Top Producers 2021

Kevelighan told attendees at the virtual 2021 Catastrophe Risk Management Conference in March that “2020 proved how this industry can lead through disruption. We can adapt. We can innovate. We can keep our promises and pay claims – even during a global pandemic.”

In an additional silver lining, many individual producers have done quite well for themselves over the past year. IBA’s seventh annual Top Producers list features 128 producers from around the country, all of whom reached the $1 million threshold in commission revenue in 2020. Of these, 15 producers crossed the $4 million mark, and one even cracked $11 million. While most of this year’s Top Producers are veterans with more than 11 years of experience, the group also contains a solid showing by individuals new to the industry. From entertainment industry entrepreneurs to transportation experts and real estate gurus, these 128 men and women represent some of the best and brightest talent the US insurance industry has to offer.

The importance of expertise
One of this year’s highest-grossing producers is Robby McGehee, president of Smith McGehee Insurance Solutions in Clayton, Missouri, who entered the industry after a stint as a race-car driver.

“I graduated college in 1997 and continued my dream to race cars professionally,” he says. “I was blessed to be able to say I got to live my childhood dream when, after years of preparation at the lower levels, I had an opportunity to drive in the 1999 Indianapolis 500, where I finished fifth, received the Rookie of the Year Award and was propelled into a five-year career of earning my living driving 200-plus every weekend.”

Throughout his racing career, McGehee also worked in IT at his father’s insurance company, which was sold in 2004, the same year he got out of racing. McGehee stayed on and, in 2011, opened Smith McGehee Insurance Solutions, where he specializes in construction liability.

“We had our best year under COVID,” he says. “There was a three-month period where new development paused, and we paused with it. But when it turned back on, so did we, and it came back good.”

McGehee attributes his competitive advantage to three principles he learned from his father: honesty and integrity, business knowledge, and a willingness to serve.

“Buying the client a beer at the ballpark is fun, and I do it, but it’s not in the top 10 reasons of why we work together,” he says.

Rather, one of the key reasons McGehee has been able to maintain a loyal client base is that he not only provides cost-effective insurance coverage, but also spends a good chunk of his time talking with general counsels and attorneys about all types of claims.

“It’s certainly not exciting,” he says, “but that’s when it matters, and the clients know this.”

Going forward, McGehee says he’s focused on growing his business and in-house talent. The only things that can keep him from producing more, he says, are limited capacity and having less energy as he gets older.

His advice to those producers just getting into the industry? “Learn the business,” he says. “Be the best at the product you’re selling. If I go into a room to talk about insurance, if I’m not the smartest guy, we’ve got a problem! There are very successful producers who depend on supporting expertise. I would say to gain the expertise your-self. Just my way of doing it – no way is wrong if the business comes in.”

Building relationships
Another of this year’s highest-grossing producers, Annie Fleming, studied risk management and insurance at the University of Georgia before embarking on a 17-year-plus career specializing in insurance for the real estate, construction, hospitality and retail industries. She’s currently the managing director of the hospitality and real estate unit at Beecher Carlson.

Fleming says the pandemic has propelled her to discover new and creative solutions to optimize connections with clients and markets. But while the technology is great, she says, nothing will ever completely replace in-person interaction with clients, under-writers and industry partners, which she feels is the best way to solidify the trust that’s essential to relationships in this industry.

“I am passionate about partnering with clients to help them solve complex problems,” Fleming says. “I work to involve my clients in the development and implementation of strategies, negotiations, and overall process, enabling us to fully understand each organization’s goals and objectives and help to achieve them. I believe in white-glove customer service as well. While the renewal process is extremely important, so is the day-to-day customer service of an account. I take this very seriously and personally.”

In the current market, she says, certain risks have become increasingly challenging, but Beecher Carlson has designed and implemented solutions and structures that are popular with clients.

“We believe in analyzing a client’s total cost of risk, not just selling insurance,” Fleming says. “The more complex an account, the more we are able to excel by structuring unique solutions for our clients.”

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2021 and 2022, Fleming plans to further expand her book of business with best-in-class insurance and risk management programs and by offering superior customer service. And she can’t wait to travel again and meet face-to-face with clients and business partners.

For young producers just starting out in the industry, Fleming advises them to “focus on your clients and align with a mentor. Focusing on your clients keeps you working toward your and your clients’ shared goals and objectives and helps you to deliver the best insurance programs and solutions possible. Aligning with a mentor can help you to establish a direction for yourself and to develop your career.”

