Headquarters:
2850 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
Year founded:
1997
Number of employees:
3,000+
Phone:
866 595 8413
Email:
contactRPS@rpsins.com
Website:
rpsins.com/signatureprograms
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/risk-placement-services-inc
“RPS Signature Programs places utmost importance on its underwriting expertise, which forms the core of its overall value proposition to (re)insurance partners, with underwriting performance being the critical measure of success”
Russell Duffey,
RPS Signature Programs
RPS SIGNATURE PROGRAMS
Russell Duffey
President, RPS Signature Programs
Bruce Bahn
Vice President, Business and Product Development
Ruben Olvera
Marketing Director, RPS Signature Programs
Leadership
Russell Duffey serves as president of RPS Signature Programs, a division of Risk Placement Services, where he leads all operational activities, including strategic planning, market relationships and the execution of business plans for programs within the division. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, risk management and insurance from Georgia State University and has also earned the Certified Insurance Counselor designation from The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research.
President, RPS Signature Programs
Russell Duffey
Bruce Bahn serves as the VP of business and product development for Risk Placement Services. He is responsible for leading the new product or program strategy and execution in collaboration with key carrier and reinsurance partners. Prior to joining RPS, he was VP of product for BCS Financial. Bahn brings more than 20 years of product management and development experience with leading multi-line and specialty insurance companies. He holds the RPLU designation (PLUS), an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a BS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Vice President, Business and Product Development
Bruce Bahn
Ruben OIvera serves as marketing director of RPS Signature Programs at Risk Placement Services, where he is responsible for advancing business priorities through strategic and creative marketing programs that position RPS Signature Programs in the marketplace, drive client engagement and generate demand for Signature Programs. Olvera holds a BBA in marketing from the University of Texas at Brownsville.
Marketing Director, RPS Signature Programs
Ruben Olvera
“We maintain several cross-company employee networks allowing staff to connect and learn from each other, fostering our inclusive culture and celebrating the diversity within our business”
Marcella McLean,
Arch Insurance International
“We will continue to strengthen our service proposition and customer experience as a key differentiator, as we build on the momentum we have achieved to date across multiple business lines and territories”
Marcella McLean, Arch Insurance International
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“We will continue to strengthen our service proposition and customer experience as a key differentiator, as we build on the momentum we have achieved to date across multiple business lines and territories”
Marcella McLean,
Arch Insurance International
“We maintain several cross-company employee networks allowing staff to connect and learn from each other, fostering our inclusive culture and celebrating the diversity within our business”
Marcella McLean,
Arch Insurance International
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Casey Carter
Vice President, Business Operations
Casey Carter has been involved in many aspects of the REInsurePro program since 2016, from sales to service. In his current role, he focuses on business development and agent onboarding, as well as training and resources to help agents achieve success. He also works closely with the commercial programs team in the development, implementation and rollout of new offerings.
Vice President, Business Operations
Casey Carter
Jerry Samson
Chief Technology Officer
Jerry Samson ensures the team is outfitted with the necessary technology (hardware and software) to efficiently support the program and the appointed agents with the highest level of security. His expertise in data management is critical to powering the company’s business and facilitating its growth.
Chief Technology Officer
Jerry Samson
Risk Placement Services (RPS) places over $7.2 billion in the US specialty marketplace, serving 25,000 retail clients and employing nearly 3,000 associates.
Its program administration division, RPS Signature Programs, is one of the largest in the US with a diverse portfolio of over 42 distinctive program offerings, supported by longstanding carrier relationships, extensive industry knowledge, and underwriting expertise. It caters to the specialized coverage needs of a wide range of businesses and insureds.
RPS Signature Programs has a culture of creativity, collaboration, and innovation where:
“We collect, mine, and analyze production data to understand buyer behavior and detect new areas of opportunity”
Russell Duffey,
RPS Signature Programs
Paul Zahensky
Chief Information Officer
Jacqui Price
Executive Vice President, Compliance
Julie Prewitt
Senior Vice President, Marketing
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Paul Zahensky joined REInsurePro in 2023, bringing with him over 35 years of experience in the P&C insurance technology industry. He has worked for tier 1 carrier organizations in senior leadership roles, guided the development of insurance solutions for vendor organizations and assisted colleagues with carrier transformation programs. As CIO, Zahensky utilizes his expertise to develop and implement solutions that fit the company’s business model and satisfy its needs.
