New York is getting a financial services regulator who could serve as the national gadfly in chief for insurance regulation.
New York's new governor, Kathy Hochul, who recently took over from Andrew Cuomo, has nominated Adrienne Harris to succeed Linda Lacewell as superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services. The state's superintendent oversees insurers along with other financial institutions.
Harris is already serving as the state's acting superintendent.
She was also a senior advisor to the treasury secretary.
She has a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University, a master's degree in business from New York University and a law degree from Columbia University.
The New York superintendent post is especially important in the world of insurance regulation, because New York state sometimes splits from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' consensus and applies different rules. Some life insurers have responded by selling in every state but New York, or by establishing separate affiliates that focus solely on the New York state market.
