2018 Young Leader Award Winner

Jon Perry

Assistant Vice President
Allied World

While at the Katie School, Jon Perry ’09 was a shining example of a dynamic young leader. During his junior year, he became director of recruitment for the Illinois State chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma, and the membership grew quite handily due to his exuberance and enthusiasm. He catapulted to the role of president his senior year, and he thrived in this leadership capacity. He was a talented speaker, and he was highly respected by his peers.

Additionally, Perry was the services manager and act coach for the Gamma Phi Circus, and he organized and performed all community service and social activities for the circus troupe in addition to being the favorite clown in each performance of the Gamma Phi Circus. He also coached the Junior Gamma Phi Circus. It was through his circus experience that he met his wife, Katie.

As an engaging and outgoing individual, Perry was very well received at the industry conferences that he was selected by the Katie School to attend including multiple REBEX Conferences and the National Gamma Iota Sigma Conference. Perry was one of two students chosen for the Katie School Bermuda Internship Program, and the hosting companies were quite impressed with him. He received the Andrew T. Nappi International Study Grant, the Outstanding Junior in Insurance Award, and the Outstanding Senior in Insurance Award, which speaks volume to his character and academic achievements while at Illinois State.

In addition to all of the Katie School activities, Perry also had various campus involvement in Camp LEAD, Redbird Red Alert, and the University Housing Services Think Tank. In addition, he worked as a Preview guide. To round things off, he was a resident assistant at Dunn-Barton Hall during his sophomore year. Since graduating, Perry has remained invested in the Katie School with many trips back to campus to interact with and mentor current students via the Katie School Alumni/Student Golf Outing and Gamma Games. He has continued his commitment to Gamma Iota Sigma by becoming the regional director in Chicago for the Gamma Iota Sigma Alumni Council and by joining Gamma’s national board of trustees.

He is also as vice president of the executive Committee of the fraternal organization. Perry has a passion for the industry that is contagious and he voices it through Gamma in his outreach to students entering the field. He will become the president of the Gamma Iota Sigma Alumni Council in the near future. His accomplished collegiate career foretold what he would continue to do in his professional world. Perry has been active in volunteer activities including the Professional Liability Underwriting Society’s Diversity Leadership and Mentoring Program, CharityWater.org, Midtown Educational Foundation, Bernie’s Book Bank, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and SitStayRead.

Perry accepted a position at Travelers upon graduation, and he was there for nearly five years. He then moved to Allied World where he holds the position of assistant vice president. He and his wife, Katie, live in Naperville.