Featured IRES Member: Josh J. Guillory

Tell us about yourself. 

I am an Insurance Supervisor in the Market Conduct Division at the Louisiana Department of Insurance (“LDI”). In this role, I guide my team through all phases of market conduct work, including analysis, continuum actions, and exams. I also work closely with other divisions within the LDI as well as external stakeholders to help monitor and improve the insurance environment in Louisiana.

I grew up in the heart of Cajun Country, Mamou, Louisiana. In 2001 I moved to Baton Rouge to complete my degree in business administration at LSU. As so many over the last few decades, I “fell into insurance” after being let go from an employer. I spent the next ten years working for auto insurance carriers and TPAs handling claims. After experiencing several cycles of layoffs, I applied at the LDI and was hired as a Market Conduct Insurance Specialist in 2018. My boss, Lisa Fullington, and I have spent the last 7+ years working to make Louisiana a leader in the market conduct space.

My wife, Tara, grew up here in Baton Rouge. We have one son, who is now 16, and two crazy cats. We’re all so busy in this season of life that when we have downtime, we enjoy spending quiet evenings together or traveling back to Mamou to visit my mother.

Tell us about your involvement with IRES.

I have been an IRES member since 2019. When I first started at the LDI, I knew very little about market conduct work. Following the NAIC’s Handbook, I joined IRES to obtain my Market Conduct Management (“MCM”) designation and begin earning my Certified Insurance Examiner (“CIE”) designation, which I did by completing the Chartered Property Casualty Underwrite (“CPCU”) requirements. I became more involved in IRES when I was asked to speak at CDS virtually during Covid. Since then, I have worked with the CDS committees each year in either the P&C or Market Regulation tracks. I first agreed out of respect for the people inviting me, but have come to truly appreciate meeting with, learning from, and sharing my own learning with so many fantastic people from across the country.

Do you have any wise words/tips for new IRES members or those that are new to insurance regulation?

Don’t get overwhelmed. Market regulation is a big, complex beast. Break it down into small bites and take it one piece at a time. I have rarely met anyone in the market regulation space who is not willing to share, help, and bend over backwards to make each other successful. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help.

What do you see as your biggest accomplishment? Personal or professional.

I think my biggest accomplishment has simply been finding market regulation as a career to pursue. Not only is it a space in which I’m comfortable and talented, but it has provided stability for my family in a way that bouncing from carrier to carrier never did. And again, I can’t stress enough how many fantastic people I have met through IRES and other regulation groups.

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