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Guy A. Russ - Church Mutual. Merrill, WI, US

Guy A. Russ

Vice President — Innovation and Data | Church Mutual

Merrill, WI, UNITED STATES

Guy can speak to impacts on houses of worship during COVID, armed intruder prevention, cyber risks & sexual abuse prevention.

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Biography

Guy gives an extremely insightful and passionate interview about the primary risks houses of worship, schools and nonprofits face. His areas of expertise include the steps these organizations can take, including armed intruder preparation and protection against natural disasters.

Armed intruder preparation doesn’t always yield straightforward answers – organizations must be willing to participate in self-reflection and ask hard questions to find their “right” path. Guy can help illuminate this process, and he leads Church Mutual’s initiative to bring free armed intruder educational sessions nationwide to houses of worship, schools and nonprofits.

Guy also has an extensive background in information technology and can speak on the topic of cyber risks to organizations.

Expert Topics (5)

“New normal” for houses of worship, schools, camps and nonprofits in time of coronavirus pandemic

1. Safely reopening doors to communities 2. Best practices for church leaders to most safely hold in-person worship services 3. Unique challenges schools, camps and non-profits leaders face in their pandemic response strategies

Armed intruder preparation and prevention: how to keep schools/houses of worship safe

1. Trainings and best practices for houses of worship, schools and nonprofits

To arm or not to arm? Armed Intruder Protection

1. Houses of worship and schools take different approaches for armed intruder protection.

Cyber risks to houses of worship, nonprofits and schools

1. What can they do to be best prepared

Innovative ways to protect against natural disasters

1. Wildfire, cold weather, flood and hurricane protection best practices for houses of worship, schools and nonprofits 2. Innovations in insurance including leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence and computer vision to prevent and mitigate risks.

Areas of Expertise (4)

Cyber Risks

Armed Intruder Preparation and Prevention

New Normal During COVID-19

Protection Against Natural Disasters

Education (2)

Marquette University: MBA, Management, Leadership 2000

Carroll University: BS, Finance 1995

Minors in Management Information Systems (MIS) and Economics

Accomplishments (2)

Associate in Risk Management (ARM) (professional)

December 2018

Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) (professional)

March 2018

Affiliations (2)

  • Northland Lutheran High School : Chairman Of The Board
  • Saint Peter Lutheran Church : Chairman - School Ministry Board

Media Appearances (5)

How to keep schools safe? We're focusing our time, energy and money on 'all the wrong things,' experts say

USA Today  online

2019-11-21

Guy Russ, head of armed-intruder prevention at Church Mutual Insurance, puts it in starker terms: “The thing to realize is it could mean that the person manning the metal detector is the first one to get shot,’’ he said.

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Church Mutual Leads the State in Innovation

The Daily Herald  online

2019-10-08

“We began by looking for opportunities to mitigate losses, which is where CM Sensor and the CM Wildfire Solutions programs came from,” said Guy Russ, assistant vice president – Risk Control. “As we matured our innovation mentality, we launched the Disruption Lab, allowing all employees the opportunity to bring forth new ideas to help grow our organization.”

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Many worship leaders thinking the unthinkable

Sun ThisWeek  online

2019-05-16

“It’s not a topic you’d want to be talking about, but it is one that houses of worship and schools, really anywhere that people congregate, need to be thinking about,” said Guy Russ, assistant vice president of risk control for the Merrill, Wisconsin-based company.

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Hundreds of church officials attend Naperville training session to learn how to protect against armed intruders

Chicago Tribune  online

2018-09-13

“It is absolutely important for churches and religious organizations in general to get this training,” Russ said. “They represent a concentration of people in a certain space at a certain time, and as a result that creates a target.”

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Church Mutual Names New Assistant Vice President of Risk Control

Business Wire  online

2018-06-20

Guy Russ has been named assistant vice president of risk control for Church Mutual Insurance Company, reporting to Kevin Root, executive vice president - operations. In his new position, Russ will leverage his leadership experience and customer focus to continue to grow risk control services, providing solutions for customers while mitigating risk for Church Mutual.

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Media

Publications:

Documents:

Photos:

Videos:

E6 - Pankaj Interviews Guy Russ of Church Mutual Guy Russ on Risk Management when Re-Opening Businesses in the Pandemic

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