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Speakers

Rohit Aggarwal

Rohit Aggarwal, Ph.D.
Professor of Information Systems & AI Researcher, University of Utah

Dr. Rohit Aggarwal is a Professor of Information Systems and an AI researcher whose work investigates how artificial intelligence and human expertise can complement and enhance one another in organizational settings. His research centers on two core themes: AI Augmenting Human Decision-Making and Humans Augmenting AI Decision-Making. In addition to his academic work, Rohit advises a range of organizations—from early-stage startups to publicly listed companies—on leveraging AI for workflow automation and strategic decision-making.

Rich Belanger

Rich Belanger
Chief Technology Officer, Applied Systems

Rich Belanger, Chief Technology Officer, leads the Product Development, Product Management and Quality Assurance teams for Applied Systems. Previously, Rich led ProQuest, a global SaaS company with over 100 million users, through a complex migration to a modern cloud architecture and deployed world-class software development processes. As a result of his leadership, ProQuest achieved significant improvements in performance and reliability, as well as meaningful improvements in the speed and quality of new product development. Rich also held prior leadership roles at Target Software and Forrester Research.

Charlie Cutler

Charlie Cutler
President, ChurchWest Insurance Services

Charlie Cutler leads ChurchWest Insurance Services, a California-based agency serving ministries and nonprofits. While his career spans more than 25 years in insurance, Charlie’s current passion is exploring how AI can reshape the way agencies work — from simplifying underwriting and policy reviews to helping clients get answers faster and with greater accuracy. Driven by curiosity and a “what’s next?” mindset, Charlie enjoys experimenting with new tools, sharing lessons learned, and helping others in the industry see how practical AI applications can free up time for what matters most — building relationships and solving client problems.

Justin Goodman

Justin Goodman
CEO, Total CSR

Justin Goodman is the founder and CEO of Total CSR. He has trained over 50,000 customer service representatives (CSRs), account managers and producers and is considered the go-to authority for insurance onboarding and training. He was previously named to Insurance Business Magazine's Hot 100 and one of the 2024 Insurance Journal Agents of the Year. Justin's recent efforts surround the launch of Project 55, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community that empowers individuals and insurance organizations to improve mental health outcomes in the workplace.

Brian Langerman

Brian Langerman
Chief Executive Officer, Applied Client Network

Brian Langerman is a Business Management Executive with more than 20 years of Technology experience in Corporate America as well as Association and Technology Communities. His expertise includes new business development, operations management, strategic marketing, channel management, project coordination, change management, process implementation, and management of multi-million-dollar accounts and budgets. Langerman currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Applied Client Network, a global Technology Community for Applied Systems network of independent insurance agents and brokers worldwide that are focused on driving system utilization to increase agency and brokerage value for the next generation of insurance professionals.

Samantha Lawson

Samantha Lawson
Senior Product Manager, EZLynx

Samantha Lawson is a Senior Product Manager at EZLynx, where she helps design and deliver the tools that power today’s independent insurance agencies. Before moving into product management, Samantha worked in an insurance agency—giving her firsthand insight into the daily realities of agency life. For the past six years, she has focused on building innovative and efficient CRM capabilities that help agents save time, stay organized, and close more business. Samantha has a deep passion for the insurance industry and for helping consumers protect what matters most to them—while making agents’ jobs easier so they can focus on what matters most. A proud mom of two and lifelong learner, she is committed to making technology approachable and effective for agencies of all sizes.

Daniel Metcalf

Daniel Metcalf
Co-founder & President, CyberFin

Daniel Metcalf is a seasoned speaker and cybersecurity expert, known for his engaging and informative presentations tailored to the insurance industry. Over the years, he has spoken at numerous industry events, helping independent insurance agencies and financial professionals navigate cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI). His approachable style and ability to simplify technical concepts make him a sought-after voice in the field.

