PoolSide unpacks expert insights, transformative strategies, and captivating stories to connect and empower the public entity pooling community. Presented in partnership with GEM, PoolSide is hosted by Michelle Béchamps of Béchamps & Associates—a leader with over 30 years of expertise in pooling, strategic planning, and brand strategy. Whether you’re an industry veteran or just starting out, PoolSide delivers the knowledge and inspiration you need to thrive and excel. Tune in to explore ideas that matter, gain actionable insights, meet industry experts and stay ahead in the world of pooling.
Civility Starts With You: Rebuilding Respect in the Workplace and the Communities We Serve
In the newest episode of PoolSide, we explore how everyday behavior can shape workplace culture, employee retention, organizational risk, and public trust.Host Michelle Bechamps of Bechamps & Associates is joined by Sarah Curtis, Loss Control Training Consultant with Public Entity Partners, whose work helps public entities strengthen organizational performance by supporting individual growth. Together, we discuss:
Why incivility belongs in a risk management conversation
How unchecked behavior can escalate into complaints, turnover, grievances, and liability
The difference between intent and impact
Why empathy does not require agreement
How self-awareness can change the way we navigate conflict
The role pools can play in helping members build healthier workplace cultures
We may not be able to change the tone of the entire country overnight. But we can influence what happens in our staff meetings, boardrooms, public offices, and conversations with the communities we serve.
18 Aug 2026
The Meaning Behind the Message: The Human Side of High-Stakes Communication
Facts can be accurate. The data can be compelling. The presentation can be polished. And your audience can still leave wondering: What does this mean, and what should we do next?
That is the challenge at the center of the newest episode of PoolSide. Host Michelle Bechamps is joined by Jeff Bloomfield, founder of Braintrust, author, and former biotechnology executive, for a conversation about storytelling as a serious leadership and trust-building skill.
They explore how pooling professionals can:
Communicate complex and technical information more clearly
Simplify the message without simplifying the issue
Help audiences understand not only the facts, but why those facts matter
Make the sometimes invisible value of pooling more visible
Jeff also shares insights from his GEM Summit presentation with fourteen-time, number-one hit singer/songwriter Jimmy Yeary, combining neuroscience and songwriting to reveal why some messages are understood, remembered, and trusted while others are quickly forgotten.
Before your next important conversation with members or your board, do not ask only: What information do I need to share? Also ask: What story will help people see the meaning behind it?
1 Jul 2026
Pooling through The New Normal: Financing Risk When The Old Playbook No Longer Works
The financial playbook for pooling is changing. Nuclear verdicts may get the headlines, but they are only one piece of a much larger shift. Pools are facing a new liability landscape shaped by higher severity, expanding exposures, legislative changes, obsolete trend assumptions, and greater uncertainty about what may come next.
In this episode of PoolSide, we talk with Mike Harrington, President and Managing Partner of Bickmore Actuarial, who breaks down these issues in a practical, non-technical way for pooling professionals across every function, not just finance.
We discuss:
Why past trending may no longer tell the full story
How new legislation can create liabilities that were never contemplated in prior actuarial studies
Why pools may need to rethink limits, retentions, quota shares, and confidence levels
The growing need to contain exposures more intentionally
Why building and protecting surplus may matter more than dividends in today’s environment
This conversation is about more than numbers. It is about long-term financial resilience and making sure pools remain strong enough to keep their promise to members.
25 Feb 2026
Transcending the Transaction
In this episode, we welcome Jay Baer, Hall of Fame keynote speaker and author of Human.Kind. and Ignite a Word-of-Mouth Wave, for a conversation about why human connection is once again becoming the most powerful growth strategy in a technology-saturated world.
As public entity pools gain efficiency through innovation, the real question becomes: What are we doing with the capacity we get back?
In relationship-driven industries like pooling, our differentiator has never been speed alone. It’s trust, proximity, and personal connection.
Jay shares how intentional moments spark loyalty, why advocacy is earned through experiences, and how leaders can ignite a wave, one meaningful interaction at a time.
20 Jan 2026
The Productivity Paradox: Tech, Time, and the Forces Reshaping Modern Pooling
We’ve never had more tools, data, or technology at our fingertips—yet many leaders feel more stretched than ever.
In this milestone one-year anniversary episode of PoolSide, we unpack a question facing public entity risk pools everywhere: Are we actually becoming more productive—or just busier?
In Episode #10, host Michelle Bechamps is joined by Ann Gergen, Executive Director of AGRiP, to explore the real forces reshaping productivity in pooling today, including:
How AI and “pooled intelligence” are changing expertise, judgment, and decision-making
The impact of shifting demographics and career longevity on innovation and advancement
Why knowledge loss from board and staff turnover quietly erodes productivity
How cognitive and organizational bias slows progress—even in data-rich environments
This isn’t a conversation about chasing efficiency or adopting the next shiny tool. It’s about designing productivity—intentionally, strategically, and human-centered.
The leaders who thrive won’t be the fastest movers. They’ll be the ones asking better questions, building smarter systems, and creating space for thinking—not just doing.
