Aitken Meyer is the third generation to work at the agency, but originally, “I wanted to do my own thing,” she says. Eventually, there was an accounting opportunity at the family agency, which grew into an operations role.
Katelyn Aitken Meyer
Vice President of Operations
Aitken & Ormond Insurance & Risk Management
Chesterfield, Michigan
Aitken Meyer’s father had a policy for his two daughters to join the family agency: They needed five years of work experience before he would hire them. “I was like, ‘Well, I’m not going to work for you, so don’t worry about it!’” she says. “But then five years later, there I was.”
Aitken Meyer is the third generation to work at the agency, but originally, “I wanted to do my own thing,” she says. After graduating from Michigan State University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting, she worked for a consulting firm. Eventually, there was an accounting opportunity at the family agency, which grew into an operations role. “Structure and organization are really huge for me in my personal life, it appealed to me,” Aitken Meyer says. “I was just like, ‘Okay, add on another hat! I can do it.’”
What's your favorite part of your job?
The people—the staff I work with on a daily basis and the carriers. I don’t interact with customers every day, but they’re the ones who put their trust in us and my philosophy is all about people. As a family business, our people and our customers are really like our family.
Attracting young operational and IT workers?
We could do a better job promoting our industry and all it has to offer. I don’t think many young people know there are other job opportunities besides selling insurance, which was my perspective when I was growing up.
Serving as Big I Michigan Young Agents Committee Chair?
I’ve made so many connections. I feel like those connections inspire me to be a better person in all aspects of insurance and business—and life, actually. Those connections have turned into friendships.
Do you have a mentor?
My parents. My dad knows a lot of people from working in the insurance industry for so long, and he's very personable and respected by his peers. Ever since I was little, he's always tried to make sure everyone has been well taken care of and he'll go the extra mile to do it. He's also someone I bounce ideas off of in regard to operational changes because he gives honest feedback.
And my mom, who has nothing to do with insurance and has to tell our family to stop talking about insurance when we're at a family outing. She's been able to balance work and raising a family and has an organization process about it, and that's stuck with me.
Agency perpetuation plans?
My sister and I are planning on taking over the agency when my dad retires. We hired a consultant and she's been helping with a lot of organizational changes we need to grow our agency. It saved a lot of family drama—having that third-party mediator has been really helpful.
Industry progress on attracting talent?
It's good, but I think we can do better. Insurance has this image of being male, stale and pale, and we need to do a better job changing that image. From my perspective, I feel like agency owners should make it a goal of theirs to offer an internship program at their agencies. We've had an intern for the last two years. Independent agencies should promote internships like that for high school and college students so they get a glimpse of what the industry is all about.
Mentorship in young agent committees?
As a young person, being able to go to young agent events and talk with others about what they're doing differently at their agency has been the biggest thing. And I feel like that's why I'm still connected with all the young agent committee members. We constantly talk about what companies we're using and what we're doing for HR. We're all helping each other in this industry trying to navigate where we go next.
AnneMarie McPherson Spears is IA news editor.
