English merchant Nathaniel Sylvester settled on Shelter Island in 1652. Mr. Sylvester had serious risk management challenges from the local Indian population and the English pirate Captain Kidd (who married into a Shelter Island family). There are no historical records of exploding workers’ compensation costs or capacity limitations in the marine cargo markets. The Captain Kidd problem was solved by hanging him in London in 1701. The long and exciting history of Shelter Island makes it an ideal venue for a risk services firm.

Rick Denning founded Shelter Island Risk Services in 1994, 342 years after Sylvester stepped ashore. He has a track record of innovating information systems and analytical methods. He co-founded Anistics and Risk Sciences Group. From these roots of Risk Management Information Services, he envisioned Shelter Island to be a less software development oriented and more solution directed. Freed from the overhead of developing and maintaining software, he knew that Shelter Island Risk could be more flexible and more effective in working to meet the needs of large organizations.

Business growth of Shelter Island Risk Services demanded the leadership from individuals with technology skills and Risk Management process experience. In 1997, he dramatically expanded operations by hiring Risk Sciences Group senior staff members: Rick Aman, Roger Dunkin, and Ira Skop to create and operate branch offices respectively in Ramsey, New Jersey; Atlanta, Georgia; and New York City. The need to place our key people close to clients continues to guide our growth. Terry Colburn, an AON and prior Risk Sciences Group executive, joined Shelter Island Risk in 2001 to establish a Chicago presence.

In 2003, we continue to define and integrate the many components needed for moving data to decisions. This solutions-focused role means that we have our own network of actuaries, claims specialists, medical cost control, communications, and statisticians to bring into projects as appropriate.