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Jon Shull Reflects on a 38-Year Career in Public Service

Looking back on my 38 years in public service, no period has been more rewarding than my time at the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority. This is not to say I do not appreciate the other public agencies I worked for and the people that mentored and taught me the practice of local government and public administration. I was fortunate over the years to work alongside some of the legends of Southern California local government: Gaylord Knapp, Paul Lanspery, Art Gallucci, Doug LaBelle, Dennis Courtemarche, Andy Lazzaretto, Fred Latham, and, most influentially, Bill Holt, who hired me at the Authority and changed the course of my career and life.

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I have loved working at the Authority these past 28 years. Bill and I worked closely from the outset to envision what the organization could be. When he announced his retirement and suggested that I should be his successor, I was gratified by the Executive Committee’s immediate acceptance of his recommendation. Bill set a strong foundation for the organization; I was expected to build upon that strength.

Early on, I focused on the concept that our team would best serve the members by trying to prevent claims rather than only dealing with their consequences. With that in mind, we expanded our training and risk management programs immensely, making them the core of our member service activities. Claims management was still crucial, and we continue to do it well today, but the cost of accidents and injuries prevented is immeasurable.

If the Authority’s transformation from a “claims management” organization to a “risk management” organization were to be my legacy, I would be proud of that.

One of the most important things I did at the Authority was learning to carefully hire the right people and then get out of their way so they could successfully serve the members. I have been fortunate to surround myself with the best employees. I am thankful for their dedication, hard work, and camaraderie, and I will miss spending time with them.

Another part of our team to whom I am grateful is our community of best-in-class business partners. Our third-party administrators, brokers, defense panel members, subject matter experts, insurance carriers, public relations firms, and many other service providers all represent the best of the best. I am proud to have been associated with them.

I am grateful to our members who have embraced our programs, employees, and business partners as we promote risk management within their organizations. Our member agencies’ staff members play critical roles in keeping the public and employees safe. Member engagement is essential to our sustainability as a member-driven risk management pool.

A stable, amiable, and forward-thinking Executive Committee has long been a key to the Authority’s success. It has been my pleasure to work for some fantastic bosses that have prided themselves in working well together. I have long marveled at their ability to leave their local political issues at home when they came to conduct the Authority’s business. I am thankful for their support, recognition, and forgiveness during my tenure.

I am also thankful that Alex Smith joined our organization over 14 years ago. First hired as our finance director, Alex quickly demonstrated a keen ability to create synergies among employees, members, and programs. As he ascended through the organization, he continued to broaden his understanding of all our operations and our industry’s best practices. As my successor, I am pleased to share that Alex is way more prepared to lead this organization than I was when I got the job. Plus, he has a stronger support team to keep the organization moving forward. The future of the Authority under Alex’s leadership is bright.

Finally, I am thankful for the support of my family, as we have lived the Authority life. My wife, our children, my parents, and my brother have all been important contributors to my career, education, and my physical and emotional well-being. I am forever grateful for their understanding of my late nights at work, their forgiveness for missed family events, and their enduring love and support.

As this chapter closes, I will look back on it fondly. It is a great prologue for the next chapter yet to be written.

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