Risk & Resolve

In Episode 5 of the Clay Conner series, we follow Clay from jungle guerrilla to front-line truth-teller as U.S. forces return to the Philippines. He challenges brass on enemy positions, recounts staggering losses near Clark, and shares the surreal postwar debriefs in Washington—plus the unlikely Hollywood connection that led to his True Magazine story.

Main talking points:

• Jeeping behind the lines to link up with Rangers and ignoring “stay on the American side” orders
• Clay’s “you’re not talking to some dummy” briefing to a general—and the deadly proof that followed
• Artillery hidden in mountain fortifications and catastrophic division losses near Clark/Concepcion
• The personal side: the lost childhood “monkey” keepsake and the humanity Clay tried to preserve
• Close-quarters split-second decisions and the lifetime weight they carried
• 21 rough days home by transport ship—and the wartime correspondent who changed that voyage
• Pentagon debriefs: helping identify fallen comrades and the fast promotion that finally caught up
• Postwar pivots: Wharton guidance, leaving Bulova, and building The Conner Agency

In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Jon Tice, SVP of Mission at IMMI, pastor, and author of The Golfer’s Guide to Understanding Your Wife. Jon shares his journey from church leadership to the business world, how faith and values guide IMI’s global impact, and the lessons he’s learned about marriage, purpose, and leaving a legacy.

Key Talking Points:

• Jon’s journey from ministry to business leadership 
• The “turtle on a fence post” analogy and the people who shaped his life 
• Lessons from 39 years of marriage and writing his book on relationships 
• IMMI’s transformation into an ESOP and its faith-friendly culture 
• The challenge of balancing faith and business decisions at scale 
• Leadership, mentorship, and chasing impact in the last third of life 

In this Risk & Resolve episode, we sit down with lifelong friends and WellBridge Surgical co-founders Dr. Eric Inman and Jeff Williams to unpack how they’re flipping the traditional healthcare script—paying surgeons more while cutting total surgery costs 45–60%. We get the backstory from fourth-grade friendship to opening day, the pushback from big systems, and the exact pricing mechanics that make bundled, transparent surgery work for self-funded employers and families.

Main talking points:
        •        From fourth-grade friends to co-founders: why they took the leap
        •        What anesthesiology reveals about surgeon quality and building a winning team
        •        The “Field of Dreams” first year: 1 case a week to 150+ a month
        •        How bundled pricing pays surgeons more while saving employers 45–60%
        •        Implants, vendors, and why hospitals prefer higher sticker prices
        •        The barriers: TPAs, contracts, and system incentives “by design”
        •        Real numbers: first-day savings and million-dollar+ annual impact for clients
        •        Culture wars: the personal and professional cost of disrupting a bloated system
        •        What’s next: WellBridge Health—infusion, Rx, data, and additional locations
        •        Practical takeaway for CEOs/CFOs: make members care, design the win-win-win

In this powerful fifth installment of Clay Conner’s World War II interview, Clay recalls unforgettable wartime experiences in the Philippines, from working with the Rangers to staggering battles against entrenched Japanese forces. He shares the emotional story of losing his childhood keepsake during a raid, witnessing devastating losses ignored by leadership, and the moral conflict of taking lives in combat. Clay also reflects on returning to the U.S., encounters with Bob Hope, his path into the insurance business, and how his heritage and family shaped his postwar life.

Talking Points:
        •        Joining forces with the Rangers and venturing behind Japanese lines
        •        The story of “Ko Ko,” his cherished childhood monkey doll lost in battle
        •        Warning generals about Japanese artillery and being ignored—resulting in massive losses
        •        The haunting story of killing a Japanese soldier carrying a surrender note
        •        Returning to the U.S. and an unforgettable 21-day voyage with a war correspondent
        •        Meeting Bob Hope and how that led to his story being published in True Magazine
        •        Transitioning from wartime chaos to the insurance business and family life
        •        Reflections on heritage, ancestors, and recording stories for future generations

Founder and CEO of Robo Source, Jason Beutler, joins Risk and Resolve to share his journey from failed startups to building a thriving automation and AI-driven consulting firm. Jason breaks down the truth about artificial intelligence, how business leaders should think about AI, and why his mission is centered on empowering people—not replacing them. We explore the evolution of technology, the misconceptions around AI, the art of prompting, and the role of meaningful work in company culture.

Main Talking Points:
 • Jason Beutler’s entrepreneurial journey and lessons from early business failures
 • How Robo Source evolved from consulting to holistic workflow automation
 • The biggest misconceptions about AI and what it actually does
 • How to create effective prompts for ChatGPT and other AI tools
 • AI bias, truth, and why human-like responses matter
 • The role of AI as a tool versus a business strategy
 • How automation can empower teams to focus on meaningful, impactful work
 • The accelerating pace of technology and where it’s headed
 • Communication challenges and lessons learned as a business leader
 • Jason’s future vision: transitioning from consulting to a product company

In Part 4 of the conversation with WWII guerrilla fighter Clay Conner, we dive deep into his final months in the Philippine jungle before meeting American forces. Clay recounts life-or-death battles, rescuing downed pilots, and the ingenious traps that kept Japanese troops from advancing. From resourcefulness in survival to the emotional moment of seeing U.S. planes overhead after years in hiding, this is a raw and unforgettable look at courage, strategy, and resilience in war.

