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Risk Managers - Outdoor Recreation Specialists
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| Unlike standard forms of business risk, the risk found in many types of outdoor recreation activities may not be altogether undesirable. It is the presence, or perception, of some risk which gives the activity its appeal. Therefore, it is our challenge to reduce and manage risk to a level acceptable for participant, operator and insurer. Our Risk Managers must recognize, analyze and mitigate hazards while maintaining the flavor of the experience and the viability of the business. The task requires special expertise, training and experience. For this purpose we assembled and prepared a select group of individuals with diverse backgrounds and a common interest. Our Risk Managers include hunting/fishing outfitters and guides, resort managers, ski area safety specialists, firearms competitors/trainers, a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain, a disaster relief supervisor and a former U.S. Forest Service Recreation Manager. Several of our specialists are retired Military Officers. All are sportsmen. They are dedicated to the Company mission and committed to improving safety and success in the outdoor recreation industry. Each of our Risk Managers is qualified in the evaluation and management of all specialty and common exposures. Some of their individual interests, talents and backgrounds are noted below. |
Principals
Vic Taylor, President
Along the way, his advice and consultation were solicited by the founders of Gulf Insurance Group’s fledgling outdoor insurance Program. Gulf’s outdoor Program rapidly expanded in size and scope. Vic founded Taylor and Associates, Inc. to meet a growing need for more comprehensive loss control and risk management services. Like his outfitting business, Taylor & Associates, Inc. reflects Vic’s personal background, education and experiences: a rural boyhood; Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration; work in the hotel and manufacturing industries; and two decades in the high-risk world of Marine Corps infantry and reconnaissance units. Woven throughout is an abiding personal and professional involvement with the outdoors: hunting, fishing, horses, guns, mountains, waters, wild animals and wild places. Vic is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers. He has been an instructor for Certified Risk Managers International and advisor to four insurance carriers. He has lectured and written extensively on management of activities with high inherent risk. His corporate philosophy and mission: “For the Insurer, we will protect his investment as if it were our own. For the Guest, we will reduce the risk but keep the flavor of the experience. For the Insured, we will make the operation safer and safety affordable.” Vic lives in Routt County, Colorado and the Florida Keys. Specialties: |
Vic retired from the Marines in 1985 to establish an outfitting business in northwest Colorado. For the next ten years, Vic Taylor-Outfitter, Inc. provided wilderness horseback pack trips and big game hunts from Vic’s ranch and remote camps on the western slope of the Continental Divide.Mike Roche, Senior Vice President of Operations
After retiring from the Marines in 1987, Mike and his wife Diane started a greenhouse business in northern Virginia, growing hydroponic vegetables and herbs for the Eastern Seaboard market. After fifteen years, American Produce Company grew to 80 employees and was a principal source of specialty and organic produce for grocery chains in nine states. He sold his successful business in 2001. As the operations of Taylor and Associates, Inc. expanded, he joined his Marine comrade, Vic Taylor, as a Risk Manager - Outdoor Recreation Specialist. Prior to becoming an owner and Vice President, Mike performed hundreds of loss control surveys for outdoor oriented businesses. He also conducted risk management seminars and developed standardized safety guidelines for insured organizations. In addition to his other interests, Mike has had a life long passion for horses and flying. He trained and rode competitively as a young man and continues to ride for pleasure today. He drives draft horses on his Vermont farm. He has been a licensed pilot since college and flys his amphibian Aviat Husky floatplane both for business and backcountry adventure. Mike and his wife live in Loudoun County, Virginia & Randolph, Vermont. Specialties: |
Mike Roche is Senior Vice President of Taylor and Associates, Inc. As Director of Operations, he receives, analyzes and distributes requests for services. He manages the Loss Control Survey process. Mike holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science and a Master’s in Public Administration. He is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers.Trent Swanson, Vice President of Administration
Outdoor recreation and its related industry have been a focal point of Trent’s professional and personal life. He received his B.S. in Forestry from Northern Arizona University and was employed by the U.S. Forest Service during college. He initially managed a Colorado shooting sports complex and subsequently took over the reins of a hunting and fishing guide service. Besides management responsibilities, he was a sporting clays instructor and guided clients on bird hunts, big game hunts, and fly fishing trips. In addition to his work with our company, Trent owns Scout Mountain Outdoors, LLC, which provides the framework for his secondary career as a freelance writer/photographer. He is the Senior Editor of Western Hunter, a magazine featuring gear, tactics, information, and hunting adventures. His stories and photographs have also appeared in a number of local and national publications. He serves on the Board of Directors for Arizona Sportsmen For Wildlife, and is a member of several other state and national conservation groups. He also participates in Project CENTRL, a rural leadership program. Stating the obvious, Trent is an avid outdoor sportsman. He has hunted or fished in most of the western states, Canada, Mexico, Belize, and Kiribati. He lives in Arizona with his wife Nichole, a Doctor of Physical Therapy. Specialties: |
Trent Swanson is Vice President of Taylor and Associates, Inc. He oversees product quality, administration and advertising. In addition to executive duties, Trent conducts risk assessment/loss control surveys and seminars throughout the southwestern United States. He is currently certified by the State of Texas to conduct risk management assessments in that state. He joined our company in 2003.Risk Managers
Steve Benson
Steve earned his business degree from the University of Nebraska. He flew fighter jets in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard. He was a B747 Captain with United Air Lines and retired in 2006 after thirty years of service. Throughout his extensive flying career he has been an educator and evaluator on safety issues – in both air and ground operations. Steve grew up on a lake in Minnesota. Water and boats, as well as hunting, fishing and flying, have been an enduring part of his life. Exploring wild backcountry is another. Steve owns and maintains a floatplane which enables him to frequently visit remote parts of the Alaskan and Canadian wilderness. He also knows horses and has owned and operated his recreational vehicle for years. Steve and his wife Jeanie divide their time between their farm in eastern Colorado and their Minnesota lake cabin.
