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iamnamic

>>Ellen Melchionni, CAE, is president of the New York Insurance Association located in Albany, New York. Melchionni has served NYIA as a legislative analyst and vice president prior to her appointment as president on January 1, 2008. NYIA’s membership is composed of more than 70 auto, home, and business insurers, and has represented the industry in New York for more than 125 years.

On leadership…

I believe in hiring the most qualified people you can find within your budget, and giving those people the freedom to provide input and challenge themselves. Instilling a sense of ownership can be a great motivator. The people on our team take pride in their individual accomplishments, but fully recognize the overall success of the organization is the end goal.

One of the critical characteristics of leadership is being a good listener and keeping an open mind to change. When necessary, it is helpful to be able to gain consensus, but knowing when to stand alone is just as important. A good leader obviously finds ways to motivate people – that motivation factor may be different for each individual person. Great leaders are able to read people and understanding each person’s specific needs.

On professional responsibilities…

I am passionate about improving the image of the insurance industry. We provide a tremendous service to our policyholders and are a key to New York’s economy. Without insurance, most would not be able to afford the risk of owning their own home, business, or automobile. We provide millions of dollars in taxes and bonds and employ thousands across the state.

On the positive contributions of the industry…

After every catastrophe the insurance industry behaves in a professional and admirable manner. They pay millions in claims and help people put their lives back together following a tragedy. The actions of the property/casualty industry after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina were perfect examples. I am proud that post 9/11 we paid out more than $40 billion in claims and settled 33,000 complex claims. Recovery from this tragedy would not have been possible without insurance.