Merial Brown to Receive 2026 PLUS Foundation Excellence in Diversity Award
Minneapolis, MN (October 23, 2026) — The PLUS Foundation is pleased to announce that Merial Brown, Assistant Vice President of Operations at Berkley Select, will be awarded the 2026 PLUS Excellence in Diversity Award. This prestigious recognition will be presented at the 39th annual PLUS Conference being held from November 10-12 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina in San Diego, CA. The annual conference provides an incomparable platform for industry professionals to come together, learn, and celebrate outstanding achievements in professional liability insurance.
“Merial is deeply commitment to developing others,” said Jahan Cedenio, RPLU+, President, PLUS Foundation. “She mentors professionals across career stages, advocates for women and underrepresented talent, and draws on her Toastmasters leadership experience to help others develop their communication and leadership skills.”
The Foundation presents the prestigious award annually to a member of the insurance industry who supports the mission of the PLUS Foundation through their actions to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry.
The award uses a selection process that looks for someone employed in the insurance or professional liability industry or a company or industry that supports insurance or professional liability insurance and show support of diversity, equity, inclusion, and allyship. The award is given to someone who has impacted the industry and prioritized the need for diversity within the industry.
Merial’s 30-year commercial P&C career spans underwriting and claims support, compliance controls, service delivery, automation, and AI-enabled workflow improvement. She currently serves as an insurance operations executive and transformation leader at Berkley Select and leads strategic initiatives that strengthen operational resilience, improve scalability, and enhance collaboration across the organization. Additionally, she serves as Co-Innovation Leader for Berkley Select’s SPARK Innovation.
Merial’s industry involvement includes active engagement with the National African American Insurance Association, mentoring through Women in Insurance programs, and contributing to conversations that connect inclusion, leadership, and the future of work. In 2026, she was recognized as an Elite Woman in Insurance by Insurance Business, participated in the PropertyCasualty360 Human vs. AI Machine panel, and contributed to a Women in Insurance Reverse Mentoring webinar, sharing insights on technology, talent development, and intergenerational learning.