Adam Miholic
Senior captive consultant
Haylant
Personal bio: I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. I am married to Lauren, and we have a beautiful ninemonth-old baby girl named Sloan. We also have a “fur-baby,” a black Lab named Comiskey. As you can see from the Lab’s name, I am a White Sox’s fan. Besides spending time with my family I am passionate about sports. Both coaching and being a fan. I also enjoy woodworking as a hobby.
Professional profile: I’m a senior captive consultant at Hylant working with clients and prospects to model and evaluate various captive insurance structures that will best protect and finance risk for corporations of any size and industry. With over eight years’ experience, I have extensive knowledge leading captive feasibility and modelling projects for group captives, cell captives, risk retention groups and both large and small single-parent captive entities.
I have also worked with other insurance brokers in various roles including vice president captive solutions and director of alternative risk.
How did you end up in the captive industry?
As a commercial lines account manager for a brokerage firm, I had many clients who were captive owners or members of a group facility.
I started to see the values and benefits attributed to captives from the user-side and really enjoyed working with my clients on that aspect of their programme.
After receiving my MBA and looking to expand my career into a more strategic role, I had the opportunity to join a large consulting company where I was responsible for educating prospects on the various types of captives.
My roles and responsibilities have grown exponentially since then, and now I consult current and prospective captive owners on potential opportunities, lead feasibility analyses, and aid in captive implementation across all industries and geographies.
What has been your highlight in the captive industry so far?
Having the opportunity to work with and for some of the largest companies in the world.
I genuinely find the thrill of consulting for and working with such a diverse pool of companies to be one of the most interesting parts of my job.
Being able to learn more about the inner workings of the organisations, meeting some of the most influential corporate leaders of today’s business, and then helping the company determine the most effective way to finance risk in order to better protect their company, products, and clients have been tremendously impactful.
What/who have been your influences in the captive industry?
There are too many individuals in this industry to list who have in some way influenced my career and challenged me to excel in the captive arena. In some ways, my influence has been the collective industry itself.
After attending a few of the conferences such as the Captive Insurance Companies Association or the Vermont Captive Insurance Association, it was immediately apparent that individuals in the captive space are passionate about this industry and put a lot of stock in both individual and overall industry advancement. Surrounding myself with dedicated, 22 knowledgeable, and enthusiastic professionals continually inspires me to follow suit.
What is your impression of the industry?
The captive industry is equal parts innovative, challenging, and gratifying. Because captives transcend both geographical and political borders, the industry is often in a constant state of change.
In order to best serve and protect captive owners, innovation is necessary.
In the rapidly evolving risk market, captives have been a constant, often being the first financing tool companies look to for control, flexibility, and protection from market woes.
It is challenging for captive professionals to stay abreast of so much change and be prepared to jump in and aid clients in the midst of transition. However, this has provided me with a very gratifying professional experience.
Helping companies protect both financial and organisational capital is a fantastic by-product of the work done by captive professionals.
What are your aspirations for your career in the captive industry?
I would like to continue to grow in the captive industry both personally and professionally. There is so much I can still learn and so many more people I want to work with.
I have always believed that taking the time to really learn from the best and surrounding myself with great colleagues and mentors will eventually lead me to where I am supposed to be.
I want to continue to contribute to the captive world and leave my mark on clients, companies, and the industry through innovation and education.
What advice do you have for someone considering a role in the industry?
Bring your talent and experience here. One of the best characteristics of the captive industry is that it incorporates so many supportive industries—from general business and risk management to legal, actuarial, financial, and so much more.
If you have a passion and willingness to learn you will be welcomed with open arms by the captive community.
Ian Davis, Director of financial services, Vermont Department of Economic Development “I have been fortunate enough to work with Adam on a number of occasions—including professional development committees, conference task forces and as members of the CICA mentorship programme. As a rising captive professional, Adam is someone I respect and whose insight I value greatly. He is extremely smart, thoughtful and driven—characteristics that will continue to serve both him and our industry well in the future.”