What you’ll hear in this episode:
        •        Clay’s unique relationship with local leaders and the trust they built.
        •        The daily challenges and dangers of jungle life.
        •        Ingenious defenses like “pig traps” to halt Japanese advances.
        •        The rescue of downed American pilots and the secrecy surrounding it.
        •        Life-or-death battles fought with minimal supplies and firepower.
        •        Clay’s emotional first sighting of American planes in December 1944.
        •        Coordinating with local forces to prepare for the American landing.
        •        The intense final battle before marching to meet U.S. troops.
        •        Why Clay’s wartime experience never fit into post-war veteran groups.
        •        Reflections on recognition, memory, and telling untold stories.

In this episode of Risk and Resolve, hosts Ben and Todd sit down with the renowned Nurse Deb Ault, founder of AIMM – Ault International Medical Management, to discuss how she’s reshaping the broken U.S. healthcare system. Deb shares the pivotal moment that led her to leave bedside nursing, the shocking truth about how money often drives life-and-death decisions in hospitals, and her mission to provide patients with ethical, proactive medical management.

Listeners will learn:
 • The life-changing story that inspired Deb to start AIM.
 • Why healthcare costs and patient outcomes are often at odds.
 • How AIM’s nurses and doctors advocate for patients and employers.
 • Deb’s bold executive orders to fix U.S. healthcare if she were in charge.
 • Why patient advocacy and “righteous indignation” are key to change.

In this gripping episode, we continue Clay Conner’s harrowing World War II journey through the jungles of the Philippines. From dodging Japanese patrols and surviving against impossible odds to encountering pro-Japanese informants, life-or-death escapes, and building alliances with the elusive Pygmy Negritos, Clay’s story is a raw look at survival, loyalty, and the moral dilemmas of war.

Key Talking Points:
 • Clay’s first encounters with the Pygmy Negritos in 1943
 • Life in remote guerrilla hideouts and surviving Japanese raids
 • The betrayal by Fred Al Vedra and the harsh realities of war-time survival
 • Narrow escapes from Japanese patrols and life-or-death survival techniques
 • Crossing Clark Field through 20,000 Japanese soldiers undetected
 • The moral complexities of judging survival decisions in wartime
 • Forming alliances with locals and earning trust in the mountains
 • Stories of incredible bravery and selflessness from Filipinos who risked their lives
 • The pivotal role of the Zambales Mountains and Mount Pinatubo in guerrilla operations
 • How the Negritos later trained U.S. troops for Vietnam jungle survival

Dave Chase shares how Health Rosetta is creating a blueprint for employers to deliver world-class healthcare at half the cost while building an entirely new healthcare supply chain model. As a former Microsoft executive who founded Health Rosetta after witnessing a friend's death due to healthcare system failures, Dave explains how the current system is collapsing and why it needs complete replacement rather than incremental changes.

• Health Rosetta consists of a framework, ecosystem, technology platform, and Nautilus Health Institute for open-sourcing solutions
• System collapse evidenced by hospital closures, provider burnout, and 100 million Americans in medical debt
• Alaska Native healthcare system transformation provides proof that community-owned health plans can achieve world-class outcomes
• Access to claims data is essential for employers to understand and optimize their health plans
• The Plan Grader tool helps employers objectively evaluate their health plans and create improvement roadmaps
• Open-sourcing successful strategies accelerates healthcare transformation across communities
• Employers implementing Health Rosetta principles reinvest savings into employee benefits like education and expanded healthcare access
• Rosetta Fest brings together benefit advisors, employers, clinicians and solution providers to share successful strategies

Join us at Rosetta Fest in August to learn from employers implementing successful healthcare strategies and access resources from the Nautilus Health Institute.

Henry Clay Conner recounts his harrowing escape from Japanese forces in the Philippines and subsequent 34-month survival in the jungle during WWII while battling tropical diseases and navigating complex political alliances.

• Escape from Bataan on April 9, 1942, as Japanese forces broke through American and Filipino defenses
• Climbing treacherous mountains and drinking contaminated water while suffering from malaria, dengue fever, and dysentery
• Finding shelter among supportive Filipino families who risked execution to hide American soldiers
• Close encounter with the communist Huk guerrillas who put Clay on "trial" before his daring escape with fellow Americans
• Evading a 300-strong Japanese force hunting them with a price on their heads
• Living among the Negrito people in remote jungle areas and adopting Filipino clothing and identity 
• Learning Tagalog and other Filipino dialects to survive while navigating the complex political dynamics of occupation

If you enjoyed this episode of my grandfather's war story, join us for the next installment, where we'll continue exploring his remarkable journey of survival.