Rob Hoon's work is about as high-tech as it gets: surety software, platform demos, product roadmaps. His neighbors get around by horse and buggy.
He lives in Pennsylvania Dutch country, where life outside of work is deliberately simple. Inside of it, he's the de facto product manager for Tinubu's broker and agent platform, TSBA, and one of the people most responsible for where it's headed.
He's also spent enough time on the agency side to know exactly who he's building it for.
What’s your day-to-day like at Tinubu?
Rob: My official title is Platform Operations Specialist. Day-to-day, I'm essentially the product manager for TSBA, our broker and agent platform. I also work on new sales and demos alongside the sales team.
How long have you been at Tinubu?
Rob: Three years, as of last month. Before that, I spent three years at another software company. I've spent pretty much all of my career in Surety. I did a stint in the military first, working on satellite communications and networking, but everything since has been Surety. I've seen it from both sides: as a software user inside an agency, and now as someone building platforms.
How does that background affect your perspective?
Rob: I have a pretty aggressive agent-first mentality. That's why I'm glad to be working on the agent product. In this industry, carriers have most of the money, so technology is often built to accommodate them first. But agents are where the business actually comes from. I like helping them.
That's part of why I'm excited about the Digital Highway. The way we're thinking about it is agent-driven. We're not making agents change how they work.
What do you do when you’re not working?
Rob: I have a lot of aquariums. I love setting up tanks and keeping fish. I'm about to add fish to a new 150-gallon tank in my basement. We've also got a big garden at the house, mostly flowers, so there's a lot of tending the yard.
My wife and I live in Amish country, so everything outside of work is very simple. I know exactly where my food comes from. I know the families we buy it from. I lived in the South during my military years and loved it. This reminds me of being back in Kentucky, with the farms and the slower pace of life.
The dichotomy isn't lost on me. My work is entirely software-based. I'm on a computer and the internet all day. Outside, people are moving around in horses and buggies.
Some people say the Surety industry has also been reluctant to adopt technology. Do you see that changing?
Rob: When I first started, the industry was very tech-averse. Surety is such a relationship-driven business. People liked picking up the phone. Now I think people really see the value of good software. If you can execute a bond in two minutes instead of jumping between a spreadsheet and three other tools, that's appealing. And it becomes hard to stay competitive without technology.
What’s something you’re excited about right now at Tinubu?
Rob: The roadmap for TSBA. It addresses so many things agencies have wanted and needed for a long time. Everyone I've talked to at an agency is genuinely excited about it, and that excitement is contagious. Every time we roll out something new, I get to see the feedback come in and watch agencies start putting it to use. That's the best part of the job
