professional.

	Andrea Keenan Senior Managing Director - Industry Relations A.M. Best (USA) Andrea Keenan is head of Industry Relations for A.M. Best, based in Oldwick, New Jersey. She is responsible for the developing and maintaining of relationships and communications with key stakeholders of ratings throughout the Americas, including Canada, the USA, Caribbean and Latin America. Prior to assuming this role, Andrea was on assignment in Mexico City as Managing Director of A.M. Best in Latin America, launching A.M. Best’s first Latin American subsidiary. She spent the previous 13 years in various positions at A.M. Best. Before moving to Mexico, Andrea was Vice President – Research and Ratings Criteria and Training, where she was responsible for the creation and distribution of industry research, country risk and economic analysis in support of A.M. Best’s ratings, as well as the development of ratings criteria and analytical training. Andrea has also held the positions of Head of Research and Economic Analysis and Head of Country Risk Analysis at A.M. Best. Prior to joining A.M. Best in July 2000, Andrea was US economic analyst at Toyota Motor North America and an analyst at International Technology and Trade Associates. Currently, Andrea is serving on the Board of Directors of the Microinsurance Network. She holds a master’s degree from American University in International Affairs and a bachelor's degree from York College in International Studies, and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Economics from Temple University.

	Marcelo Larrambebere Corporate Business Manager San Cristóbal Seguros (Argentina) With a degree in Public Accounting from the National University of Rosario, Marcelo Larrambebere also has an MBA and a Senior Management Program from the University of San Andrés in Argentina. He has more than 20 years of experience in the Argentine insurance market, serving in managerial and senior positions in key insurance companies in property and casualty and labor risks as well as reinsurers. He currently serves as the Corporate Business Manager of San Cristóbal Group, which manages, among others, San Cristóbal Sociedad Mutual de Seguros Generales of Argentina.

	Virginia Lingiardi Supervisor, Project Management Office Grupo Asegurador La Segunda (Argentina) Virginia has a degree in Business Administration with experience in leadership and training of multidisciplinary teams. She is a graduate of the Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Estadística (Faculty of Economics and Statistics) of the National University of Rosario, Argentina. After working as an External Consultant and Consultant in ISO 9000 Quality Management Systems Implementation Projects at the Industrial Engineering area of the consultants HORWATH ARGENTINA (Crowe Horwath), in 2012 she joined the Grupo Asegurador La Segunda as a Processes and Quality Analyst. Since 2015, she has been the Supervisor of the Project Management Office in charge of the planning and coordination of the organization’s projects portfolio, ensuring the application of best practices in project management. She is a facilitator in the #PrimeroVos Internship Program, guiding the development of the team in charge of the project: "Development Process Planning and Monitoring Methodology applied to the Organizational Development Area". Since December 2017, she has been a member of the ICMIF-La Segunda Young Leaders Group and he has been the leader of the Hack2in innovation project – the first Hackaton in InsurTech in the Argentine insurance market, driven by La Segunda. She is currently developing her new role as Innovation Team Leader.

	Juan Lugo Meléndez Executive President Cooperativa de Seguros Múltiples (Puerto Rico) Current Executive President of Cooperativa de Seguros Múltiples, Juan’s professional career has been closely bound to this cooperative insurer for over 40 years ago. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in accounting from the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus. Subsequently, he also obtained a Master’s degree in Business Administration, with a major in finance and marketing from Inter American University of Puerto Rico. Juan began his career as accountant and comptroller at the Cooperativa de Seguros Múltiples in 1971, fulfilling tasks related to the analysis of financial statements, reinsurance, and production of yearly financial status reports. He was also in charge of preparing the statutory Annual Statement for the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of Puerto Rico. Subsequently, in response to the company’s sustained growth, he went on to become Vice President of Finance, a position which he occupied until his retirement in 2001. However, he continued serving as a consultant to the cooperative’s president from 2001 to 2009 in areas related to finance and investment, and in the management of the Contemporary Art Collection for the organisation. From 2009 to 2017, the experienced executive re-joined the Cooperativa de Seguros Múltiples management team as a consultant in finance, investment, and reinsurance, in addition to sitting on several advisory committees and boards of trustees. On 1 September 2017, Lugo began working as Executive Vice President and held that position until being officially appointed Executive President early in January 2018. Lugo is married to Mizraím Cortés and they have five children.

