Profile
“Being true to who we are is key; we are purely a referral-based business. There is zero marketing or advertising”
Adam Rakowski,
Ortus Financial
Gary Ricker began his career as a wholesale broker while attending the Greenberg School at St. John’s University. Throughout his career, he has always been on the wholesale side, helping numerous retail brokers win business.
Ricker feels that it is important to be an extension of the retailer’s team while also serving to protect the markets’ interests. He states, “As a wholesale broker, it is our primary job to find the broadest coverage available for the lowest possible pricing.”
As an innovator, he has created many programs over the years. Some examples of which are a beer distributor’s program, a roofer’s program, and a trade contractor’s program for Lovell Safety Group clients.
Ricker enjoys being a resource not only to other Amwins brokers but to the next generation learning the industry's business in general. He is an expert on New York labor law and has written articles and spoken as a panelist on the topic.
His advice to other industry professionals: “It is important to specialize and to act truthfully and ethically in all you do.”
88 Pine Street/Wall Street Plaza, NY, NY 10005
914 589 0882
gary.ricker@amwins.com
linkedin.com/in/garyricker/
amwins.com
Gary Ricker
Executive Vice President/Construction Practice Leader Amwins
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“You can’t control the outcome, but you can always control what version of you turns up every day”
Adam Rakowski,
Ortus Financial
1985–1993
1993–2005
2005–2010
2010–2017
2017–Present
Vice president at Glanvill Special Risk/American E&S
1985–1993
Senior vice president at Swett & Crawford
1993–2005
President at Pacific Wholesale Insurance (purchased by Partners Specialty)
2005–2010
EVP/branch manager at Partners Specialty Group (purchased by Amwins)
2010–2017
2017–Present: Executive vice president/construction practice leader at Amwins Insurance Brokerage LLC Past president of PIWA
2023: Marquis Who's Who
2017–Present
Milestones
Milestones
ELITE WOMEN 2024 JUDGE
“You can’t control the outcome, but you can always control what version of you turns up every day,” he says.
While at the helm of a rapidly growing business and a family that includes two young children at home, Rakowski has learned to manage what he calls a “never-ending list of commitments” that consists of a new team member each month, a new interstate office and two to three new referral partners monthly.
“Our business is a human business, so investing genuine time in every person can be draining on a personal level. Balancing it all is a challenge,” he says. “Simply put, do what you say you will do, and act at all times with honesty and integrity, being respectful and empathetic. The financial outcomes are a byproduct of the human interactions we have.”
Attracting, retaining and delivering exceptional client outcomes and service starts with a sincere interest in their journey and remaining relevant to them as their lives and needs evolve, notes Rakowski. He points out that he and his team put in most of the work upfront in building meaningful relationships, which is a testament to its 99% client retention rate.
He says, “We are clear in the types of clients we work best with and our value proposition. We also look for a cultural alignment with all of our referral partners, and we are acutely aware of our strengths and how different we are from our industry peers.”
Rakowski recently opened a Queensland business and plans a foot in every other capital city. He strives to establish the brokerage as a national business with on-the-ground representation in every state by the end of 2025.