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Steve Benson is a Risk Manager – Outdoor Recreation Specialist for Taylor and Associates, Inc. He conducts risk assessments/loss control surveys in the upper Midwest region of the United States.Scott Bohr
Since moving to Montana in 1977, Scott has been interested in the outdoor industry. He has spent each winter as a ski patroller. At the Grand Targhee Resort, he was the Assistant Ski Patrol Director and was responsible for investigating accidents as the lead investigator for red flag incidents. Currently, he is a member of the Bridger Bowl Ski Patrol and their risk management team. During the summer and fall, Scott guides clients on fly fishing trips as well as upland bird and waterfowl hunts. He has guided fly fishermen on many Idaho and Montana rivers. He was the Head Guide and Assistant Manager at a highly respected fly-fishing lodge. Scott also has guided fishermen out of Dillingham, Alaska for remote fly-out fishing operations. Scott is an avid outdoor enthusiast and has hunted or fished in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Alaska. Scott attended Montana State University in Bozeman and he and his family recently moved back to Bozeman after living in Idaho for many years. Specialties: |
Scott Bohr is Risk Manager – Outdoor Recreation Specialist with Taylor and Associates, Inc. and has been with the company since 2000. His territory covers the northwest United States and Alaska.John Cochran
John has more than 20 years of experience in the outdoor recreation industry. He owned/operated one of the largest guide services and retail fly fishing businesses in the country, along with a successful gun club that offered sporting clays, 5-Stand, and a bird hunting program. After selling that business, he joined the team at Taylor and Associates, Inc. In addition, John has been a certified USCG Captain for over 15 years, worked as a fishing guide in Florida, big game hunting guide in Colorado, chef, and builder. John has also worked for the USFS fighting wild fires and working on wilderness trail crews. In the summer, John splits his fishing time between the waters of southern Florida and the mountains of Colorado. In the winter months he loves to hunt and snowmobile in the beautiful backcountry of Colorado near his home. John lives with his wife Marianne in Eagle, Colorado, an area he considers “the best place in the world to live.” Specialties: |
John Cochran is a Risk Manager - Outdoor Recreation Specialist with Taylor and Asssociates, Inc. He has a BA in Hotel Restaurant and Institutional Management from Penn State University with a minor in Business. John’s primary duty is field surveys.Orvis Doyle
His 28-year career as an officer in the United States Marine Corps laid a solid foundation for his involvement in the loss control business. In addition to his primary specialty in Infantry operations, Orvis’ diverse background included training development and management, transportation, recruiting and executive development. He participated in bullseye shooting while in the Corps, both in Division and base matches involving service rifles (M-14, M-16) and pistols (.45 and 9mm caliber.) He directed and supervised the weapons training of all Marine recruits at Parris Island, SC. Throughout his life, his interests remained in hunting, fishing, and shooting sports, having taken over three hundred head of big game and several thousand dove and quail in his hunting adventures. He hunts with centerfire rifle, muzzleloader, pistol, and bow. Orvis served as a guide for whitetail deer in Texas and elk and mule deer in Colorado. He has hunted in several western states as well as a number on the east side of the Mississippi. He handloads for most of his firearms and is also a maker of custom knives. Having grown up on a ranch in southwestern Oklahoma working with cattle and horses, he still likes to stay close to his roots. He and his wife reside near Fredricksburg, Texas. Specialties: |
Orvis Doyle started performing loss control surveys as a Risk Manager – Outdoor Recreation Specialist for Taylor and Associates, Inc. in 1996. He acquired his B.S. in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma. He does most of his work in his home state of Texas and also covers Oklahoma, Arkansas, and the western half of Louisiana. He is currently certified by the State of Texas to conduct risk management assessments in that state.Geoff Feltner
Outdoor recreation has been a major part of his life since childhood. He is an avid skier, hiker, mountain climber and kayaker. He has been a member of the National Ski Patrol for 30 years and is a senior ski and toboggan-handling instructor. He is also a member of the Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout Board of Review. He is the Disaster Relief chairman of the Salvation Army in his area. He deployed to Relief/Recovery Operations at Ground Zero 9/11 and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Geoff and his wife live in western New York State
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Geoff Feltner has been a member of the Taylor & Associates, Inc. team as a Risk Manager – Outdoor Recreation Specialist since 2006. He has a BA in History and CIC designation. Geoff served 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and Reserve; during war and peace. He is President and owner of The Feltner Group, a mid-sized general insurance agency. John Greco
