Anthony Pollmeier, alumnus of Columbia University School of Professional Studies’ M.P.S. in Insurance Management program and a RISE 35 Under 35 honoree, is building a career at the intersection of product innovation, reinsurance strategy, and talent development. His work reflects a broader shift in the insurance industry, where technical expertise must be paired with systems-level thinking and a focus on the next generation of professionals. In this Q&A, Pollmeier reflects on how his experience at Columbia SPS shaped his perspective and how he is applying that learning to address one of the industry’s most pressing challenges: closing the talent gap.
1. What drew you to the Insurance Management program at Columbia SPS? What were you hoping to gain from the experience?
I came into the program with a solid understanding of my role, but I had a growing sense that I was only seeing a small slice of a much larger system. Insurance is one of those industries where everything is interconnected—underwriting, claims, reinsurance, distribution—and yet it’s very easy to operate in a silo.
What drew me to the program was the opportunity to zoom out. I wanted to better understand how the entire ecosystem functions, where the pressure points are, and how decisions in one area ripple across the rest of the industry. That broader perspective was exactly what I was looking for, and it fundamentally changed how I think about problems today.
2. Can you share a specific moment, course, or connection from your time in the program that had a significant impact on your career trajectory?
The biggest impact wasn’t a single class—it was the people.
The professors, the guest speakers, the peers in the program—they helped me see what was actually possible in this industry. It’s one thing to understand insurance conceptually; it’s another to see the different paths people have taken and realize how broad the opportunity set really is.
The capstone project was another turning point. It forced me to step back and ask, “What problem in this industry actually matters to me?” That question stuck. It ultimately led me to focus on the talent gap in insurance and became the foundation for building the BYU-Idaho course, Careers in Insurance. That class exists directly because of the perspective I gained during that capstone project.
3. How did your experience at SPS help position you for the work you're doing now?
It gave me breadth.
Before the program, I was very effective within my lane. After the program, I found myself thinking much more holistically—how underwriting decisions impact claims, how reinsurance shapes strategy, how distribution influences product design.
That shift helped pull me out of the siloed way of thinking that’s common in the industry and positioned me to take on work that sits across functions. It also gave me the confidence to engage in conversations outside of my immediate area of expertise and actually add value.
4. What does receiving the RISE 35 Under 35 recognition mean to you at this stage of your career?
I’m incredibly grateful for the recognition, but more than anything, it’s motivating.
This industry has given me a lot—opportunity, stability, meaningful work—and I feel a real responsibility to help make it a place where others can find the same thing. There’s a huge need for talent right now, and I see this as encouragement to keep pushing on that front.
5. Tell us about your work in developing the next generation of insurance professionals. What initiatives are you involved with, and why is this important to you?
I’m very passionate about bringing people into this industry because I think it’s one of the most overlooked career paths out there.
Insurance touches everything—small businesses, families, innovation—but most people don’t really understand what it offers or how to get started. At the same time, we’re facing a significant talent shortage.
The most meaningful initiative I’ve been involved in is building the insurance program at BYU-Idaho. That included designing the curriculum, teaching the course, and—most importantly—connecting students directly with industry professionals.
That last piece is critical. Once students can actually see what the day-to-day looks like and understand the different paths available, everything changes. It stops being abstract and becomes a real, viable career option.
6. Tell us about your new role as advisory adjunct professor and the insurance and risk program you're creating. What gap are you hoping to fill, and what's your vision for the program?
The gap is pretty simple: most students don’t discover insurance until after they graduate.
By that point, they’re often making reactive career decisions instead of intentional ones. My goal is to change that by giving students exposure to the industry early enough that they can understand where they fit and what roles align with their strengths.
The vision is to build a true pipeline into the industry. Ideally, students graduate not just with a Business Management degree, but also with designations like the CPCU and an Associate in Insurance Data Analytics certificate. That combination gives them both theoretical knowledge and practical credibility on day one.
The other side of this, for me personally, is how directly my time at Columbia translated into my current role. The program helped me develop the broader, systems-level thinking that I now apply every day in my role at CFC, a specialist insurance provider. I’m responsible for building a state-of-the-art business owner’s policy (BOP) product and portfolio using cutting-edge digital technology, while also working directly with reinsurers to manage that portfolio in a way that is sustainable and profitable for them.
That combination—product design, technology, and reinsurance strategy—is exactly the kind of interconnected thinking the program emphasized. In a lot of ways, what I’m building professionally is the real-world application of what I learned in the classroom, and that’s something I try to bring back into the program for students as well.
7. How does your work in education and mentorship connect to your broader goals for the insurance industry?
We’re on the front end of a significant transition in this industry.
There’s a massive amount of institutional knowledge that’s going to leave over the next decade as experienced professionals retire. At the same time, the challenges we’re facing—climate, technology, emerging risks—are getting more complex.
Bringing in new talent early and giving them access to that knowledge before it walks out the door is critical. If we can do that effectively, we’re not just filling roles—we’re building a generation of leaders who are actually prepared for what’s coming next.
8. What advice would you give to current SPS students in the Insurance Management program or those considering a career in insurance?
Talk to as many people as you can.
Ask them what they actually do day-to-day, what they like, what they don’t, and how they got there. This is an industry with a huge range of roles, and the more exposure you get, the easier it is to find the path that fits you.
There really is room for everyone here—you just have to take the time to understand where you fit.
Views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Columbia School of Professional Studies or Columbia University.
About the Program
The Master of Professional Studies in Insurance Management is for career professionals who want to accelerate their advancement to leadership positions or broaden their expertise in the industry. It accommodates both professionals already working in insurance and those looking to make a career change. The program is part-time, online, and instruction is asynchronous to accommodate working professionals.
Applications are reviewed and candidates are accepted on a rolling basis for the M.P.S. in Insurance Management program. Learn more about the program here.
