Insurance & Technology Announces The 2014 Elite 8 Honorees

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM Tech's Insurance & Technology (insurancetech.com), announced the 2014 Elite 8 honorees, eight insurance technology executives who are redefining the role of IT and IT leadership at their organizations.

This is the sixteenth year editors of Insurance & Technology have compiled this distinguished list of insurance leaders. The eight men and women are profiled in a special digital issue of Insurance & Technology where they share how their multi-disciplinary backgrounds help them to identify best practices and strategies for replicable success. This year's honorees were chosen for forging new paths that combine proficiency at some of the long-standing requirements of the job -- project management and delivery and vendor management -- with emerging imperatives around mobility, data mastery, and organizational agility.

The 2014 Elite 8 includes:

• Tom Peach, CIO, Zurich North America
• Susan Courtney, Senior VP of technology and operations and CIO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
• Todd Albert, VP of information systems, Ohio Mutual Insurance Group
• Tracey Berg, Senior VP and CIO, West Bend Mutual Insurance Co.
• Doug Fick, VP and CIO, The Principal's US Insurance Solutions
• Arne Herenstein, VP of IT, Harleysville Insurance, a Nationwide Insurance company
• Werner Kruck, Chief operating officer, Security First Insurance
• Bryan Fowler, CIO and VP of information technology, Oregon Mutual Insurance Co.

"We believe that true leadership requires a number of characteristics, not just computer science knowledge, but also qualities that are less tangible, such as an ability to inspire or a keen sense of future risks and opportunities," said Kathy Burger, Insurance & Technology Editorial Director. "This year's Elite 8 are spurring some of the most aggressive and innovative initiatives on record, and exemplify what it means to be a leader in the insurance industry."

The 2014 Elite Awards presentation will take place at the Insurance & Technology Executive Summit event, "The Agile Insurer: Speed, Insight, Engagement," on November 9-11, 2014, at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami. The 2014 Executive Summit is two intensive days of networking and analysis where senior-level insurance executives can learn about industry-leading approaches to big data, customer experience, new operational models, and leadership.

For more information about the 2014 Insurance & Technology Executive Summit:
http://www.summit.insurancetech.com/?_mc=PR_PRN_LE_Elite8

About UBM Tech 
UBM Tech is a global media business that brings together the world's technology communities through live events, online properties and custom services. UBM Tech's community-focused approach provides its users and clients with expertly curated research, education, training, community advocacy, user-generated content and peer-to-peer engagement opportunities that serve the Security, Enterprise IT and Communications, Network Infrastructure and Applications, and Game and App Developers communities. UBM Tech's brands include Black Hat, DesignCon, Enterprise Connect, Game Developers Conference (GDC), HDI, InformationWeek, and Interop. UBM Tech is a part of UBM (UBM.L), a global provider of media and information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion. For more information, go to http://tech.ubm.com. 

Contact: Hilary Jansen, hilary.jansen@ubm.com, 415-947-6205

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SOURCE UBM Tech