John also has an extensive background in extreme sports. He was a competitive snow skier, winning the Gold Medal in the Colorado Winter Olympic Games. As a member of the United States Ski Association Freestyle Mogul Skiing team, he ranked as the top mogul skier in the eight state Rocky Mountain region. He was even featured in two winter ski movies. His prowess at skiing transferred to the water as well, where he has experience with water skiing, parasailing and windsurfing. He also owned and operated a bungee jumping business. In addition to his work with Taylor & Associates, Inc., John is the Business Manager for San Patricio Drilling Services, Inc. where he provides billing, accounting, invoicing, and payroll services for a privately held oil and gas drilling consultant firm in Texas. He lives near San Antonio, Texas with his wife and young daughter.
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John Greco has 25 years of experience in the outdoor recreation, hospitality, and building industries. Before joining the Taylor & Associates, Inc. team as a Risk Manager – Outdoor Recreation Specialist, he spent seven years as the General Manager of Seven Lakes Lodge, a world class retreat located in the mountains of northwestern Colorado. Upon the sale of Seven Lakes Lodge, John consulted for the new owner, professional golfer Greg Norman, helping the transition from a commercial sporting enterprise into a private residence encompassing more than 10,000 acres. In addition to his management and consultation duties, he guided big game hunts, fly fishing, sporting clays, mountain biking, horseback riding, archery, and wildlife photography. He also oversaw multi-million dollar building projects and waterway enhancement construction projects, as well as identified and completed lease negotiations.Doug Haddix
Growing up in rural northwest Florida, Doug has literally been an outdoorsman his entire life. He’s an avid hunter and traveler. Each year he hunts in his home state and travels to Tennessee and South Dakota, hunting on both private and commercial properties. He has competed in IPSC, NRA, and SASS shooting matches. In addition to his other outdoor activities, Doug is an RV owner and is uniquely qualified to identify areas of concern throughout that line of work. He and his wife live in the Florida panhandle.
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Doug Haddix is a Risk Manager - Outdoor Recreation Specialist. He joined Taylor & Associates, Inc. in 2003. His attention to detail and interpersonal skills come from a decade of law enforcement service and military service with the United States Marine Corps. In addition, he has a thorough understanding of OSHA and safety regulations for the construction industry.Roger Haddix
Roger's experience encompasses over 30 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in the infantry, military police, combat weapons training and as a combat troop commander. After leaving active duty with the Marines, he entered civilian law enforcement, serving in various capacities including narcotics, homicide, training and firearms instruction. He spent his last 10 years of his law enforcement as a police chief in Panama City, Florida and Georgetown, South Carolina. During that time he was an adjunct professor at two community colleges, teaching law enforcement courses and acting as a consultant in litigations against police departments in the area of police operations, procedures and use of force. He also authored law enforcement-related articles for police journals, developed executive protection seminars for local business owners and was a personal trainer for concealed weapons permit seekers. After leaving law enforcement, Roger joined a defense contracting company, Brown International Corporation. As a Program Manager, he controlled contracts to build command and control systems for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. As the company grew, he became the Director of Operations and oversaw the manufacturing, integration and service of the contracts through Field Service Engineers worldwide, including those in Iraq and Afghanistan. Roger's education includes an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Bachelor’s Degree in Public Adminsitration, and Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. He is also a graduate of numerous military and law enforcement courses and the FBI National Academy. Except for his risk management activities, Roger is retired and travels full-time in an RV with Susan, his wife of 33 years. Their six children live in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Florida, so their free lifestyle allows them to visit the children and six grandchildren on a regular basis, while also being responsive to any Taylor & Associates, Inc. requirements, regardless of the location. His outdoor recreation activities include hunting and fishing from British Columbia to South Florida as well as kayaking/canoeing, hiking, biking, competitive shooting, archery, boating (outboards, jet boats, and airboats) and motorcycling.
