IAIR 2023 TDS SpeakersIAIR 2023 TDS Co-Chairs
Attorney, Austin Texas James Kennedy is a graduate of the University of Texas and the University of Texas School of Law. Since 1989, he has been involved in insurance receiverships at the Texas Department of Insurance and in private practice. He represented the Texas Commissioner of Insurance on numerous NAIC task forces and working groups from 1999 through 2021. He was chair of the NAIC Receivership and Insolvency Task Force and the Receivership Model Law Working Group and served as an NAIC representative on the International Association of Insurance Supervisors Resolution Working Group. James was President of the International Association of Insurance Receivers in 2018 and 2019 and is a master in the Robert W. Calvert Inn of Court. He has been a speaker at courses sponsored by the American Bar Association, Federation of Regulatory Counsel, National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations, National Conference of Insurance Guaranty Funds, State Bar of Texas, University of Connecticut School of Law and University of Texas School of Law.
Kathleen McCain Kathleen has more than 30 years of experience guiding clients through insurance transactions and regulatory issues. She represents insurance companies and regulators in navigating compliance, financial and market conduct examinations, litigation strategy, holding company matters, reinsurance, corporate governance, insurance M&A, insolvency, asset recovery, and policy review,. Kathleen has experience across all lines of insurance including property and casualty, life, title insurance and surplus lines matters. With a litigation background, Kathleen provides her clients a unique perspective and insight. She also spent approximately four years seconded in-house and served as the principal legal and compliance resource for the insurance affiliates of a major financial institution. Kathleen is an Accredited Insurance Receiver for Legal and Reinsurance by the International Association of Insurance Receivers.
Project Director Office of Liquidations, Rehabilitations and Special Funds
Crystal has served as Pennsylvania’s Project Director for the Office of Liquidations, Rehabilitations and Special Funds since 2016. In her position, she is responsible for a wide variety of substantive and administrative duties, including preparation of reports on the status of all liquidation and rehabilitation estates, acting as liaison to the Pennsylvania state guaranty associations and handling website content for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department Liquidation and Rehabilitation site. A licensed attorney for over 10 years, she has worked in private practice as a bankruptcy attorney in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and as an adjunct professor teaching bankruptcy, constitutional and business law. Crystal is a graduate of Widener University Commonwealth Law School and Coastal Carolina University. She makes her home outside of Hershey, Pennsylvania with her husband, James, and their daughter Payton. Crystal enjoys hunting for antiques, and currently serves as a volunteer for the Hershey Foundation. She previously served as Board President of the Columbia, Pennsylvania Food Bank.
Since 1985, I have been employed by the Oklahoma Receivership Office Inc or its predecessors and been involved in rehabilitation and liquidation of property and casualty, life and health, prepaid dental, MEWA, HMO and prepaid funeral trust estates. My experience includes all aspects of receivership. I am a Certified Insurance Receiver for Multiple Lines and am currently the Assistant Receiver for several estates and the Estate Manager for other Oklahoma receiverships. As member of IAIR since 2004, I have benefited from the educational and networking opportunities. I believe IAIR’s most valuable benefit is the expertise of its members. Members of any organization should contribute to it. This means different things to different people at different times. I have been fortunate to be a committee member, director and officer of IAIR. I believe in the mission of IAIR and its integrity. I try to be an ambassador for IAIR reaching out both to our membership and others in industry. I acknowledge the value and needs of each and every member and those with which our duties connect. I believe I can be integral to board initiatives and IAIR’s continued success. I would appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve on the board.  Greg PierceAttorney Greg Pierce Law Firm I am a trial lawyer with over 25 years experience representing clients in business disputes. I have successfully represented my clients in a wide variety of circumstances -- from helping to resolve disputes without need of litigation to appeals all the way to the US Supreme Court. I have handled everything from simple contract cases to complex multi-state commercial fraud lawsuits involving hundreds of parties. Whether you are in a legal fight, or are trying to avoid one, I can provide you with practical, cost-effective advice and representation to achieve the best possible resolution.
