Shows
Risk & ResolveBridging Business and Missions: Erik Cooper on Marketplace Ministry and Global ImpactIn this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Erik Cooper, a leader whose career path moved from music to accounting to ministry—and back into the marketplace with a mission. Erik shares how CRF (Community Reinvestment Foundation) leverages affordable housing and assisted living to generate profits that fund global missions through The Stone Table. They unpack the sacred–secular divide, what it means to work from “it is finished,” and how business leaders can view their work as worship and service. From family legacy and nonp...
2026-02-1852 minRisk & ResolveFaith, Power, and the Heartland: Micah Beckwith on Indiana’s Political FutureIn this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith to explore his journey from ministry and agriculture into statewide leadership. Beckwith shares why he believes faith and politics are inseparable, how grassroots organizing reshaped Indiana’s lieutenant governor race, and why rural communities and agriculture are central to America’s future. From culture wars and education to farming, governance, and the risks of public service, this episode offers a candid look at leadership rooted in conviction.Main Talking Poin...
2026-02-041h 14
Travelers Institute Risk & ResilienceStewarding the Future of Insurance with Travelers EVP Michael KleinWhat does it take to navigate a 35-year career in insurance from entry-level actuary to executive leadership? Travelers EVP and President of Personal Insurance Michael Klein recently joined Conner Insurance’s Risk & Resolve podcast to break down his remarkable journey in the insurance industry. In this special Travelers Institute Risk & Resilience episode, we’re sharing the conversation Michael had with Risk & Resolve hosts Ben Conner and Todd Hufford. Michael offered candid insights about career setbacks that ultimately positioned him for greater success, the importance of professional advocates and the vast opportunities within th...
2026-01-2957 minRisk & ResolveExposing the Great American Healthcare Heist: Whistleblowing, Reform, and $100M in Fraud with Chris DeaconIn this powerful episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Chris Deacon—former New Jersey Treasury official, whistleblower, and author of The Great American Healthcare Heist. Chris shares how she uncovered widespread fraud and manipulation in one of the country’s largest public health plans, why she walked away from her role, and the moral, personal, and professional cost of exposing the truth. From pharmacy benefit games to $100M settlements, this is a rare, behind-the-scenes look into how the system really works—and what it takes to change it. Main Ta...
2026-01-071h 15Risk & ResolveLooking Into 2026: Interest Rates, GLP-1 Impact, and the Future of Employer Health PlansIn this forward-looking episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford share predictions for 2026 across interest rates, employment trends, healthcare innovation, and the rising costs of insurance. They discuss the economic forces driving employer benefits strategy, how drugs like Zepbound and Mounjaro are reshaping budgets, and why some employers may start treating healthcare like a utility. From remote work realignment to the rise of PBM bypass tools, this is a must-listen for CFOs, benefits advisors, and business leaders planning ahead.Main Talking PointsInterest...
2025-12-3153 minRisk & ResolveFrom Accidental Entrepreneur to Life-Saving Mission: Tommy Martin & The Tebow Group StoryDiscover how Tommy Martin, CEO of The Tebow Group, turned early business failures into nationwide success and now dedicates his life to amplifying faith, hope, and love through the Tim Tebow Foundation. In this inspiring episode of Risk and Resolve, Tommy shares: • His journey from an “accidental” business owner to building billion-dollar financial firms. • Lessons learned from early business failures that fueled future success. • How timing, innovation, and relationships created rocket-ship growth. • The mission of the Tim Tebow Foundation to serve the “real MVPs” – the most vulnerable people. • Behind-the-scenes stories of anti-human trafficking, orphan care, and special needs ministries. • ...
2025-11-1950 minRisk & ResolveFaith, Grit, and Storytelling: Bob Welch Reveals the Heart Behind ResolveJournalist and author Bob Welch joins Risk & Resolve to unpack the making of Resolve, the true story of Lt. Clay Connor’s impossible WWII survival in the Philippines—and what it teaches us about courage, leadership, loyalty, and truth in storytelling. We also dig into the state of journalism, faith, and the duty to honor unsung heroes. Main talking points • Why Welch writes people, not “war,” and how Resolve came to be • Clay Connor’s unlikely path from untested officer to respected jungle leader • The pivotal alliance with the Aeta (Pygmy) community and what courage looks like in practice ...
