Next Generation Talent

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.

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.

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.

“It’s all about embracing artificial intelligence (AI),” says young agent Audriana Misic. “Not to replace people but to make what we do more efficient and effective.”

“It takes a lot of work to do this job,” says young agent Yuliya Karpov. “This profession provides an opportunity to find harmony, to learn about yourself and what you need, then reflect and adjust accordingly.”

“The core value of lending a helping hand and never being too busy to help a producer … is everything I want in a mentor, especially as a guy that didn’t go to school for insurance,” says young agent Jackson Doyle.

“Everyone says insurance is relationship-based and sometimes that can just be a throwaway statement,” says young agent Kate Adams. “But when you’re up against a deadline, it’s six o’clock at night and you’re not going to get paid if you don’t get something done by 8 am the next day, you need relationships and connections.”

“I see more people my age coming into the industry,” says young agent Ander Urdaneta, “and with new faces comes new ideas—and with new ideas, the industry is just going to keep growing.”

Workplace mental health and wellness impacts all aspects of a business: performance, culture, retention and the bottom line.