Independent Agents Show the Way in Leadership

If you attended the Missouri Agents Connection (MAC) Summit in July in Branson, you
were witness to a great lesson in and story of leadership in our industry. If you were not
able to attend the Summit, or the banquet in particular, you really missed out on a
wonderful and special moment for MAIA past president Randy Smart. A very deserving
individual, Randy was presented the association’s highest honor, the E. Ellwood Willard
award, during the banquet. This award, voted upon by the MAIA executive committee, is
not one awarded every year and requires a unanimous vote by the committee.

Upon accepting the Willard award, Randy provided heartfelt and touching comments to
the attendees. I was struck (in a positive way) by numerous comments offered by Randy,
but one in particular has stuck with me. He referred to the role that independent
insurance agents play in their local communities. Whether it’s sponsoring little league
teams, serving on the boards of non-profit entities or unselfishly giving their time to their
local church or parish, independent agents are always “right there.” While I regularly see
examples of this community involvement, I’ve never heard it referred to in the manner
Randy described.

In my position, I am privy months in advance as to who will be honored during each year’s
MAC Summit. Part of my job once the decisions are made by the executive committee and
board of directors is to work with family, friends and co-workers to gather information
about the honorees. As such, I worked with Randy’s daughter, Lauren, to obtain
information about his professional and personal roles, and learn a bit more about what’s
important to him. This article would be four or five pages long if I touched on all the
events and causes Randy has been involved in…and yet he continues to add to that list. To
be honest, when I read the information Lauren provided me, a few thoughts crossed my
mind, the first being when Randy actually sells insurance. But what stayed with me was
what a wonderfully full life he has established and continues to enjoy.

In short, all of these events and causes to which he dedicates time and resources, financial
and otherwise, are a great display of leadership.

That’s what independent agents do. They give to their clients and communities. They lead
by giving back.

The focus of this month’s magazine is leadership, and that term means many different
things to many different people. But considering the wide circle of people and entities
agents work with on a regular basis, they are in a prime position to show leadership in
their communities. I think back to my own childhood, some 40 years ago, and I recall
insurance agencies sponsoring teams in the baseball league in which I played.

Interestingly enough, when I worked for the Missouri Department of Insurance I fielded on
more than one occasion complaints from various insurance agents pertaining to their
competition sponsoring sports teams. And why, you ask, would there even be a complaint
about that? Some agents interpreted the anti-rebating laws in Missouri as prohibiting such
a sponsorship. My view on those complaints was, “Seriously?” I always viewed that as just
part of being a good community member.

How are you viewed in your community? Are you leading by giving back?