Chief Information Officer
Paul Zahensky
Jacqui Price has played a key role in the growth of the program, working closely with carrier partners and underwriters to build and maintain strong relationships and manage the health of the program book. Her team handles day-to-day approvals as well as company-wide compliance initiatives, carrier reporting, internal team training and ongoing policy management.
Executive Vice President, Compliance
Jacqui Price
Julie Prewitt has worked on nearly every aspect of marketing and advertising in her nearly 20 years in the industry. Her team at REInsurePro manages branding, advertising, events, content, digital campaigns, and agent engagement and plays a key role in product development.
Senior Vice President, Marketing
Julie Prewitt
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Sarah M Stewart
Associate Vice President,
Leasing and Call Centre Operations
Karen Bannister, CM
Vice President, Marketing
Dave Longbottom
Chief Technology Officer
Alex Ventura
Head of Marketing
Damian Palovick
Senior Vice President of Underwriting
AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America
Dr. Mary Lavoie
Head of Risk Management and Senior Vice President
AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America
Mark Bernacki
Chief Underwriting Officer
Ryan Armijo
Chief Operating Officer, Underwriting Division
Bob Petrilli
President, Underwriting Division
To optimize its operations, RPS Signature Programs has focused on two key agenda items. First, it deployed a digital strategy to deal with a 40% boost in online platform use last year. The aim is to enhance online quoting and account management by empowering clients to quote, bind, issue, and pay for multiple lines of coverage 100% online and in only minutes with a “need-it-now” channel. Second, it has been focusing on developing talent. In an industry where relationships and expertise are of the utmost importance to their clients, it knows that recruiting, retaining, and developing the best talent in the industry who fits within their culture of creativity and collaboration is one of their most important areas of focus. As a result, RPS Signature Programs has experienced immense growth in the diversity and experience of its teams over the past few years.
It’s paid off. The signature programs’ culture of teamwork and collaboration across divisions stands out in the industry. Taking a “say ‘no’ to ‘no’” approach, the team tackles problems head-on, leveraging all available resources to get to ‘yes.’
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“We will continue to strengthen our service proposition and customer experience as a key differentiator, as we build on the momentum we have achieved to date across multiple business lines and territories,” says McLean. “Our im is to continue to grow our market relevance and strengthen our partnerships with our strategic brokers as we expand our leadership position in key sectors.
“We will also continue to invest in talent. We are committed to drawing from the broadest pools of talent, and to creating an environment that attracts and retains stellar employees. We recognise the importance of building teams that are diverse, collaborative, and innovative and are dedicated to cultivating a supportive and inclusive workplace culture in which all our employees can thrive.”
“Clients tell us that we stand out today because of our service and responsiveness,” says Joel Cavaness, president of RPS. “Clients can count on their RPS Signature Programs partner to answer their phones and respond, keeping our clients informed of the status of the submission or renewal. We are where our clients need us to be when they need us.”
RPS Signature Programs is a division of Risk Placement Services, which places over $6 billion in the US specialty market. RPS’ nearly 3,000 associates support 25,000 retail clients. The corporation was established in 1997 by RPS president Cavaness. Focusing on talent development and client relations, he gradually built RPS into one of the largest wholesalers and MGAs in the country. An active champion of corporate social responsibility, he fosters a culture of community involvement and giving at RPS and each year raises funds and donates thousands of hours of service across employee communities.
To optimize its operations, RPS Signature Programs has focused on two key agenda items. First, it deployed a digital strategy to deal with a 40% boost in online platform use last year. The aim is to enhance online quoting and account management by empowering clients to quote, bind, issue, and pay for multiple lines of coverage 100% online and in only minutes with a “need-it-now” channel. Second, it has been focusing on developing talent. In an industry where relationships and expertise are of the utmost importance to their clients, it knows that recruiting, retaining, and developing the best talent in the industry who fits within their culture of creativity and collaboration is one of their most important areas of focus. As a result, RPS Signature Programs has experienced immense growth in the diversity and experience of its teams over the past few years.
It’s paid off. The signature programs’ culture of teamwork and collaboration across divisions stands out in the industry. Taking a “say ‘no’ to ‘no’” approach, the team tackles problems head-on, leveraging all available resources to get to ‘yes.’
RPS Signature Programs, a division of Risk Placement Services , collectively represents one of the largest program administrators in the United States.
