(2600) Expert Panel: Becoming an Agency Preferred Carrier

Content Level: Intermediate

Personas: Carrier - Underwriting Manager, Carrier - Product Manager, Carrier - Distribution Manager, Carrier - Sales & Marketing Representative, Carrier - Tech/Development Representative

Products: Ask Kodiak, Ivans Download, Ivans Distribution Platform, Ivans Marketing Insights, Ivans Benchmarks, Ivans Bookroll, Cytora

Monday, September 28, 2026

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM East Coast USA Time

Applied Moderator(s)

Valerie Stratton

Strategic Product Advisor
Applied Systems, Oregon

Panelist(s)

Amanda M. Edlin

House Business Team Leader
Sterling G Thompson Co
Louisville , Kentucky
Jake N. Ferrara

CIO
StreetSmart Insurance
Freehold, New Jersey
Kathy Bova

Vice President of Operations
ASNOA
Downers Grove, Illinois
IB

Ia Bater

In this agent‑led panel, experienced agents share candid insight into what truly influences their carrier relationships and what separates a preferred partner from the rest.

Designed for carrier leaders and teams, this session offers a direct line to agency perspectives on what drives placement decisions, long‑term partnerships, and loyalty. Panelists will discuss the attributes, behaviors, and experiences that matter most when agencies choose where to place business, drawing from real‑world interactions across underwriting, service, technology, and collaboration.

This session is an opportunity for carriers to listen, learn, and better understand how agencies evaluate carrier partners today and what it takes to become a carrier of choice in a competitive marketplace.

Learning Objectives:

7/14/26 - All panels except kathy Bova participated.