Executive Management Team

Torrent's management team has significant experience in software development and over 75 combined years of flood insurance expertise. Prior to founding Torrent, the top four managers worked in senior management roles within the flood insurance industry.

This powerful and experienced team has rapidly led Torrent through several major milestones, including the development and launch of TorrentFlood®, navigating the extremely complex and demanding FEMA accreditation, and the development of a scalable services organization.

In addition to their experienced senior management team, Torrent currently staffs an experienced operations team, each averaging over 8 years of NFIP experience, supporting its operation center located in Kalispell, Montana.

Key management team members include:

Our Team

Board of Directors

Travis PineTravis Pine
Chairman/CEO and co-founder
Former VP of Technology at Fiserv-NFS

Travis Pine founded Torrent Technologies in February 2005 and serves as Chairman and CEO.

Prior to founding Torrent Technologies, Travis was Vice President of Technology at Fiserv's NFS subsidiary. During his tenure at Fiserv-NFS he extended and re-architected their legacy technology as well as engineered the development of their web-based strategy, enabling growth from $200 million to over $1.2 billion in annual processed insurance premiums over a three-year period.

Prior to Fiserv-NFS, Travis was Chief Information Officer (CIO) and co-founder of HitHive, a cutting-edge digital media company founded by the management team of Azazz! As CIO of HitHive, Travis designed their global media distribution network allowing 'edge' delivery of personal digital media assets to both wired and wireless devices. Also while at HitHive, Travis structured a $20 million strategic partnership with Compaq Corporation allowing HitHive to quickly and effectively scale their distribution architecture, while receiving the resources needed to capitalize the infrastructure growth.

Before co-founding HitHive, Travis was Vice President of Technology for Azazz!, one of the internet's first ecommerce companies. During his tenure with Azazz!, Travis extended their technology and business model and facilitated their acquisition by theglobe.com for 20-times revenue. Travis had previously worked with them as a consultant while with Arthur Andersen, where he was responsible for growing the then nascent business risk consulting division into a leading business vertical within Andersen's Technology Risk Consulting Practice.

Travis' educational foundation in both technology and business disciplines has served him well over his diverse career. His executive leadership roles with large corporations coupled with his 'hands-on' knowledge of the start-up environment have given him the broad range of skills needed to ensure the long-term success of Torrent Technologies, Inc.

Theresa JohnstonTheresa "TJ" Johnston
President/COO and co-founder
Former Senior VP of Operations at Fiserv-NFS

TJ has been actively involved in the Flood Vendor market for over 15 years and is widely considered a select expert in this niche industry. Previously, she was the Senior Vice President of Fiserv's NFS subsidiary. Her industry experience, flood leadership and relationships with both insurance companies and FEMA officials give her a unique perspective on providing world class customer service and operational support.

Prior to founding Torrent Technologies, while Senior Vice President of Operations at Fiserv's NFS subsidiary, TJ moved from a temporary employee working in customer service to VP of Operations in just six years. During her tenure at NFS, TJ leveraged and extended the operations of NFS allowing processed premium to grow from $2 million in 1989 to more than $1.2 billion at the time of her departure in 2005. At that time, TJ managed over 160 employees. TJ has been a licensed insurance agent since the early 1980's. In fact, she maintains accreditation by all 50 states under the State Department of Insurance for each respective state, which allows her to provide continuing education courses and credit for agents.

The President of NFS summarized TJ's contributions best, "Theresa N. Johnston started working for NFS on January 8, 1990 (following her temporary employment), when she had only limited experience with the flood insurance field. Initially, TJ served as an Account Executive, but she ultimately rose much higher, serving for eight years, as Senior VP for Operations. Due to her role, she was involved in every aspect of NFS' business. As part of NFS' marketing strategy, TJ established and maintained close professional relationships with many company clients. Many NFS clients used her as a primary point of contact on every question or concern they had. Given her years in flood insurance with NFS, she knows virtually everyone active in the business and...enjoyed a reputation of high integrity."

During her very successful career in and out of the insurance industry, TJ ran a successful contracting business and was Office Manager for a branch of State Farm. Her long history of success, industry contacts, reputation, and ability to interpret the massive volume of laws that are the backbone of the National Flood Insurance Program means TJ is a critical component of the Torrent management team and to the National Flood Insurance Program itself.

Blake StoutBlake Stout
Vice President of Technology
Former Director of Development at Fiserv-NFS

Blake has been designing software solutions for almost 20 years and is the primary architect behind TorrentFlood®. Blake has built an outstanding technical team and provided leadership and vision for Torrent's overall technical direction.

Prior to joining Torrent Blake led many software architectural initiatives at Fiserv-NFS.

Before Fiserv-NFS Blake spent the preceding decade honing his technology skills architecting and developing myriad software solutions for Micron Technology's Systems Programming group.

Blake holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Montana Tech of the University of Montana.

