Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   NAAIA is the National African American Insurance Association and they recently released a report with Marsh McLennan titled The Next Steps on the Journey. It’s a great read and it’s publicly accessible through the link on this episode’s show notes and naaia.org. The Next Steps study is interested in demographics, but it goes far deeper, by exploring the specific experiences of Black and African-American professionals in risk and insurance. Further, it sought to understand a number of qualitative concepts and issues, including barriers of entry and retention, the evolution of DEI commitments, limitations of DEI initiatives, and, of course, opportunities for professionals in risk and insurance organizations.   NAAIA Executive Director and COO Omari Jahi Aarons is here to discuss the findings of the survey and special details in the report and we’ll get a glimpse into his career path and his hopes for NAAIA and professionals of color in the risk and insurance professions.   Be sure to tune in for today’s insightful conversation!   Key Takeaways: [:01] About the RIMS Membership. [:14] Registration for RISKWORLD 2023 is now open! [:26] About RIMScast. [:39] About today’s episode. [:50] All about upcoming RIMS webinars, workshops, events, and more! [1:40] About RISKWORLD 2023. [2:15] About Spencer Day. [2:30] Today’s episode is about NAAIA with Omari Jahi Aarons. [3:36] Justin welcomes Omari Jahi Aarons to RIMScast! [3:10] Omari is the Executive Director and COO for NAAIA, a professional membership-based organization with 1,700 members and 22 chapters. [4:06] How NAAIA serves people of color in the insurance industry. NAAIA is 25 years into its mission. [4:27] NAAIA is looking forward to the next 25 years, and how NAAIA can help the entire industry to level up, by its mission to diversify the insurance industry. [4:46] What inspired Omari to enter the insurance industry? He reframes the question to “Who invited me to join the insurance industry?” [7:07] What kept Omari in the insurance industry? [9:38] How Omari was “voluntold” to join NAAIA and then discovered the value in it. [11:05] Omari shares the experience of attending his first annual NAAIA conference. [11:53] Why Omari stayed in NAAIA and about his journey to Executive Director and COO of NAAIA. [13:11] How Omari’s role at NAAIA, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, differs from his former corporate roles. [14:51] About the recent report, The Next Steps on the Journey, and how it relates to the 2018 report, The Journey of African American Insurance Professionals. [16:27] What NAAIA and Marsh were hoping would come from the recommendations in the 2018 report. [16:55] What led up to the 2022 study, The Next Steps on the Journey, published by Marsh and AAIA in January of 2023? [17:46] Omari explains why the majority of study respondents for The Next Steps were female and what it means for the industry. [19:13] What do we do to help close the gap for Black and African-American men in the insurance industry? Omari offers some suggestions. [20:01] How mentoring played a part in Omari’s career and what The Next Steps reveals about mentoring. [21:52] Why are sponsorship programs and coaching essential to success? [22:06] About types of coaching needed for different roles. [22:58] Sponsorship programs and coaching supports at every level of the career journey are big parts of The Next Steps. [23:33] Omari presents some helpful initiatives and key actions that organizations can take from The Next Steps report. [25:08] What are the things, beyond the workplace, that people need so they can thrive? [25:47] Plug Time! — RIMS’s DE&I Advisory Council — RISKWORLD 2023 will be held April 30‒May 3 in Atlanta, Georgia! — In-Person Workshops April  29‒30 — Upcoming RIMS events. [26:49] Justin revisits his interview with RISKWORLD’s Awards and Leadership Keynote, Josh