One of the industrys most glaring weaknesses is the lack of a high-profile defender to make the case for insurers in good times and bad, but that will no longer be a problem come New Years Day, when Robert P. Hartwig takes over as president of the Insurance Information Institute, replacing the retiring Gordon Stewart.
Mr. Hartwig is no stranger to the industry or the media. As the Institutes executive vice president and long-time chief economist, he is a familiar face on the conference speaking circuit, and his name is ubiquitous in newspaper, magazine, TV and radio reports.
Still, handing him the presidency of the industrys most potent information outlet gives him an even higher profile in a business with few recognizable figures, and even fewer credible ones.
Thankfully, Mr. Hartwig has no intention of getting stuck behind a desk now that hes been placed in charge of the Institute. As youll see in our cover profile in the Jan. 1, 2007 edition, he intends to use his office as a bully pulpit to make sure people know all the facts about how the industry operates.
Mr. Hartwig has a tough act to follow in Mr. Stewart. Indeed, when the former speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter came aboard 17 years ago, the Institutes effectiveness was in question and its very survival in serious doubt.
Mr. Stewart successfully focused, streamlined and pretty much saved the Institute from an almost certain demise, and for that insurers and producers owe him big time, as there is no other entity out there speaking for the entire industry. (For a full profile of Mr. Stewart from our Dec. 18/25, 2005 edition, click here.)
Together, Mr. Stewart (the organization man) and Mr. Hartwig (the evangelist) made a dynamic team. The challenge for Mr. Hartwig will be to wear both hats without neglecting the duties of either critical jobrunning the Institute while remaining the industrys most public face and best hope for some understanding and appreciation.
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