Hal Horwich represents state insurance regulators in receiverships and restructuring transactions. He also represents policyholder and creditor groups. He holds the designation of Certified Insurance Receiver — Multiline Insurers from the International Association of Insurance Receivers. Hal has been involved in many major insurance insolvency and restructuring matters. He represented policyholders in Ambac and FGIC; the Maryland Insurance Department in ACA Financial Guaranty; guaranty association member companies in Penn Treaty American Network, the second largest insurance insolvency in the history of the United States; and Physicians Reciprocal Insurers, the second largest medical malpractice insurer in New York. He was appointed by the insurance commissioner of the state of Connecticut as the chairman of the Task Force on Insurance Company Runoff and Reorganization. Hal is also chairman of the International Association of Insurance Receivers publications committee, co-chair of the International Association of Insurance Receivers subcommittee on insolvent managed care organizations, and a member of the NAIC committee on amendments to the Model Insurer Rehabilitation and Liquidation Act. Before joining Morgan Lewis, Hal was a partner at another international law firm, where he was head of the firm’s insurance practice and a member of its financial restructuring group.
Jacqueline Rixen practices law in Austin, Texas and is the principal of RixenLaw. She is general counsel to the Texas Life, Accident, Health, and Hospital Service Insurance Guaranty Association and has worked on guaranty association issues since 1994. Ms. Rixen also works closely with NOLHGA in Texas domestic receiverships that involve other states. Ms. Rixen is a member of the National Organization of Life and Health Guaranty Associations (NOLHGA) legal committee, former member of the NOLGHA Asset Recovery Task Force, and former regional editor of the NOLHGA Annotated Model Life and Health Guaranty Act. Ms. Rixen began her legal career as a briefing attorney for the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth, Texas and went on to serve as a Texas Assistant Attorney General. She is a former director of the Travis County Bar Association and Austin Young Lawyers Association and has served on numerous boards and committees on the local and state level. She is a past president of the Austin Classical Guitar board of directors, and past president of the board of Impact Austin, a women’s philanthropy foundation that has given over $8 million in grants to charities in the Austin area over the past 20 years. Ms. Rixen graduated from Baylor Law School in 1986 and from Baylor University in 1983 with a BA in economics.
Joe Holloway is the Chief Executive Officer of the Conservation & Liquidation Office (CLO) and its Regulatory Services Group (RSG). For the past 19 years (as a consultant and CLO employee) his responsibilities have included both the direct management of statutorily impaired and insolvent insurance entities under the fiduciary control of the CLO as well as the on-site supervision of financially troubled insurers during special financial examinations. In addition, Mr. Holloway is responsible for executing the annual business plan and distribution goals of the CLO and managing their 20 employees. Prior to joining the CLO, Joe worked 20 years for the North Carolina Department of Insurance providing examination, supervision and receivership management services. Joe has vast experience in receivership management and complex transactions that has required him to plan and execute business plans specific to each estate under Court supervision. He recently oversaw the merger and subsequent liquidation of the ten Tower Insurance Group insurance companies. Mr. Holloway holds a BA degree in Accounting from North Carolina State University and is a Certified Financial Examiner. Joe also served on the Board of Governors for the Society of Financial Examiners for 20 years and is a member and Board member of the International Association of Insurance Receivers. Notable Assignments: Crusader Insurance Company, Western General Insurance Company, CastlePoint/Tower Insurance Group of 10 property and casualty companies, SeeChange Health Insurance Company, Colorado HealthOp, National Guaranty Insurance Company, Majestic Insurance Company, Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company and Twentieth Century Life Insurance Company.  Joel Glover
Partner Joel partners with clients to solve problems in the insurance industry — including all related regulatory, transactional litigation and insolvency/receivership issues. Having worked in the insurance regulatory and insolvency field since he began practicing law in 1991, Joel has represented all types of insurance entities, life and health insurance guaranty associations, and receivers throughout the country. Joel maintains strong relationships with guaranty associations, insurance industry regulators and guaranty associations. He has served as task force counsel for the National Organization of Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Associations (NOLHGA) on various multi-state insolvencies, represented several guaranty associations and served as counsel to the Insurance Commissioners in Colorado, Hawaii and Arizona in their capacities as liquidators of insolvent insurers. Outside of his legal practice, Joel enjoys coaching youth basketball, hiking, biking, yoga and baguazhang.
