Karen Clark & Company
Biographical Sketch: Karen Clark is President and CEO of Karen Clark & Company, a firm she co-founded in 2007 to help companies better understand and manage catastrophe risk. KCC professionals are independent experts in catastrophe models and risk assessment who work with insurance company executives to enhance business strategies, competitive advantage, and financial results.
Ms. Clark developed the first hurricane model and in 1987 founded the first catastrophe modeling company, Applied Insurance Research (AIR) which subsequently became AIR Worldwide after acquisition by Insurance Services Office in 2002. In her capacity as President and CEO of AIR, Ms. Clark spent over 20 years working closely with scientists, engineers and other experts to develop the most advanced catastrophe models, and she led the development of software applications that are used globally as standard tools for catastrophe risk assessment and management.
Ms. Clark has been recognized for her contributions to the insurance industry, including being honored as Woman of the Year by the Association of Professional Insurance Women (APIW) in 2001. In 2007, she was honored with the Review Worldwide Reinsurance Award’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Ms. Clark has been honored with an award certificate for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize bestowed on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for her support of the work of the IPCC since its inception. In September 2008 she was named the Most Influential Woman in the reinsurance industry by Global Reinsurance and a Risk Innovator by Risk & Insurance Magazine. In May 2011, Reactions Magazine ranked Ms. Clark the 14th most influential person in the insurance industry over the last 30 years, and in 2012, National Underwriter named her the 6th most influential Living Legend.
Ms. Clark has appeared on national television and was featured in two History Channel specials on Northeast hurricanes and earthquakes.