Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed Anita G. Fox to her Cabinet as the Director of the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) in January 2019. Through its oversight of the insurance and financial services industries, DIFS protects consumers, enables efficient and effective regulation of key economic drivers, and positions the insurance and financial services sectors of Michigan’s economy for growth.
Under her leadership, DIFS’ approximately 380 professionals work to protect Michigan consumers by ensuring that the industries they regulate are safe and sound, follow state and federal law, and are entitled to the public confidence.
Director Fox is also active in state and national organizations to ensure Michigan has a strong voice in policy decisions:
- She holds several roles with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), including Executive Committee member; Health Insurance Committee chair; Special Committee on Race and Insurance member; and she was elected vice chair of the NAIC Midwest Zone, which includes regulators from 13 Midwest states.
- She was appointed to the Policy Development Committee of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors, a member organization of insurance supervisors and regulators from more than 200 jurisdictions.
- She is active in the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, the national organization for state-based banking regulators.
- She is also active in the National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors, the national organization for state-based credit union regulators.
Prior to her appointment, Director Fox practiced law in Washington D.C. and Michigan, managing complex litigation in federal and state courts and providing advice and counsel to individuals and businesses on a broad range of topics. She has lectured in the U.S. and abroad, in addition to teaching Insurance Law at Michigan State University College of Law. She was inducted into the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and recognized by Lawyers’ Weekly as a Women in the Law honoree. She has also served in a staff advisory role on several U.S. Presidential campaigns and was appointed by Governor Jennifer Granholm to serve as board member and legal counsel for several charitable foundations.