Every year WCI looks to bring in a speaker who will resonate with our attendees in a meaningful, entertaining, and engaging way. Our keynote address is always one of the highlights of the conference, and since our focus is on professional education, we strive to provide attendees with an opportunity to learn something they can apply in their professional or personal lives, or both. Keeping with this tradition, WCI is excited to announce this year’s Keynote Speaker is bestselling author and “America’s Historian,” Brad Meltzer!

History. Legacy. Character. Great leadership. Brad Meltzer draws upon the themes of his best-selling books and popular television shows, challenging audiences to look at their lives, work and mission through the lens of legacy. Brad’s highly inspiring keynotes showcase the motivational stories of both everyday heroes and history-making leaders. His moving message: Every life makes history. Ordinary people can change the world. If you can impact just one person, you won’t just live a good life. You will live forever.

Named as both “America’s Historian” and one of “Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors,” Brad is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod and twelve other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like The First Conspiracy and The Lincoln Conspiracy, and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series, which inspired the Emmy-nominated TV show on PBS KIDS, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.

In addition to fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list in non-fiction children’s books and even comic books, for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award. He is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel, which he used to find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero. He later unveiled it for display at the 9/11 Museum in New York. Brad was selected to join America250 to help commemorate America’s 250th anniversary in 2026 and will be serving on the Arts & Culture Advisory Council along with Debbie Allen, Cal Ripken and other leaders and luminaries.

An inspirational voice, Brad has earned a reputation for working closely with clients, speaking authentically from the heart, and receiving both high praise and standing ovations from Fortune 500 companies. Infusing humor and insights into engaging, highly moving narratives, his thought-provoking talks truly connect with audiences. Brad inspires us to examine our lives, shape our legacies and discover the potential within all of us to change the world. As he says, “Stories aren’t the beauty of what did happen. They’re the beauty of what could happen.”

The Exhibit Hall is always a main attraction at the conference. It attracts thousands of attendees who can learn more about the latest services and products in the workers’ compensation industry.

This year, WCI is elevating the Exhibitor and Attendee Exhibit Hall Experience through our Mystery Exhibitor contest. WCI will randomly select four exhibitors who will be the “Mystery Exhibitors”. Two will be selected on Monday afternoon, and two on Tuesday afternoon, and will be secretly notified at their booths.

Contest winners will be randomly chosen from the leads collected by each Mystery Exhibitor utilizing the conference app – Whova. WCI will announce the winner via the conference app – Whova, by email, or by phone near the end of the Exhibit Hall hours on Monday and Tuesday, so make sure to keep your cellular devices close by.

Each winner will receive a cash prize in the amount of $750. Attendees will only be allowed to win once. WCI believes this contest will be a win-win for exhibitors and attendees, plus it adds more excitement to our Exhibit Hall!

Lyndsey Palmer, WCI’s Exhibitor and Sponsorship Coordinator added, “We truly appreciate the support and enthusiasm our Exhibit Hall Advisory Council has shown us to pursue this contest. We want to make our Exhibit Hall an exceptional experience for everyone, and this is just another step in making that a reality.”

For more details about the WCI 2024 Exhibit Hall, click here.

As the nature of business and the workplace continue to evolve, NU Property & Casualty remains committed to elevating stories about ingenuity, collaboration and humanity in the workers’ compensation insurance and risk management sectors.

And so, in anticipation of 78th Annual Workers’ Compensation Institute Educational Conference and 35th Safety & Health Conference happening Aug. 18-21, 2024 at the Orlando World Center Marriott, NU Property & Casualty—along with our project partners Sedgwick, Safety National and the Workers’ Compensation Institute (WCI)—are thrilled to mount the 2024 Workers’ Comp Risk Management Award for Excellence. This annual recognition program honors outstanding loss control, safety and return-to-work programs.

“Designing an effective workers’ compensation risk management program demands ingenuity, adaptability and a profound sense of empathy – qualities abundantly present in past award recipients,” said Elana Ashanti Jefferson, editor-in-chief of PropertyCasualty360.com. “Each year, my team and I eagerly anticipate discovering the groundbreaking workers’ comp programs across the nation and celebrating the exceptional ones through these prestigious awards.”

2024 Award Winners Will Receive:

An exclusive feature profile on PropertyCasualty360.com.
Complimentary registration for the WCI 2024 Conference.
One night of accommodations during the WCI 2024 Conference.
Participation in a platform trophy presentation as well as other recognition during the WCI 2024 Conference.
A private, hosted dinner during the the WCI 2024 Conference.

The application deadline is April 15, 2024, and there is no entry fee. For more details and to submit a nomination, click the button below.