Phil WillsRory Stevens
Vice President of Accounting

Rory has been responsible for various companies' internal controls and financial reporting for nearly 20 years and is now Vice President of Accounting for Torrent Technologies. In his position with Torrent, he is responsible for operational accounting and internal controls, WYO financial reporting and coordinating WYO company governmental audits.

Prior to joining Torrent, Rory was Chief Financial Officer of Coldwell Banker Wachholz and Company, the largest real estate broker in Montana with 9 offices and over 140 agents and staff.

Before joining Coldwell Banker Wachholz and Company, Rory was Chief Financial Officer and Board of Director for Earth Search Sciences Inc., a full SEC reporting, a publically traded technology company.

Rory holds Masters Degrees in Accounting and Finance from the University of Washington, a Bachelors of Business Administration Degree with an emphasis in economics from Boise State University, and earned his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation in 1988 in Washington State.

Phil WillsPhil Wills
Business Development Executive
Former Executive Vice President at Fiserv-NFS

Phil brings over 18 years of NFIP experience to Torrent with a broad range of exposure during his time in this industry including technology, underwriting, claims, accounting, customer service, marketing, records management and oversight of the Direct-Side relationship with FEMA.

Prior to his tenure with Torrent, Phil was a Business Relationship Manager for EDS's Flood Vendor business unit and led their most recent WYO Company conversion.

Before EDS, Phil was Executive Vice President at Fiserv's NFS business unit managing the Rockville, Maryland Flood Unit. Phil began his career in the NFIP in 1989 with Maryland-based NCSI where he held successive executive management positions in both their Operations division and Information Technology department.

Phil graduated Harding University, cum laude, with a Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics.

Dick BoyceDick Boyce
Partner, TPG Capital

Mr. Boyce is a partner at TPG Capital, one of the largest investment partnerships, owning 50 companies with over $125 Billion in revenue. He founded and leads TPG's Operating Group, which drives performance improvement across all the TPG companies.

In his first role, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of J.Crew Group, Inc., from 1997-1999, and as a Board member from 1997-2006. He became Chairman of Burger King Corporation in 2002 and serves on that board today. Prior to joining TPG, Mr. Boyce was employed by PepsiCo. Inc. from 1992 to 1997, most recently as Senior Vice President of Operations for Pepsi-Cola North America. Other roles at PepsiCo, Inc. included Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi, General Manager of the Canadian Business Unit, and Senior Vice President of Worldwide Strategic Planning.

Mr. Boyce was previously a partner at Bain & Company, and worked in sales and marketing at Union Carbide Corporation prior to business school. Mr. Boyce received a BSE with honors from Princeton University in 1976 and received his MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1980. He has previously served on the boards of directors of several other TPG companies, including Del Monte Foods, ON Semiconductor and Gate Gourmet. Mr. Boyce is married and has two teenage sons.

James ShortleyJames Shortley
Director of the Board

Jim brings a wealth of insurance industry wisdom to Torrent from both the private and public sectors. His most recent experience working for FEMA further solidifies Torrent's compliance-centered business philosophy. Jim served as the Director of Claims for the NFIP at FEMA. As the senior claims officer at FEMA, he developed claims policy for recommendation to the Federal Insurance Administrator and was one of the principal advisors to the Administrator. Jim moved to the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 1983 as the Claims Technical Monitor at the NFIP'S Bureau and Statistical Agent.

Jim's insurance career began with the Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) as a trainee in the claims department. When he moved from GEICO he had been promoted into two successive supervisory positions. He worked for two independent adjusting firms before accepting employment with the Hartford Insurance Group. While at Hartford, Jim held successive positions as a field multi-line adjuster, claims examiner, manager of the property desk, claim supervisor, assistant claims manager and claim manager.

Prior to attending college at American University in the District of Columbia, Jim enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was honorably discharged as a sergeant. He retired from FEMA in November of 2006 and is presently active as a consultant in the Flood Insurance field.

Richard PaddenRichard Padden
Attorney, Carney Badley Spellman

Mr Padden, formerly a full time attorney at Carney, Badley and Spellman specializing in business law with an emphasis in mergers and acquisition is now of counsel and spends the majority of his time investing in small and midsized private companies. Mr Padden is a founder and principal in Grays Harbor Paper L.P., a principal and board member of MTI Technologies, Baden Sports, and Harley Marine.He is the former president of the Washington State Chapter of Cystic Fibrosis and a founder of the Patrons of Cystic Fibrosis, and currently serves on the board of the Brandon Roy Foundation.

Aaron RichmondAaron Richmond
Principal, Endeavour Capital

Aaron manages Endeavour's Seattle office. Prior to joining Endeavour, Aaron worked for McKinsey & Co., an international management consulting firm. While at McKinsey, Aaron focused on advising manufacturing and distribution clients.

Aaron currently sits on the board of Northland Transportation Company, Classic Sport Companies, Tidewater Holdings and Columbus Foods and is an observer on the board of Winco Foods, LLC. He also serves on the board of the Pacific Crest Outward Bound School.

Aaron received an A.B. from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Stanford Business School. Aaron and his wife live in Seattle with their son.


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