News Releases

M Financial Group Named as 2024 Hosting Member

NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ACORD, the global standards-setting body for the insurance industry, announced today that its annual ACORD Connect virtual conference will be held on November 7^th, co-hosted with M Financial Group.

This year's conference will focus on driving market-wide innovation through community-driven data standards development, ACORD Life & Annuity (L&A) Standards updates to facilitate automated underwriting processes, and an industry spotlight on insurance careers and the future of STEM-driven roles.

The conference will also provide attendees with valuable training and insights into ACORD Standards & Architecture, the latest case studies and developments in ACORD implementation, and an opportunity to hear from peers in the global insurance community.

"Every year, we look forward to ACORD Connect as an opportunity to celebrate our member community, share critical insurance knowledge, and discuss how we can work together to advance the industry," said ACORD CEO Bill Pieroni. "We are especially delighted to welcome M Financial Group as this year's Hosting Member – their vision, leadership, and advocacy have been key to our initiatives facilitating automated life insurance underwriting. ACORD Connect gives us an opportunity to recognize them, and our many other members collaborating to ensure interoperability and the efficient exchange of insurance information."

Notable events at this year's conference will include:

• "A Rising Tide: The Power of Community-Driven Data Standards" - Opening keynote discussing the opportunity and impact of community-driven data standards, featuring Cassandra Vukorep (Chief Data Officer, Lloyd's), Jeanann Smith (Director, Product Management, DTCC) and Douglas Uss (Data Lead, Hudson Insurance Group).
  
  
• "The Future Starts Now: Building a Pipeline of Insurance Talent" - Closing keynote addressing the insurance industry's collective investment in talent, featuring Christina Lucas (Global Head of Industry Advisory, Guidewire), Ying Zhao (Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company), Gillian Gunnink (Global Head of Innovation & Digital Business Enablement, AIG) and Sastry Durvasula (Chief Information & Client Services Officer, TIAA); and moderated by Margaret Resce Milkint (Global Insurance Practice Leader, Diversified Search Group).

ACORD Connect will also include the presentation of the annual ACORD Awards, which recognize organizations and individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in ACORD implementation and advocacy. ACORD Award nominations are due by September 27^th.

To register for 2024 ACORD Connect, view the agenda, or learn more about the event, visit www.acordconnect.org. To learn more about the ACORD Awards, visit www.acord.org/awards.

ABOUT ACORD

ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) is the global standards-setting body for the insurance and related financial services industries. ACORD facilitates fast, accurate data exchange and efficient workflows through the development of electronic standards, standardized forms, and tools to support their use. ACORD engages thousands of insurance and reinsurance companies, agents and brokers, software providers, financial services organizations and industry associations in more than 100 countries. ACORD maintains offices in New York and London. Learn more at www.acord.org.

SOURCE ACORD