The Standard for Workers' Comp Expertise
Since 2001, we've been teaching independent agents how to stop quoting and start closing.
It Started with a Realization
In 2002, we looked at the landscape of independent insurance agencies and saw a massive problem. Talented producers were being reduced to “spreadsheet peddlers,” sending applications to carriers and praying for a cheaper quote.
We knew there had to be a better way than competing on price.
We began analyzing Experience Mod worksheets and Premium Audits—the “boring” paperwork that most agents ignore. What we found changed everything. We discovered that technical errors, math mistakes, and classification oversights were rampant. Employers were bleeding money, and their agents had no idea.
That was the birth of the Certified WorkComp Advisor (CWCA).
We built a curriculum designed to turn generalist agents into forensic specialists. We stopped teaching agents how to sell insurance, and started teaching them how to fix overcharges. The result? Our members stopped quoting. They started diagnosing. And they started closing the biggest accounts of their careers.
You’re joining the largest group of workers’ comp specialists in the country. You’ll reduce client’s workers’ comp costs, write more business, and create an endless stream of referrals. Sharpen your mind and get ready to win!
Kevin is the insurance industry’s “Secret Weapon” for technical workers’ compensation analysis. Since 2003, he has served as the tactical backbone of the Institute, helping independent agents unravel the complex errors that underwriters and incumbents miss.
With a forensic eye for detail, Kevin has personally dissected over 1,400 Experience Mod worksheets, developing a proprietary “X-Ray Vision” for spotting overcharges. His expertise is the safety net for Certified WorkComp Advisors; when an agent faces a sticky situation—like an 84-page mod sheet or a botched audit—Kevin provides the technical clarity to close the deal.
Beyond analysis, Kevin is an architect of the industry’s future. He has engineered multiple experience mod analysis software platforms and directed the development of Locked and Loaded, the Institute’s premier training program for employers. A licensed P&C agent and recognized thought leader, his insights are regularly featured in Rough Notes, Insurance Journal, and industry-wide trade publications.
Kevin Ring, CWCA, MWCA
kevin@iwcpro.com
Lead Workers' Compensation Analyst
IWCP COO
Preston Diamond, CWCA, MWCA
Founder and Managing Director
Preston Diamond believes in one rule: “You lose when you confuse.” As the Founder of the Institute, Preston has spent the last 22 years deconstructing the complex world of Workers’ Comp and rebuilding it into a sales engine for independent agents.
Driven by the principles of the Haas School of Business (“Confidence Without Attitude”), Preston creates “Natural Advantage” strategies that allow agents to displace incumbents without ever quoting a price. He is the creator of the Conquering Zero® manual and the mind behind the Credentialed CPIA Designation Program. His methods turn generalist agents into indispensable advisors who help clients seize financial control of their premiums.
Preston’s approach is defined by “Plain-Speak”—stripping away the jargon so employers finally understand what they are buying. An Insurance Business America Hall of Fame inductee and prolific author, Preston continues to challenge the industry’s sound-alike, look-alike approach, proving daily that imagination and logic are the keys to winning big accounts.
Amanda makes the Institute run. Since 2004, she has directed the internal processes, financial operations, and event logistics that allow the Institute to function at a world-class level.
She is the lead negotiator for all in-person Institutes and Symposiums, securing premier venues and advocating for members to ensure every event is comfortable and professional. Amanda also manages the Institute’s accounts receivable, providing direct support to members regarding billing and payments.
With a Masters in Education and a B.A. from Sweet Briar College, Amanda brings an educator’s organization to the business world. Outside of the office, she is an active community leader, currently serving as Treasurer on the board of the T.C. Roberson High School Rams Club.
Amanda DiamondRing, CWCS
amanda@iwcpro.com
CFO & Director of Meetings
Karla Diamond
karla@iwcpro.com
Co-Founder & Director of Communications
Karla Diamond turns the Institute’s intellectual capital into tangible marketing power. She oversees the creation and customization of the Institute’s point-of-sale tools, helping agents transform generic collateral into branded assets that win business.
Karla operates as a creative partner for Certified Advisors. Whether adapting existing materials or conceptualizing entirely new pieces to meet a niche need, she ensures that members have the professional polish required to stand out. Beyond marketing, she is a key organizer of the Graduate Symposium, curating the flow of the event to maximize value for attendees.
A former owner of both a travel agency and a wholesale insurance brokerage in California, Karla brings a business owner’s discipline to the creative process. Her unique blend of “outside the box” thinking and operational control ensures that the Institute’s offerings remain relevant, focused, and effective.
Jackson manages the digital heartbeat of the Institute. From content production to marketing automation, he is responsible for the technology that connects the Institute’s expertise to its members.
Jackson brings a unique blend of corporate and startup experience to the team. He previously worked as a User Research Specialist at Microsoft and founded a successful craft beverage company, giving him a deep understanding of what small businesses need to thrive.
If you have a question about your designation, website access, or digital account, Jackson is the solution. He leverages his degree in Innovation Leadership to ensure that the member experience is seamless, efficient, and intuitive.
Jackson Anderson
jackson@iwcpro.com
Director of Content
Teresa Long, CWCA
teresa@iwcpro.com
Director of Injury Management
Teresa Long brings enterprise-level claims expertise to the independent agency world. With a resume that includes 14 years as Workers’ Compensation Claims Manager for Walt Disney World, Teresa understands the mechanics of claims management at the highest possible level.
