The Voices of Risk Management

Randy Jouben is the Chief of Risk Management in Fairfax County, one of the largest counties in the United States. He shares the lessons he has learned from his varied experiences from non-profit and for-profit to the public sector. He underscores the importance of embracing technology and training employees in AI engagement in order to manage risks instead of being blind to them, shares the benefits of his CPCU designation, and highlights the importance of continued learning at every stage of a successful career.
 
Key Takeaways:
● Randy's work with Fairfax County from criminal and fire to helping the homeless.
● Randy's literal fall into an insurance career.
● Lessons learned from the non-profit sector.
● Five Guys from the kitchen to the EBITDA bottom line.
● The value of partnering together during the bad years.
● Insights into insurance in municipalities.
● Risk financing in the public sector.
● Legal system abuse and the need to reform.
● Ensuring proper education about utilizing AI.
● Randy's flexible advice to his early career self.
 
Mentioned in This Episode:
Randy Jouben
 
Tweetables:
 
"When you realize how much you can help an organization help their mission, it's more fulfilling than a paycheck."
 
"If you can partner together in the bad times, it makes the good times so much better for everyone else."
 
"In municipalities, your neighbor is your boss in one sense or another."
 
"Just because you've had your job in the industry for 30 years, doesn't mean you stop learning."
 
"You need to embrace technology and help employees learn it and engage with it so you can manage the risk instead of being blind to the risk. You don't work in risk management and not take risks."

Courtney Davis is the Executive Vice President and Global Education Practice Leader at HUB International. Courtney was a guest on the podcast back in 2022 and has returned for a follow-up interview at the RIMS 2025 Conference in Chicago. She reflects on changes in her career, what it means to effectively educate and engage across a network, and how she is working to be an agent for change and greater diversity at every level in the insurance industry.
 
Key Takeaways:
● Courtney's journey from the University of Chicago to HUB International.
● The conversations and possibilities that attracted Courtney to her present role.
● HUB's growing footprint in the insurance industry.
● The biggest surprises in Courtney's shift from risk management to brokerage.
● Educating and engaging an entire network.
● Supporting greater diversity at every level in the insurance industry.
● Effective strategies for attracting new talent.
● What it takes to become a change agent.
 
Mentioned in This Episode:
Courtney C. Davis
HUB International
 
Tweetables:
 
"As much as an opportunity may be great, it's who you work with that will make you successful."
 
"Sometimes you have to be the change agent yourself."
 
"Don't stop until you see the change that you want."
 
"Being truly intentional to support the next level of talent is what we have to commit to."

Kyle Thompson is the Senior Vice President in Risk Management at Arthur J. Gallagher, where he leads large teams on complex risk. He played pro golf for 17 years before pivoting to risk management in 2019. In this live from RIMS 2025 episode, Kyle reflects on the ways that his golf career prepared him for risk management. He highlights the similarities between the two careers, reflects on some of his biggest wins, and details the athletic characteristics that have helped him excel in his new career.
 
Key Takeaways:
● Kyle's experience with golf was a family affair that is in his DNA.
● Advancing through the PGA was a multi-year-long effort.
● Kyle's pivot from pro golf to risk management.
● Risk and insurance knowledge started with earning accreditations.
● Kyle has zero regrets about his career in risk management.
● Reflections on Kyle's biggest wins and AJG's growing success.
● Addressing the male-dominated insurance landscape.
● Surprising discoveries that Kyle made once he joined the traditional workforce.
● Characteristics of ex-athletes who thrive in risk management.
 
Mentioned in This Episode:
Kyle Thompson
Arthur J. Gallagher
 
Tweetables:
 
"I had a few offers to go into real estate, but it just didn't speak to me the way insurance did."
 
"I was a pro at golf; now I'm an aspiring professional insurance broker."
 
"I know what I know, and I know what I don't know."
 
"Golf itself is really nothing but risk management."

Kate Fowler is the Global Head of Nuclear at WTW and a certified fire protection specialist. She previously contributed to Marsh's Global Specialty Energy & Power team, where she worked to advance nuclear energy initiatives. In this live from RIMS 2025 Chicago episode, Kate offers an insight into this highly specialized sector of risk management, including a look at the future of nuclear energy, the benefits of earning her ARM and CPCU advancing nuclear energy initiatives designations, and what she wishes she had known at the onset of her insurance career.
 
Key Takeaways:
● Kate's role with WTW aims to support the global construction practice with nuclear plant contractors and potential operators.
● Originally an architectural engineer, nuclear engineering wasn't in Kate's initial career plan.
● The technical ins and outs of fire protection.
● Transitioning from loss control to underwriting to the broker side.
● Nuclear energy is ramping up again for the first time in a decade.
● Energy independence is becoming a greater focus than ever before.
● Clean energy technologies will be part of future solutions.
● Kate's perspective and expectation shift from an underwriter to a broker.
● The benefits of ARM and CPCU designations in Kate's career.
● Considerations when moving from one established broker to another.
● Types of nuclear energy, including advanced reactors, fission, and fusion.
● Kate's experience as a woman in a male-dominated field.
● Kate still doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up — and that's okay.
● Don't worry about a career plan, just follow the breadcrumbs.
● Recruiting talent in the nuclear insurance industry means building a talent pool.
 
Mentioned in This Episode:
Kate Fowler
WTW
 
Tweetables:
 
"Originally, I didn't even know nuclear insurance was a thing."
 
"I want to do more for the nuclear industry and support more people in the nuclear industry."
 
"For all of the new nuclear assets that are coming online, the first thing you've got to do is construct them."
 
"My career has absolutely not gone the way I expected it to, and it has been amazing."

John Kempton is a Senior Consultant at FHS and is responsible for advising clients on program design and implementation, negotiating contracts, and implementing overall risk management strategy. Before joining FHS, John was the Southeast Zone Real Estate Leader and Senior Vice President for Marsh in Washington, DC. John entered the insurance industry in 2012. In this live from RIMS 2025 Chicago episode, John highlights industries that commonly outsource risk management, including real estate and hospitality, details the unique skillset of being a broker-turned-consultant, and offers encouragement to anyone who is wondering whether returning to the office is really worth the effort (it is).
 
Key Takeaways:
● John's role at FHS focuses on real estate and construction space.
● Industries that commonly outsource risk management.
● From history major to insurance industry — John's unexpected career path.
● Acquiring insurance clients in the real estate industry.
● The benefits of offering a flat monthly retainer.
● Brokers turned consultants offer a unique skillset to clients.
● John's engagement preferences in the real estate and hospitality industry.
● Growth in this industry is not slowing down anytime soon.
● In another life, John is managing a safari lodge in South America.
● John's networking advice to his early career self.
 
Mentioned in This Episode:
John Kempton
FHS Risk Management
 
Tweetables:
 
"Our job is to come in and manage the process rather than hijack the process."
 
"Many of our clients don't even know that this outsourcing model exists."
 
"The earlier we're involved with our clients, the better the outcome typically is."
 
"Embrace being in the office and making connections."