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

Want to share your own insurance story?Click here to tell us about your lifeas a successful agent. For more producer profiles,see Meet Your Peers: July 2013

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Amy De Lorenzo, personal linesclient service assistant
Strategic Insurance Services
Clearwater, Fla.

How and when did you decide that an insurance career wasfor you?
While an InVEST student I heard stories from InVEST volunteer'sabout how they got part time jobs at an insurance agency while inschool. Once in college I reached out to my InVEST teacher andasked if any of our volunteers needed part-time help in theiragency. Strategic Insurance Services was looking for help and hiredme because they knew my background, having taken InVEST in highschool. The rest is history, and I'm now celebrating my one yearanniversary with the agency.

What do you love most about being an insuranceagent?
Helping people. Day after day, I receive phone calls from clientsthat need help understanding their insurance policies. I love beingable to clarify terms and satisfy their needs.

What's your favorite client successstory?
A few weeks ago we were able to save a clientalmost $1500 on her flood insurance. She was so ecstatic andthankful we went the extra mile to save her money.

What career advice would you give new agents and/orwhat's your mantra for success?
Take everything one step at a time. Some days or tasks will beharder than others, but by helping clients, the end result will puta smile on your face.

What career would you want if you weren't an insuranceagent?
If I wasn't working at Strategic Insurance Services, I would liketo open a sports complex.

What public figure (past or present) do you most admire,and why?
I strongly admire Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightninghockey team. He is an amazing hockey player but also a great teamplayer on and off the ice, donating his time and money to localTampa Bay charities.

What are your hobbies/what do you most enjoy doingoutside the office?
Ever since I was a kid I've loved hockey. I try to go to as manyTampa Bay Lightning games in a season as possible. I also enjoyspending time with my friends and family at our gorgeous localbeaches.

Lori Robinett, senior vice president
Willis Group
Addison,Texas

How and when did you decide that an insurance career wasfor you?
By accident. I was a student in college with dreams of becoming alawyer. I also was a mother of two children at this point in mylife. Having beaten the odds as a young mother in college, Irealized that after the completion of my bachelor's degree,pursuing a legal profession would be too time consuming and wouldtake more time away from my children. I then decided to entercorporate America as a secretary to the head of the NationalProject Insurance Practice for Willis. As I had not yet graduatedcollege yet, I began with Willis I decided to push through theremaining years as a part time student, full time mom and a fulltime employee.

After a total of 11 years I successfully graduated in 2005, andwas at Willis for five of those years. During those five years, Iabsorbed all I could in an industry I knew nothing about. As I hada love for law, I learned that consulting with clients andstructuring insurance programs gave me the same thrill. I washooked from day one. I am currently with the same company, sameunit, and now I do what my one-time boss and mentor did.

What do you love most about being an insuranceagent?
The clients. To be a part of something so important to what they doand create programs that are no two ever alike. To consult, design,build, and complete a successful insurance structure is suchrewarding job.

What's your favorite client successstory?
Whenever I do what has not been done before.We are always looking for new and innovative ideas as brokers to bedifferent. But how does it play out when you are put to the test?Transparency, relationships and treating insurance companies fairlyhave always been our mantra. After all, the insurance companies arewho we rely on to provide solutions to our clients.

I was building an insurance program for a multi-billion dollarconstruction project and had to build an excess tower in additionto the company's current corporate program. We were advised bytheir corporate broker that it was impossible as they had twoseparate excess towers as part of their corporate structure aloneand the entire marketplace was taped out. In addition, the companyhad experienced some significant claims a few years back that hadspooked much of the marketplace from even participating.

Not taking no for an answer, we continued with a full-blownmarketing campaign that reached out domestically andinternationally. As we showcased the risk, many carriers told meand my client that it could not be done. Through past relationshipbuilding and using domestic and international access points, wewere able to squeeze the additional $300M they needed, officiallytapping out the marketplace for excess. It was because of thoserelationships and their appreciation for how we do business that wegot the support we needed from the marketplace.

What career advice would you give new agents and/orwhat's your mantra for success?
Learn, be properly educated and never stop being a student. Don'tdiscount anyone from being a mentor to you. Listen to yourclients and provide real solutions and not solutions that willonly make you look good. Be mindful of deadlines with your clientsand do what you say you are going to do.

Lastly but most importantly – treat anyone you deal with in thisindustry with dignity and respect. If someone can't provide yousomething, you need move on to someone who will, but don't burn abridge with the one that could not. You may need them some day.

This business is not rocket science and I think we can be ourown worst enemy. As one senior underwriter once told me, it is onlyegos that get in the way between doing a job and doing a great job.The great job is what will always be remembered.

What career would you want if you weren't an insuranceagent?
To stay home and enjoy life. Hard to do without the lotto, yes Iknow. So the brokers' life it will be until then.

What public figure (past or present) do you most admire,and why?
He may not have been a public figure, but he is known to many,especially after the movie “A Beautiful Mind”: John Nash, themathematician whose work in game theory revolutionized economics.As many know he also struggled with schizophrenia. He is aninspiration to me because of his brilliance. He revolutionizedeconomics through game theory, which, I believe, can besuccessfully applied in business as well. He saw sanity asconformity and viewed mental illness as an escape. What does thatmean to the average person? It means that not everyone canfit in a box. To support individuality means to support the giftseach person has and to use them to the fullest extent. It's notnecessarily an easy thing to do when we are taught to be likeeveryone else. It is through that support of nurturing one's giftsthat gives way to great ideas, desire for change, and ability toblaze new paths.

What are your hobbies/what do you most enjoy doingoutside the office?
Nothing more than spending every second I have outside of work withmy family and friends.

Want to share your own insurance story?Click here to tell us about your lifeas a successful agent. For more producer profiles,see Meet Your Peers: July 2013

Cabell Vildibill, commercialinsurancebroker
GeorgeH. Odiorne Insurance Agency Inc.
Brandon, Fla.

How and when did you decide that an insurance career wasfor you?
I changed from the construction and engineering field. I hadrecently sold a manufacturing business and had a job offer in thecivil engineering department at MacDill Air Force Base when alongtime friend askedme if I wanted to help them expand theirCommercial Lines P&C Business.

What do you love most about being an insuranceagent?
I enjoy teaching my clients about their exposures and creating thebest risk management solutions to hedge against thoseexposures.

What's your favorite client successstory?
One of my favorites is when I was able to get a large “loss ofincome” claim paid for a client who was not yet open for a newbusiness.

What career advice would you give new agents and/orwhat's your mantra for success?
When you call on a new client, make sure you read their currentpolicy. Educate yourself on forms and coverage. In addition,obtain industry designations such as CIC, CRM, CPIAor AAI to constantly expand your skills and knowledge.

What career would you want if you weren't an insuranceagent?
I would be an inventor.

What public figure (past or present) do you most admire,and why?
Benjamin Franklin because he left such animpact in so many areas.

What are your hobbies/what do you most enjoy doingoutside the office?
I participate in skeetshooting competition.

Want to share your own insurance story?Click here to tell us about your lifeas a successful agent. For more producer profiles,see Meet Your Peers: July 2013