We are thrilled to announce the successful acquisition of Taylor-Walker Consulting, LLC. This strategic move is set to enhance the capabilities of Examination Resources, LLC (ER) to offer a full array of actuarial services to our clients.
Scott Garduno and his team joined forces with ER effective January 1, 2024. Scott joined as the Managing Director and will head up the new Actuarial Consulting Business Unit with a team of 15 professionals.
The Taylor-Walker Team and ER have had a long-standing business relationship since 2008 and have provided excellent actuarial services to our clients. They bring a wealth of experience and expertise, further solidifying our commitment to delivering unparalleled solutions to our clients. This union aligns seamlessly with our vision for growth and innovation.
For over 20 years, ER, a woman-owned small business based in Atlanta, GA, has provided examination services exclusively to regulators. ER’s main goal is to provide insurance regulatory consulting services that efficiently and effectively meet our clients’ objectives and improve the quality of insurance regulation with the ultimate goal of safeguarding policyholders.
We look forward to leveraging the collective talents of our teams to provide even more comprehensive services and solutions. The combined resources of ER and Taylor-Walker will undoubtedly create new opportunities for success and excellence. We are excited about the journey ahead as we embark on this new chapter together.
We are pleased to announce the New ER Actuarial Consulting Services Team
Scott Garduno, FSA, MAAA
Managing Director
Scott has been in the insurance industry as an actuary for 20 years and was formally the Managing Member of Taylor-Walker. He conducts reserve, experience accounting, and ratemaking analyses for insurance companies, captives, and self-insured groups. He is the Appointed Actuary for many companies. Supervises and conducts numerous NAIC risk-focused actuarial examinations for state insurance regulators. Scott also conducts property and casualty feasibility, reserve, and funding studies, and prepared property and casualty actuarial reserve analyses for two companies in rehabilitation.
Scott received his Bachelor of Science in Statistical Science from Brigham Young and Post-Graduate work in Bio-Statistics from the University of Utah. He is a Fellow, Society of Actuaries (FSA), Member, Academy of Actuaries (MAAA), Member, Board of Directors of the Utah Captive Insurance Association, member of Society of Financial Examiners (SOFE) and the Insurance Accounting System Association (IASA). Scott lives and works in South Jordan, Utah.
Michael W. Starke, FCAS, MAAA
Senior Property and Casualty Consulting Actuary
Michael has been in the insurance industry as an actuary for 30 years and has provided property and casualty actuarial and consulting services to a wide variety of clients, ranging from corporations with retained self-insurance exposures to traditional insurers, captive insurance companies, and risk retention groups. He has worked extensively with U.S. companies, including those with non-U.S. parents; and captive insurance companies based primarily in Bermuda, Vermont, and Arizona.
Prior to providing consulting services at Taylor-Walker, Michael worked as a Manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for 17 years; as an Assistant Actuary and Product Manager with Farmers Insurance Group for four years; and as a Senior Actuarial Analyst, Actuarial Analyst, and Actuarial Assistant with Zurich US / Zurich Commercial / Maryland Insurance Group.
Michael received his Bachelor of Science degree in Financial and Actuarial Science from the University of Wyoming. He is a Fellow, Casualty Actuarial Society (FCSA), Academy of Actuaries (MAAA), and Member, Professionalism Education Committee (AAA). Michael works out of St. George, Utah.
Richard J. Bell III, ACAS, MAAA
Senior Property and Casualty Consulting Actuary
Richard has been in the insurance industry as an actuary for 30 years and provides property and casualty actuarial and technical services. Conducts actuarial analyses for state insurance departments (rate filing reviews, risk-focused actuarial examinations, and captive and risk retention group application reviews); and conducts feasibility, reserve, and funding analyses for insurance entities and self-insured groups. Richard’s responsibilities include reconciling, auditing, and analyzing loss and loss adjustment expense data; evaluating reinsurance coverages and risk transfer; developing spreadsheets; performing actuarial calculations and determining reserve and funding levels; preparing actuarial exhibits, work-papers, reports, and opinions; and providing peer review.
