Travelers Institute Kicks Off Summer 2021 Virtual Programming with ‘The Future of Cities’ Webinar

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV), begins its summer programming on Wednesday, May 26, at 1 p.m. ET with “The Future of Cities.” Hosted by Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute and Executive Vice President of Public Policy at Travelers, the webinar will explore urban centers in the post-pandemic era, including unique perspectives on changing or accelerated trends and public policy priorities, with a spotlight on New York City and San Francisco.

The event will feature the following speakers:

• Kathryn S. Wylde, President & CEO, Partnership for New York City.
• Jim Wunderman, President & CEO, Bay Area Council.

“The pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for the nation’s urban centers, not simply in public health but also with respect to the factors that will drive the post-COVID economy, including new demands on our transportation and telecommunications infrastructure and our education and workforce development systems,” said Wylde. “Federal aid has gone a long way to sustain households, small businesses and government services during the pandemic, but it is a long road to recovery that will depend on close collaboration among the public, private and nonprofit sectors.”

“While the pandemic has certainly exacerbated some challenges in the San Francisco area, it has also created new opportunities,” said Wunderman. “The Bay Area Council has partnered with business leaders to develop strategies that ensure our region is vibrant and competitive, and I hope to share how those approaches may apply to other communities across the country during this week’s webinar.”

This continues the Travelers Institute® “Wednesdays with Woodward” virtual series, which launched in 2020. All events are free and open to the public, and participants can register online at the Travelers Institute website.

“The upcoming programs will cover an exciting array of subjects, with a special focus on risks and trends that are shaping the current outlook for U.S. businesses,” said Woodward. “We look forward to hosting thought leaders in public policy, financial services, innovation and more with the goal of offering valuable tools our guests can use at work and in their daily lives.”

Additional webinars scheduled over the summer include:

• June 9 – “A Bright Future: Tackling a Global Pandemic” with Dr. Mark McClellan, former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Robert J. Margolis Professor of Business, Medicine and Policy, and founding Director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, Duke University.
• June 16 – “Behind the Scenes at the NYSE: Everything You Want to Know About SPACs, IPOs and Direct Listings” with Amanda Hindlian, Head of Capital Markets, NYSE Group.
• June 30 – “Built to Last: The Connection Between ESG Issues and a Company’s Long-Term Success” with Paul Atkins, CEO of Patomak Global Partners, LLC and former Commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and Yafit Cohn, Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer and Group General Counsel, Travelers.
• July 14 – “Can You Innovate Like a Unicorn?” with Sabine VanderLinden, Co-founder, CEO and Managing Director, The Alchemy Crew; Kevin Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, Travelers; and Beth Maerz, Senior Vice President, Customer, Strategy and Innovation, Travelers.
• July 28 – “Insurance Markets Insights: Emerging Trends to Watch” with Dr. Robert Hartwig, Director, Risk and Uncertainty Management Center, Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina.

To learn more about the Travelers Institute or the “Wednesdays with Woodward” schedule of events, please visit Travelers.com/Travelers-Institute.

About the Travelers Institute

The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc., engages in discussion and analysis of public policy topics of importance to the insurance marketplace and to the financial services industry more broadly. The Travelers Institute draws upon the industry expertise of Travelers’ senior management as well as the technical expertise of many of Travelers’ underwriters, risk managers and other experts to provide information, analysis and solutions to public policymakers and regulators. Travelers is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. For more information, visit Travelers.com.