Leadership

Meet 7 Best Practices Agencies

Independent Agent magazine speaks with an agent from each revenue category about their experiences with the Best Practices Study and how their business operates.

Agency Nation Meets: Jamie Behymer

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.

Declaration of Independents: Marianne Policastro-Wik

Marianne Policastro-Wik is leading her agency, a 2025 Best Practices Agency, through thoughtful “modernization,” paying careful attention to embracing technology without losing the human touch.

From One Generation to the Next: Navigating Agency Succession Planning 

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Peter van Aartrijk, executive vice president at Aartrijk is joined by Lee Gaudette, president of Gaudette Insurance, and his son, Peter Gaudette, commercial insurance advisor at Gaudette Insurance, and Keith Mangini, Vice President and Commercial Team Leader at InsurBanc.

Finding the Win With Jill Roth 

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, we chat with Jill Roth, executive vice president at Ahart, Frinzi & Smith in Alexandria, Virginia.

Her Story: Meet the New Big ‘I’ Chair

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.

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