Leadership Award Recipients
2022 - Corporate Leader Award Winner
Mike James
Executive Vice President, NFP
Mike James is Executive Vice President, Head of Life and Wealth at NFP. Before joining the NFP family, he spent more than 14 years with John Hancock Financial Services where he was integral to building a thriving relationship between John Hancock and NFP. James' career began with an internship at John Hancock in 1991. In his time with NFP, James has grown the business in a variety of ways. Annual revenue from life, disability insurance and long-term care now exceeds $210 million, and he has played a central role in building NFP's wealth management business into a national powerhouse with AUM of $45 billion. He grew up in the life insurance industry, and has exceptional understanding of products and strategies, but he has also demonstrated an affinity to expand his expertise into wealth management. NFP continues to expand its world-class wealth management business, adding and growing assets, acquiring firms, and welcoming new advisors to the NFP community.
In an industry where diversity remains an area for growth, James has inspired many Black and Brown professionals to enter the financial services profession. He serves as a constant mentor to professionals at every stage of their careers, listening, learning and empowering them along the way. He motivates others by sharing details of his own journey, from the challenges he's faced to the choices he made to overcome them. While no two paths are the same, James' willingness to share his experiences helps others see themselves in his struggles and successes.
With a career that spans three decades, few can match James' knowledge of the business, ability to get the right people in the room to solve complex problems, and eagerness to give back to the profession and communities that he is a part of.
James is also an active member of Finseca (formerly AALU/GAMA), serving on the Executive Committee of their Board of Directors. In 2025, James will become the first Black member to serve as board chair in the organization's 65+ year history. James serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Suffolk University and The American College of Financial Services and is a passionate supporter of The American College's Conference for African American Financial Professionals (CAAFP). In 2020, James played an instrumental role in helping Nationwide create the Financial Alliance for Racial Equity (FARE), a coalition of industry peers and HBCUs focused on increasing the number of Black professionals entering the financial services industry.
2022 - Agent | Broker Leadership Excellence Award Winner
Eileen Frank
President, JP West
Frank is President, CEO and founder of JPWEST INC a full-service insurance brokerage and risk management firm, licensed in 50 states. Frank leads JP West in delivering property casualty brokerage and consulting services to municipal, environmental, hospital, university, construction, real estate and nonprofit risks. Frank has served as broker, risk management consultant for large complex risks including hospitals, housing authorities, and other public benefit corporations. As an underwriter Frank structured alternative risk programs for major accounts.
Prior to JP West, she served as Vice President/Director of Underwriting, Underwriting Operations and Compliance, at GAN North America Insurance Co., the U.S subsidiary of GAN Paris, (8th largest diversified financial institution in the world). Additionally, Frank acted as Risk Manager for GAN’s U.S. operations. As an officer of Commerce and Industry Insurance Co., a division of AIG and later as an officer of the Home Insurance Co. she built and managed profitable portfolios with premium volume in excess of $70 million and $143 million respectively. Frank served as an adjunct professor at the College of Insurance (currently embedded in St. John’s University) and Yeshiva University where she taught courses in Property-Casualty Contracts, Theories of Liability and P&C business practices to undergraduate students, underwriters and producers. She also served as an adjunct professor at the Howard University School of Business and Insurance.
Ms. Frank served as Chair of the Conference of Special Risk Underwriters (“CSRU”). She served as President of the National Insurance Industry Association (“NIIA”). Ms. Frank served on the boards of the NAAIA, APIW and the IIABNY, insurance industry associations. She was appointed as a Commissioner of the New York State Insurance Fund.