	Héctor Miguel Opazo Santis CEO, Andean Region Grupo Componente (Colombia) Héctor Miguel Opazo Santis is an Industrial Engineer, a Master in Business Engineering (MBE) of the University of Chile, and an Information Technology Systems Engineer, with specializations in Project Evaluation and Information Systems Management. With more than 20 years of international experience in Business Management, Innovation, Technology and Operations, he also has been a General Manager of various Technology and Consulting companies in different countries. He has been an international consultant for the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank in Washington DC, USA) in Business Continuity and Technology. He is certified CBCP (Certified Business Continuity Professional) by the DRII in New York, USA. He has published articles in the most prestigious journals worldwide on technology, innovation and business continuity. Héctor has been a speaker and moderator of important events and conferences in organizations in Latin America. He has been an entrepreneur in the creation of consulting, education and retail companies in Chile and Colombia. Currently, he serves as CEO of the Andean region for Grupo Componente, a Chilean firm with expertise in Digital Channels; Digital Transformation; Agile Methodologies; Business Models based on emerging technologies and FinTech Innovation; and Transactional Solutions for Latin American Banking. He is also Executive Director of Digital Bank Latam, the largest Latin American company dedicated to innovation in financial technology. He is a TV presenter in talk shows, leadership and entrepreneurship and currently hosts the "Con Sentido" program in Colombia.

	Daysi Rosales Beltrán General Manager Seguros Futuro (El Salvador) Daysi has 25 years of experience and contribution to the cooperative sector in El Salvador, through the different positions in the FEDECACES Corporation – the Federation of Credit Unions of El Salvador, which is comprised of a group of credit unions. She has a Degree in Public Accounting from the University of El Salvador. From 1990 to 1996 she was a Technical Advisor, contributing to the development of the first FEDECACES technical support department. In 1997, she became Head of Administration and Human Resources, and External Audit, responsible for FEDECACES human talent and administrative policies, and the External Audit Department for credit unions. In 2001 she was appointed Manager of Seguros Futuro, the first insurance cooperative in El Salvador, and then was Manager of FEDECACES from 2003 to 2006. Since 2007, she has served as General Manager of Seguros Futuro. She is also a speaker at various national and international events related to topics on cooperatives, financial matters, insurance and microinsurance, quality systems, reinsurance and others.

	Mariela Silva General Manager Equidad Compañía de Seguros, S.A. (Honduras) Born in the city of Tegucigalpa, Honduras on July 22, 1972, married, mother of 2 sons, she began her university studies obtaining a Business Engineering degree at the Metropolitan University of Honduras, later at the Master's level she obtained a degree in Business Administration, and also graduated as Doctor of Business Administration, both degrees obtained at the Atlantic International University (USA). Her current professional activity includes: General Manager of Equidad Compañía de Seguros, S.A.; Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Honduran Chamber of Insurers of Honduras; Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Latin American Association for Education in Reinsurance (LARG); and Senator of Junior Chamber International (JCI).

