Robert E. Vagley recently retired from the American Insurance Association (AIA), an organization of more than 450 major, market leading property-casualty insurance companies, after serving for 19 years as its CEO and President. He is widely recognized both within the financial services industry and among other trade, consumer, and business organizations as a visionary leader, talented manager, and consensus builder. While there, he grew AIA into the most widely respected national property-casualty insurance advocacy organization and, according to Fortune magazine’s most recent ranking, among the most effective, influential business groups in the country.
Prior to joining AIA, Mr. Vagley was a partner in the Washington, DC, office of the law firm, Preston, Gates and Ellis, where he concentrated on insurance matters. He also served as chief counsel to the Education and Labor Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he was responsible for developing and drafting legislation, as well as shepherding bills toward committee passage and – ultimately – enactment. Prior to that, he served with the Central Intelligence Agency.
Mr. Vagley is a frequent speaker on public policy issues for various insurance, business, and bar association functions. He is also the author of several articles published in law review and insurance and business publications.
Mr. Vagley is a high honors graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as Law Review editor and Law Fellow. He holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in economics, with honors, from Penn State University. He lives in Naples, Florida, and McLean, Virginia, with his wife, Holly, a talented and critically acclaimed vocalist and composer. Together, they recently produced and released an award-winning CD.