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Roger Haddix has been a Risk Manager – Outdoor Recreation Specialist with Taylor and Associates, Inc. for more than 10 years. His primary area of responsibility has been the southeast United States, but he has also conducted onsite surveys in the Midwest and West. He is currently certified by the State of Texas to conduct risk management assessments in that state.Tom Highberger
Tom’s professional career spanned 34 years as an Outdoor Recreation Planner and Recreation Officer for the United States Forest Service. He received a BA from California State University Fullerton and was employed as a Seasonal Backcountry Ranger and Animal Packer with the Forest Service and National Park Service during college. Tom’s resource work with the Forest Service revolved around all facets of recreation planning and management including developed recreation, outfitter guides, land uses, fire management, wilderness and trails management, and administration of ski areas as a Snow Ranger. In addition to his professional career work, Tom has been an active and practicing horseman. He currently conducts horse and mule packing clinics, teaches horsemanship techniques for trail riders, and conducts Defensive Horsemanship seminars. Tom lives near Red Lodge, Montana close to the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park along the eastern flank of the Beartooth Mountains. He operates a small ranch with his wife, Denise, who is also the Administrative and Marketing Assistant for a guest ranch in Roscoe, Montana.
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Tom Highberger is a Risk Manager - Outdoor Recreation Specialist for Taylor and Associates, Inc. He conducts risk assements/loss control surveys throughout Montana and northern Wyoming.Steve Ochs
Steve retired from the United States Marine Corps in 1999 after a 23-year career that spanned both Enlisted and Officer service. His last tour was as the Marine Corps Test Director for the C-17 aircraft, which is seeing most of the workload in Iraq and Afghanistan, partly due to Steve’s testing and research. Directly after retiring, Steve led horse and mule-drawn city tours of Charleston, SC. He currently acts a long-term substitute teacher for his local school district in northern Indiana. Outdoor recreation and activities have been Steve’s primary activity during his off-duty hours. He competed as a civilian and military member in largebore and smallbore rifle and pistol competitions. He skis both downhill and cross country and is a PADI certified rescue diver. Additionally, he is an avid hunter and enjoys windsurfing and kayaking when he can fit them in. He stays in shape with a keen interest in running and has completed numerous marathons and ultra marathons. Steve lives in Indiana with his wife Elizabeth and their three sons Nick, Riley and Ross.
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Steve Ochs is a Risk Manager - Outdoor Recreation Specialist for Taylor and Associates, Inc. He conducts risk assessments/loss control surveys primarily in the Midwestern region of the United States. He joined Taylor and Associates in 2003.Gene Russell
He received his B.S. in Accounting from The Ohio State University and his MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He served more than 26 years in the U.S. Army Infantry and Special Forces. In addition to his work with our company, Gene is an independent consultant on defense issues and serves on the National War College Alumni Association Board. He and his wife Sharon are actively involved with the Wounded Warrior program. American history is one of Gene’s passions. He has a keen interest in the Civil War and conducts battlefield tours. Gene is also an avid outdoorsman. He likes to hunt, fish, and photograph wildlife and outdoor scenery. He lives in Northern Virginia.
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Gene Russell is a Risk Manager - Outdoor Recreation Specialist with Taylor and Associates, Inc. He conducts risk assessment/loss control surveys throughout the northeastern United States. He joined our company in 2002.Ed Smith
A graduate of the University of Missouri with a B.S. in Education, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 1963. During his 25 years of active service, he served in several areas that included Assault Amphibians, Tactical Communications, Signal Intelligence, and Maintenance. He spent three years as the second in command of a unit in Okinawa, Japan that was responsible for operating an installation that supported over 6,000 personnel of all services and their dependents. This required him to gain a solid understanding of facility management in that he inspected and evaluated office buildings, troop barracks, family housing, two dining facilities that each fed 2,000 service members, a correctional facility and recreational services that included swimming pools and ball fields. After Ed retired from the Marine Corps, he opened a neighborhood hardware store that catered to homeowners and small contractors and offered pipe cutting, plumbing and window repair services. Upon selling the business after 10 years of ownership, Ed helped manage a large feed and tack store that specialized in western riding activities, but had some involvement in all equine disciplines. Ed has maintained a direct interest in equine operations for the past 25 years to include Hunter/Jumper activities, Western Pleasure riding, and pack trips to Wyoming and Canada. At present, he and his wife operate a brood mare/breeding and boarding operation that produces and markets registered AQHA Appendix Quarter Horses. Additionally, in his younger days he was involved in and competed in off-road motor sports, but at this juncture limits his two-wheeled activities to paved public roads. Ed and his wife Sherrel, a retired elementary school teacher, live in western Missouri.
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Ed Smith is a Risk Manager - Outdoor Recreation Specialist. He conducts risk assessments and loss control surveys in the Midwest. He joined Taylor & Associates, Inc. in 2004.