Kevin has 30 years of receivership experience serving in various legal and management roles at OSD throughout his career. During his leadership at OSD, Illinois receivership estates have marshalled and distributed over $3 billion dollars in estate assets to policyholders and other creditors. Kevin has represented the Illinois Director of Insurance in numerous receivership proceedings, estate litigation and transactions, including Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Cos., Triad Guaranty Insurance Cos., Land of Lincoln Mutual Health Insurance Company, and Public Service Insurance Company. Kevin also represents the Illinois Department of Insurance before the NAIC’s Receivership and Insolvency Task Force and its related working groups.
Kristin provides advice and counsel to employers, including drafting employee handbooks and standalone policies, evaluating and advising on internal policies, protocols and practices, conducting internal investigations and preparing severance and separation agreements. She also strategically advises employers on day-to-day employment issues ranging from separations to leaves of absence and performance management. Kristin also represents employers in state and federal courts, arbitration and administrative hearings involving all aspects of labor and employment matters, including wage-and-hour class and representative actions, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation and employee mobility matters. In her spare time, Kristin enjoys watching musical theater around California and on Broadway, traveling whenever she can, and rooting for the San Francisco Giants.
Attorney Cozen O'Connor Michael is a skilled litigator and counselor who represents insurance industry clients in matters related to life insurance and annuities, long-term care insurance, and property and casualty insurance. In particular, Michael focuses his practice on insurance receivership matters, including the rehabilitation and liquidation of long-term care, life, and property and casualty insurers. As counsel to regulators, receivers, insurers, and others, he adeptly leads a team of attorneys who provide skilled and comprehensive advice designed to guide insurers through all aspects of the rehabilitation process. Michael provides counsel on a full array of issues related to receivership, including the scope of the receiver’s authority, the powers of state regulatory authorities, the classification and valuation of claims, litigation for the recovery of assets, actuarial analyses and financial projections, reinsurance transactions, policyholder matters, regulatory concerns, and corporate matters arising in the course of managing the business affairs of the insurers in receivership. He routinely appears on behalf of clients in courts around the country in defense of receivership plans, and has deep contacts in the insurance regulatory space. Michael also represents insurers in high-stakes litigation over insurable interest and wagering issues, counsels clients concerning privacy matters and regulatory concerns, and litigates breach of contract and bad faith matters all over the country. Outside of this practice, Michael has handled a wide range of litigation matters and internal investigations, including complex commercial cases, real estate litigation, financial services disputes, tax litigation, business disputes, and litigation arising out of estate and probate matters. Michael graduated magna cum laude from Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he was a staff editor and a member of the editorial board of the Temple Law Review. Michael earned his bachelor's degree in English from Pennsylvania State University.
Mike Heard is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NOLHGA. He supervises NOLHGA resources deployed to assist state guaranty associations in managing insolvencies, develops and implements the organization’s strategic initiatives, and oversees NOLHGA’s communications efforts. In addition, he is responsible for the efficiency and effectiveness of the internal operations of NOLHGA. Heard, who joined NOLHGA in September 2021, has over 25 years of life and health insurance experience, with particular expertise in long-term care (LTC) and other health products. He worked as a senior officer with GE Financial/Genworth and, more recently, with CNO Financial Group, a domestic life insurance company based in Carmel, Indiana. In 2013, Heard joined CNO Financial Group in Carmel, Indiana, as Senior Vice President, where he was responsible for insurance operations for more than 3 million customers and over $2 billion in benefits transactions annually. In 2017, Heard was appointed President of Washington National Insurance Company, a leading provider of supplemental health and life insurance, serving 1 million policyholders and 25,000 employer groups through 2,000 independent agents. In 2020, he was appointed President of the Worksite Division of CNO, and he led the division through two acquisitions and the global pandemic. Heard attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, where he earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering. He currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council at the Krannert School of Management at Purdue and is a member of the Board of Beyond Monumental, the organizer of the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. He also is a retired U.S. Air Force officer serving in both the active and reserve forces, including a tour at the Pentagon.
