Kendall's 30 Years With Protectors!
How did you first get started in insurance?
"As a high school student, I worked for my Dad one summer. He was an independent claims adjuster at that time. I typed his letters to insureds and claimants by listening to a Dictaphone. I love mysteries, and still do, and since claims involve some investigation, I was very interested. My Dad was a great story-teller, and that was part of the charm to me. He also occasionally brought home stranded claimants or insureds for dinner, and I thought that was quite mysterious."
When did you move into the commercial side of insurance?
"After being at Standard & Brown for 2 years as a personal lines CSR, there was a job opening in the commercial lines dept. I was promoted to that role in 1990. It was at this time that I became a licensed agent, as before this time, CSRs were not licensed."
When did you know that insurance was going to be the career for you?
"After the merger with Protectors in 1994, I began to see more of the potential as a career. I realized how much I enjoyed it. I was also given the opportunity to have a management role, and organize social team events, and I thrived."
What is your current position with Protectors and what do you do?
"Commercial Lines CSR and dept. manager to CSRs and admin staff."
Who do you consider the person who had the greatest influence you in insurance?
"My Dad. He was happy that I took an interest in a career that related to his, and he was very supportive and encouraging. He had to retire from SAIF before he turned 50, due to illness, so he always wanted to hear my insurance stories, like I once heard his."
How long did it take you to earn your CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) designation?
"5 years to earn my CIC. It is a 5 part course, and when I started, I had a young child at home and so it was best for me to only take 1 course a year, as they were out of town."
What is the greatest change in insurance you have seen in the past 30 years?
"The biggest change by far in 30 years is technology. When I started in insurance, we had typewriters for all the applications and certificates, ID cards, etc…, and we rated the personal lines policies from book manuals. Math skills came into play far more than they do now with the manual rating and checking audits."
What is the hardest part of your job?
"The hardest part of my job is staying current with my workload, and the constant change of coverages, carrier eligibility and other details of the business. Trying to stay current with the information we are passing to the consumers can be a challenge. Wishing I had more time in the day to do what is needed.…Which leads me to the best part of the job (you didn’t ask)….and that is that I have never spent a boring day in my job. I am always too busy to get everything done, and each day has new projects, ideas, problems(!), things to discover, and people to help."
How many kids do you have?
"3 children, ages 17-35."
Grandchildren?
"4 grandchildren, ages 6 mth- 12 yrs."
Why have you chosen to stay at Protectors after all these years?
"I have stayed at Protectors because I appreciate the company’s stability and values, and the “family” team here. I truly care about all the clients I serve. I wouldn’t be anywhere else. I have had a few opportunities over the years with other agencies, and I have talked myself out of changing jobs in very short order. It is a blessing to have an employer like Protectors."
What do you like to do in your free time?
"I enjoy scrapbooking, sewing, cooking and exploring on day trips with my husband. We are just starting to garden together this year. We also love spending time with our blended family of adult kids/spouses and grandchildren."
What advise would you give a young person who is thinking about entering into an insurance career?
"I would tell a young person that while insurance can be both confusing and interesting, if you have a desire to learn, if you love helping and working with others as a team, insurance is a great career. There are many facets of the industry, depending on the education you are willing to get."