Management Team
The management team at Alpha Risk Management is made up of pilots, flight instructors and aircraft management consultants in addition to insurance experts. Our nearly 40 years of work in the aviation industry give us an understanding of your needs like no other competitor in the industry.
We welcome you to get to know us.
Ryan Horst
President
To describe Ryan Horst, people often use the following three words and phrases: Integrity. Leadership. Problem-solver. As the managing broker of Alpha Risk Management, Horst brings these terms to life every day, leading one of the fastest growing aviation insurance companies in North America.
Ryan has been a licensed aviation insurance broker since 2000 and co-founded Alpha Risk Management in 2009. He has grown the firm to include regional, national and international clients, including pilots, flight schools, and owners of corporate, commercial and private aircraft. He is a member of the Aviation Insurance Association (AIA), National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT). On a local level, Ryan was the president of the Arizona Business Aviation Association from 2008-2009 and is still active in the organization.
Ryan’s understanding of aviation and insurance, blended with a unique problem-solver attitude has been the driving force behind the growth of his company. Each day he is approached by clients who possess unusual risks that need coverage. Because of his in-depth knowledge of the industry and his relationships with dozens of underwriters throughout the world, he makes it work for both the client and the underwriter, in all cases.
Ryan is a leader in all senses of the word it is that kind of character that enables him to lead by example and create an environment in which his associates can cultivate their own talents and constantly out-produce firms many times their size.
Craig Birch
Account Executive
At just 23 years old, Craig Birch has already had a career as a flight instructor, corporate pilot and as a volunteer pilot for a non-profit organization called Wings of Mercy. As a graduate of Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation, Craig has merged his love and experience of flying with a business degree, combining a diverse background to his present job as account executive at Alpha Risk Management.
Craig is responsible for assisting the sales team with gathering quotes from various insurance underwriters, in addition to heading up the IT and marketing areas of the company. He is a current member of the National Association of Flight Instructors, Seaplane Pilots Association and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Craig is an Airline Transport Pilot who continues to work as a contract pilot and flight instructor in his spare time.
Larry Barna
Aviation Insurance Producer
For over 20 years, Larry Barna has been piloting aircraft for both personal and professional use. His flying career has included stints as a flight instructor, corporate pilot, aviation consultant and owner of a Cleveland-based Part 135 charter company. Presently an aviation insurance producer at Alpha Risk Management, Larry brings with him aviation knowledge that is unmatched in the insurance industry.
Prior to working in the field of aviation, Larry spent a dozen years as vice president of manufacturing operations at a consumer plastics manufacturer in Cleveland. His management experience along with his knowledge of aviation has quickly positioned him as a leading producer in aviation insurance.
Larry continues to be an active pilot and part time ground school and simulator instructor at Simcom in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Tonie Carl
Aviation Insurance Producer
Tonie Carl has more than ten years of aviation experience as a pilot, flight instructor and customer service representative. Having flown more than a dozen types of airplanes, Tonie knows first hand what aircraft owners want from their insurance and from their insurance broker.
Tonie began pursuing an aviation career in college, graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a BS in Aeronautics and a minor in Aviation Business. She is a current member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and Women in Aviation International (WAI). Tonie has more than 1900 hours of flight time, including 480 turbine hours.