At American Risk Services, we are committed to providing you with innovative solutions for your risk management and employee benefit programs.

Mark Flaten

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Mark has over 30 years of risk management and employee benefit experience. He serves his clients with a passion to make a difference in their business and is a task oriented problem solver.

Prior to forming American Risk Services, Mark was a Senior Vice President, Client Executive and the Middle Market Practice leader for Marsh USA, Inc. He also spent 12 years at Berkley Risk Administrators Company, LLC and served as Vice President. His responsibilities include Risk Management and Employee Benefit Consulting operations and formation and management of alternative funding programs. He has also formed numerous captive insurance companies for clients in the transportation, manufacturing and construction sectors. These captives have included unique exposures and funding mechanisms specifically designed to meet clients’ needs.

Mark also spent 14 years as President of a consulting firm where his responsibilities providing consulting services in risk management, employee benefits and litigation management.

Mark has given numerous speeches on various risk management and employee benefits topics to many organizations, such as the Swedish Trade Council in Stockholm, Sweden, the National Accountants Association, Minnesota Self Insurers Association and the CPA Society of Minnesota. For over 25 years he has served on various civic organizations Board of Directors including Volunteers of America, Inc. Currently he serves as President of the Mercedes Benz Club of America – Twin Cities Section and Board Member of Volunteers of America in Minnesota.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Chemistry, and has attended numerous courses from the Insurance Institute of America.

Fred Clark

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  Fred Clark earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree with dual first majors in Economics and Religious Studies from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1978.  In 1982, he earned his Masters of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota. 

 In 1978 Fred relocated to Minneapolis, MN and joined Aetna Casualty & Surety Company where he served as branch supervisor for Aetna Technical Services, Inc., Aetna’s third-party claims administrator subsidiary, where he managed the Minneapolis branch staff of 14 adjusters, rehabilitation consultants, and support staff. 

 In 1985, Johnson & Higgins, Inc as its Minneapolis, MN Vice President and branch office Claim Manager.  At J&H, Fred ensured the prompt and proper delivery of claims services to J&H clients. 

 Fred joined American Risk Services, Inc. in 1994 as Manager of its new division, ARS Claims Services.  In this position, Fred provided property and casualty claims and risk management expertise through consulting, file audits and claims management.  Fred joined Berkley Risk Services as Program Claim Manager when American Risk Services merged with Berkley in 1995, and returned to American Risk Services as an independent contractor in 2009.  Fred administered and settled over 25 liability claims in excess of $1,000,000 during these years.

 Fred co-authored “What’s Happened to 24 Hour Coverage?”, an article for Health Benefits Planner, 1^st Quarter 1995, Minnesota’s Journal of Human Resource Management, Minnesota Physician Publishing, Inc.  He was a Speaker at the 19th National Educational Conference, Self-Insurance Institute of America, Inc., in Washington, DC, October 1999, and wrote quarterly newsletter articles for States Self-Insurers Risk Retention Group, Inc., including (1) That Darn Reservation of Rights Letter!  July 2003; (2) The Auditors are Coming!, The Auditors are Coming!  July 2005; (3) With All Deliberate Speed … Criteria for Timely Claim Reporting  July 2008.

 Fred completed the Insurance Institute of America General Insurance program in 1981 and the Associate in Claims degree program in 1984.  He completed the NASD Series 6 and 63 in 1994, and was a licensed agent for life, accident & health, and property & casualty insurance in Minnesota from 1994 – 2009.  He has been licensed in Florida as an Independent Adjuster – all lines, since 2009, and is a CPCU candidate. 

 Fred was a member in the National Structured Settlement Association and the Property Loss and Liability Research Bureau from 1980-1994, the Twin Cities Claims Association from 1979-2009, and has been a member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels from 2004 – present.