LIVE from RISKWORLD 2022: Jenelle Ryan, Georgia State University and AmRisc
Jenelle Ryan, a graduate of Georgia State University and Underwriting Analyst for AmRisc, talked with host Jamie Gassmann at RISKWORLD 2022 as she prepared to graduate. She share that she interned with Amrisc and was set to join their team after graduation. In this conversation, she and Jamie talked about the risk management program at Georgia State, her new job, the learning opportunities she’s had, and more.
Workplace MVP is underwritten and presented by R3 Continuum and produced by the Minneapolis-St.Paul Studio of Business RadioX®.
This show was originally broadcast from the RIMS 2022 RISKWORLD Conference held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.
Georgia State Robinson College of Business, Department of Risk Management & Insurance
With one of the largest research faculties and risk management and insurance doctoral programs in the world, Georgia State is dedicated to understanding, quantifying and developing strategies for managing risks faced by individuals, organizations, and society. They owe their success to an outstanding student body, high-achieving graduates, innovative faculty who are leaders in their respective fields and the generosity of their financial supporters and friends.
U.S. News & World Report ranked Georgia State’s B.B.A. in Risk Management & Insurance #4 in the nation in 2022. Their department is highly respected, too. They have been a Center of Actuarial Excellence for more than a decade. Plus, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln ranks them #1 in North America for research productivity in actuarial science.
AmRisc, LLC
AmRisc, LLC, is the largest catastrophe-focused Managing General Agent (MGA) in the United States, with offices across the country in Texas (Houston HQ), Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. Established in 2000, AmRisc is a subsidiary of Truist Insurance Holdings, whose parent company, Truist, is one of the largest financial services companies in the nation.
As one of the first MGAs to develop a multi-model approach to risk underwriting, innovation is a core value at AmRisc. Founded by engineers and risk specialists, AmRisc is built to provide stability in a dynamic market and deliver unmatched solutions for producers, carriers, and their insureds.
Jenelle Ryan, Underwriting Analyst, AmRisc, LLC
About Workplace MVP
Every day, around the world, organizations of all sizes face disruptive events and situations. Within those workplaces are everyday heroes in human resources, risk management, security, business continuity, and the C-suite. They don’t call themselves heroes though. On the contrary, they simply show up every day, laboring for the well-being of employees in their care, readying the workplace for and planning responses to disruption. This show, Workplace MVP, confers on these heroes the designation they deserve, Workplace MVP (Most Valuable Professionals), and gives them the forum to tell their story. As you hear their experiences, you will learn first-hand, real-life approaches to readying the workplace, responses to crisis situations, and overcoming challenges of disruption. Visit our show archive here.
Workplace MVP Host Jamie Gassmann
In addition to serving as the host to the Workplace MVP podcast, Jamie Gassmann is the Director of Marketing at R3 Continuum (R3c). Collectively, she has more than fourteen years of marketing experience. Across her tenure, she has experience working in and with various industries including banking, real estate, retail, crisis management, insurance, business continuity, and more. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mass Communications with special interest in Advertising and Public Relations and a Master of Business Administration from Paseka School of Business, Minnesota State University.
R3 Continuum
R3 Continuum is a global leader in workplace behavioral health and security solutions. R3c helps ensure the psychological and physical safety of organizations and their people in today’s ever-changing and often unpredictable world. Through their continuum of tailored solutions, including evaluations, crisis response, executive optimization, protective services, and more, they help organizations maintain and cultivate a workplace of wellbeing so that their people can thrive. Learn more about R3c at www.r3c.com.
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TRANSCRIPT
Intro: [00:00:03] Broadcasting live from Riskworld 2022 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, it’s time for Workplace MVP. Brought to you by R3 Continuum, a global leader in helping workplaces thrive during disruptive times. Now, here’s your host.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:00:22] Hi, everyone. Your host, Jamie Gassmann, here with Workplace MVP podcast. And with me is Jenelle Ryan. And you are currently a student graduating in May.
Jenelle Ryan: [00:00:34] Yes.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:00:34] So, this is your first time being here at the RIMS conference?
Jenelle Ryan: [00:00:38] Yes, my very first time. I’m having an absolute blast.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:00:41] So, what has been your favorite experience so far? I know the conference just started, but you’ve had some fun already since being here, right?