Details and Nominations

WCI® is thrilled to announce Daughtry as our WCI 2024 Conference featured entertainment! “We are super excited for our attendees to have the opportunity to hear Daughtry live. It promises to be an exhilarating experience filled with high-level energy and emotion. It will be a great event to cap off the first day of the conference.”, stated WCI’s Executive Director, Andrew Sabolic.

Daughtry, one of the most visible and best-selling rock bands of the 21st century, has sold out concerts across the globe. Their debut album, the self-titled Daughtry, was the top-selling album of 2007 and was the fastest selling rock debut album in Soundscan history. It was also nominated for 4 GRAMMY® Awards and won 4 American Music Awards and 7 Billboard Music Awards, including Album of the Year.

Subsequent albums, Leave This Town (2009), Break The Spell (2011), and Baptized (2013) have all gone Platinum, with Cage To Rattle (2018) certified Gold. In 2021, Daughtry released their album Dearly Beloved, which marked a return to their rock roots and a return to the top of the rock charts with their singles “World On Fire,” “Heavy Is The Crown,” and “Changes Are Coming,” each reaching the Top 10 on Billboard’s Rock Airplay chart. With the success of their 2023 smash cover, “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” featuring Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale going top 10, and the follow up of “Artificial” landing Daughtry its very first #1 at rock radio, they have no sign of slowing.

WCI this year has teamed up with Swag for Schools, which is a neat program that will take the remaining goodies vendors have left after the Conference is over and distribute them to local participating schools. Exhibitors are encouraged to participate. There will be two boxes inside the Exhibit Hall by the front entrance where you can simply drop the items into either box as you leave. It is so simple to do and can bless a child in need. Thank you for participating!

Over the past decade, WCI has announced dynamic themes for our educational and health and safety conferences. The purpose of the themes are to tie together the various activities and experiences of the conferences, which result in one of the most well-attended, unique, informative, and exciting conferences in the nation. The conference’s educational offerings, keynote addresses, entertainment, exhibitors, charitable giving opportunities all influence the selection of the conference theme.

“Supercharge The Future” is the theme for the 78th Annual Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference and 34th Annual Safety and Health Conference.

Andrew Sabolic, WCI’s Executive Director, shared “This theme reflects the industry’s focus of powering innovation to inspire our employees, elevate organizations, and improve workers’ compensation systems. Everyone has a superpower within them. It is incumbent to find and harness those powers to affect positive and sustainable change and achieve excellence.”

Exhibit Hall Theme Contest

“Our exhibitors can tap into their companies’ superpowers to showcase their services and products. The theme offers our exhibitors a wide-range of creative possibilities,” added Lyndsey Palmer, WCI’s Sponsor and Exhibitor Administrator. “I know our Exhibit Hall will be a must-visit for conference attendees.”

Keynote Speaker & Entertainment

As one can expect, WCI’s Keynote Speaker and Headline Entertainment tie into the “Supercharge The Future” theme too. You won’t want to miss what we have planned! Keynote and Entertainment Headliner announcements are coming soon.

Discover a world of sponsorship opportunities tailored to your preferences at WCI®! Our diverse range of sponsorships and booth sizes ensures a perfect fit for your needs. Dive into the details of each offering by exploring our comprehensive Prospectus for Exhibitors & Sponsors. Act swiftly as several options have already been claimed, some exclusively!

Explore the Exhibit Hall possibilities in our Prospectus, featuring in-depth descriptions and pricing for each booth, and descriptions of our variety of unique sponsorships. Many exclusive opportunities have been seized, so secure your spot before it’s too late! Our premier sponsorship packages like our Prime, Platinum and Elite not only provide booth discounts, but also extend special pricing for additional sponsorships. Enjoy perks like selecting a VIP Sponsor booth location on the floorplan, exclusive invitations to our VIP Reception, a prominent full-page Ad in our Program Booklet, and widespread exposure with your company logo featured on our WCI Spotlight, website, social media accounts, and the conference app- Whova.

Don’t miss the chance to be part of one of the largest conferences in the US! With an impressive annual attendance of 5,000-6,000, becoming a Sponsor or Exhibitor at WCI guarantees an unparalleled experience. Join us today and elevate your presence on a grand scale! Contact Lyndsey Palmer at lyndsey@wci360.com if you have any questions regarding a booth or particular sponsorship.

WCI 2024 Prospectus for Sponsors & Exhibitors

Download WCI 2024 Prospectus

WCI 2024 Exhibitor Sponsor Prospectus

Thank you to all of our current WCI 2024 Conference Sponsors and Exhibitors!

