“Leaders need to train their people above the standard, or they won’t be there when you need them.”
Over 300 area business leaders gathered this morning at Chateau Luxe to connect on a business level and to be inspired by Kris “Tanto” Paronto, hero of the 2012 Benghazi attack and the subject of the book and movie, 13 Hours.
Accelerent is the area’s leading business development organization. This morning’s event was hosted by Benefit Commerce Group.
Paronto’s story is one of resiliency and perseverance. “Obstacles happen, bad things happen. You just need to push through and keep pushing through. Never quit, rely on your training, push your training,” is his advice. “And don’t quit on yourself. Remind yourself that what we’re living through now is a test. When we make it through, we’ll be stronger.”
“Tanto,” as he is affectionately known in security contracting circles—is a former Army Ranger from 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment and private security contractor who has deployed throughout South America, Central America, the Middle East and North Africa.
He was part of the CIA annex security team that responded to the terrorist attack on the U.S. Special Mission in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012, helping to save over 20 lives while fighting off terrorists for over 13 hours.
Tanto told a chilling story, detailing the fear, confusion and intensity of a volatile battle situation. Many of his team did not survive, but through the work of all of them, survivors and fallen, they were able to save many people in the U.S. Consulate who otherwise would not have gotten out.
He talked about how his training kept him going. He knew they had to stay calm, but his team had the desire to go in because of their training under duress. “We couldn’t control what was going on, but we could control our attitude,” he said.
One of the foundations of his bravery and resiliency is the faith that he was meant to be in whatever situation he faces.
Tanto also has learned through the many struggles throughout his life – physical, mental and emotional – that there are many “battlefields” in life. His message to not give up was a strong one, especially when he admitted how difficult it was to just go on sometimes, even though he appears to all of us to be so brave and invincible. Our collective focus on mental health, in addition to physical health, shines a light on the inner struggles that can be just as daunting as an actual battlefield.
A little background on Tanto, from his website:
Kris was born in Alamosa, Colorado, and obtained his Associate Degree from Dixie College (now Dixie State University) in St. George, Utah, Bachelor’s Degree from Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colorado, and Master’s Degree from The University of Nebraska at Omaha. He served 4 years in the US Army and an additional 4 years in the US Army National Guard; reaching the rank of Sergeant, then becoming a commissioned officer in 2003. He started contracting for Blackwater Security Consulting in 2003, and continued to deploy on various security contracts, including the Global Response Staff, until 2013.
For more information on Kris “Tanto” Paronto, go to https://kristantoparonto.com/.
Scott Wood & Chris Hogan: On return-to-office planning and employee benefits strategies
In introductory remarks at the event, Scott Wood, Managing Partner and Principal of Benefit Commerce Group (BCG), talked about BCG’s process in crafting its transition from a complete work-from-home structure. “It was important to our firm to have employee input and employee buy-in on our return-to-office plan. That’s why we hired an outside consultant to help us develop our strategy. That allowed us to use the results of an independent survey of our employees—and personal interviews with 12 employees—to guide us in constructing our plan.
“The end result: Our employees have choices, and we have fully embraced the hybrid work environment,” Scott said. “During the last year and a half, we have proven that we can generate new sales, maintain current clients and provide them the service and support they expect and deserve from their employee benefits consulting team.”
Chris Hogan, Executive Vice President and Principal of BCG, described for the audience our company’s focus and the results we achieve for our clients.
“BCG is a company with national scope and local service,” Chris said. “Our team is an incredible collection of benefits and service experts who have subject matter knowledge on key employee benefits programs and challenges. And, as part of Alera Group, we draw on even greater resources to support our clients. We can access and pinpoint specific expertise, answers and solutions from across the nation, among our 2,500+ Alera Group teammates. That collaboration has been a game-changer for our staff and our clients.
“We also know that the focus for employers has shifted during the past year,” Chris added. “We have definitely seen a split between ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ of employers: some have done well during or because of the pandemic, others have struggled. As a partner with our clients, we use our own proven strategies to bring savings to their organizations and their employees.
“Some of our clients use the savings we generate to help their bottom line,” he said. “But, more and more, we are seeing employers use those savings to ‘give back’ to employees in the form of health plan premium holidays, or employee bonuses or increased contributions to employees’ health accounts.
“We create the opportunity, and our clients decide how to use the savings,” he added. “It’s been a significant way for our clients to differentiate themselves in their markets, to help them attract and retain employees. That’s why we always begin by benchmarking their employee benefits to other employers in the state, their industry and the nation.
“Until you know how you compare, you can’t make good decisions for moving forward, especially in the current super competitive job market,” Chris said.
