Alan Schmitz couldn’t believe news stories about federal and state bills being passed that were 500 or 1,000 pages long. It didn’t seem real. Who would write that many words—and who would read them? He would. Since encountering those stories, Schmitz has spent the last seven years helping people understand the 900-page Affordable Care Act […]
Features September 2021
Anthony Sharett – Meta Financial Group Inc.
Anthony Sharett says he always wanted to make a difference for those who needed it most, and that factored into him joining Meta Financial Group Inc. in the fall of 2019. For this is the Sioux Falls-headquartered holding company of MetaBank, a financial services support company with locations throughout the United States, as well as financial agent to the […]
Bob Kuehn – SiriusPoint America
In an industry known for hedging against the risk of financial loss, SiriusPoint America’s Bob Kuehn says he’s here to stir things up. “I see myself as a disruptor—but in a good way,” Kuehn says. “With the advent of new technologies, we’re changing the model for conducting business that we’ve used for years by streamlining […]
Charles Barber – George Washington University
Real estate is all about location. Still, being just a few blocks from the White House comes with as many challenges as it does opportunities. As interim vice president and general counsel for George Washington University, Charles Barber navigates strict district regulations and zoning policies as he helps the university grow. The university has employed […]
Chris Correnti – AGC America, Inc.
In running the legal team serving seven manufacturing businesses, Chris Correnti—president, CEO and general counsel for AGC America—says there’s one thing he values now more than ever: flexibility. That sentiment was put to the test during the pandemic. Given the economic variables during COVID-19, Correnti says making sound business decisions is a matter of information […]
Courtney Kamlet – Vontier
When you’re preparing a company to go public, the demands can be overwhelming: burning the midnight oil, drafting and editing disclosure documents, meeting with key players—all in an effort to launch a new company. That makes success even sweeter when the piece come together, says Courtney Kamlet, vice president, associate general counsel and corporate secretary […]
Diane Hornquist – Hunt Realty Investments, Inc.
The age-old adage advises us—businesses or individuals—to consider three important aspects of real estate before investing: location, location and location. However, as Diane Hornquist can attest, location is one piece of the complex real estate investment puzzle. Aspects such as cost and contracts, as well as wildcards—like, say, a global pandemic—all need to be considered. […]
Giles Kibbe – Houston Astros
For anyone involved in professional baseball, winning the World Series is the goal. Do that, and you’ve reached the pinnacle, the apex and the top of the mountain. But for Giles Kibbe, the general counsel for the Houston Astros, it was the rebuild of the organization before the team’s first world championship that was most […]
Grace Garcia Cooke – Edmonton Public Schools
Small gestures can go a long way towards making someone feel included. For example, pronouncing someone’s name correctly tells them you see and respect them. Too often, though, people try to Anglicize or simplify names they’re not familiar with, Grace Garcia Cooke says. The general counsel for Edmonton Public Schools says this can make people […]
Heloisa Pereira – Imerys
Taking maternity leave isn’t too difficult in Brazil. That’s because the Brazilian Labour Code offers special protections to pregnant employees, including 120 days of paid leave that can be extended a further 60 days if agreed on with the government. Problems arise when the new mothers try to resume their roles—only to find they’ve been […]
