Full Name
Dwight Geddes
Job Title
Founder
Company
Metro Claims & Risk Mgmt
Speaker Bio
Claims executive, insurance broker and longtime industry advocate Dwight Geddes is the 2026 Alonzo Herndon Award winner.
The award recognizes an individual dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusion efforts in the insurance industry.
Board members of Business Insurance’s ALL INsurance platform select the winner from nominations submitted by people and organizations across the insurance sector.
Mr. Geddes is the founder of Metro Claims & Risk Management and The Geddes Management Group, both based in Floral Park, New York. An insurance industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience, he has written and presented on topics including insurance fraud, risk management, automobile claims, workers compensation, catastrophe property trends, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Through Metro Claims, Mr. Geddes has been part of response teams for numerous major natural disasters, including hurricanes Ike, Sandy, Irma, Michael, Ida and Ian, as well as Tropical Storm Irene and Winter Storm Uri.
In addition to his claims and brokerage experience, Mr. Geddes is a certified mediator, insurance expert witness and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority arbitrator. He has also mentored and advocated for those entering the insurance industry.
Mr. Geddes is co-dean of the CLM Claims College School of Casualty and previously served on the national board of the National African American Insurance Association. He also serves on the board of the Long Island Insurance Education Foundation and heads the Jamaica College Old Boys Association of New York.
The award is named in honor of Alonzo Herndon, a visionary businessman who, more than 100 years ago, founded what would become the Atlanta Life Insurance Co., one of the United States’ largest and most successful Black-owned businesses.
Mr. Herndon was born into slavery in 1858 and worked as a laborer from a young age. Despite almost no schooling and no money, his perseverance and entrepreneurial spirit propelled him to great success, opening service businesses in Atlanta that were later consolidated into a landmark company. Today, the Alonzo Herndon Foundation honors his legacy and supports programs and policies aligned with his vision.
The award will be presented to Mr. Geddes at Business Insurance’s INSUREChange 2026 conference in Chicago on Oct. 8.
The award recognizes an individual dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusion efforts in the insurance industry.
Board members of Business Insurance’s ALL INsurance platform select the winner from nominations submitted by people and organizations across the insurance sector.
Mr. Geddes is the founder of Metro Claims & Risk Management and The Geddes Management Group, both based in Floral Park, New York. An insurance industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience, he has written and presented on topics including insurance fraud, risk management, automobile claims, workers compensation, catastrophe property trends, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Through Metro Claims, Mr. Geddes has been part of response teams for numerous major natural disasters, including hurricanes Ike, Sandy, Irma, Michael, Ida and Ian, as well as Tropical Storm Irene and Winter Storm Uri.
In addition to his claims and brokerage experience, Mr. Geddes is a certified mediator, insurance expert witness and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority arbitrator. He has also mentored and advocated for those entering the insurance industry.
Mr. Geddes is co-dean of the CLM Claims College School of Casualty and previously served on the national board of the National African American Insurance Association. He also serves on the board of the Long Island Insurance Education Foundation and heads the Jamaica College Old Boys Association of New York.
The award is named in honor of Alonzo Herndon, a visionary businessman who, more than 100 years ago, founded what would become the Atlanta Life Insurance Co., one of the United States’ largest and most successful Black-owned businesses.
Mr. Herndon was born into slavery in 1858 and worked as a laborer from a young age. Despite almost no schooling and no money, his perseverance and entrepreneurial spirit propelled him to great success, opening service businesses in Atlanta that were later consolidated into a landmark company. Today, the Alonzo Herndon Foundation honors his legacy and supports programs and policies aligned with his vision.
The award will be presented to Mr. Geddes at Business Insurance’s INSUREChange 2026 conference in Chicago on Oct. 8.
Speaking At