2022 - Emerging Leader Award Winner
Owie Lee Agbontaen
AVP, Regional Underwriting Executive, Sompo International
Agbontaen is AVP, Regional Underwriting Executive and Business Development at Sompo International. Currently, he leads the business development in IL, MN, WI, ND, and SD supporting growth of all product lines from a broker/carrier relationship standpoint. Prior to his current role, he grew Midwest Middle Market book ground up to $15M in just over 3.5 years. He cofounded the Chicago Chapter of Young Risk Professionals and currently serves as the Vice Chair and Dir. Of Finance on the board, he is a mentor for HFS Chicago, an organization that helps underserved Chicago high school students succeed in and out of the classroom by providing educational mentoring, college readiness and academic excellence programs , and was a founding board member of the NAAIA Boston Chapter prior to move to Chicago. Agbontaen gave talks for the Dive-in Festival and the Women in Insurance Conference.
2022 - NAAIA Chapter of the Year Award Winner
2021 - Corporate Leader Award Winner
Errica Rivera
Culture and Inclusion Lead
State Auto Insurance Companies
As the culture and inclusion lead at State Auto Insurance Companies, Errica Rivera spearheads the development of the company’s culture strategy and the implementation of engaging D&I initiatives. She has a passion for promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace and helping develop future business leaders, and she has participated in and organized various community initiatives designed to target diverse audiences.
“Some ask why I stay in an industry where there is such a lack of diversity or lack of obvious intent to change,” Rivera says. “I stay because I truly believe in what is possible and have the courage to be a part of that change wherever possible. The notable progress that I’ve experienced over the years was accomplished with much-needed laser-focused effort, reliable allies and the constant probe of fearless leaders consistently asking themselves ‘What can I do next?’ Spoiler alert: This work is not easy and will be frustrating but extremely rewarding. Look for opportunities to lean in, reach back, push up and press forward.”
Currently, Rivera serves on the Insurance Council of Texas Education Foundation board of trustees, the Harding University board of trustees, the University of Texas at Dallas risk management advisory council, and the boards of the Texas Risk and Insurance Professionals Society and the national InVEST Program. She is also a member of the steering committee for the IICF Women in Insurance Forum (Southeast division) and the founder of the Harding University African American Alumni Association. In 2019, Rivera received the Insurance Industry Leader of the Year Award from the NAAIA Dallas-Fort Worth chapter.
2021 - Agent | Broker Leadership Excellence Award Winner
Dale Sharpe Jenkins
President
The Jenkins Agency
Dale is the founder and a principal owner of The Jenkins Agency, Inc. where she is responsible for strategic planning and client development. Dale currently works with public sector accounts in Texas providing risk management services that include risk management training; risk management department process reviews and procedure manual development, internal and third-party administrator claim audits and owner-controlled insurance placement administration. She has also provides insurance placement.
2021 - Emerging Leader Award Winner
Fela Abioye
Executive Team Lead, Middle Market Underwriting
The Hartford
Fela Abioye has spent the last decade in the insurance industry, the majority of it at The Hartford. He started his career as a workers’ compensation claims representative in Texas before being promoted to a workers’ compensation team leader, overseeing a satellite claims office in Las Vegas and a remote claims team. After six years in claims, he transitioned to commercial middle-market underwriting.
In addition to recently being promoted to executive team lead at The Hartford, Abioye currently serves as vice chair and volunteer chair for the Houston associate board of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation and is a board member of the Houston chapter of the National African American Insurance Association. He’s also working on securing his CPCU designation.
Recently, Abioye completed a program called Acceler8, which focused on social interaction, emotional intelligence, leveraging one’s network and developing an entrepreneur mindset. He says it helped him sharpen his interpersonal skills, enhancing how he communicates and positively impacts those around him.
2019 - Corporate Leader Award Winner
Chevon A. Brooks, Esq.
Managing Partner
Brooks, Berne & Herndon PLLC
Chevon Andre Brooks, Esq. is a founding member of the law firm, Brooks, Berne & Herndon, PLLC. He is an insurance and litigation defense attorney who concentrates his practice on the areas of property and casualty matters in both federal and state courts. Mr. Brooks has extensive appellate experience which is a valuable asset in handling client matters from inception through appeal when necessary. He currently handles civil litigation defense and insurance coverage litigation, excess/umbrella coverage, labor and employment law and construction related matters, Federal Civil Rights 42 U.S.C. §1983 and municipal liability, premises and products liability, asbestos exposure, motor vehicle, workers’ compensation defense and general negligence cases.He is a former Assistant Corporate Counsel for the City of New York and former Managing Partner for the New York and New Jersey offices of a national law firm, Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, PA.
