The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) today announces that Nina Boone of Aon and Linde Hotchkiss of Willis Towers Watson have been named winners of its 2019 Inclusion Champion Award. The award honors the extraordinary contributions of insurance industry professionals working to advance diversity within the field.
IICF also recognized Gisselle Acevedo of the Ackerman Institute for the Family and the Board of Governors at Farmers Insurance as this year’s Career Achievement Award winner. This award, first introduced at the 2017 IICF Women in Insurance Global Conference, honors those individuals whose cumulative body of work within the insurance profession represents the highest ideals, and real world implementation of championing diversity and inclusion through mentoring, talent development and advocacy to achieve a fully inclusive workplace.
A long and impressive list of global insurance professionals was nominated for these prestigious awards. All nominees can be viewed at: http://womensconference.iicf.org/award.html.
“We at IICF were elated with this year’s remarkable nominees and are particularly proud to congratulate the 2019 Inclusion Champion and Career Achievement Award winners,” said Betsy Myatt, IICF Women in Insurance Global Conference Chair and Executive Director of the IICF Northeast Division. “In a field of worthy nominees, these women are truly an inspiration, advocates for diversity and inclusion, and role models within the industry and community at large.”
The Inclusion Champion Award is bestowed by IICF on those individuals with a personal commitment to community service who provide leadership in the advancement of women in the workplace and diversity of all kinds. These nominees, who include members of the c-suite, sales, underwriting professionals and more from a variety of employers in the insurance space, are recognized and nominated by their industry colleagues.
A recognizable force within the industry, 2019 Inclusion Champion Nina Boone serves as Co-U.S. Sales Leader of Mergers and Acquisitions within the Transaction Solutions Group at Aon, and until recently, served as Chair of Aon’s U.S. Diversity and Inclusion Board from its inception in 2016. She has been lauded for leading discussions on unconscious bias and sharing observations based on data and legal decisions that have raised awareness and spurred action within the industry. Fellow winner Linde Hotchkiss serves as Region Leader for Large Accounts in the West and as San Diego Market Leader for Willis Towers Watson. Linde has been recognized for her efforts to promote the advancement of women while being respectful of all genders, and is known as an inspirational leader, mentor and passionate community member.
This year’s Career Achievement Award winner is also a leader in bolstering communities and advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives, particularly among those who society has largely ignored. Gisselle Acevedo is President and Chief Executive Offer of the Ackerman Institute, one of the nation’s top institutions for family therapy and training of marriage and family therapists. Gisselle has also served on the Farmers Insurance Board of Governors since 2001, where she has encouraged diversity of thought and has worked to promote the advancement of Latina women and women of color.
“The 2019 award winners represent, day in and day out, the great value of inclusive leadership by demonstrating diversity of thought, personalities, cultures and demographic backgrounds. This not only builds positive environments, it fuels innovation for the future of the insurance industry,” said Barbara Bufkin, Chair of the International Board of Governors for IICF and Executive Head of Business Development at Assurant. “Thank you to these honorees for helping us to champion and progress these important initiatives.”
This year’s award winners and all nominees will be honored at the IICF Women in Insurance Global Conference Dinner on Thursday, June 13, 2019. The conference runs from June 12-14 at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. Those wishing to attend the Women in Insurance Global Conference can register here: http://womensconference.iicf.org/registration.html.
About the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation
The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) is a unique nonprofit that unites the collective strengths of the insurance industry to help communities and enrich lives through grants, volunteer service and leadership. Established in 1994, IICF has served as the philanthropic foundation of the insurance industry for more than twenty-five years, contributing over $31 million in community grants along with 300,000 volunteer hours by more than 110,000 industry professionals. IICF reinvests locally where funds are raised, serving hundreds of charities and nonprofit organizations, for maximum community impact. IICF is a registered nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. Learn more at www.iicf.org or follow us on Twitter @doubleicf.