Full Name
Dawn Hiestand
Job Title
Head of Captives
Company
Zurich
Speaker Bio
Dawn Hiestand serves as Senior Vice President and Head of Group Captives for Zurich North America. Dawn is responsible for the overall underwriting strategy and operational management of Zurich North America’s Group Captives insurance business, which includes member-owned, agency and fronted captives.
Most recently Dawn served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for the Direct Markets business unit. Direct Markets is focused on providing finance and insurance solutions for automotive dealers and their customers. In this role, key accountabilities involved setting and aligning on the operational strategy and business plans with the head of the business unit and ensuring the integrity of the business operating model and associated infrastructure.
Since joining Zurich in 2000, Dawn has held leadership positions in Claims, Operational Transformation and Underwriting including Chief Operations Officer for Alternative Markets where she was involved in strategic portfolio management and performance monitoring of the Programs, Direct Markets, Group Captives and Crop businesses.
Prior to joining Zurich, Dawn was in private practice for three years representing clients in the areas of corporate law, personal injury, real estate, family law, bankruptcy, and creditor negotiations.
Internal Appointments:
In 2021, Dawn was selected as Head of the Women’s Innovation Network (WIN), Zurich’s largest and oldest employee resource group focused on bringing forward programming that promotes gender equity and parity in the workplace. She was also honored in September 2021 with Zurich’s peer nominated KAMP Leadership Award, named in remembrance of four colleagues lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The KAMP Award, given annually, honors colleagues who demonstrate extraordinary leadership, care, commitment, and integrity in decisions that impact outcomes.
External Appointments:
Dawn has served as a guest panelist covering topics such as “Property, Liability and Environmental Insurance Lessons from Katrina and her Ugly Sister,” Association of Lloyd’s Brokers, March 2006, “A Snapshot of What is on the Horizon for Environmental Litigation and Defense Considerations,” Claims & Litigation Management Alliance 2012 Webinar Series, June 2012 and co-authored an article entitled Using Environmental Insurance to Facilitate Military Base Closures, Environmental Claims Journal, Vol.14, No.2, Spring 2002 edition. She has also contributed to several articles on the compelling benefits of utilizing a captive structure to manage risk.
Dawn was named a 2021 Business Insurance Woman to Watch.
Educational Background:
Dawn earned her law degree and bachelor's degree in political science from Valparaiso University and is admitted to practice law in Illinois.
Most recently Dawn served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for the Direct Markets business unit. Direct Markets is focused on providing finance and insurance solutions for automotive dealers and their customers. In this role, key accountabilities involved setting and aligning on the operational strategy and business plans with the head of the business unit and ensuring the integrity of the business operating model and associated infrastructure.
Since joining Zurich in 2000, Dawn has held leadership positions in Claims, Operational Transformation and Underwriting including Chief Operations Officer for Alternative Markets where she was involved in strategic portfolio management and performance monitoring of the Programs, Direct Markets, Group Captives and Crop businesses.
Prior to joining Zurich, Dawn was in private practice for three years representing clients in the areas of corporate law, personal injury, real estate, family law, bankruptcy, and creditor negotiations.
Internal Appointments:
In 2021, Dawn was selected as Head of the Women’s Innovation Network (WIN), Zurich’s largest and oldest employee resource group focused on bringing forward programming that promotes gender equity and parity in the workplace. She was also honored in September 2021 with Zurich’s peer nominated KAMP Leadership Award, named in remembrance of four colleagues lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The KAMP Award, given annually, honors colleagues who demonstrate extraordinary leadership, care, commitment, and integrity in decisions that impact outcomes.
External Appointments:
Dawn has served as a guest panelist covering topics such as “Property, Liability and Environmental Insurance Lessons from Katrina and her Ugly Sister,” Association of Lloyd’s Brokers, March 2006, “A Snapshot of What is on the Horizon for Environmental Litigation and Defense Considerations,” Claims & Litigation Management Alliance 2012 Webinar Series, June 2012 and co-authored an article entitled Using Environmental Insurance to Facilitate Military Base Closures, Environmental Claims Journal, Vol.14, No.2, Spring 2002 edition. She has also contributed to several articles on the compelling benefits of utilizing a captive structure to manage risk.
Dawn was named a 2021 Business Insurance Woman to Watch.
Educational Background:
Dawn earned her law degree and bachelor's degree in political science from Valparaiso University and is admitted to practice law in Illinois.
