Choosing a solution for your business is never easy. There aremany options and features. Of course, ACORD Standards should alwaysbe an essential element. Now, there's an additional level ofconfidence you can achieve when making your decision – ensuringthat your solution provider has ACORD Certified Experts onstaff.

Back in the 1960s, Texaco's jingle went, "You can trust your carto the man who wears the star." Today, that may be just as true fortrusting a solution that is developed by ACORD CertifiedExperts.

We announced the ACORD Certified Expert (ACE) program in 2009 asa way to ensure individuals claiming expertise in ACORDimplementations actually possessed those skills. Members—bothcompanies and solution providers—wanted an easier way to determineif people were really experts.

To ensure that those receiving a designation are truly preparedfor implementation, ACE exams were developed with subject matterexperts who are known leaders in ACORD Standards implementation.This gathered the collective wisdom from the industry to provide uswith a baseline.

For those unfamiliar, the ACORD Certified Expert program is madeup of three exams:

• ACORD History, Process, and Governance
• Third-party exam acknowledging industry knowledge
• ACORD implementation exam in one of ACORD's standards such asP&C, life, or reinsurance

While this is a technical designation, it comes with a majorbusiness benefit. In a competitive landscape, you need to show thatyou are providing the level of expertise customers want. Could itcome down to a solution developed using an ACE versus one thatdidn't? Think of solutions from other industries and consider thepossibilities.

I could sit and write about how important having ACE designeeson staff is for solution providers. However, I think some of ourcurrent ACEs have said it better in the ACORD WeeklyNewsletter:

• "To have several of our employees hold an ACE designationdemonstrates to our clients the depth of knowledge our companypossesses in ACORD industry standards," Suzanne Brazeal,Vertex.
• "Our carrier customers are excited about our certificationand have said it is a powerful testament to our company's provenproficiency of the ACORD Standards. Our carriers knew we had theknowledge and experience and now the ACE designation reinforces,"Fran Clarke, IVANS
• "The ACE designation gives me the added credibility andtells people I deal with that I am an expert and I can help themsolve problems. It really aligns perfectly with our company'smission and is a great for all of us," Steve Thomson, ConnectiveTechnologies
• "I believe that as more individuals undertake the programand demonstrate their proficiency as ACORD experts the importanceof gaining this foundation will become more and more evident," RobCampbell, Greenvalley Commercial Ltd.
• "It also demonstrates to the outside world, andparticularly to our current and future customers, that WebConnectivity is committed to maintaining its reputation as aforward-thinking ACORD specialist by having one of the first RLCACEs on its staff," Rein van Keulen, Web Connectivity

These individuals, along with many others in the process today,recognized the importance of a designation from ACORD to theirbusinesses. As the program continues to grow and more solutionproviders are staffed with ACEs, it will further differentiatesolutions and how they are developed and sold.

Beth Grossman is chief learning officer for ACORD. She isresponsible for developing and deploying ACORD's educational andtraining program. Drawing on her background in education as well asher industry expertise, Beth is spearheading the ACORD certifiedexpert (ACE) designation program. Previously, Beth served as AVPfor industry affairs where she formed strategic alliances withother associations and standards organizations. She serves on theexecutive committee of IDMA (Insurance Data Management Association)and received a Fellow in Insurance Data Management (FIDM). Beth'sinsurance experience includes training and education as well asunderwriting, brokerage and information technology. She has usedthese skills with such organizations as Crum and Forster,Continental Insurance and Marsh.