Jenelle Ryan: [00:00:49] Yes. The keynote speaker this morning was absolutely incredible, just the most inspirational talk I think I’ve ever heard. And then, I have adored coming around to all of these panels, seeing all of the wonderful professionals. Everybody is so friendly, inviting, and I’ve just really loved meeting brand new people.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:01:06] Yeah. And conferences are a great place for that and great networking. And I know you are graduating this May.
Jenelle Ryan: [00:01:12] Yes.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:01:13] And you attend Georgia State University. So, talk to me about that program. I know it’s one of the top four in the country, is what you shared with me.
Jenelle Ryan: [00:01:21] So, Georgia State University has the number four RMI program in the country so far. We’ve had that for a couple of years running now, so we’re very proud of it. And I’m a senior risk management and insurance student there, graduating in May 6th. I walk. I cannot believe how soon it is, but our program really gives us a great depth and breadth of information on the insurance industry.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:01:43] Great. And so, based on what you’ve learned about it and from what you’ve seen here at RIMS, right now, if you could kind of pinpoint where you’d like to take your career right off the gate coming off of graduation, what are you hopeful for?
Jenelle Ryan: [00:01:56] Yes, absolutely. So, I’m really interested in accessing surplus lines. I actually have a job lined up with AmRisc right now in Alpharetta, which is the largest catastrophe-focused managing general agency in the United States. I’m absolutely thrilled to be going back there after my internship this past summer. And I’m really just interested in learning more about as many aspects of the industry as I can. I feel like there are so many different facets, even just walking around, I’ve met so many people who are working in areas I’ve never even heard of, so I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to learn more.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:02:29] Wonderful. And now, you were part of one of the cases that—tell me a little bit about those cases that are made available to the students learning in similar programs that you’re a part of. Talk to me a little bit about what that program looks like.
Jenelle Ryan: [00:02:44] Absolutely. So, the cases are incredibly challenging, but they essentially gather up a bunch of students from your school, you usually pick teams of four, and you do a little bit of insight into identifying like risk exposures and solutions to problems based on different companies. So, this year, the case competition was based on Starbucks, and we were analyzing the emerging risks that they’re facing. Absolutely, incredibly challenging, and I’m thrilled that some of my friends from St. Mary’s have gone on to the final eight. I have friends from Florida State who participated. It’s wonderful that all of us get to participate in this, and then come together and have that experience as students, where we’re not only learning, but friendly competition.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:03:31] Yeah, absolutely. And it sounds like from what you’re describing, you get a little bit of hands on kind of some of the real world work that you’ll be doing after graduation.
Jenelle Ryan: [00:03:39] Absolutely. You have to go into very intense detail with some of these things, and consulting, and trying to see just how you can solve this, it’s a great learning opportunity.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:03:51] And a resume builder. That’s fantastic. You can speak to it in an interview. That’s fantastic. So, if you were going to leave anything for our listeners who might be considering students coming out of a program, what would be something you’d want to leave for them?
Jenelle Ryan: [00:04:05] Leave for them, as like a piece of information?
Jamie Gassmann: [00:04:08] Yeah, like something to take into consideration as they’re interviewing a fresh out-of-college risk insurance student.
Jenelle Ryan: [00:04:15] I would say be open-minded. We’re all here. We never stop learning. We’re all not only with our designations, but just in diversity and inclusion, listening to other people. And I would say really keep an open mind. You don’t know everything. And as long as you’re learning, you’re doing something right.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:04:32] Fantastic. So, it’s been an absolute pleasure. If anybody want to get a hold of you for whatever reason, is there an email address or a way that they can contact you?
Jenelle Ryan: [00:04:40] Yes, absolutely. My email is jenellenryan@gmail.com, Jenellenryan@gmail.com. And you can add me on LinkedIn.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:04:52] Wonderful. It’s been such a pleasure to talk with you. Congrats on getting here with your case.
Jenelle Ryan: [00:04:52] Thank you so much.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:04:58] I know you indicated you didn’t make it to the final round, but just being a part of that I think is a win in and of itself.
Jenelle Ryan: [00:05:02] Absolutely.
Jamie Gassmann: [00:05:02] So, congratulations to you and thank you again for being on our show.
Jenelle Ryan: [00:05:06] Thank you so much. It’s been a pleasure.
Outro: [00:05:12] Thank you for joining us on Workplace MVP. R3 Continuum is a proud sponsor of this show and is delighted to celebrate most valuable professionals who work diligently to secure safe workplaces where employees can thrive.
