Strategic technology executive who transforms insurance operations through enterprise architecture, platform modernization, and digital innovation. I align technology strategy with business objectives, integrate complex systems, and build scalable infrastructure that accelerates growth while managing risk. My leadership consistently delivers measurable improvements in operational efficiency, system reliability, and competitive advantage through data-driven decision making and cultural transformation.
Rick Becker
Insurance Executive | CIO / COO | AI & Digital Transformation
Encinitas, California
Value Proposition
AI & Emerging Technology
- Built five production-quality web applications using AI-assisted development, including a 22,000-line e-bike insurance platform (5 portals, configurable rating engine, underwriting rules engine, REST API, and AI-powered assistant) delivered in approximately 5 hours. Each project includes a detailed case study comparing AI-augmented delivery against traditional Scrum and SAFe methodologies, with cost differentials ranging from 20x to 14,000x. (projects.beckerz.com)
- Architected and deployed multi-tenant SaaS applications using Claude API, Firebase, and React through human-AI collaborative development, writing zero manual code while delivering production software in as few as 3 days.
- Hands-on practitioner across LLM-powered productivity tools, AI-assisted code generation, and prompt engineering, with 30 years of insurance domain expertise informing where and how AI creates real operational value.
Values in Action
- Integrated enterprise technology at scale – Led integration of four acquired MGAs totaling $1.5B in premium (DUAL, Align, NALICO, NBIS), harmonizing disparate platforms, data systems, and workflows into unified enterprise infrastructure supporting 25 business units writing 75+ lines of business.
- Built enterprise digital platforms – Conceived and launched Passport, an enterprise producer portal supporting submissions, policy administration, billing and payment, and document management across $1.5B in premium, enabling digital rate-bind-issue workflows and streamlined distribution.
- Increased efficiency and scale – Designed and implemented modern IT and product operations support strategy that improved overall productivity by 218% and configuration throughput by 60%, delivering $1.4M in annualized savings.
- Enabled speed-to-market innovation – Envisioned and executed business self-service strategy that reduced product implementation cycles from 26 weeks to 1 week through standardized configuration frameworks and automation via Universal Rating Platform.
- Directed enterprise modernization – Delivered end-to-end policy, claims, and reinsurance platform transformations across multiple MGAs under Align Financial Holdings, aligning technology architecture with business growth objectives and operational excellence.
- Built high-performing technology teams and culture – Developed and mentored cross-functional leaders spanning software development, data engineering, infrastructure, and business systems, instilling a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Career History
Executive Vice President, IT Customer Solutions — DUAL North America, San Diego
Jan 2025 – Present
- Leads enterprise digital strategy and modernization of policy and claims administration platforms.
- Reorganized and mentored cross-functional IT and product leaders, instilling a culture of ownership, innovation, and strategic alignment.
- Designed the Universal Rating Platform (URP), forecasted to reduce rating implementation cycles from 26 weeks to 1 week through standardized integration and configuration tooling.
- Restructured IT Applications Support and Digital Implementations teams, boosting support productivity by 218% and configuration productivity by 60%.
- Drove digital transformation initiatives resulting in $1.4M in annualized expense savings.
Chief Digital Officer / Chief Information Officer — DUAL North America, San Diego
Jan 2022 – Jan 2025
- Directed enterprise-wide software development and business intelligence strategy and delivery.
- Conceived, built, and launched Passport, a platform-agnostic producer portal that enabled rate, bind, issue, and other workflows, generating $288M in gross written premium.
- Modernized CI/CD pipelines via blue-green deployment environments, enabling agile releases with reduced downtime and higher reliability.
- Established KPIs and dashboards for underwriting and executive leadership, providing real-time insights that guide portfolio and operational decisions.
President — Streamlign (Align Financial Holdings), San Diego
Jan 2020 – Jan 2022
- Developed and executed the digital strategy roadmap aligned with MGA underwriting and distribution objectives.
- Spearheaded digital innovation initiatives, driving both internal process automation and producer-facing platform capabilities.
- Led implementation of three digital product lines within 12 months, delivering $41M in GWP and $205M in quoted premiums through real-time, online issuance functionality.
- Defined the product and platform vision that laid the groundwork for Passport and broader modernization at DUAL.
Chief Operating Officer — Catalytic Risk Managers (Align Financial Holdings), San Diego
Aug 2016 – Dec 2020
- Directed operations and systems for high-capacity property catastrophe programs, translating business objectives into scalable platforms and processes.
- Managed platform integrations and operational workflows supporting underwriting, claims, and reinsurance.
Senior Vice President, Operations — Personable Insurance (Align Financial Holdings), San Diego
Mar 2012 – Jul 2016
- Directed IT, systems, underwriting, customer service, and facilities across multi-state operations.
- Led enterprise PAS and claims system replacement covering nine products in four states.
- Delivered a BI data cube integrating legacy and enterprise data for reporting and analytics.
- Managed full-cycle business integration of acquired carriers and agencies.
Vice President, Business Development — MAPFRE USA, Pleasanton
Sep 2010 – Mar 2012
- Opened and scaled direct-to-consumer and retail branches across California.
- Launched first CRM, incentive program, and distribution infrastructure for California operations.
- Designed and filed MAPFRE’s first suite of preferred personal lines products in California.
Multiple Executive Roles — AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah, San Francisco
Mar 2003 – Jun 2010
- Product Executive for $2.2 billion portfolio and executive sponsor for $300M core system replacement.
- Led underwriting, pricing, system support, and process transformation.
Multiple Leadership Roles — Arrowhead General Insurance Agency, San Diego
May 1992 – Mar 2003
- Co-founded Arrowhead Online (quote and bind for partners like E*TRADE and AmEx).
- Managed P&L for multiple auto products; led marketing, pricing, and agency channel growth.
- Launched first Hispanic-targeted auto insurance program in California.
Education
- B.S., Business Administration – Information Systems, San Diego State University
- Babson Executive Leadership Program, Babson College
Affiliations & Training
- Former Chairman, Latin American Agents Association Advisory Board
- Panel Member, CA DOI Community Advisory Partnership Program
- Guest Speaker, IASA (Insurance Accounting Systems Association)
- MAPFRE USA Accelerated Leadership Program, Babson College
- ITIL 4 Foundation, PeopleCert
- Leading SAFe and SAFe for Teams — Scaled Agile
Skills / Areas of Expertise
- Enterprise Architecture & Platform Modernization
- Digital Transformation & Innovation Strategy
- Policy Administration & Claims Systems
- Data Engineering & Business Intelligence
- Agile / SAFe / DevOps / CI-CD
- Vendor & Stakeholder Management
- M&A Technology Integration
- Team Building & Organizational Development
- AI-Assisted Development
- Generative AI & LLM Tools
- Prompt Engineering