FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT
ENVIRONMENTAL
GINA JONES Vice president and director of environmental programs BURNS & WILCOX PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY
MATTHEW SMITH Executive vice president, ProExec RT SPECIALTY
Matthew Smith began his insurance career in 2005 at Heath Lambert in London, where he was responsible for brokering business throughout Lloyd’s of London with a focus on professional liability. After finishing a four-month program, he moved back to the US to become a broker at S.H. Smith & Company, continuing his focus on professional liability. Within four years, Smith was appointed to vice president, and in 2011, he was promoted to senior vice president, taking over the firm’s Boston operations. Following the sale of S.H. Smith to RT Specialty, Smith created his own professional liability team and was soon named an executive vice president. In Smith’s opinion, the biggest challenge in PL is adapting to the current marketplace. “When an agent contacts you with their client’s business, they are trusting you not only for your expertise in said product, but also your understanding of the marketplace as a whole,” he says. “I believe that you’re only as good as your relationships with your underwriters. You can be the best broker in the industry, but if you don’t have the relationships and trust from your markets, then you’re just like everyone else.”
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Gina Jones has long been passionate about the environment, and her specialty in environmental insurance has given her the ability to align her career with this interest. Based in Denver, Jones founded Burns &
CONSTRUCTION
BRIAN HARROLD Wholesale insurance team leader NORMAN-SPENCER AGENCY
Brian Harrold has been instrumental in developing NormanSpencer Agency’s position within the commercial insurance industry. In 2014, Harrold obtained his Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist designation, and his dedication to the construction insurance space has earned him top producer status with Liberty Mutual, Nationwide and Everest Insurance. Over the past two years, Harrold has increased his sales by more than 25%, in spite of a challenging market. His customer service, in-depth sector knowledge and continuous drive for excellence have helped him forge and maintain strong relationships with retail agents.
Wilcox’s environmental center of excellence, and her team acts as subject-matter experts for environmental risks company-wide. Jones is responsible for expanding the company’s environmental practice, including coverages, market access and cultivating production sources, and she has developed diverse environmental programs. To share her knowledge with the masses, Jones has hosted many environmental continuing education courses, training courses and webinars for industry professionals, internal teams and retail partners. “Almost every insured faces an environmental exposure; however, most do not realize it,” she says. “Clients believe that since they have not had an environmental claim, they do not need coverage. Helping them to understand that absence of loss does not mean absence of risk is one of the greatest challenges we face in our industry.”
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY & CASUALTY
MORGAN STORM GILLETTE Commercial lines underwriter SCOTTISH AMERICAN INSURANCE GENERAL AGENCY
Currently serving as a commercial lines underwriter for Scottish American Insurance General Agency, Morgan Storm Gillette held jobs in the retail and nonprofit worlds before finding success in insurance. “Customer service was always held at the utmost importance in any job position,” she says. “From working the front counter at a hardware store to serving tables in a restaurant to aiding the board of directors at a nonprofit organization, my mission was always prioritizing the customer’s experience and satisfaction. I’ve found that stellar customer service comes easily when you have the opportunity to work with genuine people like I do as an underwriter.”
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