Alexandria, VA — Whitnee Dillard has been chosen as the new executive director of Invest™ and Diversity. She succeeds Deborah Pickford, executive director of Invest, who retires in May after six years of outstanding contributions to the insurance industry's premier classroom-to-career education program administered by the Big “I."
Dillard has over 10 years of experience in insurance, non-profit management and youth educational programming. She began her insurance career in 2012 as a licensed P&C agent, joining the Big “I" in 2014. She currently leads the development and implementation of various diversity and inclusion initiatives across the independent agency channel as the Big “I" director of diversity & inclusion and also serves as staff lead to the Big “I" Diversity Council, representative of Big “I" agents and 24 insurance firms.
In her new role, Dillard will direct Invest's programs to improve the insurance literacy of students and attract diverse talent to the insurance industry, and she will also oversee diversity and young agents. This change gives the association the opportunity to combine three programs with similar goals under Invest. Prior to joining the insurance industry, Dillard managed multiple non-profit initiatives focused on youth development and college preparation in partnership with middle and high schools, the foster care system and the juvenile justice system.
Dillard has received the national Big “I" Chairman's Citation, an Ohio Insurance Agents Citation and most recently the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Industry Partner Award.
“Whitnee's passion for providing opportunities for young people makes her the perfect leader for Invest's mission to attract the next generation of workers to the great career choices in the insurance industry," says Bob Rusbuldt, Big “I" CEO. “Perpetuation and staff retention are challenges the independent agency channel must meet head on, and Dillard's expertise in spearheading programs to engage diverse, new talent will be crucial as Invest continues to provide industry-leading programs."