Ken Crerar
Crerar is CEO of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers. Under Crerar's leadership, The Council has expanded six-fold and solidified its position as the leading representative of the most successful insurance brokers in the nation and globally. The Council is currently home to 75 of the Top 100 largest brokers of U.S. business. Crerar's initiatives include The Council Academy, which provides leadership and talent development resources to CIAB member firms; The Council Foundation, which supports industry research and assists in attracting and developing the brokerage workforce of the future through internships and scholarships; and the creation of Leader’s Edge. Crerar also spearheaded The Council's efforts to create The World Federation of Insurance Intermediaries. A graduate of Connecticut College, Crerar began his career in Washington as special assistant to Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn.

Brokerage Ops
A Leader to Emulate
A Tribute to Tom Motamed, Former Chairman and CEO, CNA
May 29, 2023

Industry
Chatter in a Box
Generative artificial intelligence has a ways to go before it catches up to smar...
April 30, 2023

Brokerage Ops
The Upside of Decline
Combining the innovation of youth and the sagacity of age, the industry
could b...
April 2, 2023

Industry
Shaping the Future
The Council’s leadership will be undergoing a transition in 2023, and we could...
January 17, 2023

Industry
Midterm Mania
Stakes were high, and people showed up. That, in and of itself, is a victory.
December 1, 2022

Brokerage Ops
A New Pilot for Your Pipeline
The Council is launching a new RMI certificate program in partnership with the U...
November 1, 2022

Brokerage Ops
Ode to the Interns
This year’s group was smart, lively and dynamic. If we’re lucky, we’ll be ...
September 1, 2022

Brokerage Ops
Taking Pride in DE&I
Meaningful support for your employees and colleagues should be all-encompassing.
July 6, 2022

Brokerage Ops
Where the Rubber Meets the Road
The challenge of keeping up can put companies in a tailspin. Focus on your core ...
May 31, 2022

Industry
Call Me, Maybe?
While it has been a lifesaver for businesses worldwide, spending all day videoco...
May 1, 2022

Industry
Expect the Expected
Today’s way of transacting business within the commercial insurance sector nee...
February 28, 2022

Industry
Days Go Slow, Years Go Fast
In looking at the worthwhile changes we gained from the pandemic, there is much ...
November 30, 2021

Industry
Recall Your Purpose
Moving forward with ILF was an impossible decision, but leaning on our mission m...
November 1, 2021

Brokerage Ops
A Lion, an Oak Tree, and a Dash of Spice
Culture is critical to any environment. We set out to capture ours.
August 31, 2021

Brokerage Ops
There’s No Secret Sauce
The sand is changing under your feet every day. That’s life as a leader.
July 20, 2021

Brokerage Ops
Same World but Different
Technological innovation has forced the need for business transformation. It’s...
June 1, 2021

Industry
All Eyes on M&A
At the end of the day, some may gain, others may lose, and the result is bound t...
May 2, 2021

Industry
Being Our Whole Selves
Our differences should be celebrated…especially in the workplace.
March 26, 2021

Industry
Full Steam Ahead
Strong leaders reflect on the past to prepare for the future.
January 15, 2021

Industry
Stuck on Pause
Will this fall’s election be accepted, or will we remain at loggerheads? Or wo...
October 30, 2020

Brokerage Ops
The Polls Are Open
The most important message I have this month is to vote.
October 14, 2020

Industry
Autopilot...Off
It’s time for leadership to mean something different than beating ourselves up...
August 25, 2020

Industry
It Starts with Us
We need to listen with open hearts, commit to educating ourselves, and show comp...
June 18, 2020

Brokerage Ops
Walk This Way
Prioritizing your employees’ well-being helps improve your company’s well-be...
May 31, 2020

Brokerage Ops
The Gift of Resilience
A holistic approach to leadership at the perfect time of year.
December 1, 2019

Brokerage Ops
It Doesn't Hurt to Be Human
This is a time for the industry to do good to do better.
October 1, 2019

Industry
Making Strides and Planting Stakes
Our industry is making progress on technology. No, really. It is.
July 12, 2019

Brokerage Ops
Build It and They Will Come
We must grow, wander and innovate to keep pace with business transformation.
May 24, 2019

Brokerage Ops
M&A 101: What “Right” Looks Like for You
Take the time to fully understand the culture of each organization at the table.
March 28, 2019

Brokerage Ops
Building a Culture That Works
Our biggest issue is not the attraction of talent. Our biggest issue is culture.
March 1, 2019

Brokerage Ops
Come On In, The Water’s Fine
Untapped pools of talent could make a difference in your firm.
November 29, 2018

Brokerage Ops
Stand Up and Be Counted
Politics and D&I are not easy topics, but they shouldn’t be difficult to talk ...
October 31, 2018

Brokerage Ops
At Your Service
Societal changes are requiring firms to keep up, especially in the hunt for tale...
September 27, 2018

Brokerage Ops
Uncover Your Friction Points and Gaps
Diversity accountability achieves a competitive business advantage.
May 22, 2018

Brokerage Ops
From Abstract to Action
Diversity and inclusion initiatives are not the same thing.
May 1, 2018

Industry
The Uphill Battle
We’re past due on moving diversity and inclusion initiatives forward.
March 27, 2018

Brokerage Ops
Your Customer Consort
Client demands are changing the reigning delivery model.
February 27, 2018

Brokerage Ops
Defining Leadership
It took nine drafts of this column before I finally surrendered to the printer.
September 5, 2017