Chevon is committed to using his position to promote and ensure that he hires, retains and mentors minority attorneys. Additionally, his commitment to the education and advancement of youths is reflected in his work with the Thurgood Marshall Program under the Metropolitan Black Bar Association.
2019 - Agent | Broker Leadership Excellence Award Winner
Tony Lee
Managing Partner
Dickerson Insurance Services
A native of Oakland, California, Tony Lee began his career with Dickerson Insurance Services in1997. For the last 15 years, Tony Lee has been Dickerson’s Chief Executive Officer. Tony was recently appointed to the position of Managing Partners for Dickerson when the firm was acquired by The Alerta Group. Prior to the acquisition, Dickerson Insurance Services was the largest African American owned brokerage firm in the nation. Tony grew the company from 20 employees to over 70. Dickerson revenue went from 10 million in 1997 to over 30 million in 2018,
Under his leadership, Dickerson has assembled one of the most diverse firms in the nation, Per Tony, "eight languages are spoken by our staff and that is by design". Tony's extensive impact includes the training and development of talented young professionals who continue to enjoy outstanding careers through their work at Dickerson and/or competitor companies i.e., Marsh, Aon, Gallagher, etc.
Tony is a civic and community leader on many different levels, i.e., LA Urban League Board; St Joseph Center for the Homeless Board, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force for the Cannibis Trade Federation, etc.
2019 - Emerging Leader Award Winners
Cedric Wilson
Regional Director
The Hartford
Upon graduation from Morehouse College, Cedric Wilson started his insurance career at Alexander Insurance Agency, a black owned business in Birmingham, AL. After five years of learning from his mentor, Jeff Drew, the son of John Drew, he took on a role at The Hartford as a Small Commercial Underwriter in Charlotte, NC.
In 2012, Cedric moved to Nashville, TN as a Middle Market Underwriter . His outstanding contributions and performance garnered recognition which led to his winning of the company’s top sales award, Honor’s Circle, four years in a row.
In 2017, Cedric again relocated to Washington, DC where he managed a $60M book and helped to build a diverse team of underwriters to grow a profitable book of business with Hartford’s Middle & Large Commercial teams.Since being in his current role, Cedric has twice received the company's Chairman's Award, the highest employee award for the company.
Throughout his career with The Hartford, Cedric has served as a mentor for two Employee Resource Groups -- Black Insurance Professional Network and Gay & Lesbian Organization Benefiting Everyone. Cedric's goal is to create an environment where the ideas of employees are shared and celebrated!
Denise Campbell
AVP National Accounts| New York Zone
AIG
Denise Campbell is Assistant Vice President, National Accounts at AIG. In her position, she works with and services AIG’s most engaged major accounts by managing relationships with risk managers, insurance buyers and key client executives and some of the company's largest trading partners.
Denise started her professional journey working at Atlantic Records. After obtaining her Bachelors of Science in Music Technology degree at NYU, in 2008, she joined AIG’s multinational department as an administrative assistant. Over the course of the next several years, Denise's work and contributions earned her recognition and the opportunity to advance to a Business Analyst within the same department. In this role she discovered a passion for communications and was promoted to Communication Specialist. Between 2015 and early 2019, Denise worked as a Business Development Manager within AIG’s New York Region, working with AIG’s distribution partners to grow relationships and premium across all lines of business within their commercial products.
Denise is an inclusive leader with AIG's award-winning NY Black Professional Employee Resource Group. While serving as president of that group, the ERG won Global ERG Awards in consecutive years for "Best Strategic Business Programs".
