Ben Zimmerman is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Opterrix, a proactive risk management platform that optimizes and automates critical workflows throughout the insurance value chain. He received a BS in Atmospheric Sciences from Iowa State University and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin and has spent his entire career developing predictive analytics and visualization platforms for weather-sensitive industries. Prior to Opterrix, Ben helped scale a niche weather technology company into a global leader that was ultimately acquired by the Weather Channel and sold to IBM. He has developed products for both government and commercial entities in the media, renewable energy, public safety, agriculture, and insurance industries. Ben also spent several years with an industry-leading innovation team within a Top-10 P&C insurance carrier (American Family), where he was able to develop valuable machine learning and automation solutions throughout the organization. When he is not working, you can find Ben storm-chasing, playing golf, or spending time in the outdoors with his wife and two daughters.