ACORD, LOMA Celebrate 10 Years of Innovation and Education

Ten years.  A lot changes in a decade, especially when that decade is as lightning-fast as the past 10 years have been.  In the insurance industry, 10 years have brought changes at blazing speed from all corners.

Technology has enabled faster and more efficient workflows, social media has opened up new methods of interacting with customers, and “global” is the new “local”, whether you're in Minneapolis or Mumbai.

In today's world, a “wait-and-see” attitude is no longer an effective strategy — for technology or for business. Internal and external business and technology goals must align for companies that want to succeed.  Keeping pace with the latest advances is essential. The place for those companies to stay on top of the changes – and on top of their game – is the ACORD LOMA Forum.

The Forum marks its 10th anniversary this year in Las Vegas with a new name and a new image.  The event formerly known as the ACORD LOMA Insurance Systems Forum is now simply the ACORD LOMA Forum.

“When we first presented the Forum it was more focused on systems and targeted specifically toward the technology sector of the industry,” said ACORD President and CEO Gregory Maciag. “Ten years later, the Forum has evolved into an event that has relevance to the business itself and appeals to many industry communities.”

The Forum's new tagline — “Technology. Business. Connected.” — underscores the event's increasing focus on how technology can inform and enhance strategic business decisions.  More than just a cosmetic makeover, the new approach reflects the Forum's desire to evolve and reflect the needs of a changing industry.

“We didn't want the event name to limit our growth or the public's perception of what we offer,” said LOMA Senior Vice President Jeff Hasty. “Besides, everyone's been referring to us as 'ACORD LOMA' for years now, so the new name is already in common use.”

The Forum's growth will be most evident in the session topics.  To help create this year's event, ACORD and LOMA staff reached out to a handpicked advisory committee of respected industry members representing insurers, analysts, solution providers and associations. The committee offered its input on all aspects of the Forum.

One of the most significant innovations attendees will see as a result is the new Discussion Sessions.  These are unscripted conversations with top industry leaders that allow attendees to interact and ask questions in an informal roundtable format.

“One piece of feedback we received was that people sometimes find it hard to get the 'real deal' at a large event,” said ACORD Director of Event Programs Malou August. “There may be legal or competitive concerns that keep presenters from sharing everything they could.  The Discussion Sessions will not be recorded like the other sessions, so the presenters and the audience can speak openly.”  Attendance at the sessions requires a separate registration available on the Sessions page of the ACORD LOMA website.

The 10th Anniversary Forum will also present three distinctive speakers:  Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bob Woodward, NY Times bestselling author and social business expert Charlene Li, and eminent physicist, author and television host Dr. Michio Kaku.  Each will share a unique vision and share valuable insights that attendees can apply to their own lives and careers.

“The Forum is always looking forward,” said Hasty. “We think each of these speakers brings a message that will point the way toward how we'll all live, work and interact in the future.  They come from different perspectives, but what they have to say will be relevant to all of us.”

Maciag believes that the 10th ACORD LOMA Forum is the perfect time to unveil the new name and attitude.

“The industry has changed a lot since the Forum began, and people's expectations have changed too,” adds Maciag. “The ACORD LOMA Forum has always tried to stay on the leading edge, and this anniversary is the perfect time for us to set a fresh course for the next 10 years and beyond.”