Jessica Norris

Jessica Norris
Training & Compliance Manager, Commercial Insurance Associates, LLC

Jessica Norris is a seasoned insurance professional with over two decades of experience spanning underwriting, account management, and training. She began her career in 2003, rising from entry-level roles to her current position as Training & Compliance Manager, where she champions operational excellence and regulatory integrity. Her passion for both insurance and people fuels her commitment to delivering impactful training sessions. That same enthusiasm carries into her personal life, where she teaches a boxing fitness class twice a week. Jessica resides in Nashville, TN with her husband where they enjoy live music, bonfires, peaceful evenings in the yard, traveling, and maintaining an active lifestyle through diverse workouts.

Lindsay Norman

Lindsay Norman
Commercial Lines & Applied Epic Optimization Specialist, John M. Glover Agency

With a background in Commercial Lines at the John M. Glover Agency, Lindsay has spent almost a decade and a half at the agency partnering with Department Heads studying their workflows and procedures with the goal of optimizing Applied Epic tools and integrations. In the age of Virtual Assistants and AI, Lindsay has been working towards best practices within the automation space bringing working knowledge of the end user into everyday practice.

Chase Petrey

Chase Petrey
President, Applied Pay

Chase Petrey is an accomplished executive and seasoned General Manager with extensive experience in the enterprise software industry. As President of Applied Pay at Applied Systems, he leads the strategic direction and growth of the company's integrated digital payments platform, driving innovation and operational excellence in the fintech space. With a strong background in financial technology, Software as a Service (SaaS), analytics, and P&L management, Chase has a proven track record of delivering scalable solutions that enhance business efficiency and customer experience. His expertise in fintech and enterprise software enables him to spearhead initiatives that streamline digital transactions and optimize financial operations for insurance and financial services organizations.

Beaux Pilgrim

Beaux Pilgrim
Agency Owner

Beaux Pilgrim brings 31 years of experience in the insurance industry and 16 years as an agency owner. Specializing in Insurance, VAs, and Automation, Beaux leverages his extensive knowledge to help businesses optimize operations, address staffing needs, and integrate technology for greater efficiency.

Taylor Rhodes

Taylor Rhodes
CEO, Applied Systems

Taylor Rhodes, Chief Executive Officer, leads Team Applied and is responsible for the company's overall strategy and operational execution. Rhodes joined Applied in 2019 after serving as chief executive officer of SMS Assist, the leading cloud-based software platform for multi-site property management. Previously, he was CEO of Rackspace, where he led the Company’s growth from a cloud pioneer to an industry leader with more than two billion dollars in revenue, while establishing the company as a mainstay on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®. Prior to Rackspace, he served as a leader in enterprise, financial and corporate strategy roles at Electronic Data Systems Corporation. Mr. Rhodes is a former United States Marine Corps infantry officer and holds a MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Mary Wilson

Mary Wilson
Director of Marketing and IT / Co-Owner, Empire Insurance Brokers

Mary spent over 20 years in the IT industry, starting out as a programmer and spending most of her career as a project manager in companies including Oracle, HP and Accenture. She worked with both offshore and onshore teams implementing new applications across multiple industries and teams. Mary joined her husband's agency in 2020 after a large acquisition and has spent the last 5 years building the agency's technology and processes to support the acquisitive growth they’ve had during that time including implementing Applied Epic across 13 offices, installing a CRM system with corresponding processes and creating an intranet housing multiple company resources.

Melissa Zornes

Melissa Zornes
Senior Vice President Practice Leader of Employee Benefits, OneGroup

Melissa Zornes is Senior Vice President Practice Leader of Employee Benefits at OneGroup. She joined OneGroup in 2024, bringing with her more than 14 years of experience. Throughout her career, Melissa has developed a strong expertise in group benefits and HR management. She has held various roles in insurance agencies, including Account Manager, Account Executive, Benefits Practice Manager, Director of Client Services, and SVP and Head of Employee Benefits Client Services. Melissa’s responsibilities in those roles varied between maintaining client relationships, providing consultative support, benefits program design, project management, strategic development, cross-functional collaboration, and more. Her collaborative approach extended to agency growth, operations and technology initiatives, driving positive company performance and innovation.