Magazine

Miles Lee, the winner of the 2025 Young Agent Of The Year Award, reflects on making an impact.

As administrative roles shrink, experienced professionals are becoming more critical, and organizations are facing a growing gap between technological capability and human expertise.

Young agents are making their mark on the insurance industry. Learn what this next generation of agents has to say about where the industry is headed—and how they fit into it.

Jackson Rollo did not grow up dreaming of insurance. But like many second-generation leaders, once he found his way into the business, he stayed because of the relationships, responsibility and real impact independent agents can have in their communities.

The most successful companies understand that attracting top talent isn’t just about offering the highest salary; it’s about leveraging creative strategies and building an authentic workplace culture.

To address the talent shortage, here are five successful, replicable strategies already in motion to recruit the next wave of insurance talent in 2026 and beyond.

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.

Learn what this next generation of independent insurance agents has to say about where the industry is headed—and how they fit into it.

Elliott has been a driving force in the Big “I” community on both the state and national level, from chairing the Young Agents of Kansas (YAK) and national Young Agents Committee (YAC) to championing political advocacy in his current role as chair of the state government affairs committee.

From producers to client managers and service teams, former student athletes are likely to embody the personal discipline and soft skills necessary to have successful insurance careers.