2025-11-121h 00Risk & ResolveHenry Clay Conner's WWII Journey (Part 6 of 7): Clay Conner’s Battle with the Huks and the Heart of the PhilippinesIn this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford dive into Clay Conner’s harrowing encounter with the Hukbalahap rebellion, his relationship with the Negrito tribes, and his reflections on freedom, leadership, and legacy. A gripping look at war, loyalty, and the human spirit amid chaos in post-war Philippines.Episode 6 of Risk & Resolve continues the incredible story of Clay Conner — American officer, survivor, and reluctant hero of the Philippine resistance. This chapter explores: • His capture and confrontation with the Hukbalahap (Huks) rebellion • The rescue led by 400 Negrito tribesmen • How political power and betrayal shaped his mission ...
2025-10-221h 01Risk & ResolveFaith, Leadership, and Legacy with Jon Tice, SVP of Mission at IMMIIn this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Jon Tice, SVP of Mission at IMMI, pastor, and author of The Golfer’s Guide to Understanding Your Wife. Jon shares his journey from church leadership to the business world, how faith and values guide IMI’s global impact, and the lessons he’s learned about marriage, purpose, and leaving a legacy.Key Talking Points:Jon’s journey from ministry to business leadership The “turtle on a fence post” analogy and the people who shaped his life Lessons from 3...
2025-10-0152 minRisk & ResolveFrom Automation to Impact: AI, Business Growth, and Meaningful Work with Jason Beutler, CEO of RoboSourceFounder and CEO of Robo Source, Jason Beutler, joins Risk and Resolve to share his journey from failed startups to building a thriving automation and AI-driven consulting firm. Jason breaks down the truth about artificial intelligence, how business leaders should think about AI, and why his mission is centered on empowering people—not replacing them. We explore the evolution of technology, the misconceptions around AI, the art of prompting, and the role of meaningful work in company culture.Main Talking Points: • Jason Beutler’s entrepreneurial journey and lessons from early business failures • How Robo Source evolved fr...
2025-09-0346 minRisk & ResolveFixing Healthcare’s Broken System with Deb Ault, Founder of Ault International Medical ManagementIn this episode of Risk and Resolve, hosts Ben and Todd sit down with the renowned Nurse Deb Ault, founder of AIMM – Ault International Medical Management, to discuss how she’s reshaping the broken U.S. healthcare system. Deb shares the pivotal moment that led her to leave bedside nursing, the shocking truth about how money often drives life-and-death decisions in hospitals, and her mission to provide patients with ethical, proactive medical management.Listeners will learn: • The life-changing story that inspired Deb to start AIM. • Why healthcare costs and patient outcomes are often at odds. • How...
2025-08-2043 minRisk & ResolveTransforming Healthcare: Rebuilding a Broken System with Dave Chase, Co-Founder & CEO of Health RosettaDave Chase shares how Health Rosetta is creating a blueprint for employers to deliver world-class healthcare at half the cost while building an entirely new healthcare supply chain model. As a former Microsoft executive who founded Health Rosetta after witnessing a friend's death due to healthcare system failures, Dave explains how the current system is collapsing and why it needs complete replacement rather than incremental changes.• Health Rosetta consists of a framework, ecosystem, technology platform, and Nautilus Health Institute for open-sourcing solutions• System collapse evidenced by hospital closures, provider burnout, and 100 million Americans in medical debt...
2025-08-061h 11Risk & ResolveHow Tariffs and EVs Are Reshaping American Dealerships with Andy Long, GM at Royal South ToyotaAndy Long shares the fascinating journey from high school teacher to dealer principal of Royal Auto Group, weaving together family legacy, automotive industry insights, and personal growth across three generations of leadership.• Royal Auto Group began in 1969 when Andy's grandfather purchased a Chevrolet dealership in Bloomington, Indiana• The company now operates three locations with six brands: Toyota, Mazda, Volvo, Subaru, Volkswagen, and Audi• Andy initially pursued teaching before joining the dealership for a "one-year internship" that evolved into a lifelong career• Car buying has transformed dramatically – from multiple dealership visits to primarily online research and commun...
2025-06-251h 14Risk & ResolveUnveiling the Hidden World of PBM Consulting with Trevor Daer, President & Founder at Granite Peak Analytics, LLCTrevor Daer, President and Founder of Granite Peak Analytics, reveals the hidden complexities of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and why specialized consulting is crucial for self-funded health plans. He shares his journey from corporate burnout to creating a company that helps employers navigate the convoluted PBM landscape and avoid overpaying for prescription benefits.• PBM consulting helps benefits advisors navigate pharmacy complexity and secure better contracts for clients• Granite Peak Analytics was founded after discovering independent pharmacies were being squeezed by PBMs while employers overpaid• The pharmaceutical supply chain involves manufacturers, wholesalers (McKesson, Cardinal, AmeriSource Bergen), pharma...
