Thom Lewis, of USI of Southern California, Joins ABL Organization

Santa Ana, CA - October 25, 2011 – Thom Lewis, Regional CEO and Employee Benefits Practice Leader for USI of Southern California, has joined the Adaptive Business Leaders Organization (ABL). As part of California’s leading vertical-industry Chief Executives’ Organization, ABL Members provide one another with executive leadership coaching through confidential, professionally-facilitated, peer-CEO Advisory Board Round Tables, executive learning workshops, network of CEO peers, and expert resources.

USI of Southern California, a division of USI Insurance Services, is a leading distributor of employee benefits products and property and casualty insurance to businesses throughout the U.S. USI is one of the eight largest insurance brokerage firms in the U.S. With nearly 3,000 employees, USI maintains offices in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

Thom joined USI in 2008. Previously, from 1996 to 2008, he was a Regional Partner with Willis, an insurance brokerage firm, where he had P&L responsibility in Arizona, the second-largest retail office in North America and one of the top-performing offices in the world. Before that, from 1984 to 1996, Thom was a Regional Manager with Principal Financial Group, responsible for the distribution of products and services throughout the southwest.

Thom is a member of California Insurance Professionals, Insurance Executive Network, Southern California Insurance Professionals, and KBIC Insurance & Risk Management Services. He earned his BS degree in Risk Management and Insurance from Florida State University’s College of Business, in 1983.

About the Adaptive Business Leaders (ABL) Organization
ABL supports the needs of its Member CEOs by providing a place for top-level executives to draw on the experience, knowledge and skill sets of their peers in a vertical industry, personal advisory board – “multi-coach approach” – setting.

The core component of the CEO Membership experience is the group Round Table meeting. Members meet once a month for a half-day with a group of peer CEOs, Presidents, COOs and Division General Managers from non-competing companies, all from the same industry (healthcare, technology or life sciences), in a trusted and confidential board room-like setting, which allows ABL Members to tackle topics and enhance their decision making and business performance. Topics include: developing and honing new business strategies and best practices, new lines of business, “A-players” on the management team, and an effective board of directors, as well as understanding trends in new markets, mergers and acquisitions, compensation, and other “hot” topics brought to the Round Tables by the Members themselves.

ABL Members also gather several times a year at workshops and conferences to exchange ideas and connect with other chief executives beyond their own CEO peer groups. In effect, ABL Members serve as one another’s business coaches within the Round Tables and are encouraged to connect and leverage their co-Member peers’ particular skills and expertise for additional leadership coaching, one-on-one, outside of their monthly group meeting. In addition, each Round Table’s facilitator also serves as an objective business advisor, offering executive and industry insights and advice.

 ABL's Chief Executive Leadership Development Round Table program is currently offered in California's Greater Los Angeles, Orange and San Francisco County areas. More information about the ABL Organization can be found at http://www.abl.org .