	Shaun Tarbuck Chief Executive ICMIF Shaun joined the International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF) in 1995 as Vice-President, Membership and Finance and was appointed Chief Executive in 2005. Shaun sits on the ICMIF Board and the regional boards as well as being the Vice-Chair of the newly formed ICMIF Foundation. Shaun has established working relationships with key global policymakers in areas as diverse as climate change; disaster risk resilience; poverty alleviation; economic growth; and regulation/legislation. This includes regular contact with the G20 and B20 (where has been a member of the B20 Financing Growth & Infrastructure taskforce since 2014); the United Nations, including speaking at the UN General Assembly; the UNISDR where he spoke at the Sendai (2015) and the Cancun (2017) Conferences on integrating risk into the financial system; the UNDP; the IMF; the World Bank; the OECD; and the more insurance specific arenas of the Financial Stability Board (FSB) and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS). Shaun is an ex-officio member of the newly formed Insurance Development Forum (IDF) Steering Group which brings together insurance industry leaders with global policymakers from the UN, World Bank and FSB to ensure insurance related issues are discussed at the highest level. He is also Co-Chair of the IDF Microinsurance task force. Shaun regularly speaks at conferences and to mutual boards on mutuality, regulation, governance, marketing, branding and other strategic issues affecting the mutual and cooperative insurance sector and the wider insurance sector. He is a board member of the Climate Bonds Initiative that promotes Green Bonds and is a board member of Regis Mutual Management that sets up and runs new mutual insurers.

	Sarah Van Slyke Director of Strategic Development Thrivent Financial (USA) Sarah Van Slyke is Director of Strategic Development at Thrivent Financial. In her role she looks at emerging trends and their potential impact on Thrivent, including demographic and technology changes. She is excited about the many changes in several industries and connecting their relevance and opportunities to Thrivent’s mission. She joined Thrivent in 2010 to help launch the Thrivent Choice generosity program. Prior to Thrivent, Sarah held marketing and development roles at UnitedHealth Group and Cargill, where she launched an agriculture brand and managed national marketing & PR communications. She has consistently been a change maker at several large, highly regulated organizations, using the opportunity to learn and implement multiple innovation disciplines. Sarah is an MBA graduate of University of St Thomas and attained an undergraduate degree at University of Northwestern St Paul, where she is now an adjunct faculty member. She lives in Minnesota and takes every opportunity to explore the world through travel.

	Antonio Venanzi Vice-President, Commercial Equidad Seguros (Colombia) Antonio Venanzi Hernández has a comprehensive business vision obtained through experience in positions and the management of teams at national and multinational companies, in areas of responsibility such as: strategic direction, business redesign, projects management and quality certification, competence development processes and organizational culture, implementation of new technological tools, strategic market planning, administration of distribution channels and mass marketing of products. Since January 2014, Antonio has been the Vice-President, Commercial, at Equidad Seguros. He is responsible for the design and implementation of the commercial plan of the insurer through its multi-channel strategy (the solidarity and cooperative sector, intermediaries, and distribution and business channels through franchises and delegations), whilst ensuring the sustainability of the insurer as well as the expectations of the associated owners and the impact of their social base. Prior to joining Equidad Seguros, Antonio has worked in a number of different roles in the insurance industry, including: Commercial Development, Marketing, Channel and Branch Management, Administration, and Organizational Development. Antonio is an Industrial Engineer and has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with an emphasis in marketing from the Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.

	Carlos Villa Rendón Executive President Equidad Seguros (Colombia) Carlos Villa is the Executive President of Equidad Seguros, a position he has held since August 2013. He is a business executive with specialisation in marketing with diplomas in insurance, bancassurance, leadership and marketing. He has taken part in internships in insurance, reinsurance and marketing in London (UK) and Madrid (Spain). He has over 28 years’ of experience in the insurance sector, of which 13 were in the cooperative sector, six years of senior management at the level of Vice President with direct reports to CEO and Board of Directors and 12 years in charge of management and supervision. He is a member of Board of Adminstration of the Colombian Association of Cooperatives (Asociación Colombiana de Cooperativas, Ascoop); a member of the Board of Directors of the Confederation of Cooperatives of Colombia (Confederación de Cooperativas de Colombia, Confecoop); member of the Board of Directors of Club Deportivo La Equidad; and a member of the Board of Directors of Cooperación Verde S.A. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Equidad Seguros Fundequidad foundation.