Becoming an insurance agent can be a life-changing event forsome, especially when the opportunity turns into a calling. Thefollowing five producers may have come into the business fordifferent reasons, but they're each staying in the industry for thesame: to improve the lives of others.

Want to share your own insurance story? Clickhereto tell us about your life as a successful agent. For more producerprofiles, see Vol. I.

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Susan Bauman, agent
Western Risk Insurance
Las Vegas, Nev.

How and when did you decide that an insurance career wasfor you?

Formerly, I was the publisher of a multi-housing publication andsat on the local apartment association board. This is where I metCarrol & Perry Noonan, the principals of Western RiskInsurance. I left my publisher position to have child and then whenwanting to return to work, Perry offered me to come to Western RiskInsurance as the Vice President of Marketing. It has been anexciting and adventerous career change.

What do you love most about being an insuranceagent?

The industry is facinating. I am never board and learn somethingevery day. No matter what your interests are, there is a role inthe insurance industry that will suite most people.

What's your favorite client success story?

One of our top clients had been with another broker and it tookus about 2 years to earn its interest in allowing us toreview its policies and business needs. Once we did, we earnedall of its business and have been partnered with that clientfor 5 years now.

What career advice would you give new agents? Do youhave a mantra for success?

We are here to help solve problems. Most peple do not understandand do not want to understand insurance. It is our job to learnabout them and advise them on best ways to protect theirassets.

What public figure (past or present) do you most admire,and why?

Jacqueline Kennedy, She always presented herself as a polishedperson. She was devoted to her family.

What are your hobbies? What do you most enjoy doingoutside the office?

I find enjoyment by spending time with family and friends. Ienjoy hiking and traveling.

Ted Kluemper, Jr.
Ted Kluemper Insurance Agency
Huntington, W. Va.

How and when did you decide that an insurance career wasfor you?

In high school. My dad started the agency in 1935. He mademe go to college before I could join the agency.

What do you love most about being an insuranceagent?

Explaining a difficult subject to someone, and being there formy customers when they have claims to make a hard time a littleeasier.

What's your favorite client success story?

A young couple walked into the agency and said they wanted tobuy a tenant's policy. I said, “I'm sorry, I sold my last policy.”They very nicely said, “Thank you,” and started to walk out. I hadto eat crow and tell them I was just kidding. They are bothprofessionals today, and have been with agency for morethan 40 years. We still laugh about my statement.

What career advice would you give new agents? Do youhave a mantra for success?

Take as many courses in insurance as possible. If you have theopportunity, go to work for an insurance company and learn theother side; it really helps. Be honest or it will come back to biteyou.

What career would you want if you weren't an insuranceagent?

Exclusive paper saleman to large company or to the government.They sure use a lot of it.

What public figure (past or present) do you most admire,and why?

Jesus Christ. He watches over me and I sure need help.

What are your hobbies? What do you most enjoy doingoutside of the office?

Working out every morning and playing golf.

Want to share your own insurance story? Clickhereto tell us about your life as a successful agent. For more producerprofiles, see Vol. I.

Charles Raymond
Brown & Brown Private Client Group
Newark, Del.

How and when did you decide that an insurance career wasfor you?

I entered the insurance industry in 1993 as a necessity becauseI was being laid off from my position at a credit card company. Istarted as an assistant to a producer in a start up operation andover time, decided that it was a very exciting field to be inbecause of the various issues involved in the insurance and legalarenas.

What do you love most about being an insuranceagent?

I really enjoy providing the asset protection for my clients viaa well-crafted personal insurance program. It makes me feel goodknowing my clients' financial well-being is being protected fromunforseen circumstances.

What's your favorite client success story?

I have a very high-end client who had a complete 'jigsaw' puzzlefor his coverages in terms of multiple agents, multiple carriers,and no coordination between any of them. I was successful inproviding a full personal insurance program with one carrier andone point of contact. He was very pleased with the outcome and I'vebeen able to provide additional coverages for him as he requeststhem.

What career advice would you give new agents? Do youhave a mantra for success?

In the insurance business, you need to take care of the details,and the accounts will take care of themselves. If you're not goodwith the paperwork, then you're doing your client (and your agency)a disservice because overlooking a detail could cause a loss to beuninsured and expose you to litigation from the client.

What career would you want if you weren't an insuranceagent?

