Profile
"West Oak’s success has come from always putting our clients’ best interests first and always finding ways to improve and add more value to them"
Andrew mcquiston,
west oak family office, wellington-altus private wealth
Keith Ross, CEO of Select Risk Services, has an interesting strategy. When COVID-19 hit during his second year in business, he turned a potential negative into a positive.
“We buckled down and became even stronger as a team by enhancing our communication through constructive dialogue,” he says. “We are all in the office working collaboratively where we feel our competition is still somewhat on islands. We call it the COVID advantage.”
That’s just his latest victory in a storied career. Keith started his insurance career at Liberty Mutual in 2005 after graduating from Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration (marketing). At Liberty Mutual, he served in the direct sales middle-market division as a retail producer and was trained for over six months on all lines of coverage. Then, he worked for CRC as an associate wholesale broker assisting the company president in growing a book of business. After around three years of service, he was given an opportunity to grow his own book of business. Keith defined himself as predominantly a casualty-driven broker with emphasis in oil and gas, and grew his book to around $30 million in premium in about four years.
“I always try and provide timely, detailed, problem-solving information that allows all parties to communicate effectively and efficiently,” he says. “This translates to our clients receiving optimum quotes that include favorable coverage, terms and conditions at the desired rate and premium and in the expected timeframe.”
In 2010, he enrolled in Texas Tech’s Executive MBA program for full-time employees. He was able to complete and earn his MBA degree in 2012 while brokering full time. This experience taught him how to handle and prioritize a heavy workload.
He built a book of business for over eight years – each year being a top revenue broker with over $2.5 million in revenue placed – before starting Select Risk Services in 2018. For nearly four years, the company has had back-to-back years of seven-figure revenue and growth year over year at more than 60%. Select Risk Services is expected to continue this pace of growth well into the future. So far, Keith has maintained 100% employee retention and grown the team to eight people.
Keith has more than 100 market appointments and several exclusive appointments and programs. Furthermore, he has kept an over 90% retention rate on renewals due to exceptional service.
Select Risk Services is licensed in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, North Dakota, Kentucky and Virginia, while working for over 100 agencies around the US.
Describing his business model, he says: “We feel our select consultative approach brings real value to both our retail agents and underwriters. Our goal is to have the best submit-to-bind ratio in the business, which means our underwriters want to prioritize our submissions and deliver us the best negotiated quotes. We are also smaller, so our agents know they will most likely be clear with us as we won’t be calling on all their competition in any geographical area. By working with fewer agencies, we can be better focused and have more time to go deep into their accounts.”
Select Risk Services specializes in casualty lines (general liability, auto, workers’ compensation, excess liability and professional liability) but also writes a good amount of inland marine (auto physical damage, contractor’s equipment, MTC and builder’s risk), and property. Targeted classes of business include energy, environmental, construction, manufacturing, marine and transportation.
On top of all his accomplishments, Keith is a back-to-back winner of Insurance Business America’s Top Specialist Broker awards.
Keith Ross
CEO and Broker
Select Risk Services
Read on
Special Report
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Bio
Milestones
Profile
Milestones
2020
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Receive an excellence award
2020
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2019
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
TeD Talk Speaker
2019
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2018
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
title of milestone
2018
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2020-2021
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Received Lexology Client Choice Award (Labour and Employment – Canada)
2020-2021
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2014-2022
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Received Best Lawyer in Canada Award (Employment and Labour Law)
2014-2022
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2014-2022
2020-2021
2018
2019
2020
Keith Ross
CEO and Broker
Select Risk Services
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
Profile
Stefan Feldmann’s insurance career began in his hometown of Münster in Germany’s north-western region of Westphalia. He was employed as an apprentice at LVM Versicherung, a mutual insurance company which, similar to HDI Global, had an excellent corporate culture with a very friendly, warm, inclusive and family-oriented atmosphere. Here, he learned the importance of working for employers who value their workers as individuals and provide a strong sense of belonging.
Stefan studied Insurance Business in Cologne before joining Allianz as a Liability underwriter. After a few years at Allianz’s headquarters in Münich, he accepted his first posting overseas. This was at Allianz in Singapore, where he developed Liability for the Group in Asia-Pacific. He set up AGCS Pacific in 2005 and, five years later, given the opportunity to build the HDI Global brand in Australia.
