Episodes

  • Don’t Answer Their Question, Solve Their Problem

    Don’t Answer Their Question, Solve Their Problem
    Jun 29 2026
    During the 2026 Employee Benefits Leadership Forum in May, the outgoing chair of The Council of Employee Benefits Executives (CEBE), Lisa Hawker, sat down with Kerry Finnegan, former senior partner at Mercer and also a past CEBE board chair, now a senior advisor at Oliver Wyman. CEBE is the executive committee that guides The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers government affairs team in benefits-related advocacy and policy decisions. The two discussed a range of topics, including the changing role of the benefits broker and the plan sponsor in an environment of increased fiduciary duty, talent and training in the AI era, and advice for new CEBE Chair Ken Olson, vice president of EB growth at BroadStreet Partners.
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    17 mins
  • Insurance Talent Problem? There’s AI for That

    Insurance Talent Problem? There’s AI for That
    Jun 22 2026
    Eric Rentsch, Zywave’s chief product officer and head of emerging markets, talks with Leader’s Edge onsite at the 2026 Employee Benefits Leadership Forum. The conversation centers around AI use in insurance industry operations and covers issues including embedding AI more effectively into existing workflows, roadblocks to implementation and strategies for overcoming them, how to measure AI ROI, and that recent industry uproar over AI being used in personal lines distribution.
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    18 mins
  • Unearthing the Disconnect in Perceived Benefits Value

    Unearthing the Disconnect in Perceived Benefits Value
    Jun 10 2026
    Speaking with Leader’s Edge onsite at the 2026 Employee Benefits Leadership Forum, Jon Trevisan, vice president and head of distribution for group insurance at Prudential, shares takeaways from Prudential’s recently published research in its Benefits and Beyond series. The conversation covers employees’ financial strain and the trade-offs they make as a result, the effects on their mental and physical health, employers’ response, and the disconnect between employers’ and employees’ view of benefits value.
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    19 mins
  • The Canadian Benefits Brief

    The Canadian Benefits Brief
    Jun 8 2026
    Recorded live at The Council's Employee Benefits Leadership Forum, Leader's Edge Podcast Producer Zach Ewell sits down with Massimo Nini, SVP of Consulting, Underwriting, and Actuarial at AGA Benefit Solutions. Nini maps out the Canadian healthcare landscape, by comparing and contrasting the American healthcare system with its northern neighbor. From the rise of GLP-1s to evolving healthcare legislation impacting the province of Alberta, this conversation dives deep into the trends reshaping the Canadian market.
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    19 mins
  • Affordable, Transparent, Simple Healthcare

    Affordable, Transparent, Simple Healthcare
    May 25 2026
    A conversation with Dan Kueter, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Employer and Individual. One of the most crucial topics discussed in healthcare coverage today is the challenge of affordability. Diving right in, Dan Kueter discusses where employers are most focused in dealing with healthcare coverage affordability and how they see it affecting their workforces. Other issues like plan simplicity and transparency are also key ingredients for creating a more sustainable system for healthcare consumers, he says.
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    20 mins
  • Personal Lines with Jessica Jung

    Personal Lines with Jessica Jung
    May 21 2026
    Q&A with the Jessica Jung, President of Oswald.
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    23 mins
  • Don’t Overthink It

    Don’t Overthink It
    May 18 2026
    As life grows increasingly complex, exemplified today by the risk and promise of artificial intelligence, it can be easy to become frozen with overthinking about the next steps, says author Daniel Pink. But sometimes life demands more action and less analysis, he believes. Speaking to Leader’s Edge Editor in Chief Sandy Laycox and Podcast Producer Zach Ewell at The Council’s Operations Leadership Forum, Pink talks through different ways to approach our lives during this “fricking weird” state of the world. From figuring out how to stay motivated without false optimism, writing down the things we want to stop doing, or learning how to give better feedback, Pink shares useful and well-researched advice for daily life.
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    25 mins
  • Navigating the DEI Legal Landscape

    Navigating the DEI Legal Landscape
    May 11 2026
    In this episode, Leader’s Edge Editor in Chief Sandy Laycox sits down with David Glasgow, a leading legal expert in diversity, equity, and inclusion, to unpack the rapidly shifting legal landscape surrounding workplace DEI programs. Glasgow walks through the cases he’s watching most closely, explaining why they could have far-reaching implications for employers across industries, and how the current administration has intensified legal pressure on organizations committed to DEI initiatives. For employers who remain committed to building inclusive workplaces, Glasgow offers practical, legally sound strategies to advance DEI goals while reducing exposure to litigation.
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    22 mins