Home: Princeton, NJ. Birthplace: Illinois. Profession: Lawyer, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Marketing Officer. Organization: CURE Auto Insurance. Title: CEO. Alma mater: University of Colorado; Seton University School of Law. Languages spoken: English; proficiency in Mandarin Chinese.
Current project: The ongoing effort to force the car insurance industry to ban the use of income proxies in rate setting and underwriting and exposing the fraud and abuse in no-fault car insurance. Latest accomplishment: Winning Business of the Year by NJ Biz 2024, Finalist for Philly100 award, and being asked to be the head speaker for the “fireside chat” for Philly100. Latest contribution to others: The creation of a Mindful Leadership podcast video series – what is mindfulness and its importance to the CURE culture not only for company growth but equally personal, professional, and team development. Hobbies: Golf, mindful leadership, travel, cooking. Recent travel or adventure: London, Paris, South of France and Madrid – each with their unique culture, foods and lifestyles. Also, a truly inspirational trip with my son to the Camp Patriot Veteran Retreat Ranch in Northwest Montana. Last book read: The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle. Recent unique acquisition: A new horse.
Personality profile: Assertive, passionate, aggressive, intuitive, compassionate, empathetic, witty, decisive and succinct. A great public orator. How do you define an ideal business relationship? One that is built upon trust over many instances where the trust has been tested. Mutual respect and adding value to your respective businesses. What is your greatest joy? Although cliché, spending time with family and friends. What is your greatest fear? Failure in parenting and in the business world. What natural talent have you neglected? My ability to try a case in front of a jury. What is at the top of your bucket list? Arguing a case before the U.S. Supreme Court; golfing at Pebble Beach; traveling to Honolulu. How do you relieve stress? Free weights and playing golf. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? Traveling with those close to me and capturing unforgettable memories.
What movie have you repeatedly watched? A Few Good Men; My Cousin Vinny. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? Photos of family and signed sports memorabilia. Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? My stepfather. What’s the best advice you received growing up? From my father: you can only realize true happiness through suffering (from ancient Buddhist principles). What’s the best advice you received in your career? From my mother: success occurs when you work hard and do it ethically. What personal circumstance has had the greatest influence on your life? Embracing a commitment to mindfulness during my divorce and the value of living in the moment. Realizing that vulnerability is not a trait to conceal, but rather, an essential component of effective communication, and ultimately, leadership.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field?
I am hoping to pass legislation to ban the use of income proxies in car insurance. Obvious factors that serve as a proxy for a person’s income include educational attainment, occupation and credit scores.
What change would you like to see in the world? A framework that clearly and effectively delineates between opinion and news reporting and where editorializing in the guise of reporting is prohibited. Also, I would like to set up a national YouTube page for every US election so that equal exposure to each candidate is provided without the basis of campaign spending. What message do you want to send out into the world? Progression in society can only be achieved by challenging an illogical framework that potentially causes conflict.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? One Person’s Voice. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? My mother, Lena Chang. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A professional football player. What advice would you give your younger self? Take a step back, see how insignificant your feelings and needs are now compared to the overall lifetime.
Personal mission: Make the largest positive impact on society, either economically or spiritually. Personal motto: All personal growth truly begins when you leave your comfort zone. Favorite quote: “Don’t pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a hard one” (Bruce Lee). Desired epitaph: Measure your success based on the number of lives you have positively impacted.
