Diversity & Inclusion

Some of the most valuable lessons in insurance careers come from conversations with experienced professionals.

Marrissa Winkelman entered the world of insurance in 2012 when she started as the receptionist at Webb Insurance. Understanding quickly that the position wasn’t the right fit for her, she moved to the back office, where she focused on insurance and working her way up.

In this Q&A series, Independent Agent magazine and the Big “I” Agents Council for Technology spotlights women in InsurTech.

Since 2020, rising litigation costs, social movements, increased regulatory scrutiny and growing employee awareness of their rights have made the EPLI market a complex landscape.

Jamie Behymer, director of diversity, inclusion and young agents at the Big “I,” leads initiatives that empower emerging leaders and help independent insurance agencies become more inclusive.

In April, the Big “I” Diversity Council hosted the Inclusive Agency Roundtable, which brought together independent agents, company partners and industry leaders to discuss actionable strategies for creating more inclusive agencies.

Angela Ripley, president of VW Brown Insurance in Columbia, Maryland, brings two decades of agency leadership, eight acquisitions and a passion for mentorship and inclusion to the role of Big “I” chair.

On this Agency Nation Radio episode, Courtney Jacobs, owner of Insurance Done Right (IDR) in Biloxi, Mississippi, discusses the complexities of business on the Gulf Coast while also serving in the Air National Guard.

Born and raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Courtney Jacobs began her career as a financial adviser.

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, we meet Jorge Wetenkamp, agency owner of Desert Crest Insurance in Saint George, Utah.