Many Americans cannot seem to shake that queasy feeling when reading headlines proclaiming that the "Great Recession" of our time wages on. We have all witnessed the rampant depreciation in home and car values, as well as a surge in unemployment. Therefore, it would seem that, to some degree, we have all been stripped of "wealth," at least in the traditional sense.

But the resilient and immensely talented claim professionals for whom we write know as well as anyone — arguably better, in fact — that wealth is much more than a sum of monetary assets. Independent claim adjusters, insurance company vice presidents, and everyone in between tap into sources of wealth every single day. They parlay analytical skills, intellectual curiosity, patience, and compassion to execute their jobs with precision and help their fellow man in the process.

It's also true that there is no way to sugarcoat the fact that workers across all industry lines face quite a predicament at this pivotal juncture in history. A rash of staff cuts make it problematic for remaining "soldiers" to accomplish work; diminished benefits detrimentally impact the current standard of living; and near-stagnant salaries do not seem to keep pace with rising inflation. In spite of all that, claim professionals are lithely maneuvering a changing landscape and finding (or rather creating) opportunities for enrichment. Says who? Many of the 328 professionals who judiciously completed this year's 19th annual survey.