REID EKBERG President PILKEY-HOPPING & EKBERG, INC. Age: 35
CODY TURNER Associate managing director BURNS & WILCOX Age: 30
DAVID SARNOSKI Executive risk specialist and team lead, Western professional liability VELA INSURANCE SERVICES Age: 33
The sky’s the limit for David Sarnoski, an avid rock climber and team lead for Western professional liability at Vela Insurance Services. After leaving the construction business for insurance, Sarnoski joined Vela in 2012, and last year was promoted to lead the company’s team in the West, which has experienced organic growth over the last three years in the complex miscellaneous professional liability market.
What attracted Cody Turner to the insurance industry was simply Burns & Wilcox’s dedication to developing young talent. “As I discovered more about the leadership training opportunities within the organization and the amount of time and resources they devoted to developing young talent, I knew it would be a good fit,” he says. A graduate of the Kaufman Emerging Leaders Program, Turner finished each of his first two years with more than 40% growth and has played a key role in Burns & Wilcox Fresno’s 43% overall growth since he joined the office in 2012. In 2014, he was promoted to associate managing director, and just last year, he completed the Kaufman Advanced Management Program. He’s also the treasurer and a board member of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Tulare/ Kings County.
They say relationships are key in insurance, but for Reid Ekberg, that doesn’t end with his client relationships. “I saw firsthand from my father the flexibility and quality of life a career in the insurance industry could offer,” Ekberg says. “He was there to coach all my little league teams, and I want to be there for my kids.” After working as a claims examiner and an English teacher, Ekberg joined the company in 2008, and was appointed president last year. Since he took on the role, the company has grown by 11%, and has maintained an average yearly growth of 5% for the past eight years. Ekberg was also named the Young Agent of the Year by Independent Insurance Agents Brokers of Washington State in 2014, and now serves as chair for the organization’s Young Agents Committee. He cautions his fellow young professionals that although technology leads to innovation, they should not let that replace foundational communication and sales skills.
Best advice for other young professionals “Use your youth and passion to your advantage. Your clients, peers and mentors want to speak with young professionals who possess excitement and enthusiasm. Don’t hold back when it comes to sharing your goals and hunger for success – leverage it.”
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