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RiskProNet is a virtual worldwide network whose members share expertise to serve clients around the globe
Paul Simon's 1987 song "Boy in the Bubble," on the Graceland album, Simon sang with conviction about these being the days of miracle and wonder. It's a song about hope and amazement at the achievements of society, tinged with caution about the unforeseen consequences of progress at any price. Simon's lyrics described technological advances and breakthroughs that amazed him. He sang of loose affiliations of businessmen: "millionaires and billionaires."
While by no means a loose affiliation, RiskProNet International, Inc., unquestionably offers a unique style of insurance and risk management for its 29 broker-owners and their clients around the globe.
Although technology has progressed well beyond what Simon sang about in 1987, the technology available and the systems that support it are all essential to the infrastructure of the business and insurance world today.
RiskProNet International's innovative approach is built on this base of technology: its member brokerages communicate through a closed Internet facility to share expertise about various aspects of risk management worldwide. The network of U.S. and Canadian brokers, through its partnership with Globex International, has established a formal presence in 100 countries that helps it attract and satisfy the needs of clients all over the globe. Key to RiskProNet's success as a fastemerging, non-advertising organization is its strong focus on clients and their needs.
Birth of a vision
The vision began in Atlanta in 1997, when Michael Flynn (Diversified Risk Insurance Brokers, Emeryville, California), Steve Tanner (Tanner Insurance Brokers, Pleasanton, California), and John Langsfeld (Merritt & McKenzie, Atlanta) began to brainstorm and develop the concept of an informationsharing resource for brokers.
"When we all first got together, we talked about a better way to handle national and international issues for our clients," Flynn says. "The same issues would come up at joint sales meetings," Tanner adds. "We were worried about being vulnerable to international brokers. We knew John [Langsfeld] was working on an Internet and intranet venture at the time. We met in late 1996 and determined we shared a lot of common needs and concerns. We also talked about what kinds of opportunities existed."
Although Langsfeld's original idea had been to sell the concept...