2025-06-111h 11Risk & ResolveSteve Santangelo, CRO AT Garner Health - NextGen Healthcare Summit 2025 Recording SeriesIn this NextGen Healthcare Summit episode with Steve Santangelo of Garner Health, he delves into healthcare costs heading toward an unsustainable threshold where nearly 9% of company revenue will go toward benefits packages—the same percentage that contributed to GM's financial crisis in 2008. Data analysis reveals that which individual doctor a patient sees has the greatest impact on healthcare costs, with significant variations in quality and expense that don't necessarily correlate with each other.• Top-performing doctors maintain complication rates around 5% for major surgeries while bottom-performing doctors approach 20%• Approximately one-third of all healthcare procedures are deemed medically unnecessary•...
2025-05-2120 minRisk & ResolveLights, Camera, Faith! with Brett Varvel, CEO at House of Grace Studios, LLCBrett Varvel shares his journey from creating backyard films to becoming an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker dedicated to faith-based storytelling. His creative foundations were shaped by growing up in an artistic household as the son of an internationally syndicated cartoonist, where exploration of various art forms was encouraged from an early age.• Growing up in a creative household with his cartoonist father provided early exposure to visual storytelling• Started with 2D art as a child before discovering his passion for filmmaking around age five• Used action figures to create stories before gaining access to the family video...
2025-05-1451 minRisk & ResolveJason Beutler, Chief Executive Officer AT RoboSource – NextGen Healthcare Summit 2025 Recording SeriesAI isn't magical but mathematical, and understanding how it works removes mystery while helping make informed business decisions. We break down the fundamentals of AI in a way that demystifies its inner workings and explains why it's transformative for businesses.• Understanding how AI processes a simple request like "write a haiku about puppies" reveals its potential for business applications• AI converts language into mathematical vectors to find relationships between words and concepts• Context windows limit how much an AI can "remember" in a conversation, similar to human short-term memory• Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) allows business...
2025-05-0731 minRisk & ResolveWhy Your Doctor Shouldn't Be a Bureaucrat with Nelson Griswold, Founder & Conference Chair at ASCEND Agency Growth & Leadership SummitNelson Griswold, founder and chairman of the NextGen Benefits Network, joins us to discuss his mission to revolutionize employer-sponsored benefits and protect America's private healthcare system through innovative supply chain management strategies.• Passionate about preserving private healthcare to maintain innovation and avoid government-run systems like those struggling in the UK and Canada• Helping employers manage their healthcare supply chain by steering employees to highest quality providers• Counterintuitively, highest quality care often costs less because good surgeons don't make mistakes requiring additional procedures• Many NextGen plans eliminate out-of-pocket costs for employees who use recommended high-quality provider...
2025-04-161h 00Risk & ResolveJames Paden, Chief Product Officer Parker Technology - NextGen Healthcare Summit 2025 Recording SeriesArtificial Intelligence is reshaping the way businesses operate, and Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are at the forefront of this transformation. In his presentation at the NextGen Healthcare Summit, James Paden explored how AI-powered tools can enhance productivity, streamline decision-making, and create a competitive edge.Through this session, attendees gained valuable insights into how organizations can effectively integrate AI—starting with understanding the strategic risks and opportunities, and then evaluating the best approach to adoption: whether buying off-the-shelf solutions, building custom tools in-house, or partnering with AI specialists.Key points from James’s ta...
2025-04-1134 minRisk & ResolveRisk & Resolve: The Journey Begins with Ben Conner, CEO, & Todd Hufford, COO, at Conner InsuranceIn this inaugural episode of Risk and Resolve, hosts Ben Conner and Todd Hufford share the personal and professional journeys that shaped them. From early-life challenges to navigating business ownership, Ben and Todd unpack why leadership, risk-taking, and resolve are cornerstones of their lives—and this podcast. They also share the deeper meaning behind the name “Risk and Resolve,” rooted in personal family history and life-changing events. Plus, get a preview of the stories and guests to come, all designed to inspire you to face risk with confidence and resolve.Key Takeaways:• Introduc...
2025-03-2632 minRisk & ResolveWelcome to the Risk & Resolve Podcast!Welcome to Risk and Resolve, the podcast where leadership, business, and risk management intersect. In this episode, your hosts, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford set the tone for what’s ahead—honest conversations, sharp insights, and practical strategies designed to help you confidently lead, navigate challenges, and drive success.What You’ll Hear On The Podcast:• A no-nonsense approach to leadership and business• How risk management plays a critical role in decision-making• Actionable insights to help you and your organization thriveTune in an...
2025-03-2000 min