Discovering Operational Excellence

My Experience

How many people can say they grew up in the insurance industry? Not many, but I did! After graduating from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Minor in Education, I became a trainer for Applied Systems TAM. It was a rather short stint as I quickly went into the family agency with my father. As a third-generation insurance agency owner, I can honestly say - been there and done that.

It was during this time that I became involved with Applied Client Network. If you've ever considered volunteering - do it! You won't regret it. For me, it started in the Michigan Chapter as the Vice-President and President. Then I moved on to the national organization as the Region 4 Director. This position represented Michigan, New York, and Ontario Canada on the Board of Directors. I had the pleasure of working closely with Applied Systems on the PDC or Product Development Committee for TAM. From there my positions were Vice-President, President, and Past President. The many experiences and friendships made through the organization are truly priceless.

After almost 20 years with my father and eventually brother, I needed a change. Ironically, this sent me back to Applied Systems! For 5 years, I was a Senior Consultant working with large agencies converting from TAM to Epic. This is no easy task, but I helped many through this stressful journey.

One of my first clients lured me away and so I started my career at INSURICA as the Director of Operations. This entailed overseeing 20+ branch operations. My biggest project? Moving 1/2 of them from AMS360 to Epic so we could all be on the same system. What a different experience being on the agency side of a conversion! As a firm actively doing acquisitions, converting systems into Epic became a normal event. My focus also became about efficiency, innovation, and collaboration. I was fortunate enough to have training in Lean/Six Sigma where I developed a simplified approach to process mapping. It's truly amazing what you can uncover if you simply take the time to discuss and map it out.

Now, I am an independent consultant hoping to help many agencies with operations. This might be leadership coaching, Epic optimization, process or workflow reviews, migration assistance. It's exciting to be able to offer my experience and skills to others within the insurance industry!