With over 40 niche program offerings, backed by long-term carrier relationships and deep industry understanding and underwriting expertise, RPS Signature Programs serves the unique coverage needs of a wide range of specialized businesses and insureds.
Headquartered in Rolling Meadows, IL, RPS Signature Programs is a division of Risk Placement Services, one of the nation’s largest specialty insurance product distributors.
Founded as a scratch operation in 1997 with only four employees, Risk Placement Services has grown to be one of the largest specialty insurance distributors in the US, offering solutions in wholesale brokerage, binding authority, program administration, and standard lines.
The firm’s online services include a quote-bind-issue platform that makes it possible for independent agents and brokers to come through for their clients with coverage in a matter of minutes.
Fueled by a culture of creativity, innovation, and teamwork, RPS continues to add top-tier talent to its roster of insurance specialists, all with one central focus: providing insurance expertise and speed of service to its clients. To agents and brokers looking to cover what’s unique, what’s new and what’s next, RPS is your partner in whatever’s possible.
Visit rpsins.com/signatureprograms for more information.
RPS Signature Programs, a division of Risk Placement Services , collectively represents one of the largest program administrators in the United States.
With over 40 niche program offerings, backed by long-term carrier relationships and deep industry understanding and underwriting expertise, RPS Signature Programs serves the unique coverage needs of a wide range of specialized businesses and insureds.
Headquartered in Rolling Meadows, IL, RPS Signature Programs is a division of Risk Placement Services, one of the nation’s largest specialty insurance product distributors.
Founded as a scratch operation in 1997 with only four employees, Risk Placement Services has grown to be one of the largest specialty insurance distributors in the US, offering solutions in wholesale brokerage, binding authority, program administration, and standard lines.
The firm’s online services include a quote-bind-issue platform that makes it possible for independent agents and brokers to come through for their clients with coverage in a matter of minutes.
Fueled by a culture of creativity, innovation, and teamwork, RPS continues to add top-tier talent to its roster of insurance specialists, all with one central focus: providing insurance expertise and speed of service to its clients. To agents and brokers looking to cover what’s unique, what’s new and what’s next, RPS is your partner in whatever’s possible.
Visit rpsins.com/signatureprograms for more information.
Teams are enabled to do what it takes to find the right home for unique or complex risks.
The promise to retailers is to help them come through for their clients.
“RPS Signature Programs places utmost importance on its underwriting expertise, which forms the core of its overall value proposition to (re)insurance partners, with underwriting performance being the critical measure of success,” explains Russell Duffey, president of RPS Signature Programs.
“The experience and financial track record of our program staff are vital for our stability and long-term achievements. Consequently, joint strategy development, data monitoring, and oversight remain key operational components of our partnerships.”
Their program agreements and commission structure explicitly focus on and incentivize superior underwriting results. The fact that many of RPS's program (re)insurance partners have maintained trading relationships for a decade or more underscores the stability of their program organization in generating profitable underwriting outcomes.
Duffey says, “Additionally, we continue to invest in nurturing our deep underwriting expertise through talent retention and development strategies, particularly through initiatives like the RPS internship and internal career-advancement programs. Moreover, we attract top-tier underwriting talent to our team, benefiting our carrier partners and retail agent clients.”
RPS Signature Programs is committed to investing in cutting-edge digital technologies to enhance underwriting, marketing, and distribution capabilities. This strategy is split into three key components:
Assessment: reviewing current technology, processes, and organizational structure to align them with existing and future business needs
Technology blueprint: creating a comprehensive blueprint outlining the vision for the future state of technology within the organization
Execution: formulating a detailed plan to effectively implement the envisioned technology advancements
RPS has also established and staffed a new Product and Business Development department with the aim of identifying mutually beneficial opportunities for RPS Signature Programs among carriers, clients, and insured individuals.
The department adopts a strategic approach of:
Market research: primary and secondary research to gain insights into the dynamic market conditions
Product strategy: working closely with subject matter experts to develop comprehensive go-to-market strategies and program submissions
Product implementation: the project management team oversees the organization of RPS resources and ensures the successful delivery of new solutions
“We collect, mine, and analyze production data to understand buyer behavior and detect new areas of opportunity,” Duffey says. “RPS continues to use these methods to identify and advance multiple new program opportunities. Achievements include new solutions to address the changing market for property insurance through the development of an in-house facility, private commercial flood insurance solution, and the adoption of alternative sources of capital.”