Council of Insurance Agents Elected New Board Chair
The trade association for insurance brokers has selected a new leader for the 2026/2027 term.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in People
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The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers elected Eric Leavitt, a longtime executive with the Leavitt Group, to serve as its 2026/2027 board chair. The transition occurred at the organization’s 113th annual Insurance Leadership Forum.
Why it matters
The Council represents 150 member firms that place 90% of U.S. commercial property and casualty premiums and 70% of employee benefits business. This leadership change signals the governance direction for an organization that serves as a primary conduit for industry standards.
The Council’s member firms handle the vast majority of commercial and benefits placements nationally. The incoming chair oversees an organization whose 150 members place 90% of U.S. commercial property and casualty premiums and 70% of employee benefits business.
The players
Eric Leavitt
An executive with 35 years of experience at the Leavitt Group who now serves as the 2026/2027 Chair of the Board of Directors for The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers.
The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers
A national trade association representing 150 commercial insurance brokerages that facilitate the majority of U.S. commercial P&C and employee benefits premiums.
John Howard
The previous Board Chair for The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers.
The details
Eric Leavitt, who has served 35 years at the Leavitt Group, moves into the chair role following John Howard. The Leavitt Group operates over 80 agencies across 290 or more locations in 30 or more states, utilizing a local co-ownership model. The Council also elected J. Powell Brown, Mike Victorson, and Jacqueline Roth as new officers to join the board's leadership team.
Timeline
October 1, 2026, to October 7, 2026: Election held during the Insurance Leadership Forum.
January 1, 2027: New terms for The Council Foundation Board officers begin.
Market Landscape
The leadership transition occurred at the 113th annual Insurance Leadership Forum, a long-standing fixture for executive networking and governance. The Council maintains its influence through this annual assembly, which sets the strategic tone for firms handling the majority of U.S. commercial premiums.
Operators in the insurance brokerage space should monitor these board appointments for shifts in the association's policy lobbying and industry standard-setting. The incoming leadership’s support of the co-ownership model will likely remain a key indicator for agency growth strategies in 2027.
The takeaway
This election solidifies the leadership structure for the primary trade organization governing high-volume commercial insurance placements. Operators should track the 2027 agenda set by the new board to anticipate potential regulatory or operational standard updates affecting brokerage firms.
What happens next
The Council Foundation Board, which recently elected John Tallarida as board chair, Nancy Mellard as vice chair, and Kate Armfield as treasurer, will officially begin its new terms on January 1, 2027.
Further reading
For more on industry leadership and personnel shifts, visit People.
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