Big "I" InsurTech Summit

in conjunction with the 
Fortified Inaugural Mid-Year Meeting 

 Birmingham, Alabama |  August 10, 2023

Hyatt Regency Birmingham – The Wynfrey Hotel

Big "I" InsurTech Summit Panel Discussion 

The Big "I" and Fortified presented the next Big "I' InsurTech Summitt as part of the Fortified Inaugural Mid-year Meeting, in Birmingham, Alabama. The tech-focused collaboration occurred on August 10 from 8:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Together, we brought experts to help independent agents demystify InsurTech. The session was designed to empower attendees with strategies to leverage technology to further the success of their agency. Industry trailblazers provided tactical action steps to best leverage sales and marketing technology. 

Meet the Panelist

Adam Kiefer
CEO, Talage

Adam Kiefer is the executive chairman and founder of Talage, an insurance software company focused on developing digital distribution solutions for commercial insurance that transforms the submission management process for agents, brokers, and insurance companies. He founded Talage with the idea of making it simpler to sell insurance. His career started with ABD Insurance, then Wells Fargo Insurance. Spending time in the agency and brokerage world, his understanding of agency operations was forged. From there Adam moved up the distribution channel to Employers Insurance Group and saw firsthand the effects of efficiency (or lack thereof) on independent insurance agencies and brokerages. His unique experience and perspectives have given him the experience to build Talage into the preeminent Submission Management Platform.

Charles Thompson
President, Berkley Management Protection

As president of Berkley Management Protection, an Operating Unit of W.R. Berkley, Charles is an influential leader dedicated to revolutionizing insurance services through simplification and digitization. His primary objective is to empower agents by streamlining carrier operations, enabling agents to focus on delivering optimal service to their clients. Over 27 years, Charles has consistently driven innovation by implementing cutting-edge technology solutions in traditional manual operating models by leveraging third party data and modern APIs. His expertise has allowed him to successfully launch insurance products both domestically and globally, establishing multiple distribution channels to reach small businesses and global enterprises.  Charles continues to drive innovation, champion customer-centric approaches, and establish fruitful partnerships that facilitate better service delivery. 

Lou Moran III
Chair, Big I” InsurTech Taskforce
Big “I” Executive Committee Member
President, Inter-Agency Insurance Service, Knoxville, TN

Lou III is in line to be national Big “I” Chairman beginning in September 2025. Previously, he represented Tennessee as a board member of the Big “I,” and he has served on the national InsurPac and the Government Affairs committees. He is currently the liaison to the Big “I” InsurPac Board, Invest, Agency Administrative Services, the Cooperative Technology Committee, the Eagle Agency Alliance taskforce, and he chairs the new InsurTech Taskforce. He also serves on the Finance Committee. Lou III joined his father’s insurance agency in 1985 and continues to make a name for himself in the independent agency channel. Through his career, he has served multiple board terms with the Insurors of Tennessee, from President of the Insurors of Knoxville to President of the State Association

Chip Bacciocco
CEO, TrustedChoice.com

Charles “Chip” Bacciocco is the CEO of TrustedChoice.com, the nation’s largest online marketing platform for independent insurance agents and IA insurance companies. Prior to joining TrustedChoice.com in 2012, Chip served in multiple roles over his 30-year career in the insurance industry, including as COO of Aon Private Risk Management Services, Inc., senior vice president of product strategy at Zywave and vice president of e-business application development at Arthur J Gallagher & Co. Chip is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.

Chris Cline
Executive Director, Agents Council for Technology

Through Chris Cline’s 25+ years in the insurance industry, he has established himself as an industry resource for topics such as perpetuation, merger and acquisition, culture, agency operations, marketing and sales, data and analytics, and has had multiple speaking engagements around these topics. In spring of 2022, Chris assumed leadership of the Agents Council for Technology as ACT’s executive director. In his prior carrier roles, Chris led a team focused on the entire agency life cycle and has experiences ranging from graphic design, marketing, sales, training, compliance, and personal lines leadership. With his life-long focus on continual learning (a closet science geek), Chris has developed a passion for the IA channel and helping agencies across key strategic areas such as perpetuation, hiring, culture, DE&I, data/analytics, the customer, information security, and technology.   He was also the inquisitive and thought-provoking host of the award-winning podcast, Closing the Gap.