John Pryor, CPCU, ARM, AAI, AIS
John Pryor writes the
continuous performance
improvement for the Insurance Industry section of IRMI.com.
Mr. Pryor is CEO of his consulting firm and retired in 2006 as co-founder
of Kern Insurance Associates, Inc. in Bakersfield, California. He began his
insurance career in San Francisco in 1956 working for two insurance companies.
In 1960, he joined his father's agency in Bakersfield which evolved into Kern
Insurance Associates in 1970.
In addition, he co-founded in 1985 a highly innovative and separate personal
lines agency (separate from Kern Insurance), Personal Express Insurance Services.
Both firms are still prominent in the central California marketplace.
Today, he continues to serve as an independent consultant, not as a
broker. His consulting practice includes working with business owners to
continuously improve their insurance and risk management programs and, when
claims or other problems arise, to help resolve them quickly and effectively
without litigation. It also includes working with attorneys and CPAs to
help them help their respective clients resolve "sticky" insurance
issues. He also writes a monthly newsletter on current risk management and
insurance issues—within the context of Deming's principles of quality
management.
Mr. Pryor is very active in the insurance industry. He is a member of the
Board of Trustees of the "Institutes" (AICPCU / IIA). He concluded a five-year
term on the board of governors of the CPCU Society in 2005. He is the founding
chairman of the CPCU Society's Total Quality Special Interest Section and past
president of the California "Big I" (now Insurance Brokers and Agents of the
West).
He received his BA degree from San Jose State University. He is the 2004
recipient of the prestigious John Brock Community Service Award conferred by
California State University Bakersfield.
Articles on IRMI.com
Insurance Industry: Continuous Performance Improvement
Deming's Deadly Diseases: Obstacles To Avoid So Deming's 14 Points Will Work
for You (October 2009)
Deming's Point #14 as Applied to the Insurance Industry (January
2009)
Deming's Point #13
as Applied to the Insurance Industry (July 2007)
Deming's Point #12
as Applied to the Insurance Industry (January 2007)
Deming's Point #11
as Applied to the Insurance Industry (September 2006)
Deming's Point #10
as Applied to the Insurance Industry (June 2006)
Deming's Point #9
as Applied to the Insurance Industry (March 2006)
Deming's Point #8
as Applied to the Insurance Industry (December 2005)
Deming's Point #7
as Applied to the Insurance Industry (October 2005)
Deming's Point #6
as Applied to the Insurance Industry (July 2005)
Deming's Point #5
as Applied to the Insurance Industry (April 2005)
Tom Peters "Hates"
Quality but "Loves" Its Principles and Practices (January 2005)
Deming's Point #4
as Applied to the Insurance Industry (September 2004)
Deming's Points
#2 and #3 as They Apply to the Insurance Industry (June 2004)
Deming's Point #1
as It Applies to the Insurance Industry (March 2004)
Deming Disciples—Our
Industry's Real Leaders? (February 2004)