Insurance Federation of New York honors David North

David North, executive chairman emeritus, Sedgwick LLC, on Thursday was awarded the Insurance Federation of New York’s  Free Enterprise Award, which recognizes individuals for their contributions to strengthening the city’s position as a national and global center for insurance and for industry leadership.

Federation President Howard Mills presented Mr. North with the award at IFNY’s 109th annual Award Luncheon in New York.

Speaking after receiving the award, Mr. North said he believed in leading by example, including answering his own phone, “because if I couldn’t take a call from a customer, nobody else needed to.”

Past honorees include Ford Motor Co. President, Chairman and CEO Henry Ford II, the inaugural winner in 1962, and Maurice “Hank” R. Greenberg, who was chairman and CEO of American International Group Inc. when he received the award in 1979.

Andrew N. Mais, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Insurance and president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, was presented with the Mary Lanning Public Service Award, which recognizes leaders for their work in the public interest consonant with the insurance industry’s desire to further the health and welfare of their communities.

Mr. Mais said he accepted the award in the name of Ms. Lanning, “an exceptional professional and advocate who led with humanity and who was passionately committed.”

Ms. Lanning served as a regulatory consultant and compliance adviser in the U.S. commercial insurance and financial sectors, spending more than 25 years as president of ML&G Associates Inc. She was the founding president of YES!Solutions Inc., a Harlem-based charity, and a driving force behind Boys Hope Girls Hope New York, helping underprivileged youth transform their lives through education.