Having received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors from the University of Texas in 1977, and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1980, Patrick Cantilo was admitted to practice law in the State of Texas in November 1980 . He has since been admitted to practice in all Texas State Courts, the United States District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas, the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Fourth and the Fifth Circuits, the United States Supreme Court, and the courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. While most recently Mr. Cantilo's practice has been concentrated in insurance rehabilitation and liquidation, on the reorganization of health services corporations, and in the area of insurance corporate restructuring, merger and acquisition, his experience is far more diverse. As advisor to state regulators, he has become deeply involved in conversion, merger, acquisition, reorganization or initial public offering transactions for a number of insurers and Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans. Much of Mr. Cantilo's law practice has been devoted to the area of civil litigation and alternative dispute resolution, including cases in the State and Federal Courts, both at the trial and appellate levels. His litigation experience includes relatively straight-forward matters like the prosecution or defense of insurance claims and very complex matters such as major bankruptcy reorganizations and insurance rehabilitations. Demonstrative of this experience are the roles played by Mr. Cantilo as lead counsel for Texas Insurance regulators in the Maxicare Bankruptcy (reported at In re Family Health Services, Inc., 101 B.R. 618 (Bankr. C.D. Cal. 1989)) and in the bankruptcy proceeding involving an insurance holding company and its affiliates. (See In re First Financial Enterprises, Inc., 99 B.R. 751 (Bankr. W.D. Tex. 1989)). He has served as lead counsel in cases involving professional negligence, RICO, fraud, reinsurance transactions, transnational conflicts, banking and letters of credit, state licensing, medical privileges, landlord tenant disputes, medical malpractice actions, construction negligence, wrongful lien, insurance fraud, regulatory jurisdiction, commercial lending, deceptive trade practices, defense of a variety of insurance claims, employment issues, liability of officers and directors, bankruptcy, insurance insolvency, and a host of other matters. Mr. Cantilo has also devoted a significant part of his legal career to complicated business and insurance transactions, including the reorganization or conversion of Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in several states, negotiation of acquisitions and complex reinsurance transactions, the development and implementation of complex insurance rehabilitation plans, the negotiation of purchase and sale agreements for a variety of businesses, goods and services, participation in corporate reorganizations, participation in complex real estate transactions, mergers, acquisitions, and similar matters. He has served as Counsel to the Receiver, as Special Deputy Receiver, Deputy Receiver, Deputy Liquidator, or in comparable capacities in literally dozens of insurance and managed care insolvencies throughout the country. He has taken the lead in the rehabilitation and liquidation of a wide variety of entities ranging from a small trust company to multi-billion dollar life insurance companies and including a number of health maintenance organizations, life insurance companies, accident and health insurance companies, property and casualty insurance companies, title insurance companies, insurance agencies, premium finance companies and related entities. He has negotiated the formation and commutation of reinsurance agreements, developed plans for the collection of agents' balances, collected reinsurance recoverables, negotiated agreements with guaranty funds and other regulators, negotiated with federal authorities on such matters as insurance claims disputes, tax claims and related matters, developed and implemented complex plans for the rehabilitation or liquidation of a large variety of insurers and insurance related entities, and has written and lectured numerous times on related topics. This area of practice continues to occupy much of Mr. Cantilo's time, as he continues to play the lead role in the rehabilitation of two multi-billion dollar life insurers, the receivership of a household name-casualty insurer, the liquidation of a multi-state Workers' Compensation and Professional Liability insurer, and more limited roles in other insurance insolvencies. At the same time, Mr. Cantilo continues to devote much of his attention to complex transactional work and a broad array of regulatory and civil litigation matters.