View Current WCI 2024 Sponsors

View Current WCI 2024 Exhibitors

If you are interested in learning more, we have an array of Sponsorship Opportunities and Exhibit Hall Booth packages available for the WCI 2024 Conference!

WCI is pleased to announce Max Koonce has joined WCI’s Board of Advisors. The Board of Advisors consists of workers’ compensation industry leaders who provide valuable guidance and strategic thought to WCI on the educational conference and its ancillary activities.

“Sedgwick continues to play an instrumental and active role in our conference. Max is a leader and innovator in the workers’ compensation industry. For as long as I have known him, Max has been an advocate in seeking solutions to improve states’ workers’ compensation systems. He has strong ties to our conference, regularly moderating and speaking at numerous educational sessions. WCI will truly benefit from his knowledge, experience, and passion for education and learning, and it is honor for us to have him serve on the Board of Advisors.” stated Andrew Sabolic, Executive Director of WCI.

Koonce added, “I always enjoy participating in WCI’s workers’ compensation and safety and health conference. Attending educational sessions, meeting with state regulators from around the country, and interacting with stakeholders and clients all make this conference of such importance to our industry. I look forward to my involvement with the Board and its goal in growing the conference.”

Max Koonce Bio

Mr. Koonce is the Chief Claims Officer, for Sedgwick. In this role, Koonce is responsible for product development and innovation, industry analysis and thought leadership, best practices and compliance standards, legislative and regulatory relationships, and continued involvement in client programs for Sedgwick’s lines of business. Prior to his current role, Koonce was the Managing Director responsible for Sedgwick’s casualty retail business unit in which he oversaw program results and service execution across the company’s retail customer base. This included use of innovation and technology to improve client outcomes and customer experience. Prior to joining Sedgwick, Koonce was senior director of risk management for Walmart Stores, Inc., the nation’s largest private sector employer. In this role, he managed the retailer’s domestic property and casualty claims program. He simultaneously served as president of Claims Management, Inc., Walmart’s wholly owned third party administrator. An attorney by trade, Koonce was previously an administrative law judge for the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission and an appellate court justice for the Arkansas Court of Appeals. Koonce has served on various state self-insured association boards, as well as the National Council of Self Insurers (NCSI), and National Unemployment and Workers’ Compensation (UWC). He continues to serve as a member of several local non-profit boards and industry risk management advisory boards. Koonce earned his BBA degree in economics from Harding University and his JD degree from the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Arkansas and is a member of the American and Arkansas Bar Associations.

WCI is very thankful to the various associations and organizations who partner with us every year to provide unique educational opportunities, philanthropic activities, and to advance important initiatives for our industry. One of the most recently established partnerships is with the Diversity and Talent Alliance (DATA).

DATA is a non-profit designed to recognize a diverse and accomplished group of students who have expressed an interest in the Risk Management/Worker’s Compensation Industry and its mission is to develop a pipeline that creates and sustains a diverse workforce and inspires transformative change through partnership, education, and mentorship.

The support of the Risk Management/Workers’ Compensation Industry allowed DATA to have a successful first year and set the foundation for continued growth. Our inaugural student cohorts successfully completed their program, and DATA led diversity panels at WCI in August 2023. We were also able to gather as a group at WCI, and celebrate our student cohorts and those who helped with the inaugural program.

We are currently planning for our 2024 year, and have exciting developments to share soon. We are looking forward to continuing to create a diverse pipeline of talent into the workers’ compensation and risk management industry.

Spread the word

Your continued support is vital to this mission, and we are looking to expand our reach. If you know of colleagues and/or industry professionals who would be interested in joining DATA, please encourage them to reach out and become a member. Our membership interest form is available here.

Save the date

On January 30, 2024, we invite you to attend our first general meeting of the year. Please save the date for this virtual meeting as we are excited to share ways to become involved. More details will be provided as they become available. We invite you to visit our website, and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram to keep up to date on all of our events.

We will be following up after the first of the year to officially kick off DATA 2024, so keep an eye out for that! Should you need any assistance or have questions about membership, please feel free to contact Laura Buck at lbuck@diversityandtalent.org. We welcome you to reach out with any questions, concerns, or thoughts on the upcoming year.

Thank you for being part of the DATA community.

At the 2023 WCI Educational Conference, three distinguished organizations were honored with the prestigious Workers’ Compensation Risk Management Award for Excellence, presented by NU Property & Casualty and WCI and sponsored by Sedgwick and Safety National. The awards recognize risk managers and employers whose safety, risk mitigation and return-to-work programs are success stories based on actual workplace results. What follows are more insights from this year’s three award-winning programs.

