Matt Backus
Current job title, company: Head of Catastrophe Analytics, Dellwood Insurance Group
Location: Minneapolis
Interests/Hobbies: Sports (playing some, watching more), DnD, my dog
What clubs, organizations or events were you a part of in college?
Economics Student Association, Lions Club, Sports Business Club
As an alum, what do you miss most about Madison/UW-Madison?
Gamedays, of course. Also, living in a walkable city.
What do you enjoy most about your current role? Can you share a few of your main responsibilities?
Being with a start-up insurance company from day one, I’ve most enjoyed being able to directly impact and shape our risk management strategy. My responsibilities include maintaining a high level of data quality, evaluating catastrophic risk (hurricane, earthquake, wildfire, etc.) for prospective property insurance policies, and setting and monitoring risk limits to ensure judicious underwriting practices.
What advice would you give to a student who is trying to break into your industry?
For data analytics in general, become proficient with Excel and get experience with languages like SQL, R, or Python.
Did you have an internship? If so, how did that experience help guide you in your career?
No, I procrastinated my junior year and wasn’t able to get one. To make up for it I took on leadership roles in my student orgs, took an online class on Excel and, most importantly, was proactive in my job search the next year. I ended up getting connected with my first employer, Aon, at the fall UW career fair.
What is the main piece of advice you’d like to share with current econ majors?
Make connections with fellow students, alumni, and staff, be proactive in your internship/job searches, and use the resources available to econ students (like WEYAC!).