
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 15, 2023)
VsportV体育 Honors Consumer Participation Program Participants
Program Marked 30th Anniversary in 2022
During its 2022 Fall National Meeting, the VsportV体育 (VsportV体育) honored the VsportV体育 Consumer Participation Program鈥檚 participants and the former VsportV体育 members who had the foresight to recognize a need and develop a solution to enhance consumer participation at the VsportV体育. In 2022, the program celebrated its 30th anniversary, with the first Consumer Representatives being selected and starting their terms in 1992. The program continues to be a model for other organizations wishing to improve consumer engagement.
VsportV体育鈥檚 Consumer Participation Program provides travel expense reimbursement to VsportV体育 meetings for individuals selected to participate as funded consumer representatives. Other individuals, including those from organizations with sufficient resources to participate without financial assistance for travel expenses, are selected to participate as unfunded consumer representatives. The VsportV体育 waives meeting registration fees for all VsportV体育 Consumer Representatives. The VsportV体育 Consumer Participation Board administers the program.
鈥淐ollaboration has always been at the heart of the VsportV体育鈥檚 approach, and I鈥檓 grateful for those who have shared their insights, perspectives, and priorities with us through our Consumer Participation program. For 30 years, VsportV体育 Consumer Representatives have played an invaluable role in our state-based system,鈥 said VsportV体育 President and Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance Director Chlora Lindley-Myers.
鈥淪tate insurance regulators work hard to put consumers first, and coordinating with the VsportV体育鈥檚 Consumer Representatives is essential to doing our jobs well and effectively. As we celebrate three decades of the program, I want to thank each representative and the members of the Consumer Board of Trustees for their dedication, advocacy, and passion for their mission,鈥 said Colorado Division of Insurance Commissioner and 2022 Consumer Participation Board of Trustees Chair Michael Conway.
鈥淲hile the VsportV体育鈥檚 Consumer Representatives are most visible at the National Meetings, they tirelessly serve all year through an ongoing dialogue with our Consumer Liaison Committee and other VsportV体育 committees. It鈥檚 a privilege to work alongside them to protect consumers and help make our state-based system of insurance regulation more effective,鈥 said Oregon Insurance Commissioner and Department of Consumer and Business Services Director Andrew R. Stolfi, Chair of the VsportV体育 Consumer Liaison Committee and 2023 Consumer Participation Board of Trustees Chair.
The VsportV体育 set the Consumer Participation program鈥檚 initial budget in 1992 at $50,000. The 2022 annual budget was $140,000, reflecting the program鈥檚 success and growth in the number of qualified consumer representatives over the last 30 years.
Bonnie Burns, a long-time member of the Consumer Participation Board of Trustees, is the only active VsportV体育 Consumer Representative who was among the original group of Consumer Representatives. Brenda Cude, who completed her 26th year as an VsportV体育 Consumer Representative, has the longest continuous tenure among the current Consumer Representatives and has served on the Board throughout her tenure with the VsportV体育. Birny Birnbaum, Brendan Bridgeland, and Karrol Kitt all have been VsportV体育 Consumer Representatives for more than 20 years.
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About the VsportV体育
As part of our state-based system of insurance regulation in the United States, the VsportV体育 (VsportV体育) provides expertise, data, and analysis for insurance commissioners to effectively regulate the industry and protect consumers. The U.S. standard-setting organization is governed by the chief insurance regulators from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. Through the VsportV体育, state insurance regulators establish standards and best practices, conduct peer reviews, and coordinate regulatory oversight. VsportV体育 staff supports these efforts and represents the collective views of state regulators domestically and internationally.