If there's one overall description for the NICB's legislative advocacy discipline from the past 20 years, it's that we never back down from a good challenge.
When I joined the NATB in late 1991, immediately prior to the NATB-ICPI merger, there was no defined government affairs strategy in place, and there certainly weren't any women in executive management positions. Many of my insurance industry friends and colleagues told me to not risk joining such an organization. Of course, that only spurred me to accept the job offer and build something special. The challenge then (as now) was to foster a stronger anti-fraud environment nationwide and support legislation that makes it harder for criminals to steal from the American public.
I started as a one-person shop, but what I quickly realized was how much support I had from NICB colleagues at headquarters and the field in promoting legislative solutions. Crisscrossing the country, meeting with lawmakers and insurance executives, and working in partnership with industry trade groups, I was able to leverage our organization's diverse talents and resources to make a measurable legislative impact. It was a big challenge getting this government affairs programming underway but together as a team, we did.
As every NICB employee is aware, the bad guys are always scheming, hoping that we fail in our mission. Take it from someone who grew up on Chicago's south side in a family of law enforcement officers, we don't back down from this challenge. Whether it has been through our highly successful fraud and theft summits, our participation and leadership on state and national legislative task forces, the years we've spent supporting initiatives like the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, or our daily work in the halls of government buildings nationwide, we simply try to do our best.
Among my most gratifying professional achievements has been the opportunity to build the current government affairs team. Our Government Affairs Directors Alan Haskins and Tim Lynch, and Administrative Assistant Mary Bons, are talented, hard working experts, and it has been a pleasure watching them grow and succeed in their careers.
I believe the first step to success is loving what you do; and it's hard not to love the NICB. But more importantly, it's all about showing up every day ready to make a difference. During the past 20 years, I've been asked to wear many different hats — government affairs, public affairs, membership — and I've always tried to show up and accept the challenge. With a mission like the NICB's, it's too important not to.
Judy F.
Vice President Government Affairs