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Coworking is a weekly segment where we talk to CFOs and other leaders in the finance space about their experiences, their companies, and the larger economy. This week, we’re featuring one of our own! Let us know if you are—or you know—a CFO we should interview.
Alex Zank recently joined the CFO Brew team. Since readers will be hearing a lot from this Wisconsin-based reporter in the coming days, we’d like to introduce him to you.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What’s your business reporting background?
In my professional career as a business reporter, I have covered a variety of beats. They include construction, commercial real estate, property/casualty insurance, and farm equipment. I have found that no matter how niche the industry sectors I covered are, they all shared similar and important truths. They represent vital parts of the economy, they were made up of knowledgeable professionals who were hungry for information, and they all viewed the specialized new publications I worked at as a means to gain meaningful insights and become better at their jobs. These factors, especially the last one, are why I love being a business reporter.
What are the CFO Brew beats you’re most excited to cover?
Before joining CFO Brew, I covered the insurance space for approximately two years. This means that I bring with me the knowledge and excitement of covering risk management and compliance topics. Readers can expect me to produce in-depth content examining any imaginable angle in those coverage areas.
How do you see insurance and real estate impacting businesses in the next year?
Organizations need real estate to conduct business, whether it’s an at-home office space or a series of massive warehouses. They also need insurance as a vital protection against myriad business risks. Growing catastrophe losses, much of which is attributable to climate change, creates a challenge in managing property risks for these places of commerce. This is a long-term issue that will require evolution for both insurance carriers and insurance buyers. It’s a topic I will be following closely.
What’s your advice for surviving the cold Wisconsin winter?
As a lifelong Wisconsinite, I am a strong believer in the saying, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” You can’t let the cold weather prevent you from enjoying the outdoors. The key to dressing for the cold is to wear lots of layers, and not solely rely on a bulky jacket. For especially cold days, consider bundling to the point that you resemble Ralphie’s brother, Randy, in A Christmas Story.
What’s something people wouldn’t know about you from your LinkedIn profile?
I am a huge nerd of the horror genre. My favorite horror movie is John Carpenter’s Halloween, and my favorite horror novel is Pet Sematary by Stephen King. Please never hesitate to email me if you’re looking for scary movie recommendations.