I probably would have liked to have been a writer, as I like tocreate characters on paper and bring them to life in fictionalstories.

What public figure (past or present) do you most admire,and why?

I admire the late President Ronald Reagan because of his senseof duty to our country and how he could relate to the common manback in the 1980s when I was in my 20s.

What are your hobbies? What do you most enjoy doingoutside the office?

I enjoy writing fictional stories as well as reading historynovels.

Want to share your own insurance story? Clickhereto tell us about your life as a successful agent. For more producerprofiles, see Vol. I.

Ben Guttman
West Insurance Group
Baltimore, Md.

How and when did you decide that an insurance career wasfor you?

I was always interested in marketing and helping people.Insurance is an industry that provides me the opportunity to doboth on a daily basis. I decided to go into insurance when mycousin bought an agency and was looking for team members.

What do you love most about being an insuranceagent?

That there is never a dull moment. I am always eitherprospecting, helping a customer, helping someone in the office, orout networking and meeting people.

What's your favorite client success story?

Anytime I can educate customers and help them understand theirpolicies is a success. My favorite would have to be a customer whohad his fence damaged by someone with a different company. Theysaid he could file a claim against them, but the adjuster nevershowed. I spent weeks trying to track down their adjuster and gethim his check. In the end, I got him everything he deserved, andearned his respect for giving him the attention I feel all myclients deserve.

What career advice would you give new agents? Do youhave a mantra for success?

The more you focus on helping the customer the more willing theywill be to buy from you. The more you push the more they think youjust want their money. I guess my mantra would be “Treat people theway you want to be treated, and they'll take care of you, too.”

What career would you want if you weren't an insuranceagent?

I would definitely be a professional musician (I do some gigs onthe side).

What public figure (past or present) do you most admire,and why?

Itzhak Perlman. He became a world class violinist despite hispolio. His vision and ability to overcome all obstacles in pursuitof his dream is truly inspiring.

What are your hobbies? What do you most enjoy doingoutside the office?

Music, reading, basketball, couponing, and most importantly,spending time with my wife!

Want to share your own insurance story?Click hereto tell us about your life as a successful agent. For more producerprofiles, see Vol. I.

Lorraine Marcano
Gentry Insurance Agency Inc.
Apopka, Fla.

How and when did you decide that an insurance career wasfor you?

I was in a car accident in my early 20s, and my agent, who hadbeen my parents' agent for more than 20 years, told me thatbecause I only carried liability coverage that there was nothing hecould do to help me to file a claim against the person who hit mycar. I thought, “How could that be, you're my agent, aren't yousupposed to help me?” I contacted several other agents who wererecommend to me and they gave me advice on how to file a claimagainst the other person's insurance and what to do to make surethat I was prepared by having my documents, receipts and policereport. This was information that my agent should have been helpingme with. After that it sort of snowballed with other people askingme what to do for their claims. After my daughter was born, I hadthe opportunity to work with a brand new insurance office in myarea, and that began my career.

What do you love most about being an insuranceagent?

I love working one-on-one with my clients. Helping them tosecure the best coverage at the lowest cost makes me feelgreat.

What's your favorite client success story?

We had a client whose mother passed away out of state.While at the funeral service, he received a call from a neighborthat his house was on fire and the fire dept. was on site. Hishome burnt down to the ground. We worked with the adjuster from dayone to make sure that we were able to ease the way during thisawful time. Because they had several pets and lived in a ruralarea, the insured did not want to relocate while things were beingsettled. He wanted to remain on his property. We wereable to work with the carrier adjuster to have a mobile homedropped on site just a few yards from the burned house, we workedwith the adjuster to make sure that we were able to get theutilities turned on and local officials to approve dropping themobile home on their property. It took many calls but we got themtaken care of in way that worked for them, and 11 months later theyhave a brand new house on the same spot.

What career advice would you give new agents? Do youhave a mantra for success?

I tell my clients that my job is not to sell them insurance, myjob is to educate them about the coverage available to them andhelp them to make an informed decision regarding the protection oftheir assets.

What career would you want if you weren't an insuranceagent?

At this point in my life, I could not imagine doing anythingother than working in the insurance industry!

What are your hobbies? What do you most enjoy doingoutside the office?

I love to read for pleasure and take family day trips.

Want to share your own insurance story?Click hereto tell us about your life as a successful agent. For more producerprofiles, see Vol. I.