Biography
A.J. is a highly motivated former professional athlete turned strategic advisor in the employee benefits space, specializing in cost-containment, risk management, and financial efficiency. As an Employee Benefits Risk Advisor and consultant, he helps companies maximize their return on investment by optimizing benefits spending and mitigating financial risk, ensuring that every dollar spent aligns with business objectives and workforce needs.
A.J. has always been a proponent of teamwork, strategy, and long-term planning—principles he now applies in designing high-performing benefits programs that attract and retain top talent while managing cost volatility. Through strong carrier partnerships and a vast network of industry professionals, he delivers innovative, data-driven solutions tailored to an organization’s specific financial goals. His expertise extends to alternative funding strategies, and compliance-driven cost optimization, making him a valuable partner for organizations seeking greater financial predictability in their benefits programs.
A.J. is actively involved with the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), leveraging his industry knowledge to support businesses in navigating regulatory complexities and benefits cost pressures.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business, Entrepreneurship, and Organizational Studies from Brown University, where he was an All-American and Captain of the football team. He continued his football career professionally for six years, including time in the NFL, before transitioning into the insurance and risk advisory field.
Outside of work, A.J. enjoys spending time outdoors and at the beach with his family. He is a dedicated husband and proud father of two, striving to lead with the same faith, hard work, passion, vision, determination, and perseverance that have shaped both his career and personal life. These principles—once the foundation of his success as an athlete—now guide him in helping businesses build stronger, more resilient benefits strategies that align with their long-term goals.
Jim Schabarum
Biography
Jim began his insurance career as a surety underwriter in 1986. He joined Robson, Cavignac & Associates in 1991 to help develop its bond department. After a few interim years in Idaho at the Hartwell Corporation, Jim returned to Cavignac, where he has worked to address the surety and insurance needs of San Diego’s construction community for more than 30 years.
Jim received his bachelor’s in financial services with an emphasis on insurance from SDSU in 1986 and his Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriting (CPCU) designation in 1996. He was one of the first recipients of the surety industry’s Associate in Fidelity and Surety Bond (AFSB) designation.
Jim is currently involved in the national chapters of several construction, development, insurance, and surety associations, as well as a number of community non-profit organizations. He has served as the Regional Vice President of the National Association of Surety Bond Producers, as President of the Surety Association of San Diego, and as a member of the International Surety Alliance.
Jim enjoys outdoor sports, spending time on the water, and vacationing with his wife and three children.