5-Star Excellence Awards

• 
  Brian A. Payne
  President, Field Insurance Agency of Surfside
   
  
• 
  David W. Clausen
  CEO, Coastal Insurance Solutions
   
  
• 
  Kendall and Blake McEachern
  Co-Founder, Chairman (Kendall) | Vice President (Blake), Acentria Insurance
   
  
• 
  Kevin Mason
  CEO, Acentria Insurance
   
  

• Adam Sammons
  Vice president, Marsh & McLennan Agency
• Adam Sopenski
  Risk advisor, RRL Insurance Agency
• Alexander H. Carothers III
  Commercial P&C risk advisor, Harmon Dennis Bradshaw
• Alka Manaktala
  Vice president, IOA Insurance
• Allen Chapman
  Executive vice president, HUB International
• Annie Fleming
  Managing director, Beecher Carlson
• Anthony Miller
  CEO, GS Insurance Solutions
• Bart McGowan
  Executive vice president Marsh & McLennan Agency
• Béat Koszinowski
  Producer, The Buckner Company
• Ben D. Smith
  Managing director, Higginbotham
• Bob Bamberger
  Executive vice president, Marsh & McLennan Agency
• Bob Hendren
  Managing director – business insurance, Higginbotham
• Bolling (Trey) Starke III
  President, Starke Agency
• Bradley Meinhardt
  Area executive vice president; managing director, aerospace, Gallagher
• Brett Nilsson
  Senior vice president, producer, The Buckner Company
• Brian Gilberg
  Vice president, Odell Studner
• Brian Hall
  Partner, Overmyer Hall Associates
• Brian King
  Partner, AHT Insurance, a Baldwin Risk Partner
• Brian Krimpelbein
  Principal/relationship manager, HNI Risk Services
• Brian Schneider
  Managing director, Higginbotham
• Brigitte M. Egbert
  Executive vice president, Monarch Insurance Services, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Bruce Ball
  CEO, Britton Gallagher
• Bryan Moore
  President, risk advisor, IBTX
• Carlos A. Chinchilla
  Senior executive vice president, Frank H. Furman, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Charles Fontenelle
  President/producer, Fontenelle & Goodreau Insurance
• Charles Humphrey
  Commercial P&C risk advisor, Harmon Dennis Bradshaw
• Charles Reynolds
  Senior vice president, HUB International
• Chase Carlisle
  Vice president, Carlisle Insurance, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Chip Hoover
  Executive vice president, Marsh & McLennan Agency – Southeast
• Chris Leming
  Senior vice president, TROXELL
• Christopher F. Trapani
  Executive vice president, Eagan Insurance Agency
• Christopher Hopper
  CEO, Crosby Insurance
• Clinton Anderson
  President, national specialty practice, HUB International
• Curtis Page
  Managing director, healthcare practice leader, Higginbotham
• Dan Overmyer
  Partner, Overmyer Hall Associates
• Dan Peck
  Vice president – construction practice, James G Parker Insurance Associates
• David McKinnon
  Senior vice president Fisher Brown Bottrell Insurance
• Davor Mimica
  President and CEO, InSource
• Edward M. Smith
  Executive vice president, Marsh & McLennan Agency
• Eric Beck
  Senior vice president, national nonprofit practice leader, Marsh & McLennan Agency
• Eric Leedom
  Area vice president, Gallagher
• Eric Weiser
  Agency president, AssuredPartners
• Frank Barbella
  Founder and CEO, SOLV Risk Solutions
• Frank J. McMackin IV
  Area senior vice president, Gallagher
• Frankie Harris III
  Executive vice president of sales, AssuredPartners
• Gary Wells
  Managing partner, The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers
• Greg Myers
  Executive managing director, Beecher Carlson
• Gregory W. Havemeier
  Senior vice president, Gulfshore Insurance, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Jack A. Carra
  Senior vice president of sales, AssuredPartners
• Jacob Barzivand
  Producer, Paramount Exclusive Insurance
• James Oh
  Executive vice president, Marsh & McLennan Agency – Southeast
• James W. Untiedt
  President, PentaRisk Insurance
• Jason Young
  Senior vice president, Fisher Brown Bottrell
• JD Powers
  President, POWERS Insurance & Risk Management
• Jeff McIntosh
  Agent, Energy Insurance Agency
• Jerrime Kitsos
  Senior vice president, HUB International
• Jimbo Floyd
  President, Turner Wood & Smith
• Joe Thompson
  Partner/client advisor, Gulfshore Insurance, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Joel Hirschfeld
  President, Hirschfeld & Associates Corp.
• John Costello
  Executive vice president, sales, AssuredPartners
• John Daughton
  President, Vanner Insurance Agency
