Relationships and insurance are two things that go hand-in-hand in my career. February is Insurance Careers Month and my chance to tell you what I do, how I got here, and why I love what I do. My official title is Marketing Manager, but I am also referred to as a marketing representative or field representative. In the insurance industry, this role varies for every insurance company and no two of us are the same. The one thing we do have in common though, is that we all value relationships.
I have been at Central Insurance Companies for 10 years and in the industry for almost three decades! This life-long career has offered me many satisfying challenges and opportunities. As a marketing manager, I represent Central to the independent agencies that sell our products. Unlike a direct writer that sells policies for a single carrier, an independent agency has multiple insurance carrier choices to offer the consumer. My company is one of those choices. A key part of my job is to make sure they understand the selling points and features of Central’s insurance products and the value-added features of all our services, so they can in turn do the same for their customers. Because of many technological advances, I must keep their staff up to date on our automation enhancements. Though normally handled by an underwriter, I also have authority to review new business an agent may want to place with Central and because of my visibility in the field, I’m able to help in a pinch. Some people may call us “road warriors”, because we spend the better part of a week in our cars traveling from one agency to the next. During a retirement speech made by one of my colleagues, he shared that he traveled upwards of 700,000 miles during his career! As you can imagine, I know my traveling territory inside and out and each is a new adventure. With responsibilities in both commercial and personal insurance, I could be informing agents on the changes and features within businesses, homes, autos and boats!
So what do I like about my career choice? First, the diversity of what I do for each agency keeps it interesting. One day we may be training a new agency staff member and another negotiating a contract with an agency owner. We often join forces with our regional and home office co-workers to accomplish our tasks which has cultivated a rewarding sense of teamwork. But most importantly, I have been able to develop life-long professional relationships that involve mutual respect, understanding, and caring both at Central and among the agencies I manage. The places I’ve traveled and the people I’ve met along the way have given my career purpose and fulfillment.
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