Richard received his Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics (concentration in probability and statistics), from Northwestern University. Richard is an Associate, Casualty Actuarial Society (ACAS), and Member, Academy of Actuaries (MAAA). Richard works out of Nebraska.
Brent M. Sallay, FCAS, MAAA
Senior Property and Casualty Actuary
Brent has been in the insurance industry as an actuary for over 20 years and is the appointed/opining actuary for numerous property and casualty insurers, including captive insurance companies and risk retention groups. Brent supervises and conducts quarterly and year-end reserve analyses, and as-needed funding analyses for numerous companies and self-insured groups; and consults with several captive and risk retention group management firms. He also supervises and conducts NAIC risk-focused actuarial examinations, rate filing evaluations, captive and risk retention group application reviews for state insurance regulators.
Brent also supervises and mentor’s actuarial students.
Brent received his bachelor’s in arts degree in Mathematics/Statistics from the University of Utah. He is a Fellow, Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS), Member, Academy of Actuaries (MAAA), Member of the Salt Lake Actuarial Club and the 2018 Casualty Actuarial Society Volunteer Honor Roll. Brent works from South Jordan, Utah.
Solomon L. Frazier, FCAS, FSA, MAAA
Senior Consulting Actuary
Solomon has been in the insurance industry as an actuary for 13 years and is an opining actuary for numerous property and casualty insurers, including captive insurance companies and risk retention groups (RRGs). Solomon prepares actuarial analyses during feasibility, reserve, and funding studies for numerous companies and self-insured groups; and consults with captive and RRG management firms. He also provides actuarial services on NAIC risk-focused property and casualty, life, accident, and health financial actuarial examinations.
Solomon provides property and casualty, accident and health, and life insurance actuarial and technical services. He conducts actuarial analyses for state insurance departments (risk-focused actuarial examinations, rate filing analyses, and captive and risk retention group application reviews); and conducts feasibility, reserve, and funding analyses for insurance entities and self-insured groups. Some of Solomon’s responsibilities include reconciling, auditing, and analyzing loss and loss adjustment expense data; testing reserve factors; conducting research; evaluating reinsurance coverages and risk transfer; developing spreadsheets; performing actuarial calculations and determining reserve and funding levels; and preparing actuarial exhibits, work-papers, reports, and opinions.
Solomon received his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics/Statistics from the University of Utah. He is a Fellow, Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS), Fellow, Society of Actuaries (FSA), Member, Academy of Actuaries (MAAA), Salt Lake Actuarial Club and Member, Workers Compensation Committee (AAA). Solomon works out of South Jordan, Utah.
Sonya B. Bergquist
Senior Actuarial Analyst
Sonya has been in the insurance industry as an actuary for over 6 years and provides actuarial assistance in conducting feasibility, reserve, and funding studies for our industry clientele. She also participates in numerous captive and risk retention group loss projection studies.
For our regulatory clients, Sonya provides actuarial services on NAIC and other statutory financial examinations, on property rate filing evaluations, and on captive and risk retention group application reviews.
Sonya received her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics with a Computer Science minor, from Westminster College. She belongs to the Insurance Accounting and Systems Association and Western Region Captive Insurance Conference. Sonya works out of South Jordan, Utah.
Riley R. Phillips
Actuarial Analyst
Riley has been in the insurance industry as an actuary for 3 years and provides actuarial assistance during feasibility, reserve, and funding analyses for our industry clientele; and during risk-focused actuarial examinations, rate filing analyses, and captive application reviews for state insurance regulators.
Previously, Riley was employed as a delivery driver, math tutor, peer mentor, and as a caregiver. He is able to assess needs, and to build and maintain excellent relationships with customers. He regularly assisted others, giving advice on ways to succeed, and overcome challenges.
