About Us

Chirag Pancholi is a financial services executive, board member, thought leader, and Insurtech pioneer. His career includes founding several B2B and B2C companies in fintech verticals, serving as a strategy executive for Asurion (a global leader in mobile phone insurance), and holding banking roles at Goldman Sachs and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Throughout his career, Chirag has focused on innovation and technology solutions to address consumers' patent and latent needs.

Craig Olson is an entrepreneur, board member, and technology executive with a diverse background in the Internet publishing industry (Rivals.com), the gaming and gaming accessory sectors (DBG and SteelSeries), and consulting for technology companies in the U.S. and Europe, including L Catterton and Cerberus Capital portfolio companies. As a board member of a large credit union, Craig identified the inadequacies in the insurance solutions available to credit unions, which led him to partner with Chirag Pancholi to establish Swyft.

Melissa DeAngelo is a dynamic insurance executive with extensive experience and a proven track record in sales, underwriting, and portfolio and partnership management, including building a national insurance agency from the ground up. Melissa holds licenses in P&C, surplus lines, life and health, and as an adjuster and her deep knowledge allows her to develop strategic initiatives and streamline operations. Her leadership has driven significant success in both agency performance and client satisfaction. Melissa was an All-American volleyball player and while at Lehigh University she held two national records, including most kills per game.

Cliff Karlin brings over 40 years of experience in successfully building and managing insurance companies and agencies. As an industry leader, he has pioneered innovations that simplify the customer journey, enhancing clients' understanding of insurance products. His previous roles include Vice President, Global Operations Officer at AIG, and Chief Operations Officer at Star Holdings, where he played a key role in growing the organization from a startup to $3.9 billion in six years.

Brian is a Partner with Messick Lauer & Smith, which guides credit unions and CUSOs through complex regulations affecting their operations. He advises clients in matters such as investment and insurance, ensuring compliance and operational efficiency. Brian frequently speaks at conferences, facilitating strategic planning sessions nationwide. Brian is also the author of "CUSOs: How Credit Unions and Entrepreneurs Can Get Started (and Win) with Credit Union Service Organizations."

Zach Lerner is a Partner at Troutman Pepper Loche and Chairs the Transactional and Regulatory Insurance Group. Zach represents domestic and international insurance companies in connection with their formation, licensing, regulatory compliance, advertising, surplus lines and filing matters, among others. He earned a BA from Brown University and his JD from Georgetown University Law.