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COVER STORY: TOP PRODUCERS D. SCOTT GARRISON HUB International Tulsa, OK
DANIEL R’BIBO
JC BECKSTRAND
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Los Angeles, CA
Willis Towers Watson Minneapolis, MN
Daniel R’bibo specializes in entertainment insurance, specifically for feature films and television productions. With more than 16 years of experience in this industry, R’bibo has put a priority on keeping up with the times, and he now delves into social media to stay attuned to clients’ activities and interests, and to reach prospective clients. It’s no surprise that the entertainment industry is exciting and thus rewarding for R’bibo. “I enjoy helping my clients get out of a bind, [such as] when an actor needs some special coverage for piloting their own plane during production or [when] working on multiple projects simultaneously,” he says. “It can get pretty tough, but getting the right insurance in place to allow the actor to do both projects makes my job pretty rewarding when it all works out in the end.” Before joining Arthur J. Gallagher in 2013, R’bibo was with the Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, where he oversaw a major acquisition, as well as the company’s entertainment operations. He started working on entertainment insurance in 2002 with Aon, where he served independent film producers and large studios, and handled a number of insurance lines, including production insurance, financial and cyber policies.
JC Beckstrand leads the large law and healthcare practices at Willis of Minnesota, handling corporate risk management and professional liability, as well as transaction liability currently worth more than $6 billion in deal value. His extensive leadership experience in global risk and insurance, coupled with his responsibility in managing cross-functional teams, enables him to creatively address client risk issues in a constantly changing business environment. The large-scale nature of the business has not deterred Beckstrand from relying on traditional methods to bolster his business. “I grow my business through a commitment to excellence, collaborative team leadership and referrals from existing clients, and I still make old-fashioned cold calls,” he says. He finds it most fulfilling being able to help clients “manage through the stress and anxiety of high-drama loss situations” and foster their resilience. Beckstrand started his insurance career as a sales leader at Fred S. James (which was eventually acquired by Marsh), after which he set up the Minnesota risk management practice for Towers Perrin’s Tillinghast division. He went on to lead a Fortune 1000 group, where he introduced large-scale reinsurance analytics and brokerage to non-insurance corporates.
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With more than 28 years of experience in the insurance industry, D. Scott Garrison has held a variety of roles, including regional manager for an insurance carrier, broker and excess liability underwriter. Today, Garrison focuses on large commercial accounts with complex insurance and risk-transfer needs. “Learning what the client concerns are and coming up with a solution that makes sense” is what Garrison finds most rewarding about his career. “I always try to put myself in my clients’ situation and think, ‘What would I do if it were my money?’” he says. “My goal is to be part of the client’s team and gain trust to help in any situation.”
ALLEN HUDSON Sahouri Insurance McLean, VA
Allen Hudson’s role at Sahouri Insurance has been critical in the development of the agency’s proprietary niche market programs, including IT, international, real estate, construction and government contracting. With more than 15 years of experience in the industry, Hudson has managed the growth and development of a small commercial unit into a 15+-person team with revenue growth of more than 800% in five years. Hudson has already crossed the threshold of $1 million in gross revenue at the age of 33, a feat he has achieved by strategically using technology to automate basic marketing functions. “My advice to those new to the business: Don’t let old-school sales managers pressure you into producing immediate results,” he says. “Instant gratification and small wins distract you from the game plan. If you have a sound strategy, can explain how and why it will work, and set realistic expectations, you will succeed.”
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