How did you get into the insurance business, and what doyou consider to be some of your career highlights todate?

After a brief career during and after college on the businessside of the music business, I was seeking something different andwas drawn into the wholesale side of the insurance business by acouple of friends that were in it and loved it. I never lookedback.

For career highlights, recently, being honored by NAPSLO withthe McAlear Industry Award a few years ago has to be one; there isnothing like recognition from your peers. In the early '80s, Iconceived the idea that I could knit together a product liabilityform with an errors & omissions form to offer seamless coverageto a then-emerging new industry, biotechnology. For about fiveyears, I offered one of only two facilities available to insurethat industry and the form that I developed became the standardform used for decades to insure clinical trials andbiotech. Heady stuff, for a young broker.

In between, I have loved the process of starting companies, oroperations, or programs and watching them grow. But, thecontinuing highlight has always been the opportunity to work withthe great people in this business: to collaborate with myco-workers and employees, to build relationships with my producersand underwriters, and to cooperate (in association work) with mypeers.

What is it that appeals to you most about the surpluslines sector, and what are some of your (and your firm's) specificareas of expertise?

What most appeals about surplus lines are the ability toinnovate, the flexibility and the diversity.

Over the years, my focus and expertise has evolved. Biotechand environmental early on, along with alternative riskstructures. Program development and cyber risks lateron.

Today, the Sullivan Group is very niche focused, so, amongst ourcompanies, we have a broad range of specialized expertise, butwe're especially known for our expertise in insuring the healthcareindustry, community association industry, auto dismantlers andrenewable energy.

What would you say are the greatest challenges facingthe E&S industry in the coming year?

The industry is strong, secure and evidencing sustainedgrowth. Our challenge is to continue to perpetuate our valueproposition–to be the place (in insurance) where complex risk meetsinnovative solutions.

To do that, we need to do an ever better job of attractingsmart, new talent to the industry even while we broaden theawareness–both in the retail community and among buyers–of thevalue we as wholesalers bring to the transaction. In short,we need to create the opportunity and we need to have the people toservice it.

What are some of your priorities for NAPSLO for the yearto come?

Well, based on the above, pursuing our new Wholesale Valuecampaign, which was initiated under the outstanding leadership ofKevin Westrope, certainly is one. So, too, is the continuedgrowth of our career awareness and career path educationprograms.

However, since my personal focus has been so much on theadvocacy role of NAPSLO, I have two priorities there. First,is to further the opportunity offered by the passage of NRRA togain uniformity, not just in tax filings but also regulatoryrequirements. Second is to revitalize our involvement withadvocacy on the state level by providing more resources to workwith state regulators and legislators.