Meeting Information

John Neal has over 20 years' experience in both personal and commercial lines insurance company operations with specific emphasis in the areas of risk management, risk analysis and risk financing. Within the Personal Lines market, John supported Farmers Insurance expansion into seven new Eastern states. Within Liberty Mutual's Commercial Market Lines, John was Manager of Analysis for Risk Management Solutions where he managed a team of twelve Risk Management Consultants responsible for supporting Liberty Mutual's Commercial Market Distribution and Service Management Department. John provided analytical support for consulting projects, risk financing design and structuring, finite (financial) insurance products, cost allocation projects, loss analysis, captive support, and industry benchmarking. Currently, John is the Risk and Operations Manager at Cleanetics, a design-build clean room specialist serving an array of industries.

John has also held positions as a Senior Risk Financing Analyst and Risk Management Consultant. Prior to entering the insurance and risk management field, John worked ten years in the pollution control and medical device industries as a chemical and manufacturing engineer, accountant, and financial manager.

John's academic background includes a BS from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. He earned his CRM designation in 2005 and has been a CRM National Faculty member for The National Alliance since 2005. Currently, John supports faculty development for both CIC and CRM curriculums and also serves as an educational consultant.

Mike Russell has worked with insurance companies for over two decades and is currently the personal lines Product Manager for Goodville Mutual Insurance. An active supporter of the National Alliance since 2013, Mike earned the CIC designation in 2015, and has since led many team members to obtain their designations as well. He serves locally on the All-Industry Day committee for the Central Illinois CPCU Society, introducing the rewarding world of insurance careers to college students in Illinois.

Armed with leadership in claims, product development and sales, Mike encompasses a unique background. Holding an undergraduate degree in Education, a master’s degree in business and five years of teaching experience in the private sector, he kicked off his insurance career as an auto claims adjuster. Highlights include catastrophe response teams in the Gulf States, and the claims arbitration board in Salt Lake City, Utah. He later increased territory profitability and premium as a Territory Manager and again as a National Marketing Manager based in Des Moines, IA. He has hosted large agent training events, golf tournaments and Ragnar relay races. As a Product Manager and Director of Product Management he tracked company profitability strategies for Home, Auto, and Umbrella lines, led policy form updates and product reviews, and ensured regulatory compliance.