Industry
All Eyes on Health Insurtech
The time is now for brokers to get educated and engaged so they can be proactive...
May 25, 2017

Brokerage Ops
Don’t Miss the (Customer Service) Boat
It’s win or lose with every interaction.
April 26, 2017

Brokerage Ops
The Great Divide
The most troubling election in recent history calls for a united response.
November 28, 2016

Brokerage Ops
Tough Times Call for Tough People
In this new world, authenticity and true leadership will prevail.
October 6, 2016

Brokerage Ops
Appreciation Is Forever
We all share in the responsibility of shaping the future.
August 28, 2016

Brokerage Ops
Ode to the Underdogs
The world of employee benefits is bypassing its own funeral procession and diggi...
July 27, 2016

Brokerage Ops
It’s all about the hustle, baby.
Adapting over time is essential to corporate success.
July 26, 2016

Industry
Going Global, at Home and Abroad
The Council strives to give you a voice in global industry affairs.
May 2, 2016

Brokerage Ops
What If We Don’t?
Don’t let the talent challenge become the reason you don’t move. The future ...
March 29, 2016

Brokerage Ops
Ch’ch’ch’ Changes
Look around you. They may not be at your front door, but have you checked your b...
February 23, 2016

Lifestyle
Take the Risk
What would you accomplish if you weren’t afraid? Who would you be?
November 24, 2015

Brokerage Ops
Ideas Aplenty
This issue will pile more suggestions in your in-basket.
October 30, 2015

Brokerage Ops
Old Men, Shady Characters, Dull Cubicles
A good summer read: opening eyes, putting minds at ease and changing millennial ...
August 27, 2015

Brokerage Ops
Making Technology Fit
Our biggest opportunities are our own vulnerabilities as an industry.
July 27, 2015

Industry
When Pigs Fly
The Cadillac tax would be the first tax on employee benefits in U.S. history. Bi...
June 1, 2015

Brokerage Ops
The Black Hole
Growing demand for cyber-risk protection increases coverage complexities, highli...
April 29, 2015

Brokerage Ops
Holacracy. Really?
We owe it to ourselves to at least understand how it works and what its impact m...
March 25, 2015

Brokerage Ops
Information Rich, Knowledge Poor
Data affects your firm top to bottom, left to right, and it’s not just an IT i...
February 23, 2015

Brokerage Ops
No Looking Back
It’s the disrupters who made a real impact on our business, our lives and the ...
December 1, 2014

Brokerage Ops
We Have Completely Lost Touch
In a meeting, you are everything that doesn’t come across in texts, tweets and...
September 30, 2014

Brokerage Ops
The Council’s Got Talent
Jargon intimidates most young adults and cause many to shy away from pursuing in...
August 28, 2014

Industry
Goodwill Hunting
Property-casualty FATCA reporting is absurd, but we were forced to make a choice...
July 17, 2014

Brokerage Ops
The Coffee’s Moving in the Right Direction
Tiny steps can improve your value and direction.
April 1, 2014

Brokerage Ops
Charting Your Course
Learn to question what’s crucial while always staying afloat in uncertain time...
November 25, 2013

Industry
Changing Winds
McKinsey study shows the small-agent landscape is being swept away, altering our...
October 30, 2013

Brokerage Ops
Day One All Over Again
Leading the way through 100 years of change, we pause briefly, then move on.
October 1, 2013

Brokerage Ops
Being Fluent in Technology
Differentiators put many of our members at a market advantage.
July 15, 2013

Health+Benefits
Educate and Empower
Let’s take on the challenge to create a better future for our industry and our...
May 22, 2013

Brokerage Ops
It’s Not About New
We enable collaboration to empower competitors to become disruptors.
April 22, 2013

Brokerage Ops
Dirty Little Word
What exactly is it that makes people so uncomfortable?
March 27, 2013

Brokerage Ops
Diversify Your Thinking
Your clientele is more diverse than ever, yet your office looks like it did a ge...
February 27, 2013

Lifestyle
Older & Wiser: The Council at 100
It takes leadership and smart thinking to be sustainable.
January 24, 2013

Lifestyle
So What Have We Learned?
The 2012 election is behind us. The world hasn’t ended, our legs haven’t bee...
December 11, 2012

Brokerage Ops
No Magic Bullet
It’s not what keeps you up at night but, rather, what gets you up in the morni...
November 11, 2012

Industry
A Check, Then a Stalemate
Writing a check to a Super PAC hasn’t added substance to the political discour...
September 12, 2012

Industry
Digital Disruption
The blazing speed of technological change is forcing you to change the way you d...
August 11, 2012

Brokerage Ops
Pull Up a Chair
Is your competition comfortable with you speaking up for them?
June 11, 2012

Lifestyle
Disruptive Change Jumpstarts Innovation
Don’t let what you know limit your imagination.
May 11, 2012

Industry
Compete and Thrive
As The Council enters a new century, we embrace change because that’s what bre...
February 11, 2012

Industry
Think Different. Think Forward.
Let’s turn our industry upside down and shatter the status quo.
November 1, 2011

Industry
A Ding in the Universe
Great leadership strives to be a force for disruptive change in this industry.
October 1, 2011

Industry
Reckless and Risky Behavior
Your firm’s financial future depends on you being politically engaged. Just lo...
September 9, 2011

Industry
Change Is Never Easy
Replacing inconsistency and conflict with a single state regulatory system for s...
July 9, 2011

Industry
Yes, I Rant
The industry needs this to remain competitive. Distribution is critical.
June 1, 2011