Des Moines insurance leaders will examine how moral and religious convictions shape decisions about risk, responsibility, and protection.
The Comparison Project and Drake University’s Zimpleman College of Business will launch their 2026–2028 Prophets & Profits series with “Insurance & Risk: Moral Responsibility in a World of Uncertainty,” a public panel discussion featuring four leaders from Iowa’s insurance and legal communities.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, in Room 101 of Aliber Hall, 2847 University Avenue, on the Drake University campus.
Insurance does more than calculate probabilities and pay claims. It helps determine how uncertainty, vulnerability, and financial loss are shared—and who will be protected when catastrophe strikes. Decisions about pricing, coverage, exclusions, claims, and capital therefore involve not only technical and commercial judgments, but also fundamental questions of fairness, responsibility, trust, and human dignity.
The panel will explore how the participants’ personal moral and religious convictions inform the difficult decisions they encounter as leaders. Among the questions they will consider:
- How can insurers balance actuarial discipline and financial sustainability with compassion and social responsibility?
- Are there ethical limits to risk-based pricing, even when it is economically justified?
- What responsibilities do insurers have to individuals and communities facing risks they cannot reasonably bear alone?
- How should moral commitments shape leadership in an era of climate volatility, rising healthcare costs, and increasingly interconnected economic risks?
“This series creates an opportunity to move beyond abstract discussions of religion and business and listen to leaders who must navigate complicated moral questions in their everyday work,” said Matthew C. Mitchell, professor of strategy and international business at Drake University and moderator of the panel. “Insurance is an especially important place to begin because the industry sits at the intersection of uncertainty, financial sustainability, human vulnerability, and our shared responsibility for one another.”
Panelists will include:
Scott Jean, President and CEO of EMC Insurance Companies. Jean began his career at EMC as an actuary in 1991. He is a graduate of Iowa State University, a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society, and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.
Nick Gerhart, Chief Operating Officer of Homesteaders Life Company. Gerhart previously served as Chief Administrative Officer at FBL Financial Group and as Commissioner of the Iowa Insurance Division. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa and law and health-administration degrees from Saint Louis University.
Christian Walk, Senior Vice President, Legal and Associate General Counsel at Global Atlantic Financial Group. An attorney and ordained minister, Walk brings a distinctive perspective on the relationship among professional responsibility, faith, and ethical leadership.
Jason Giles, a shareholder at Nyemaster Goode. Giles advises clients on insurance, mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, corporate governance, and risk assessment. He earned both his MBA and law degree from Drake University, is active in his church and other religious organizations, and previously served a two-year mission in Ecuador.
The event is the first program in Prophets & Profits, a two-year series examining the intersection of religion, business, and society through conversations with business leaders and scholars. The series is generously supported by the Joel W. Peterson Trust.
ABOUT PROPHETS & PROFITS
Prophets & Profits is a 2026–2028 public scholarship initiative exploring the relationship among religion, business, and society. Through public dialogues featuring experienced executives and leading scholars, the series examines how religious traditions and moral commitments can illuminate the responsibilities of businesses, markets, and their leaders. The series is hosted by The Comparison Project and Drake University’s Zimpleman College of Business and is supported by the Joel W. Peterson Trust.