JORDAN THOMAS | Age: 31 Assistant vice president, E&S casualty

Ascot Group Ltd.

Indianapolis

Jordan Thomas switched majors to risk management and insurance at Butler University when one of his business professors, Zach Finn, after several attempts, recruited him. He went on to take a master’s degree in RMI and after an internship at Burns & Wilcox, where he liked the variety of excess and surplus lines, he decided to pursue E&S underwriting.

What’s your advice on navigating the current insurance market?

We’ve got to get back out and build our networks. The pandemic really put a stop to in-person meetings, but with all this turbulence there are more and more accounts flooding the marketplace, and people are going to gravitate toward working with the folks that they know, like and trust.

How are technological advances affecting your job?

My specialization is “wheels” business, and the big factor there is telematics. As tech gets more and more integrated, it’s going to change how we view and underwrite risks. But the big thing is, especially with AI, we’re quickly going to make advances to fully autonomous vehicles. It’s going to be a big shift, and if the industry is not ahead of it we’re going to be caught pretty flat-footed.

What do you wish more people knew about insurance?

I wish more people knew it’s fun, exciting and a unique industry. We get a bad rap as boring, old, stodgy, deep-pockets type of people that don’t like to pay claims, but there’s a lot more to it.

What’s something about you that would surprise people?

I’m an avid hiker and a motorcycle rider. My wife and I hiked Patagonia three years ago.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A pilot. I’m a big fan of “Top Gun.” When I had to get glasses and contacts, I pivoted into something new.