NAME: Jeff Lang
NEW JOB TITLE: Los Angeles-based executive vice president, national retail services practice leader, Venbrook Group LLC
PREVIOUS POSITION: Los Angeles-based executive vice president, property/casualty, West region, USI Insurance Services LLC
INDUSTRY OUTLOOK: The battlefield will be in data, how we use data to build and drive cultures and better serve our clients. Right now, the industry relies too much on process vs. people, talent, and true salesmanship. Going forward, there will be a trend toward more entrepreneurial approaches to using data to bring relevant solutions to our clients, which is exactly the culture I found at Venbrook and one which I will continue to foster.
GOALS FOR NEW POSITION: My No. 1 goal is to empower our sales teams, our producers and their support teams, to do what it takes to take care of our clients. If you take care of your people, they will take care of your clients.
CHALLENGES FACING THE INDUSTRY: The single biggest issue we face is an industrywide mature workforce. Theres a talent gap between the folks coming out of college and the folks retiring in the next 5-10 years, which will play a significant role in the way business is done. Middle market companies will be hit first. Those companies generating $50 million to $1 billion in revenue don’t have in-house risk managers to address their unique, sophisticated risk management needs. Our industry needs to address that gap and work toward transferring knowledge from more experienced talent to new and hungry talent to serve those companies.
FIRST EXPERIENCE IN THE INDUSTRY JOB MARKET: Back in 1993, I started as a trainee at Alexander & Alexander in the surety department.
ADVICE: First, network until you are exhausted and then network some more. Next, find a mentor and grow that relationship and seek out new mentors every 18 months or so, both inside and outside of the industry. Last, get professional designations and never stop learning.
OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRY, A DREAM JOB: Flight instructor is my dream job, but head chef at a restaurant is a close second.
COLLEGE MAJOR: Double major of communications and business marketing, with a minor in geophysics.
LOOKING FORWARD TO: Working with a great team at Venbrook. I have more resources at my fingertips here than Ive ever had before and thats exciting.
FAVOURITE MEAL: Anything Italian or Asian.
BOOK: Dantes Inferno
HOBBIES: Cooking and spending time with my kids.
TV SHOW: Depending on the mood, Billions or Seinfeld.
ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON: In the fall, especially: cook, watch college football and hang with my family and friends.
