Leadership Insights
After heading back to the KAIA office from
the Capitol, the event continued with updates
from Kansas Farm Bureau General Counsel
Terry Holdren, Insurance Commissioner
Vicki Schmidt, Senator Robert Olson, and
Representative Jene Vickery.
Commissioner Schmidt shared operational
changes during her first eight weeks in
office, offered some statistics from the Kansas
Insurance Department, and let our members
know about her process in familiarizing
herself with the department.
“Before I took office, I met with all of
the employees in the office in 20-minute
increments, and set them up as meet-and-greets,
rather than interviews,” Schmidt said. “My legislative
background has taught me that if you know things
about people, it’s easier to start those relationships.
Meeting 91 people in about a week and a half is
overwhelming to a mind like mine, but it very
much gave me a sense of what’s going on in the
department.”
Senator Olson and Terry Holdren both spoke about
SB32, a bill allowing the Kansas Farm Bureau to
provide health benefits to their members.
“I love that bill because I think it adds options
for our consumers, especially in rural areas or
consumers in small business,” said Senator Olson.
“I think it gives flexibility and another option, and
I like options. I like what it did in Tennessee. It’s
stabilized prices and in some cases brought prices
down. I’m all for things like this that can help grow
the rural economy.”
Representative Jene Vickery took time out of his
day at the State House and update us on Insurance
Committee happenings on the House side.
Continued on next page.
| March - April 2019 | KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER
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