• John Gaynier
  Executive vice president, Rogers Gray
• John Henry Ward
  Vice president, sales executive, AssuredPartners
• John J Sirabella Jr.
  Account executive, CLG Insurance, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Jonathan Axel
  Managing partner, The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers
• Joseph DeLucchi
  President, CAL Insurance & Associates
• Joshua Jabour
  Sales executive, AssuredPartners Aerospace
• Karin Venegas
  Managing director – business insurance, Higginbotham
• Karl Henley
  Executive vice president, partner, SeibertKeck Insurance Partners
• Kyle A. Kozel
  Senior risk consultant Lakenan Insurance
• Larry Hansard
  Area director – healthcare practice, Gallagher
• Leslie McLerran
  Vice president, producer Falcon, Insurance Agency of Houston
• Marcus Eagan
  Vice president, Eagan Insurance
• Mark Doscher
  Principal, Marsh & McLennan Agency
• Mark Harrington
  Account executive, Taggart Insurance
• Matthew Harrell
  Managing director, Franklin Street
• Maureen Gallagher
  Agency presiden,t AssuredPartners
• Michael Abacherli
  Account executive, HD Segur, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Michael Dix
  Producer, Smith Manus, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Michael Kellam
  COO, Ware Insurance
• Michael Pollack
  Executive vice president, The Flanders Group, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Michael Shea
  Executive vice president, LassiterWare Insurance, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Michael Sullivan
  Vice president, growth practice lead, Embroker
• Michael Tomasulo
  Managing partner, AHT Insurance, a Baldwin Risk Partner
• Michael Trammell
  Senior vice president, Ironwood, a Marsh & McLennan Agency Company
• Mike Todorovich
  President, Lockton Companies
• Nathan Durham
  Executive vice president, Marsh & McLennan Agency
• Neal Papevies
  Senior vice president, Beecher Carlson
• Paul Praxmarer
  Agency president, producer, AssuredPartners
• Phillip Lane
  Vice president, Insurance Office of America
• Phillip Masi
  Agency president, AssuredPartners
• Ray Deaton
  Executive vice president and COO, Commercial Insurance Solutions, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Richard Lonneman
  Executive vice president, sales, AssuredPartners
• Richard Terlecki
  Area senior vice president, Gallagher
• Robby McGehee
  President, Smith McGehee, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Robert Baldacci
  Account executive, National Housing Insurance Group
• Robert Culpepper
  Senior executive vice president, Marsh & McLennan Agency
• Roberto C. Menendez
  Commercial risk advisor, Frank H. Furman, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Russ Wardlaw
  President and partner, Insuramax
• Ryan Hurley
  Producer – sales, AssuredPartners
• Ryan Moss
  Managing partner, Higginbotham
• Ryan Schmidt
  Client advisor/partner, Gulfshore Insurance, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Ryan Spalding
  CEO, Worthy Insurance Group
• Ryan Von Haden
  Partner/vice president, business insurance specialist, TRICOR Insurance
• Sam Sackler
  Senior vice president, Fisher Brown Bottrell
• Sarah Wheeler-Monyette
  Senior vice president, Marsh & McLennan Agency – Southeast
• Shawn Budney
  Vice president, Acentria Insurance
• Shawn P. McBride
  President, Acrisure Affiliated Insurance Agencies
• Stephen A. Stefanski Jr.
  Executive vice president, sales, AssuredPartners
• Steven Fisk
  Principal, Marsh & McLennan Agency
• Tim Powers
  Broker, Missouri General Insurance Agency
• Tim Spear
  Client advisor/partner, Gulfshore Insurance, an Acrisure Agency Partner
• Timothy Cline
  CEO, Cline Agency Insurance Brokers
• Todd Jackson
  Senior vice president, Bolton & Co.
• Tom Quintero
  Vice president of risk management solutions, IBTX
• Tressa Bishop
  Vice president, community associations insurance practice, USI Insurance Services
• Trevor Gilstrap
  Senior vice president and energy practice leader, AssuredPartners
• Trey Wood
  Executive vice president, Turner, Wood & Smith Insurance
• Vik Patel
  Vice president, Acentria Insurance
• Wayne Willis
  Executive vice president, employee benefits, AssuredPartners
• Will Denbo
  Managing partner, Commercial Insurance Associates
• Will Giambalvo
  Area senior vice president, Gallagher
• Zachary Fanberg
  Vice president, Eagan Insurance