Ron Del Sesto represents technology companies on a broad range of issues including corporate, financial, regulatory, and cybersecurity. Ron also advises financial institutions, private equity firms and venture capital funds with respect to investments in the telecommunications, media, and technology (TMT) sectors. In the TMT sectors, Ron counsels software, technology, and communications clients on ecommerce, cloud computing, cybersecurity, privacy, surveillance obligations, the provision of emergency services, and behavioral advertising, among other matters. His clients include: domestic and international providers of all forms of communications services, wireless, and enhanced services; service providers using emerging technologies; large end-users of telecommunications services; electronic commerce providers; Internet service providers (ISPs); trade associations; Internet portals; financial institutions; infrastructure projects (land and submarine networks); and providers of Internet-protocol-enabled applications and services, including leading providers of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. Ron represents clients before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), state public utilities commissions (PUCs), and assorted foreign regulatory agencies. Ron advises communications carriers, venture capitalists, private equity, and other clients in connection with investments in the TMT sector, state and federal approvals for complex corporate transactions like debt and equity issuances, mergers and acquisitions, and other financing arrangements. He assists clients on numbering issues; Short Messaging Services (SMS); the Communications Decency Act (CDA); and FCC and state laws and rules concerning the provision of emergency 911 services using a multitude of technologies, including IP-enabled services in a variety of environments, such as corporate and university campuses that employ Multi-Line Telephone Systems (MLTS). Ron also counsels clients on privacy issues that implicate a myriad of federal statutes and rules, including the FCC’s Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) rules; retention marketing and “winback” rules; the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA); the FTC’s Identity Theft or Red Flag Rules; the Telemarketing Sales Rules; and the CAN SPAM Act. He advises clients with respect to the use of location-based data by mobile applications, assists clients in implementing “best practices” when handling personally identifiable information, and is familiar with the self-regulatory industry practices established by various trade associations as well as FTC rulings and other reports and analyses released by the FCC, the FTC, and state attorneys general that provide guidance to the industry. He also advises clients regarding state privacy laws, including data breach notification obligations, the Massachusetts Data Security Law, and similar state data security laws. His practice includes advising clients with respect to lawful surveillance obligations under federal and state law, including the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), the Stored Communications Act, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, and the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). Ron drafts and negotiates telecommunications and technology contracts on behalf of telecommunications operators, equipment manufacturers, and large telecommunications users. He works with Fortune 500 companies and other large, sophisticated telecommunications users negotiating and restructuring purchases of large packages of customized telecommunications and high-technology services. He also represents technology users in negotiating agreements in areas such as dark fiber leases and IRUs. Ron frequently speaks at industry events and writes on many different facets of the law, including cybersecurity and privacy, telecommunications policy, net neutrality, federal and state regulation of emerging services, access to wireline and wireless networks, and a myriad of other issues relating to Internet protocol-enabled applications and services. He is certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) as an Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US). Prior to joining Morgan Lewis, Ron was a partner in the corporate practice of another international law firm, where he was chair of the privacy and data security practice.
Laura serves as Pennsylvania’s Deputy Insurance Commissioner for the Office of Liquidations, Rehabilitations and Special Funds, a position she has held since 2016. She has been a licensed attorney for over 30 years. In addition to receiverships, like Penn Treaty, SHIP, and Bedivere, Laura’s position includes oversight of the PA Workers’ Compensation Security Fund (a PA guaranty fund) and the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund (“USTIF”) as well as the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Fund (“Mcare”). Prior to joining the PID, Laura worked in private practice at a Lancaster, Pennsylvania law firm, and as a Trial Attorney for the Office of United States Trustee, handling bankruptcy matters. A proud honors graduate of The Dickinson School of Law and the University of Delaware, Laura makes her home in Lancaster with her husband, Sam, and has two grown sons. In her spare time, she serves on the Manheim Township Public Library Foundation Board and enjoys supporting local theater. She has previously served on the boards of the University of Delaware Alumni Association, the Lancaster YWCA, the Lancaster Housing and Redevelopment Authorities, and as a United Way volunteer and Girl Scout Leader.
