Energy Underwriting for:  Oil & Gas including Exploration, Drilling, Architects, Engineers & Consultants, Lease Operators, Lease Work, Site Prep Contractors, Servicing, Pipeline Operations & Construction Utilities including Contractors, Independent Power Producers, Publicly Owned, Investor Owned, Merchant Power, Co-Generation, Wind, Solar, Projects - Build, Own, Operate or Sell Combinations, Nuclear Projects - Non-Pool, MEL: (Jones Act) not Limited to Energy Risks.  Alternative Energy including Biomass, Co-Generation, Wind, Ethanol, Geothermal, Landfill Methane, Solar, Microturbines, Nanotechnology-Energy Related, Research & Development, Manufacture, Start-ups, Construction, Facility Operation, Project Planning & Management  Mines, Above Ground & Underground Mines, Equipment Mfg, Repair Contractors & Supply Companies, Manufacture, Installation, Service & Repair of Equipment Used in the Energy Industry

At AmeriTrust, I worked in the Admitted Lines Oil and Gas Program (EnergyEdge) focusing on organizing, re-organizing, and growing the book towards new guidelines set by executive staff. I was one of the two subject matter experts in this industry and I spent much of my time educating less experienced underwriters and serving as a knowledge resource to executive decision-makers. What I liked best about AmeriTrust was the availability of the executive staff to the underwriting teams and their willingness and ability to change rapidly in response to market trends and business needs.  Explained coverage, rules, forms and underwriting decisions to agents and brokers, company personnel, and policyholders as needed or required.  Developed and leveraged productive agency relationships through continuous telephone and email contact and through periodic agency visits.  Reviewed and approved/declined referred Oilpatch program submissions from other underwriters in the capacity of a Senior Underwriter and a Subject Matter Expert.  Worked closely with executive leaders and AVP’s to further develop, expand and create a competitive product in the Energy industry.

As a Full Touch Underwriter, I was the primary point of contact for all my agency's needs. I worked with the agents in helping them to retain their renewal book and would personally visit them several times throughout the year, which had an amazing impact in improving both the quality of their submissions and our agent-underwriter relationship. I was seen as their trusted resource to turn to whenever they had any difficulties with a claim, billing questions, loss control inspection results, and various other aspects that had a direct impact on their agency-client relationship.  Explained coverage, rules, forms and underwriting decisions to agents and brokers, company personnel and policyholders as needed or required  Managed, improved, increased and underwrote a renewal book of business for energy-related SIC codes, including Petroleum, Mining, Power, and Renewable Energy (Wind, Solar, Hydro).  Developed and leveraged productive agency relationships through continuous telephone and email contact and through periodic agency visits.  Monitored account activity and implement underwriting controls as situation requires, explaining any required changes or actions to agents in a professional manner, all while seeking their “buy-in” with the goal of maintaining a positive and strong agent-underwriter relationship.

My time with USAA included a spectacular range of diverse work experiences. I began my journey as a Member Service Representative, assisting existing USAA members in modifying and calibrating their personal home and auto insurance policies. One year later, I transitioned to the New Member Services team where I qualified candidates for USAA membership and customized new memberships by adding appropriate and sensible insurance and banking products to their profiles. Within two years of joining the NMS team, I was promoted to the Financial Foundations Relationship Specialist (RS) role. As an RS, I trained, coached, and enculturated new NMS employees in the Phoenix, Tampa, San Antonio and Colorado Springs branches. I led presentations on technical skill training, hosted Webex meetings and training sessions, designed, developed, and taught a Member Personality Recognition workshop for employees in multiple departments which greatly helped USAA employees better communicate and understand Member needs. I piloted the "Robotic RS" program with USAA's Innovation Lab where I trained and coached NMS employees in remote company branches utilizing a Beam Model Robot https://www.sanantonioreport.org/innovation-lab-incubates-novel-ideas-at-usaa Served as a team leader, coach, mentor, role model, and change agent to a team of front-line employees who provided sales and service activities to members through a variety of channels on insurance and banking products.  Drove business results and revenue/product goal attainment by sharing sales strategies, demonstrating process management, and providing cognitive/behavioral models to sustain and enhance a positive and productive business environment.  Ensured that front-line employees understood how their tasks support the Mission.  Identified opportunities and recommended improvements in the organization’s processes and procedures to promote maximum efficiency and enhance the member experience.

American Family Insurance was a great experience not only in delivering superior insurance products but also in learning the entrepreneurship of being a small agency owner. I learned the techniques, strategies, and survival skills that were necessary to develop a "scratch agency" into a successful operation. I served as an intern at the Robert B Kerns Agency, where I was mentored personally by Rob Kerns, one of the most successful agents in the American Family Insurance franchise. Contracted as an AIT (Agent in Training) in a program that determined if owning an independent franchise was suitable and appealing.  Generated sales using cross-selling techniques, cold calling, warm lead transfers, inbound prospects, development of Centers of Influence and prospecting Natural Markets.  Processed changes to existing policies using DOS and Internet-based applications.  Analyzed existing insured’s policies to identify gaps.