HDI Global’s focus has always been sustainable, profitable growth. The Australian and Singapore office has consistently delivered this since Stefan took over responsibility in 2010 and 2016, respectively and, as a result, has grown into a sizeable insurance player in Australasia and Southeast Asia.
The company is now one of the leading and fastest-growing corporate insurers in the region. While its reputation and business results speak for themselves, Stefan is honoured to be included in Insurance Business’ Hot List 2022. His experience and traits make him the team builder and growth driver that insurance professionals want to work with.
Looking ahead, he sees the industry facing a number of challenges such as digitalisation, climate change and a shortage of talent. Under his guidance, HDI Global is working hard to address these issues for the benefit of both clients and brokers. Together with the local management team, they have developed the slogan “The company you want to be with”. This underlines the company’s ambition to provide the career opportunities and culture that will attract the talent it needs to become the leading corporate insurer in Australasia.
Always passionate about building high-performance teams with a strong inclusive culture, Stefan is proud of the professionalism and dedication of his colleagues and how well they operate and interact as a team. He describes finding and integrating the right talent as one of the most enjoyable aspects of his job.
Outside work, it’s not surprising that Stefan is a keen road cyclist. Münster is known as Germany’s capital of cycling and, by the time he was three years old, he was riding his bike to preschool. He loves all kinds of outdoor activities, has a passion for skiing and practices yoga with his wife, a yoga teacher.
Milestones
2021
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Select Risk Services placed over $20,000,000 premium (over 50% growth in revenue)
Keith was recognized as a Top Specialist Broker by Insurance Business America
2021
2020
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Select Risk Services placed over $15,000,000 premium (over 60% growth in revenue)
2020
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2019
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Select Risk Services placed over $10,000,000 premium (first full year in business)
2019
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2018
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
STARTED SELECT RISK SERVICES
2018
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2012
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Graduated with an MBA from Texas Tech University
2012
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2012
2018
2019
2020
2021
Keith Ross
CEO and Broker
Select Risk Services
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
2020
2019
2018
2020-2021
2014-2022
2020
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Received Best Lawyer in Canada Award (Employment and Labour Law)
2020
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2019
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
TeD Talk Speaker
2019
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2018
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
title of milestone
2018
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2020-2021
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Received Lexology Client Choice Award (Labour and Employment – Canada)
2020-2021
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2014-2022
human resources | key media
Received Best Lawyer in Canada Award (Employment and Labour Law)
2014-2022
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
Milestones
Career Accolades
2021
2020
2019
2018
2012
2021
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Select Risk Services placed over $20,000,000 premium (over 50% growth in revenue)
Keith was recognized as a Top Specialist Broker by Insurance Business America
2021
2020
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Select Risk Services placed over $15,000,000 premium (over 60% growth in revenue)
2020
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2019
Select Risk Services earned $780,000 in revenue in first full year of business
Select Risk Services placed over $10,000,000 premium (first full year in business)
2019
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2018
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Started Select Risk Services
2018
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2012
human resources | key media
Graduated with an MBA from Texas Tech University
2012
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Career Highlights
2021
2020
2019
2018
2012
2021
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Select Risk Services placed over $20,000,000 premium (over 50% growth in revenue)
Keith was recognized as a Top Specialist Broker by Insurance Business America
2021
2020
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Select Risk Services placed over $15,000,000 premium (over 60% growth in revenue)
2020
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2019
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Select Risk Services placed over $10,000,000 premium (first full year in business)
2019
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2018
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Started Select Risk Services
2018
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2012
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Graduated with an MBA from Texas Tech University
2012
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
Career Accolades
2020
2019
2018
2020-2021
2014-2022
2020
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Receive an excellence award
2020
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2019
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
TeD Talk Speaker
2019
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2018
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
title of milestone
2018
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2020-2021
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Received Lexology
Client Choice Award
(Labour and Employment – Canada)
2020-2021
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2014-2022
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Received Best Lawyer in
Canada Award
(Employment and Labour Law)
2014-2022
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
Career Accolades
Milestones
Milestones
Milestones
selectriskservices.com
linkedin.com/company/select-risk-services-inc
kross@selectriskservices.com
713 589 2244
6575 West Loop South, Suite 470 Bellaire, TX 77401, USA