15 Dec 2025
Leading Across Generations (Without the Stereotypes)
As 2026 approaches, leadership looks different from just a few years ago. Gen Z is now stepping into management, Millennials are running teams, and Gen X and Boomers are guiding organizations through transitions shaped by hybrid work, fast-moving tech, and bigger questions about meaning and motivation.
In this episode of PoolSide, we’re joined by Kim Lear, founder of Inlay Insights, to talk about what actually works when leading across generations—plus practical ways to communicate better, build trust faster, and get the best from multi-generational teams (without the stereotypes).
6 Nov 2025
Protecting the Badge — Legal Trends and Leadership in Modern Policing
In this episode, Michelle sits down with Jack Ryan, Attorney & Co-Director at the Legal and Liability Risk Management Institute (LLRMI) — one of the nation’s leading voices in law enforcement risk management and liability — to talk about how agencies can lead with accountability and stay ahead of emerging legal trends.
We discuss:
• The most common litigation trends facing law enforcement agencies today
• How agencies can rebuild public trust and social capital after years of scrutiny
• What it really means to “take care of your own house” — and how to stay proactive before problems become lawsuits
• Practical steps for chiefs, sheriffs, and risk managers to strengthen policy, training, and documentation
24 Sept 2025
Behind the Firewall: A Public Entity Pool’s Role in Cyber Resilience
As cyber threats grow more complex, public entities face mounting pressure to safeguard systems, data, and community trust. In this episode of PoolSide, we explore how risk pools are adapting—not just by offering cyber coverage, but by actively partnering with members to strengthen defenses. From evolving claims trends and coverage strategies to the frontlines of cyber hygiene, we discuss how shared responsibility, education, and proactive support are shaping the future of public sector cyber resilience.
26 Aug 2025
Mid-Year Check-In: Risk, Renewal & the State of Insurance
With the passing of July 1 renewals, the insurance landscape continues to shift. In this PoolSide episode, we explore the mid-year state of the market—from CAT-exposed property to increasingly complex cyber threats, and from liability pressures to shifting underwriting behavior, we ask: how are risk leaders navigating renewals in 2025?
Tune in for an insightful conversation with our guests Doug Wozniak, SVP, Public Entity Group and Justin Swarbrick, SVP, Public Entity Group at Alliant. We discuss pricing trends, underwriting behavior, and what to expect as we head toward January 1, 2026. Whether you’re brokering deals, managing risk, or guiding strategy, this episode delivers a clear-eyed look at what’s shaping insurance today.
5 Aug 2025
Controlling Risk—In A Dangerous World
How do you make critical decisions when failure isn’t an option—and time is running out? In this episode of PoolSide, we sit down with Jim Wetherbee, the only American astronaut to have commanded five missions in space, and is the only person to have landed the Space Shuttle five times. He is also the author of Controlling Risk—In a Dangerous World. Drawing on decades of experience in high-risk environments—from the cockpit of a Navy jet to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere—Jim shares his powerful framework for Operational Excellence and explains some of the Ten Adverse Characteristics that are commonly in place in organizations just prior to experiencing a major disaster or several minor accidents.
Whether you lead a loss control team, are executive director of a pool, or are looking for ways to train your members in accident prevention, this conversation will reshape how can help any organization operate safer, smarter, and more effectively.
26 Jun 2025
Capital Adequacy Integration: The Moneyball Moment for Risk Pools
Chris McKenna discusses how integrating capital modeling into risk pools transforms risk management and informs strategic decisions, offering a 'Moneyball Moment' for the industry in an interview with Michelle Bechamps.
22 Apr 2025
Rewriting the Narrative - Storytelling's Role in Public Entity Pooling
Join host Michelle Bechamp as she kicks off the Poolside Podcast, collaborating with Jim to explore compelling insights and strategies for the pooling community. In this episode, she interviews Ken Giffen, a brand and strategic advisor with over 25 years of experience. Together, they delve into the art of storytelling in business, discussing how to make public entity pooling more engaging and effective. Giffen shares practical examples, such as John Deere's branding shift and the importance of crafting relatable, memorable stories. Tune in for expert advice on creating a powerful business narrative that resonates with both longtime members and new audiences.
25 Mar 2025
Investing for Pools: Nothing But Net (Position)
Financial pressures are mounting—social inflation, nuclear verdicts, and rising business costs are putting some pools in a tough spot. Many haven't seen net position declines like this in years. So, how do you secure long-term financial stability?
In this episode, Dan Smereck with Strategic Asset Alliance and I dive into the biggest influences on net position and what tools pools are using in their creative strategies—navigating regulatory investment constraints, captive formation, and liquidity management to name few—to strengthen their financial position for the future.
22 Jan 2025
Exploring How AI is Shaping the Future of Pooling
Join us as we chat with Ann Gergen, Executive Director of AGRiP, about how AI is transforming risk pooling. From smarter decision-making to predictive analytics, Ann shares insights on the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into pooling strategies.
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