Susan E. Salch, a managing partner since 2018, has more than 28 years of experience in the administration, rehabilitation, and liquidation of insolvent insurers. Since joining C&B in 1995, Ms. Salch has served as counsel to the Deputy Receiver or Special Deputy Receiver (“SDR”) gaining experience across the country. Her litigation experience includes defense of claims and related petitions filed in the receivership court as well as litigation filed in other jurisdictions. Ms. Salch has worked to defend class-action lawsuits, and both pursued and defended cases in receivership court. Ms. Salch serves, or has served, as the primary responsible person for C&B in its capacity as SDR in six Texas receiverships. As the partner in charge of the day-to-day operations of these receiverships, Ms. Salch continues to expand her management experience and knowledge of the insurance industry. Ms. Salch leads takeover teams, and oversees the work of legal, accounting, tax, claims, reinsurance, and IT subcontractors. She has negotiated real estate sales, reinsurance recoveries and commutations; coordinated and litigated with state insurance guaranty associations; identified claims against, and pursued, former officers, directors, owners, and others responsible for the insolvencies; and successfully defended motions to lift the receivership stay of litigation. In addition to her broad range of experience in the insurance industry, Ms. Salch has negotiated and prepared contracts and corporate documents for emerging enterprises in Texas, including the formation of limited partnerships and limited liability companies, as well as book, film, and music publishing and licensing contracts. An avid football fan, Ms. Salch was certified by the NFL Players Association as a contract advisor from 2007-2009. Ms. Salch is also a certified mediator, having completed the Dispute Resolution Center 40-hour mediation training program in 2001. Ms. Salch, a fifth-generation Texan, was born in Houston, Texas. She graduated magna cum laude from Southern Methodist University in 1991 with a B.A. in Advertising and a General Business minor. She received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1994. Ms. Salch was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in November 1994. She is also admitted to the bars of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In 2013, Ms. Salch was designated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. Being a part of, and giving back to, the Austin community is very important to Ms. Salch, who gives her time to a wide array of non-profit organizations, including the Austin Humane Society where she serves as Co-Chair of the Volunteer Corps Steering Committee for the shelter’s capital campaign, and the Austin Symphony Orchestra where she serves as Chair of the board’s Marketing Committee. Ms. Salch is a classically trained alto vocalist who has performed the national anthem at UT and Round Rock Express baseball games. She also enjoys snow skiing, golf, open wheel racing, fantasy football, and SCUBA diving. Tom Jenkins Retired After a 40-year career Mr. Jenkins retired from Locke Lord LLP at the end of 2020. During his time at Locke Lord, he had a very active insurance regulatory practice which during the last 30 years he served as general counsel to the Illinois Insurance Guaranty Fund and the Californina Insurance Guarantee Association. From 2001 to 2020 he served as Chair of the NCIGF Coordinating Committee for Reliance Insurance Company In Liquidation, which is the largest P&C insolvency to date. Since his retirement from Locke Lord, he has continued to serve as general counsel for IIGF and CIGA. He also acts as an advisor to the CEO of NCIGF.
Partner Paige Waters' practice in insurance and reinsurance law includes extensive experience handling transactional, regulatory and insolvency matters on behalf of national and international insurance and reinsurance clients. Paige represents a broad base of clients in the financial services and insurance industries, including life insurers, accident and health insurers, property and casualty insurers, workers’ compensation insurers, health maintenance organizations, managed care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, mortgage and financial guaranty insurers, InsurTech companies, fronting carriers, captive insurers and reinsurers, service contract providers, producers, insurance receivers, banks, private equity and hedge funds.
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James Kennedy
Donna Wilson
Harold S Horwich
Jacqueline Rixen
Joe Holloway
J. Kevin Baldwin
Kristin Halsing 
Michael Broadbent
Michael D. Heard
Patrick Cantilo
Ronald W. Del Sesto, Jr,
Laura L. Slaymaker
Susan E. Salch
Paige Waters