Colleague Spotlight: Duane Lohn on Building Resilience in a Complex World

Duane's interest in risk management grew from years in consulting and advisory work. He recognized early that organizations worldwide needed more than reactive solutions - they needed thoughtful, integrated planning to address emergencies and operational disruptions before they occurred.

That insight led him to establish Risk Solutions International, now GA Risk Solutions, aligning his experience with a growing global need for effective emergency preparedness and business continuity planning. Today, his work continues to support organizations across industries and market sectors as they navigate increasingly complex risk environments.

"We are currently in a polycrisis situation," Duane explains, referring to the reality that multiple global crises can occur at once and interact with one another. This environment requires organizations to look beyond individual threats and consider how geopolitical events, supply-chain disruption, technology, infrastructure, and security concerns may combine to create broader operational challenges.

One of the aspects Duane finds most rewarding is working alongside top professionals on high-visibility engagements around the world. His team is currently advising on a major global development that includes a smart, 10-minute city concept. Their work encompasses security, technology, critical infrastructure, transit systems, hospitality, and threat and vulnerability assessments.

The engagement reflects the increasingly interconnected nature of modern risk management. Events affecting global stability can have direct consequences for supply chains, infrastructure planning, and business operations—requiring organizations to take a more comprehensive approach to resilience.

Duane is particularly passionate about helping clients understand that insurance, while important, is not a complete risk-management strategy. "People tend to think that buying insurance will cover them in all situations," he notes. Effective preparedness also requires proactive planning, clear governance, tested response capabilities, and the ability to adapt when conditions change.

To help clients navigate these challenges, Duane and the GA Risk Solutions team align their work with leading international standards and frameworks, including those from the Disaster Recovery Institute, ISO, NFPA, NIST, cybersecurity frameworks, and operational-resilience practices.

He also stays connected to developments in the field through active involvement with organizations such as Brokerslink, the World Broker Network, RIMS, and URMIA. This global engagement helps bring diverse ideas, practices, and perspectives back to clients and colleagues.

Looking ahead, Duane's goal is clear: continue expanding and growing the GA Risk Solutions practice area while helping organizations protect the communities they serve. The team's work supports resilience across airports, water districts, government entities, and transit systems - critical services that people depend on every day.

Duane appreciates the collaborative culture at GA Group and the openness colleagues bring to working across service areas. He encourages new team members to get involved early.

"Don't be shy," he advises. "Become active and engaged with your colleagues." With a wide range of practices and capabilities across the platform, he sees tremendous value in reaching out, learning from one another, and identifying opportunities to partner for the benefit of clients.

Known for his energy and down-to-earth approach, Duane also values the strength of long-standing, supportive teams. Outside of work, he enjoys global travel and the opportunity it provides to learn from different cultures and perspectives; insights he brings back to enhance the team's skills and capabilities.

And for those who may not know him well, Duane has a few surprises: he played trumpet in high school and once took part in a desert-camp adventure in the Middle East, complete with sand dunes, traditional food and music, local clothing, and camel rides.

Duane's personal philosophy is practical and motivating: "Be humble. Be hungry. And always be the hardest worker in the room." That combination of humility, drive, and global perspective is helping shape the future of GA Risk Solutions and helping clients build resilience for whatever lies ahead.