Glissemedia action sports media and consulting

services provided

 

risk management for risk takers

Our extensive experience working with risk takers in high risk environments, combined with our background in traditional risk management methods, gives us a unique perspective to help you find creative solutions to your risk management challenges.

 

Whether you need inspirational talks, workshops, or risk management consulting for your organization, Glissemedia comes armed with innovative yet proven methods to help you keep your team on track. We specialize in really understanding your organizations safety culture to provide effective solutions.

risk management talks

risk management workshops

team building seminars

risk management consulting

risk management documentation

expert witness

Jim Conway with General John Davis, USMC

  • background

    After recieving his engineering degree in the mid eighties, Jim Conway worked heavy construction projects part of the year, and pursued his passion for extreme skiing each winter. In the early 90's  he competed in extreme skiing competions in Alaska in addition to filming and guiding heli skiing descents. After a successful competition and film career as a professional extreme skier, Jim evolved into a position as one of the premier film guides in Alaska.

     

    In the late 90s Jim  began contracting with Teton Gravity Research as thier lead guide and safety coordinator. During this tenure techniques and protocols were developed to manage the very high risk assoicated with extreme athletes attempting descents in some of Alaska's most dangerous terrain.  Creating a program to manage the risks associated with flying helicopters in Alaskas mountains, mitigating avalanche hazards, and provide rescue back-up to some of the worlds best skiers and snowboarders was key to TGRs production and liability objectives.

     

    This program became recognized as an industry standard and was expanded into other sports Glissemedia was working with such as freestyle motocross, kayaking, and high altitude running events. At this point Jim was invited to give presentations to the US Marine Corps Warfare Tactics Instructor program as a civilian example of Operational Risk Management (ORM). ORM integrates safety and risk management into the production process creating a more seamless workflow.

     Jim has now presented his risk management talks and workshops to the US Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard; including the Navy Top Gun School (NSAWC) and the F-35 Fighter devolopment team at Edwards Air Force Base. This program has also been the keynote speech at state and regional  conferences for the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) and the State Risk and Insurance Management Association (STRIMA).

     

    In 2008 the Marine Corps asked Jim Conway to review its motorcycle safety and training program to assess its effectiveness. During 2008, 25 Marines had died of off duty motorcycle accidents; more than were killed in Iraq over the same period. After an assessment Jim proposed a number of steps to upgrade motorcycle safety awareness and advanced training. This program now known as "Semper Ride" fills the gap left by the Motorcycle Safety Foundations program to create better riders and change the Marine Corps motorcycle culture. This program has resulted in over a 40% reduction in fatalities since it's inception in 2009.

     

    Glissemedia has now brought it's risk management expertise to traditional heli ski operations helping to organize thier risk management programs and document thier mitigation efforts.

  • risk management projects

    At Glissemedia we have helped public and private sector enterprises with a variety of risk management solutions. Below is a short list of the major projects Glissemedia has contributed to:

    TETON GRAVITY RESEARCH

    risk management program

    1999-2012

    Teton Gravity Research allowed Jim Conway and Glissemedia to completely change the way the extreme winter sports community looked at and managed it's risky environment and activities. With management's support , Glissemedia was able to develop a program to effectively manage both athletes and crew risk. This program included:

    • Detailed methods of evaluating risk in field
    • Developing protocols to further reduce risk
    • Safety infrastructure development
    • Athlete and crew education and testing
    • Audience risk awareness and education
    • Additional aviation safety protocols beyond FAA
    • Human factors analysis
    • Develop formal skills training school (IPRW)

     

    UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

    risk management SPEAKING

    2006-2013

    Jim Conway was invited in 2006 to speak at the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactic School, Warefare Tactics Instructor training program. His talk entitled "Method to the Madness" detailed the methods developed by Teton Gravity Research, a private sector entity, to manage exceptional risk in the dangerous mountains of Alaska and Western Canada. After researching the intended audience, the talk was refined to speak more effectively to Marine culture and show the parallel and universal methods common to all serious risk takers.

    These talks also lead to Jim speaking and consulting with the Marine Corps General Staff on ways to effectively communicate and motivate Marines to observe risk management methods. Talks were also present to:

    • NSAWC - Navy Top Gun School
    • USAF F-35 Development Team and Test Pilots
    • Other USMC Aviation Wings and Groups
    • US Coast Guard

    Glissemedia has also been asked to speak regularly at the  Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)meetings regionally and locally (Western US and Utah meetings).

     

    USMC CMC SAFETY DIVISION

    safety program development

    2008-2015

    Based on Glissemedia's previous involvement with the US Marine Corp on risk management education, Jim Conway was asked in 2008 to consult on the extremely high motorcycle fatality rate the Corp was experiencing in 2008 (25 Marines killed off-duty on motorcycles). By immersing himself in Marina Corps training and motorcycle culture,  Jim was able to identify the key factors contributing to the high death rate and propose a number of initiatives to curtail this unacceptable situation.

    With Marine Corp collaboration Glissemedia was able to refine objectives and assemble a team of media and motorsports professionals to initiate the Semper Ride program. This branded program was the new face of Marine Corps motorcycling and focused on making Marines better riders, and therefore safer riders. Unlike typical safety programs, Semper Ride never lost sight of the reason people take up motorcycling and used that to build and keep interest in their aggressive yet effective training methods.

    When fully funded and implemented, the Semper Ride program helped reduce annual fatalites from a high of 25 on 2008 to a low of 9 in 2010. Even with significant budget cuts to the program, it managed to reduce fatalities significantly for years.

     

     

    DOD

    safety program development

    2010-2011

    Based on the successful Semper Ride program, Glissemedia in conjunction with One Eyed Bird and Tilton Safety Group was awarded a contract to develop a motorcycle safety awareness program for the Department of Defense to target all five military branches: Marines, Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. The primary communication tool for launching this campaign was three Public Service announcements that would speak to all five cultures.

     

risk management talks

Entitled "Risk Management for Risk Takers", Glissemedia provides talks giving insight on Operational Risk Management techniques and human factors such as Heuristic Traps. By using work with Teton Gravity Research as a case study, this lively and engaging presentation focuses on how TGR and it's professional athletes came to ORM organically, and details the traditional and innovative risk management methods used.

 

risk management workshops

These workshops are a longer and more interactive version of the basic risk management talk. These workshops focus on the human factors that can adversely affect even the most well considered risk management program.

 

team building seminars

For those living, working, or playing in the mountains, or working in the outdoor industry, our snow safety workshops provide a perfect team building exercise.  Unlike the contrived team building seminars, we stimulate team thinking by presenting the real world challenges associated with back country travel in avalanche terrain. We can customize these seminars based on time constraints and level of detail. These seminars are typically based at a ski resort and involve classroom and field activities.

 

risk management consulting

For organizations dealing with high risk activities, we can help you with everything from training recommendations, protocol revisions, and 'safety' culture reviews. What makes us unique is our intimate understanding of the environmental and human factors affecting risk takers.

 

risk management documentation

We can help outdoor and motor-sports related organizations develop a comprehensive system of documentation that aides in managerial objectives and adequately archives events for potential litigation.

 

expert witness

Jim Conway has the experience and knowledge to provide litigators with sound professional expert opinions related to snow and outdoor sports related court proceedings. Jim worked as an expert witness on the successful Malay v. Time Warner case helping the defense make their case that the defendant was not negligent in it's actions related to the wrongful death suit.

CONTACT:

sarge@glissemedia.com

801-864-4609

Salt Lake City, UTAH

risk management services

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