Her industry footprint is massive. Before joining the Institute in 2008, she served as Vice President of Risk Management for Unisource Administrators and Vice President of SIRIS (a subsidiary of RISCORP), managing complex self-insured and large deductible programs. She was also instrumental in founding the Association of Workers’ Compensation Claims Professionals (WCCP) and served as a Board Member for the Florida Workers’ Compensation Institute for over 20 years.
She leverages her background to work directly with 30+ insurance carriers and adjusters, forcing the system to focus on timely closure. Having sat on both sides of the desk, Teresa bridges the gap between agent and adjuster to get results.
Christopher J. Boggs, CPCU, ARM, ALCM, LPCS, AAI, APA, CWCA, CRIS, AINS
When the Institute faces a coverage question so complex that it requires a definitive outside opinion, Chris Boggs is the first call. As the President of Boggs Risk & Insurance Consulting (BRIC), Chris serves as a high-level technical resource for the IWCP team, bringing nearly 35 years of industry experience to the table.
Chris is a prolific author and educator, having written 15 books—including The Insurance Professional’s Practical Guide to Workers’ Compensation—and over 2,000 articles on risk management. For IWCP members, Chris is a familiar face, regularly leading deep-dive webinars that tackle the most misunderstood concepts in P&C insurance.
With nine professional designations and a resume that includes the prestigious Brian Hey Prize (IFoA) and the Charles A. Hachemeister Prize (CAS), Chris provides the academic rigor and external perspective that keeps the Institute at the cutting edge of the industry.
Christopher Boggs
Chrisboggs@windstream.net
President & Chief Consultant
Boggs Risk & Insurance Consulting
Strategic Consultant & Faculty Member
David Leng, CWCA, CPCU, CIC
Faculty Member
David Leng is one of the most successful Workers’ Comp agents in the country. Since 2004, he has saved his clients over $42,000,000 in premiums.
A Faculty Member since 2012, David is the author of two International Best Sellers, including Turning Premiums Into Profits. He specializes in the “Risk Profile Improvement Process,” a methodology that controls costs by hindering the risk factors inherent in business.
David is a Penn State graduate with 30 years of experience and a dizzying array of designations (CPCU, CIC, CRM, CWCA). An avid boater and skier, David is also a passionate advocate for the autism community, supporting organizations like Autism Speaks in honor of his son.
Don Phin believes that HR is the engine of business success. As the Institute’s “HR Guru” for over two decades, Don bridges the gap between strict legal compliance and thriving company culture.
His background is formidable. After a 17-year career as a litigator, Don shifted his focus to coaching and consulting, founding HR That Works to help companies create strong workplaces with strong workforces. He has authored multiple books on leadership and delivered over 500 keynote presentations to executives across the country.
Don helps Institute Advisors and their clients get to the truth. As an independent investigator and executive coach, he helps leaders make better decisions and avoid the “people problems” that get in the way of doing great work.
Don Phin, Esq
Great HR
Steve White
Steve White PR
Steve White has been the PR guy for the IWCP since 2005, but he’s been involved in media and marketing for going on 25 years, logging service time with both major corporations and leading advertising agencies. He’s been on both sides of the editorial playing field; serving as an editor of a leading trade publication and a frequent writer for major newspapers, to working with newspaper and magazine editors in placing his client’s articles in close to 100 publications. Editors return his calls and emails.
And in a world where the written word has become diluted by emails, text messaging and twittering, Steve knows his way around a well-constructed sentence and paragraph, creating communications — articles, press releases, printed newsletters, e-bulletins, ad copy writing — that grab an editor’s attention.
But it doesn’t end there. Media campaigns, advertising, event planning, websites, it’s all part of Steve White’s multi-faceted resume and a long track record that can help amp up your agency’s image and bottom line.
Wayne has over twenty-four years of insurance, risk management, and loss prevention experience in the healthcare and hospitality industries. He is an author and co-author of articles of Healthcare CRM and human factors. Wayne is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers and the American Society of Healthcare Risk Managers. He earned a BS in Insurance and Risk Management from Georgia State University and is a licensed insurance broker.
Wayne is the Director of Risk Management for Extended Stay America.
Wayne Sanders
Board Member and Advisor to the Institute
Parthiv Shah
pshah@elaunchers.com
IWCP Marketing Guru
Parthiv Shah is the Founder and President of eLaunchers.com, the digital marketing agency responsible for the Institute’s rigorous data hygiene and list research. He is the architect of the “Internal Marketing Machine,” a system that helps Advisors use automation to deliver the right message to the right client at the right time.
A lifelong student of direct response principles, Parthiv is a co-author with the legendary Dan Kennedy on the upcoming book Copy That Sells, and the author of Business Kamasutra. His core competency lies in market segmentation and “fail-safe follow-up,” ensuring that no lead is ever left behind.
Parthiv holds an MBA and a massive stack of certifications, including status as a GKIC Magnetic Marketing Advisor, Infusionsoft Certified Partner, and Hubspot Certified Partner. A veteran of the Indian Air Force and proud father of an Eagle Scout, Parthiv brings military precision to the art of marketing follow-up.
You've met the mentors. Now master the process
Stop quoting. Stop hoping. Start diagnosing and closing the accounts you deserve.