American Airlines

https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2023/08/21/how-american-airlines-prioritizes-employee-wellness/

At the core of American Airline’s successful workers’ comp program is a deep appreciation and respect for its team members. The company’s operations are expansive, specialized and demanding, which requires that its workers’ compensation solutions be customizable to meet the needs of its workforce.

“Our number one priority is safety, and we make every attempt to prevent work-related accidents and injuries,” says Bryan Conner, manager of workers’ compensation at American Airlines. “However, when one of our team members becomes injured, our commitment to their well-being doesn’t waver. We value what they do, appreciate who they are and are committed to walking the workers’ compensation journey with them.”

From employee advocacy and 24/7 resource support to clinical consultations, the company’s robust program and advocacy model has helped significantly reduce medical claims and litigation, while helping keep 65% of injured team members on the job.

An example of the company’s evolving program is its revamped return-to-work program. The company now offers on-site specialists who work with front-line leaders to determine what work is available and then define a limited duty assignment that adheres to any medical restrictions.

In addition to supporting front-line goals, this arrangement keeps injured team members engaged with their colleagues while allowing the collection of full benefits and pay.

“Preference is given to value-based solutions that will advance the injured team member’s recovery or quality of life over low-cost, price-driven fixes,” Conner says. “This includes providing injured team members guidance and access to quality medical care, as well as timely information and resources that will allow them to focus on recovery and return to an active and productive lifestyle.”

The City of Beverly Hills

https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2023/08/22/the-city-of-beverly-hills-takes-a-mindful-approach-to-risk-management/

Since 2020, risk managers for the City of Beverly Hills have been tasked with guiding their employees through the unprecedented impacts of COVID-19 even beyond the deadly virus.

One new risk emerging from the pandemic is post-COVID-19 traumatic stress disorder, a syndrome that develops due to the significant strains of the pandemic.

Sharon L’Heureux Dressel, the risk manager for the City of Beverly Hills, California, realized early on that the city’s employees were likely to need access to services to help them cope. She says the city has a history of being mindful of behavioral and mental health issues and proactive about offering resources in these areas to employees.

The City of Beverly Hills employs about 1,200 people, including police and fire departments, which already had access to critical incident stress debriefing services. These services are provided to city employees who witness a catastrophic or traumatic event to help them process the situation and develop coping mechanisms so they can return to work as soon as possible.

“When we first started building mental health and behavioral health services, it was really just in anticipation of the likely need and a desire to support our employees,” Dressel says.

The expansion of mental health and wellness services has proved successful, resulting in reduced stress claims and lower costs for the city. Some of these positive trends are a result of the CISD program, which can help avoid the need for additional medical treatment such as medication, psychiatry and counseling.

Demonstrating the success of the program, verage claim frequency was down 16% in 2021 compared with 2020, and the average cost per claim came down 1% over the same time. In addition, the average cost per stress claim dropped 27% in 2021. Average medical costs for the city’s stress claims in 2020 averaged $8,593 compared to $4,714 in 2021.

Fairfax County, Virginia

https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2023/08/23/changing-perceptions-a-four-pronged-approach-to-worker-risk/

When Randy F. Jouben came on board in December 2017 as chief of risk management for Virginia’s Fairfax County, he quickly observed that the county’s employees had a less-than-positive view of the worker’s compensation program.

“In town halls and other forums, employees and managers voiced their disappointment and concern that the county’s program was motivated by cost containment, not by a genuine interest in supporting injured workers,” Jouben says. “There were a lot of antiquated assumptions, and people just weren’t happy.”

To uncover the specifics behind the dissatisfaction with the county’s workers’ comp program, Jouben had claims manager Anthony Smith and Karen Morgan, a claims specialist, survey employees.

The result of the listening-and-learning tour was an updated workers’ comp program that would introduce enhanced recoveries, shorter return-to-work timelines and lower insurance costs. The update program featured a holistic four-part program comprising on-site wellness and prevention, custom medical panels, mental and behavioral health services and medication management.

“We started the on-site physical therapy service at the firefighter training academy for first responders who needed PT (physical therapy) or rehabilitative services,” Jouben explains. “To enhance their ability to work with first responders, the physical therapists got training to help them understand the challenges our firefighters face that go beyond standard PT needs.”

To gain buy-in for the on-site program, the risk management team worked with Gary Gize, Fairfax County’s return-to-work section program manager.

“As an experienced firefighter, he had a lot of credibility. He came from within the ranks and really supported what we wanted to do,” Jouben says. “He identified individuals who would benefit from the on-site program.”

