Welcome toSan Diegoand the 2012 IASA Educational Conference andBusiness Show. We have been working all year to achieve greatnessand to bring you the biggest and best show yet. And in my humbleopinion, we have succeeded.

With one of the most beautiful cities in the country providing amagnificent backdrop, we have assembled a conference and show ofstunning proportion and interest. The business show this year isthe largest in our history, bringing together diverse andleading-edge solution providers in the most beautiful exhibit hallthat you have ever experienced.

Make sure to participate in our Vendor Connect tours Mondaymorning following our keynote presentation. These tours allow you,in one brief hour, to experience an introduction to the productsand services in the exact area of your interest and need, whileearning continuing education credits to boot. Nowhere else in theindustry can you get so much focused information from exactly thepeople you need to meet.

Our keynote speakers represent greatness in diverse areas ofinterest. Tom Peters has long been the guru of managementgreatness, since his groundbreaking book, In Search ofExcellence. He is going to share timely insight into how toachieve excellence in a disruptive age—with passion.

Ben Stein is the Tuesday keynote. An actor, economist, formerWhite House staffer, and author, Stein will take us from FerrisBueller to Sunday Morning, and in his signature drollstyle, apply the wisdom of a modern-day prophet to tackle thechallenges of business and life.

The final keynoter is James T. Harris, who has a dynamic andentertaining style. On Wednesday he will share insight into thegenerational cycles that have marked our time and that beg for anew and collaborative understanding among us all.

Turning to the education conference, we have put together morethan 80 technical sessions that address a broad range of financial,technology and career skills topics. Network with your industrycolleagues as you hear about the latest advances, the newestsolutions, and the most interesting case studies the insurancearena has to offer.

We are also excited to partner with Vertafore to bring you aconference app that can be downloaded to your smartphone or iPad.This incredible technology will provide at-your-fingertips accessto the conference schedule of events, the list and location of ourexhibitors, as well as the ability to craft your own customizedconference program! Never again will you get lost or miss animportant session. Use this link: www.tripbuilder.com/iasa2012appsto get started.

If you are a "C" level professional, come to our ExecutiveEducation Roundtable Series, which is specifically designed to meetthe needs of carrier chief executive officers, chief operatingofficers, chief investment officers, chief financial officers, andchief information/technology officers. Interact with your industrycolleagues and hear about the solutions that will help you leadyour company to greatness.

One final piece of advice: Don't forget to use everyopportunity, every day, to connect with the industry colleagues andservice partners who are here with you.

Achieving greatness requires you to listen to others, to searchout the best thinking available, and to creatively apply what youare learning to your own world. We hope that while we are togetherhere inSan Diego, you will both contribute to others, and bringyour new experiences and knowledge back to your companies and yourlives.

(Ruth Estrich is president of IASA.)