The Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) has appointed Ryan C. Work as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Work succeeds previous leadership after what the organization described as an extensive search. Robert Murray, SFAA Board Chairman, expressed confidence in Work's ability to lead the association successfully, citing his in-depth trade association management experience and background in developing and managing strategic outreach and policy programs before Congress, the Administration, and various federal and state regulatory agencies.
Prior to joining SFAA, Work served as Senior Vice President of Government Relations at the Self-Insurance Institute of America (SIIA), where he advocated on self-insurance, stop-loss, and captive insurance matters. He has also held senior government affairs roles at S&P Global, representing major brands like Standard & Poor's and BusinessWeek. Work's background includes several senior staff positions on Capitol Hill, including as Legislative Director for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the current Chair of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. He also served as Chief of Staff to former Rep. Katherine Harris of Florida.
Work stated that he is honored to be named President and CEO and looks forward to working to advance SFAA's value to members, expanding advocacy efforts, and building a strong team in support of maintaining SFAA's reputation as one of the most influential insurance legislative organizations in the states and Washington D.C. He added that he anticipates collaborating with the SFAA Board, Executive Committee, membership and staff to enlist support for issues and programs critical to the industry's success, according to the SFAA website.
SFAA represents over 425 member companies writing 98% of surety and fidelity bonds in the United States. The nonprofit trade group promotes the value of surety and fidelity bonding through advocacy, outreach, and education initiatives. For HR vendors and professionals in talent management, this leadership change at a major insurance association could signal shifting regulatory priorities that may impact bonding requirements for employment-related contracts, background check compliance, and fiduciary responsibilities. Work's extensive government relations background suggests SFAA may intensify its advocacy efforts on legislative and regulatory matters affecting the insurance sector, potentially influencing policies that intersect with human resources practices, particularly around employee fidelity bonds, surety bonds for contractors, and compliance with state and federal regulations.
The appointment comes at a time when regulatory scrutiny of employment practices continues to increase across multiple jurisdictions. Work's experience navigating complex legislative environments could position SFAA to more effectively advocate for policies that balance industry interests with regulatory requirements. For HR vendors serving clients in construction, government contracting, financial services, and other sectors requiring bonding, changes in SFAA's advocacy direction could eventually translate to modified bonding requirements or new compliance considerations. The association's influence on state and federal insurance legislation means its leadership decisions can have ripple effects across industries that rely on surety and fidelity bonds as part of their risk management and employment practices.