Riley received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics/Actuarial Science from Utah Valley University. Riley works out of South Jordan, Utah.
Lance Sakurada
Actuarial Analyst
Lance has been in the insurance industry as an actuary for 6 years and provides actuarial assistance during reserve and ratemaking analyses for our industry clientele, and during risk-focused actuarial examinations and captive application reviews.
Previously, Lance was employed as a Research Analyst at Argos Business Innovations, LLC and as a Financial Representative at Northwestern Mutual. At Argos, Lance researched and analyzed technical data for military aircraft parts; created a dashboard to present employee efficiency using Microsoft Excel; and communicated solutions to processing engineers and planners. At Northwestern Mutual, he created comprehensive analyses for individuals and businesses; gained extensive knowledge in various insurance and retirement vehicles; and mentored interns.
Lance received his Bachelor of Science degree in Statistics with an Actuarial Emphasis, from Utah State University. He belongs to the Salt Lake Actuarial Club (SLAC) and the Insurance Accounting and Systems Association (IASA). Lance works out of South Jordan, Utah.
Daniel J. Walker
Actuarial Analyst
Daniel has been in the insurance industry as an actuary for 3 years and provides actuarial assistance during feasibility, reserve, and funding analyses for our industry clientele; and during risk-focused actuarial examinations, rate filing analyses, and captive application reviews for state insurance regulators.
Previously, he was employed as an Enumerator for the U.S. Census Bureau and as a Production Line Assistant Supervisor for Door Painters. He gained experience in training and supervising others, in inspections and quality control, and in finding creative ways to solve complicated problems.
Daniel received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics/Actuarial Science with a minor in Finance, from Utah Valley University. Daniel works out of South Jordan, Utah.
Gannon J. McGinn
Actuarial Analyst
Gannon has been in the insurance industry as an actuary for 1 year and provides actuarial assistance during feasibility, reserve, and funding analyses for our industry clientele; and during risk-focused actuarial examinations, rate filing analyses, and captive application reviews for state insurance regulators.
Previously, he was employed as Data Analyst Intern at Utah Valley University. He influenced decision making through detailed quantitative and graphical analysis; manipulated and organized complex data sets to derive meaningful insights; and designed easily comprehensible graphs describing data sets in excess of 60,000 observations. He also worked as a Business Statistics Tutor at Utah Valley University.
Gannon received his Bachelor of Science degree in Statistics with a minor in Mathematics from Utah Valley University. Gannon works out of South Jordan, Utah.
Larry Seller
Life Actuary – Contractor
Larry has been in the insurance industry for over 40 years and provides actuarial assistance and peer review on life examinations on an as-needed basis.
Larry received his Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Clark University. He is a Fellow, Society of Actuaries (FSA) and Member, Academy of Actuaries (MAAA). Larry works out of Canton, Massachusetts.
Marketing/Administrative Staff
Linda Spann
Director of Marketing
Linda has been in the insurance industry for over 40 years and is responsible for client acquisition and retention and attends a number of industry conferences for both captive insurance and insurance regulation. Linda works out of Clarksville, Tennessee.
Paula Bleckert
Office Manager
Paula has been in the insurance industry for 25 years and is responsible for time and expense record keeping, invoicing and billing, and accounts receivable. Paula also is responsible for reviewing contracts and with regulatory compliance among other duties. Paula works out of South Jordan, Utah.
Nancy Stanley
Administrative Assistant
Nancy has been in the insurance industry for over 30 years and is responsible for payroll functions, bookkeeping, accounts payable, insurance renewals, HR compliance, procurement and proposals and other miscellaneous duties. Nancy has also performed duties as an actuarial analyst. Nancy works out of South Jordan, Utah.
Nathan Taylor
IT Specialist
Nathan is responsible for all IT functions, including data backups, computer equipment, cyber security and other related functions. Nathan works out of Utah.