Since the on-site PT program was implemented, Fairfax County’s indemnity claims have dropped significantly; there were 199 in 2020 but only 159 in 2022.

“These workers also found that the on-site center provided a convenient place to keep fit and to get help for aches and pains that might develop into more serious problems if left untreated,” Jouben points out.

Quote from Elana Ashanti Jefferson, editor-in-chief, PropertyCasualty360.com:

Running a successful workers’ comp risk management program takes creativity, resourcefulness and a great deal of compassion, traits each of this year’s winners have in abundance. My team and I are excited every year to learn more about the innovative workers’ comp programs from around the country and recognize the best among them with these awards.

“In our tenth year of service, Gallagher Bassett (GB) supported Give Kids the World (GKTW) at the annual GKTW Service event and Gala benefiting as part of the Workers’ Compensation Institute (WCI) conference.

A few of our GB volunteers took GKTW’s family-oriented approach to heart.

Shani Wright, Branch Manager, has volunteered for six years, and this year, she brought her children to volunteer, too.

“In life, things happen when you least expect it. I want my children to foster a spirit of being a servant leader to their community,” she says. “The example starts with me. My commitment to GKTW year after year will hopefully spark something in the two of them to pay it forward. I hope the volunteer experience will continue to teach them to have compassion for others.”

Volunteering for a third year, Kristy Ritch, Senior Client Services Manager, also brought her daughter to support the families of GKTW. She says, “I involved my daughter because I wanted her to understand the importance of giving to others, the overwhelming amount of joy felt when giving instead of taking, and that material possessions don’t provide fulfillment in life. Being fulfilled comes from what you give not what you get.”

In facing such a difficult situation for one child, the entire family feels the strain. The Village and its community partners provide children and their families’ accommodations in fully-furnished villas, transportation, tickets to theme parks, meals, daily entertainment and much more. Volunteers contribute to prepping and cleaning the Village, preparing activities, and assisting families during their stay.

Ritch shares, “As a Registered Nurse and mom, there is no greater joy than helping others, and I have a big heart for children in need. The families are so thankful. They feel so loved and supported by us. The irony is, as volunteers, we feel the same from them and we leave with huge smiles on our faces each time we volunteer.”

“When you are going through a season in life and you see that others took time out of their schedule to extend help or a smile to you, it means a lot to those families,” Wright says. “GKTW is a great organization, helping families all across the country. It means the world to me to know that GB leads the way in making sure GKTW families are supported, year after year, and at the end of the day, I want all the families we serve to know that we at GB care.”

At GB, we are committed to giving back to the communities in which we live and work. And for a family-oriented partner like GKTW, we are honored to continuously support the families they serve and to do so with those who matter most to us: family.”

Join us at the WCI 2024 Conference, the nation’s premier gathering of workers’ compensation professionals. Experience unmatched programming, an expansive exhibit hall, diverse networking opportunities, and top-tier entertainment – crafted to deliver a comprehensive and enriching conference experience. Don’t miss our on our Early Bird Rate!

To visit the Exhibit Hall ONLY and receive a complimentary Exhibit Hall pass, click here.

Conference Registration Includes:

Access to all educational sessions (Monday-Wednesday).
Tickets to Monday evening’s reception and entertainment.
Continuing Education credits.

Access to the Industry & “Celebrity” Keynote addresses.
An passcode link sent to reserve your room at the host hotel.
Entrance to the Exhibit Hall.

Exhibit Hall Booths & Sponsorship Opportunities

“The Workers’ Compensation Institute is happy to announce that Exhibit Hall Booths and Sponsorship Opportunities are now officially open for the WCI 2024 Conference! The WCI team is overjoyed with the positive feedback we received from our last conference, and we are very excited about making the 2024 conference even better. Our exhibitors and sponsors are vital to the success of the conference, and we are grateful for the continuous support we receive from each of you. Being a sponsor or exhibitor is a great way to reach new and existing customers, and increase your brand recognition. I look forward to working with each of our sponsors and exhibitors this year, to make it a special event for you.” – Lyndsey Palmer, WCI Exhibitor/Sponsor Coordinator

Sponsorships & Exhibit Hall

Get in the Game was the official exhibit hall theme at the WCI 2023 Conference and we enjoyed seeing everyone bring their game ideas to life. Congratulation to all of the 2023 Theme Contest Winners!

WCI 2023 Exhibit Hall Theme Contest Winners

1st Place: Transcom Solutions

“Every year, we look forward to the exhibit hall booth contest. We take a lot of pride in choosing how we want to decorate and what costumes to wear, hoping to win the award! The exhibit hall is a wonderful opportunity for our clients and potential clients to see us in a different light and have some fun with us!”