Editor's Letter

Credit the Leaders

By: | December 1, 2013

Dan Reynolds is editor-in-chief of Risk & Insurance. He can be reached at [email protected].

Most of us have been there. A challenge is presented. An opportunity beckons. There are lots of opinions about the best way forward. Some of those opinions can get quite pointed.

It’s easy to opine, to verbalize your thoughts about the right road to take … when you’re not the one driving.

But who will lead? Who will step forward and shoulder the responsibility for the venture, in effect taking the livelihoods of hundreds, perhaps thousands of co-workers, not to mention customers, in their hands?

Aye, that is the question isn’t it?

Our cover story this month is about Peter Eastwood, the AIG veteran who now holds the reins at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance.

When I spoke with Eastwood in New York in early November, a chilling rain was sweeping Lower Manhattan. But at a point deep into our conversation, he turned to watch the sun’s rays breaking through pewter skies.

His countenance and tone did not alter significantly regardless of the weather. That’s what leaders do, isn’t it?

They take the bad with the good, keep their eyes on the horizon and keep the ship not only afloat but moving forward.

Eastwood is not the only executive we profile this month.There are nine additional insurance carrier executives that we are shining a light on in these pages. Each of them has taken on a significant challenge, or has been given even greater responsibility than they already shoulder.

Leading is not easy. So we salute these leaders, as we do Eastwood for taking on that weight.

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