Change Happens

Looking through my Rolodex yesterday, I was surprised by the number of cards that are no longer relevant. In fact, both sides of many of the cards are filled with updates—and now are completely out of date on both sides. Phone numbers, titles and companies have been crossed out and rewritten.

For example, many of the captive insurance domicile regulators have moved on, mostly to the private sector. Vermont's former regulator, Len Crouse, created big news when he left about a year ago to join Towner Management. Also in Vermont, Molly Lambert, former president of the Vermont Captive Insurance Association, very recently left to take a job in the public sector. Her replacement has not yet been announced. Molly, in fact, replaced Lisa Ventriss a few years back. At another association, the Captive Insurance Companies Association, President Dennis Harwick replaced Carl Modecki a few years ago.

Clayton Ingram, formerly business and development with the ART sector of the S.C. Dept. of Insurance transferred to another department (Clayton is a great photographer and liked to e-mail his photos). In Hawaii, Craig Watanabe recently left as captive regulator to join the private sector—no permanent replacement there yet, either. In the media department, there was Joe Treaster, who covered the insurance beat for the NY Times. He entered the world of academia in Florida. And the list goes on.

When I look at the public relations and communications contacts, a good number from years past are no longer with their companies either. So while it's expected that people will move around and change positions and companies, it's surprising to see just how much movement there has been over the past nine years,since I've been at this job.

But the real issue, according to my husband, is the fact that I'm still using a Rolodex. That's true, but if I didn't have this Rolodex—low-tech and cumbersome as it is—all of these changes wouldn't have been nearly as evident.

Having the entries crossed out and updated, in different colors of ink even, makes them more visible than if they had been updated in an online address book. It's true I would be able to more quickly and easily sort through the information. But while I do have an online version, somehow the good old Rolodex is what I usually reach for—and keep reasonably up to date.